5 Handy Pittsburgh Tools You Can Get At Harbor Freight For Under $25

Building out a toolbox can seriously strain your wallet. That's why it's a good idea to find deals where you can, keeping costs down and ensuring the best bang for your buck. There are plenty of tools you can get away with buying cheaply, and Harbor Freight is a great place to shop for these products. The chain has numerous budget-friendly products to consider, including those from its Pittsburgh brand, which offers everything from multi-use hand tools to more specialized automotive pieces.

Pittsburgh has a lot of products to sift through, and a fair amount of them are big, bulky, and relatively expensive, ranging from heavy-duty car jacks to engine stands to a full-on motorcycle lift. However, there are smaller, more affordable items that will still be of use in a home or professional workshop, and it's entirely possible to spend $25 or less and get a handy Pittsburgh tool (or even a kit) that's every bit as useful as it is cost-effective. Here are some ultra-affordable Pittsburgh tools that are good to have around and have left a positive impression on the customers who decided to give them a go.

Whether you're just starting or need cheap replacements, a small socket set can go a long way. Pittsburgh has a 21-piece kit of its own, available in three different drive sizes: 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch, and 1/2-inch. The first two retail for $19.99 and $24.99, respectively, making them especially wallet-friendly choices for those on a budget in need of new sockets. The set has triple chrome plating throughout, with high-visibility markings to reduce eye strain, and the 72-tooth quick-release ratchet has a rubber handhold grip.

Most customers feel that these Pittsburgh socket sets perform well. As of this writing, they have a 4.7 out of five-star rating based on almost 2,300 Harbor Freight customer reviews. In addition to the price, common points of praise among customers include the sets' durability, the ease of use for beginners, and how visible the text on the sockets is. Many reviewers noted that they bought multiple, touting them as solid, cheap sets that are good to have around in car trunks, campers, and similar areas in case of emergencies. Buyers also appreciated the inclusion of Harbor Freight's lifetime warranty for hand tools.

One of the most essential tools to have around is the claw hammer, which is not to be confused with the similar framing hammer. Whether you're a tradesperson or someone who wants to keep their home in good shape, this hand tool is a must for driving fasteners into walls and removing them easily. Available in the Pittsburgh catalog is the 16-ounce fiberglass claw hammer, a very money-conscious buy at $6.99. It has a rubber grip around the fiberglass handle, touted as a shock-absorbing element when using the hammer, and a drop forged polished steel head. Like other Pittsburgh hand tools, this comes with Harbor Freight's lifetime warranty.

Customer reviews on the Harbor Freight website indicate that this hammer is quite liked by customers. It currently has a 4.8 out of five-star rating, with nearly 1,900 reviews behind that number — 1,550 of which have given it a perfect score. Those who liked the hammer appreciated its weight distribution, the usefulness of the rubber grip, its durability, and the hammer's overall versatility. It has seemed to get the job done in home, farm, and professional settings without hassle. Of course, the low price was also a commonly mentioned element, with numerous reviews praising the quality for the cost.

Having the correct tools to get a job done is important, sure, but it's equally important to get your measurements right before doing anything irreversible. In many cases, a tool like the $16.99 Pittsburgh 48-inch drywall T-square can come in handy, helping you mark precise lines and angles onto material before cutting. It definitely looks a bit ungainly, what with being shaped like a giant lopsided metal T, but T-squares definitely have their purpose. It should be asked, though, is this specific Pittsburgh take on the T-square worth it?

Even with its unorthodox appearance and somewhat straightforward use, this Pittsburgh T-square gets the job done for most Harbor Freight customers. It has a 4.5 out of five-star rating based on around 580 reviews, with 450 customers giving it top marks. According to them, it's a sturdy and durable way to mark angles that would be tedious to mark correctly otherwise — exactly what a T-square should do. Some users also note that this Pittsburgh T-square uses thicker material than most, which should offer some reassurance — backed up, of course, by the included lifetime warranty.

Screwdrivers are a must for any toolbox, but having a bunch of individual ones takes up space. That's where a multibit screwdriver is a good buy; it's a hand tool that keeps home repairs super simple and can help out on the job, too, without taking up too much real estate. A set like the Pittsburgh precision screwdriver kit delivers in this regard without breaking the bank, retailing for $10.99 at Harbor Freight. The kit comes with 28 nickel chrome molybdenum steel bits to accommodate different fastener heads, an extension for hard-to-reach areas, and a magnifier. All of these pieces come in a carrying case to keep everything secure and organized.

At the time of writing, this is quite a popular Pittsburgh offering among Harbor Freight customers. At 4.4 out of five stars based on 2,228 reviews, this set has numerous positive reviews backing it — around 1,500 users gave it a perfect five-star score. The size, build quality, and price were all positives among these users, with multiple bits ensuring the kit was useful in all kinds of scenarios. Many customers recommend it for tasks such as tech repair, where smaller bits are essential, as well as home repair jobs.

No matter what you and your toolbox get up to, there's always a need for a good set of pliers. Even if you only need them infrequently, Pittsburgh's six-piece plier kit could be worth considering. Aside from only costing $14.99 — which works out to less than $3 per plier — it's also a reasonably exhaustive kit: Buyers get needle-nose pliers, linesman pliers, two diagonal cutters, groove-joint pliers, and slip-joint pliers. They're made of polished carbon steel with rubber grips over them to prevent dropping and slipping.

So far, this budget Pittsburgh plier set has proven a worthwhile buy in the eyes of Harbor Freight customers. As of publication, it has a 4.6 out of five-star rating based on 1,454 online reviews. More than 1,000 users gave the set five stars and praised it on multiple fronts. Many find the price compelling given what's included, with the size, weight, and build quality perfectly adequate for household and professional tasks. All in all, the prevailing attitude seems to be that this is a good set to have, particularly as a backup or as part of a beginner's tool kit.