Harbor Freight Power Tool Buyer's Guide (Hercules vs Bauer vs Warrior...)

[@southpawhammer8644]

I just got the Bauer 1/2 cordless impact driver. Made quick work of the 32 lug nuts on my ram 2500.

[@user-tl5fi9lz9z]

Ok, Bear. YOU just cause me over $300! I had never been to Harbor Freight before a couple hours ago. Because you keep talking about them, I went it and browsed a while. Then my car trunk was full of tools and I was $332 lighter. The only reason it wasn’t more was because the Hercules miter saw box wouldn’t fit in my trunk. When the credit card bill comes and my wife sees it, I’m blaming YOU!

[@BradsWorkbench]

Sam Smith this is a very common first time experience. Check out his 10 commandments of harbor freight video

[@denoftools]

Just remind her that as a North American Tool Bear I'm a federally protected species!

[@trekzilladmc]

When she tells you that she needs another purse, you just tell her that there's no such thing as a tool you didn't need :)

[@ArchLinuxTux]

Oh The bear is good at that

[@hardlyb]

You need to get a bigger car! I was able to fit the 44 inch tool cabinet in my minivan, but I had to make a second trip to get the top part. That size limitation saved me from buying a 72 inch cabinet, which was good because there wasn't room in my garage for it. I'm a big fan of the new quality stuff at HF, and I've been upgrading now that I'm retired and have time to work on things again, but I think Tekton still has them beat on the sockets, wrenches, and screwdrivers. The Quinn sockets look really nice, and are a step up over the Pittsburgh (which I've happily used for decades), but I recently got some new sockets and screwdrivers from Tekton because I didn't see anything at HF that could touch them. (And none of these guys make pliers that I like as much as my Knipex...)

[@2600_Josh]

I was looking at tools and wanted something cheap but also quality so thanks for making this comparison because harbor freight has a very good warranty and am now buying a set of Hercules

[@raimoe4512]

Come on Herc. I been waiting forever to get the full line. Hurry hurry hurry before I die.

[@grizmt7779]

I’m with you Rai, get them Herc’s out there!

[@Lysten_1]

thats what im saying! im waiting for the 1/2 impacts already

[@williamknight6227]

I work in a shipyard and i see habor freight all over. Pittsburg,Bauer,Hercules and pittsburg pro are some of the stuff I see everyday.

[@DickTickles]

The Pittsburgh hand tools are fantastic, the only one I didn't like was the flex head 1/2" ratchet wrench. The ratcheting combination and box wrenches are a bargain, I just wish they would come out with larger sets of the flexible ratcheting combo wrenches.

[@grizmt7779]

Dick Tickles I have found Pittsburgh tools good, but I don’t like their vice-grip type pliers because they seem to bend when I really apply the power. I just got one of the new Bremen “Best” ones. Time will tell.

[@ChrisGilliamOffGrid]

@@grizmt7779 The Breman ones are great, I keep a couple of pr in my welding stuff.

[@GregAlanEdwardsEmmanuelRidge]

My Bauer tools are a HUGE step up in power from my Porter Cables. Maybe they too will be worn down in 3 years, we will see

[@Mixwell1983]

Just got that braun 5000 shop light yesterday since my 3/4 bulbs on my 2 fluro light ballists went out in the garage. Man that braun light is bright!! Lights up the whole garage and for $19.99 on sale a great deal. I have the gen4 brushed ridgid combo but before that my combo was bnd impact driver and bauer drill. The bauer drill is a beast and the grip is better than my ridgid. Feels more comfortable.

[@harrisla123456]

Great explanation! Keeps me straight when I go to HF . My friend has the earthquake 1/2" impact!! It is awesome on stuck big nuts and bolts. Have to be careful on lug nuts, you can ring off the lugs on small cars and suv's

[@davidwalle5025]

Another great explanation bear. You have it right. Hf is bring the A game to the table. Never had any problems with drill master as long as they were not miss used. When dewalt are miss used they die.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

I agree with you 100% about the cordless combo kits. In my opinion, the ONLY combos worth buying are the 2 tool sets that are made up of a 1/2" drill, 1/4" impact driver, TWO batteries and a charger. The larger sets that come with saws, flashlights etc. still only include 2 batteries and they're always the low a.h. units. Since you need to buy bigger batteries for the saws, grinder etc. anyway, why not just buy the bare tool(s) that you want and the big batteries to power them separately?

[@chaseself9151]

Thank you I’m getting started in the Bauer line. I’ve got the impact driver and impact socket. I’m an old craftsman guy and I’ve got a drill motor with an 19v lit ion battery that also runs a craftsman hedge trimmer. All the craftsman pieces are 10 years or older and when my dad got me the Bauer when I was rebuilding my deck stairs I was amazed. The impact driver has been phenomenal. The impact torque wrench does a good job I’ve got a 1023 e John Deere with a 60D drive over deck and the impact takes the blades off with ease.

[@DennysPlantBasedJourney]

love my bauer tools and both 3/8 and 1/2 work great. I have 5 tools now and will probably add more. For the price and the frequency that I use them, they are awesome. I hear they are coming out with a 5 amp hour battery soon and I will definitely add a couple of those to my stash

[@grantvanriesen9407]

Been running Bauer for a year and a half. I work part time for a contractor and these tools have worked every time with no issues. Had one battery issue but Harbor Freight took care of it. I would run these all day, everyday! Great line! Only wish they had the recip saw! I put the impact driver up against a Rigid and it ran circles around it. My friend who had the Rigid agreed. Rigid is a VERY solid line but I would put this in line with Rigid. Compared to Ryobi, which I have done extensive testing and use with also, Ryobi is a solid platform also. Not because of all the different tools but for solid run time and abuse.

[@robertpeterson6311]

I think kits are great if you’re a young cub, first time home buyer, or just a dude who doesn’t have a bunch of tools. They’re a good base. I bought the Ryobi drill, circular saw, reciprocating saw, and flashlight. I’ve added onto it over the past year and I’ve loved it. One of the best purchases that I’ve made. Now that I’ve started to acquire more tools I’m not afraid to branch out my beautiful green beauties. Anything cordless though I still go Ryobi because I already have 4 batteries and 2 charges lol. Thanks for the great content and happy birthday to Duncan Bear

[@johnd4348]

Hercules brand is pretty good. I do hvac and the Hercules is great for taking screws out of panels all day long. Battery last a long time. The 12 volt is super light in weight. Which is why I bought it. I have some heavy duty Dewalts for those tough jobs. But Hercules holds it's own.

[@derekdugger2321]

Hey Bear, i have another story of someone impressed with someone who is not a HF fan. My buddy is staying with me for a bit and has been using my tools to build a large wishing well yard ornament. He is Milwaukee name brand snob. 2 nights in a row after using my Baure drill, he has commented how much he likes it, ovee his M18. I was shocked, said it feels more powerful, lighter and his wrist don't hurt after using it for hours. I like Milwaukee mysef and have a few M12 products, i think i got his attention when seeing how many 20v tools that i have and how well they work for the same as a couple Milwaukee drill and impact. Well i think im making some good points with him to buy HF Hercules and Bauer to replace his tools that his wonderful ex sold of his.

[@candyman111881]

I really love this video. 👍❤ Please keep up the good work.

[@jacobb.]

I bought the warrior the first month or so when it came out. 20 bucks and that was a year ago or more. I've drilled through cinder block and built a deck with it. Great tool

[@hustleeveryday5852]

TTI makes Hercules and Bauer. I worked for TTI for many years and that was one of the many cool facts I learned.

[@everss02]

The small impact driver is great, comes with a battery and charger. I got that, the 3/8 impact, I can use the charger from the small one and even the battery, I did get the 3 amp though. Also got the 1/2 Bauer corded impact, yet to use but I beat the crap out of the $40 one and it lasted 3 years, so I imagine it's great. The bag that came in the kit even fits both impacts. The best I had before was Ryobi, Bauer blows it out of the water.

[@T-Mo_]

How's that Bauer 3/8 impact? I don't see any reviews on KZbin for it. Seems like the specs are great compared to other cheaper brands.

[@gabeluis3012]

Thank you for all the info . God bless you.

[@stevendezwaan5707]

Happy birthday Duncan!

[@mws3779]

Even though it is not great my drill master is okay, I don't use it for anything more than general around the house and it's not bad. I want something better but my budget currently permit a new drill my corded 20 year old DeWalt is usually my go to when a power source is available. That Bauer auto impact is nice I really like to be able to run lug nuts off quick and something that works well for auto work.

[@DrThunder88]

If HF was going to release brushless tools this year, they should have announced them a year and a half ago!

[@metalworksmachineshop]

Just picked up the Bauer 1/2 , 3/8, 1/4 impacts also the 1/2" drill driver. Video on my channel soon.

[@danr1920]

At the old Harbor Freight you bought a tool for someone you didn't like, but wanted them to think you liked them! If only they would use the same name throughout the entire store.

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Great compressive informative video I'm a mechanic and love the earthquakes xt line I have all of the air tools a d battery powered tools earthquake also give you 1 battery one charger and a hard shell case with your tool

[@mavgrab74]

I sell and install pool tables , I bought a Bauer drill/driver and it is not bad. I replaced a Ryobi . The next one will be the Hercules the Bauer is a little weak for what we do.

[@KameraShy]

Very interesting and informative. Popped up in YT feed. BUT ... it is now 2 years later June 2021 - and Walmart is coming on strong with Hart.

[@warriormonk4949]

Another informative video. Thank you, Mr. Beard.

[@Spectt84]

4 or 5 months ago, hidden in the bowels of the Harbor Freight monthly ad, they showed a tiny "coming soon" picture of a 20V Right Angle Earthquake XT IMPACT RATCHET. Not the 12V Earthquake Cordless ratchet that is out now. A full size 20V Earthquake XT Cordless Impact Ratchet. It looked almost exactly like the earthquake cordless angle grinder, but with a 1/2" square drive head... I need that tool. They showed one tiny picture of it ...and then crickets for months. Im positive of what I saw, they even had a price of $109 ($10 more than the 12v). I'm invested in the earthquake platform and follow the line extremely closely. Especially when it's something as cool as an "Impact Ratchet", that just sounds awesome. Have you or anyone else heard or seen anything on this? I hope the tool didn't get shit-canned...

[@brianattitude]

I have the Bauer drill which came with 1.5 hr battery, charger and bag. Its great. Then bought the Bauer leaf blower which uses the same battery. The thing blows well, but the battery only lasts about 5 minutes max. Hard to dig in and buy the 3 hr battery, which is $40 each ÷ tax. Really need about four of them.

[@thebeststooge]

I bought a corded Hyper Tough and it is nice but I gotta say why is it I had a hell of a time finding any that required a chuck key (especially on a corded)? I couldn't and the chuck key is far superior to a keyless with round bits as it allows you to really clamp down on the bit unlike the keyless.

[@honkhonkler7732]

Harbor Freight is improving, but they really NEED to have a common battery system between these. I can buy a lower tier Makita kit to get me started, with say an XPH10 and upgrade later to the beastly XPH07 as the need arises without scrapping my existing chargers and batteries. The Hercules batteries are already cheap enough that they should be used throughout the line.

[@user-qc7me2hs5c]

I work in a shipyard to and I can agree besides Milwaukee and dewalt but I have Hercules and definitely have them cuz there cheap and easy to replace I don’t have the warranty and tbo have not failed for me

[@JWimpy]

I have several chargers. I keep two mounted on the wall in my shop, one in the house, and one in my field kit that I carry when I do maintenance at our church. There's nothing worse than getting close to finishing and have a battery go down. Then having to hunt for a charger. But then, my shop is about 150 feet from my house.

[@deerek2013texas09]

Ready for the Hercules circularsaw to come out.

[@grizmt7779]

Another great video, This is a great video to tell others that don’t know about the newer HF. Thanks Red

[@kennethturner7942]

I have multiple brands of tools, and when it came down to my drills I used to be brand loyal. I actually picked up the Bauer 1/4th impact when it was on sale one day, and I prefer it over most of my other drills. Im def going to grab the 3/8th cordless and the 1/2 corded impact drivers.

[@dirtysteve40]

I love these videos. HF is the best around they never let me down!

[@ESPPsycho]

I’m probably the typical prosumer buyer, but I really like my Bauer impact driver. It is much nicer than any other cheap power tool I’ve used. Maybe my Makita (left in house I bought) circular saw feels relatively more solid, but not that much to make up the cost. I used the Bauer driver to throw 3/8”x7” HDG lag screws into PT Southern yellow pine beams. Every 10” for 80 ft. I let it cool anytime I felt bad for it hah. But it did the job just fine and survived to work on other projects

[@rtr100bills]

Great stuff Bear. Love my Herc tools!

[@subietech1.6]

Oh man think I've been waiting for this

[@dezfan]

I disagree. Combo kits are a fantastic value. Sure the flashlight is filler. But the other tools, batteries, charger, cashe/bag make for a fantastic base upon which to build apon. I started with a Ryobi combo kit and have added individual tools, additional batteries and an additional charger. IMO, this is what HF needs to do to get people invested in their ecosystem. Thank for the video Bear. 👍🏼

[@dezfan]

Mike41 sure, if you only need a single tool or maybe a couple of tools. But if you want to build a power tool collection and invest in the Bauer ecosystem, combo kits are the gateway. Once you have a combo kit, you have tools, batteries, chargers. Makes sense to add to that base instead of branching out to other brands.

[@dezfan]

Mike41 to each their own I guess. In my opinion, I see the Ryobi tools as s better buy, a better value, and a better overall investment. I own a couple Bauer tools as I wanted to see how they would hold up. I like the Bauer line, but I don’t see the value they offer comparing to Ryobi at this time.

[@DickTickles]

I agree with you on kits, for people who are just starting out with power tool purchases, those kits go a long way when there's a sale/special. I'm a fan of the M12 line and when I see all the tools that can be bought for $200 at HD, I can't help but think you can get a lot of work done with the drill, impact, hackzall, and rotary tool in those kits, even if they're the brushed tools. Remember, Milwaukee has a 5 year warranty on the tools whether they're brushed or brushless. Any first time home owner or even contractor will get their money's worth with those kits and spare 12v tools don't cost an arm and a leg like M18 tools do. The M18 line IMO is just too expensive and that's where I see Hercules being a really good alternative.

[@FyrFytr998]

Looking at the Bauer line up. After digging around I found that Bauer is HF's clone of Lutool made by Ningbo Gemay in China. Ningbo Gemay also make clones for Powerplus (UK) and Tru Value's "Master Mechanic" series in the same form factor. The Warrior line looks like their product as well, just bumped up to 18v from 12v. Bauer may go brushless eventually since Lutool also has them available as well.

[@patrickdaly5068]

Mr. Bear, newcomers to HFT should note that one difference (the primary difference I guess) between that basic Warrior cordless drill & the next one up (the Bauer you showed) is the Warrior has a plastic chuck and the Bauer has a metal chuck. I bought the Warrior when my old Drillmaster nicad gave up the ghost. I didn’t think about the metal chuck being stronger & I wish I had bought the Bauer, but at least the Warrior holds a charge much better than the Drillmaster.

[@pthrelkeld090]

Funny hearing you say tales of a bigger than 3ah bauer battery, cause now they're selling a 5ah, AND an 8ah, for $59.99, and $99.99 respectively. You do however, (and i did), have too buy the new upgraded double charger, charges 2 batteries, at a much faster rate. Where as a 5ah battery used to take 3-4 hours, now takes 1.5hrs 👍 Also check out bauers modular stacking rolling tool box line. So affordable when compared to the Milwaukee or any company of that level

[@user-ki3dj9pu9y]

My Harbor frwight hasnt gotten any Hercules tools in for over a month. Ive been wanting the 12v impact. Just said screw it and bought Milwaukee to go with the 18v i already had.

[@rowdybroomstick1216]

Same problem here, I needed a drill to replace my DeWalt hammer drill but HF never would get anything in so I had to hit up Lowe's across the street

[@hammondj82]

These tools may be great, but I’m curious about their life longevity. I’ve used 30 yr old dewalt 12v drills that still work, still charge and hold a charge. I’m a Ridgid guy myself, but a single test or a comparison video of new products don’t sell me. Their history and a “proof in the pudding” will. Nothing against these brands, but big brands have a reputation for a reason. Like em or hate em, they’re still around for a reason.

[@WolfsHaven]

If you know what your looking at you can get a good idea from the build quality. I've ripped enough tools apart over the years for repair or salvage (you can make lots of stuff from old drill motors and or gears). Then there are the guys that will rip a brand new tool apart just to see what ticks. Thankfully a lot of them document and put that info out for us on the net. When you look at the individual parts you'll see that these "cheap" tools are using the exact same parts a lot of the big brands use. On top of that they are assembled really well. In many cases equivalently or even better than their more expensive counterparts. Don't take my word for it, I'm just a hobbyist. There are tons of pros out there that actually know what they are talking about that will back me up. Good ole Black and Decker has been around longer than Dewalt in fact they own Dewalt. So they are better? Not even close. Not to mention the Newer Dewalt stuff is a fair bit different than the stuff they made 30 years ago. Sometimes for the better and other times for the worse. Actually when you think about it HFT has been at this since the 60's too. A lot of what we've seen them do, is when they make major improvements they make some cosmetic changes as well and put a new name on it but it's still technically a Harbor Freight tool. The big brands keep the same name and genneral look, but they will call it a new series instead. Most of the time when you are buying a new big name tool, you aren't necessarily paying for quality anymore, you are buying a name. It may or may not be up to par with it's history. Craftsman (also now owned by Black and Decker) made a lot of changes for the worse before the buyout. The tools made within the last 3 to 5 years aren't even close to being on par with the equivalent tool they made 30 to 50 years ago. The new stuff is practically a joke and more on par with B&D than the quality mid and pro grade tools my father and Grandfather bought.

[@timfoote6919]

Times have changed on batteries. The HF tools/batteries are fine for the home DIYers. If you own a contracting company budget power tools arent for you. Go to snap on.

[@timfoote6919]

@@WolfsHaven yeah I agree China figured out a market by going out of the big factories and making the same(clone) and charging a fraction fo the price. "China" isn't as much junk as you might think. The old line of "made in china" doesn't hold much water anymore. They can make some good stuff.

[@BamaPewPew]

Where do I buy the Goldilocks?

[@neilcunningham5542]

Great videos.. I know you talk to folks at HF. So I have the 18 volt line that now is completely dead. My drill driver has died. I have circle saw and zawsaw and impact driver in this line. I also have the older red battery line that you can't get stuff for anymore. All that said I am looking at the Bauer line.. Are the folks at HF going to stick with this for the long haul...

[@Dawgator]

This is a great vid - I would like to see more info on screen with less “bear” - maybe just bear it up on the intros? But great info and stuff I’ve always wondered. You got a sub and a like! 👍

[@denoftools]

Already working on that in the newer vids.

[@Dawgator]

The Den of Tools You da man! I also saw your pinned vid about formats and playlists - that’s a GREAT idea for sorting relevant content. BTW, #2A - I’ll be watching brother! 😉

[@chucks4328]

I really like the looks of the Hercules brand it just came out to late for me. After Sears folded around here I couldn't get any 19.2 volt batteries. I ended up going with Dewalt. I'm not a fanboy by any means it was just was available around here. I'm still trying to think of any reason why I need that Herc sliding miter saw. Just can't justify it. Happy birthday to the cub.

[@eizzle78]

I’ve been eyeballing the Bauer line to keep around the house so I can keep my Bosch drill and driver in my wood shop, do they sell a bare 1/4” impact? I don’t see one online

[@denoftools]

No 1/4" impact.

[@eizzle78]

The Den of Tools that’s putting them on par, price wise, with Bosch. I suppose I could sell the extra charger and make back a few dollars

[@toolhead147]

That's funny you we're taking about disposable tools. I broke a few Chicago electric the orange ones back in the day lol

[@reowhite4862]

I invested in the hercules line . Though I love it and I believe its better than the bauer brand as far as quality goes I think the bower brand is better than the Hercules at the end of the day because of tool availability how can you fulfill a in-store warranty on a tool that you don't have in stock at my store in my town in the next town over the Hercules brand is always out they don't keep it stocked. Not to mention the Bauer brand has so many more options with the cordless line than the Hercules does had I known this from the start I would have gone with the Bauer Brand instead.

[@tomseeley4736]

Which line would you recommend I'm going to buy a new line of tools I would like one platform I use them lightly but when I do something I go at it hard I need a grinder and other tools Hercules had a better grinder in the reviews but I don't want to buy one and add another battery platform

[@KLartrandM]

I have the warrior drill. The warranty is about to run out. Its still going strong. should i trade it in anyway?

[@twistedwhiskers8776]

Now the warrior,baure and Hercules 1/4 inch impact drivers of the same price what's going on

[@mthandlebar8160]

was just in the HF in Great Falls less than 1k of the 27 gal fortress for all the stores in the US right now

[@drydreams8513]

Harbor freight is the equivalent to a dive bar and Bauer is all the easy cheap bar girls and I love it. I have a Bauer roto hammer, multi tool and impact and drill I love them!!! I just got the fortress 6 gal ultra quiet compressor it’s a dream come true no drama. Alot of people hate the freight and anything from it my boss literally refuses any of my tools and the sight of the compressor makes his blood boil with rage I just don’t get it honestly. Now I will admit I have been let down time and time again and a few items Chicago electric two failures sawzall and a corded impact and anything warrior is just a ticking time bomb too my grinder bit the dust and a few random drill/impact bits and attachments have landed in the grave yard. But Ms Bauer has always treated me kindly and the fortress compressor has become the pride and joy of our construction crew besides my bosses automatic baseless hate for it every one else loves it and is boiling with envy and jealousy

[@landonashby2029]

Can you do one of these for the hand tools?

[@nichevo1]

Respectfully, no, I don't really get the differences, which I was hoping you were going to explain to my satisfaction. Case in point: I'm a computer guy. I just want to insert and remove screws all day in threaded holes in sheet metal. On a recent job I borrowed somebody's Makita 18-volt LXT and boy did it do the job, but I can't even seem to find that tool anywhere. I missed the Christmas sales and everything's fifty bucks more now. Plus that may have been overkill, and smaller and lighter wouldn't break my heart if a 12V will suffice. Not to mention cheaper. So I see a HF Warrior lithium ion 12-volt drill driver for twenty bucks supposedly marked down from 40. Not the nice compact hex chuck of an impact driver, but I never knew that was a thing so I could deal, I don't change bits THAT often. The Hercules drill or screwdriver or impact gun of that size is more the config I want, but it's 40 bucks and doesn't include the charger or battery. All I want to do is turn screws on computer parts. How the motor is different, transmission better, I mean what am I getting for the money? The Hercules happens to have the screwdriver in the exact size and configuration that I want, compact like an impact driver, with a clutch, two speeds, and the quarter inch chuck, but it's $70 all in and that's with the $25 off tool-battery-charger combo, and most of the stores around me don't seem to have the 12 volt batteries in stock for some reason. So if I wanted to be a stud and run around with the high-end HF line, I'm still going to have to wait until I can. So, I thought, maybe I'll get this Warrior and see how I like it. But is that going to be a fair test? If I like the warrior am I going to like the Hercules? If I don't love the warrior, am I going to like the Hercules better? So no, the video didn't really help me much except that apparently the Hercules uses high-end Samsung battery cells, which is nice. But none of these are brushless, so that feature is not exploited to the full.

[@brendonminchew3260]

Is it possible we could be seeing a charging station in either the Bauer or Hercules lines in the future?

[@PaulSteMarie]

Odd that a bear would use "Goldilocks" as a superlative. I would have thought you'd be pretty upset with that half-pint burglar.

[@texaslh9]

There's a rumor that herc is going to be discontinued. Have you heard anything on that?

[@denoftools]

lol, Not a chance. It's one of their best sellers.

[@vinnydags]

I’m following the thread on the Harbor Freight subreddit. People commenting with info making it sound legit. If the Herc line isn’t discontinued, maybe there will be a short term ban? Interesting to see how this rumor develops.

[@jeffreydeutsch7336]

I looked at the Herules compact 20 volt vacuum. The basic replacements and accessories do not seem to be available. There were no replcement filters or things like crevice tools or brush heads. On the other hand, all of that stuff was listed for the Bauer with stock numbers and prices. I always have the feeling that in spite of HF attempts to upgrade, they are still in the throw away tool business. No parts, no service, almost no warranty I have to buy an extended waranty for whole tool replacement. If Hecules is going up againsr Red and Yellow, that is not how they deal with after purchase problems. Besides, when I walk into HF, while they may do their best to be helpful, most if them don't have a clue. Online help us not much better. BTW, the first Earthquake impact wrench was almost a clone of the IR Thunder Gun so they chose a knock off type name.The parts drawings were so similar, I bet most of the parts would interchange. Probably the same Chinese supplier.

[@ArchLinuxTux]

By any chance is there a belt clip(simular to the metal clip on Dewalt Impacts and drills) option so I can hang the tool off a belt? Seens to be a good Idea when going up and down a ladder.

[@denoftools]

Yes, they all have belt clips.

[@ArchLinuxTux]

Than you, i haven't seen them in zny advert images

[@texaslh9]

I'd like to see you get your paws on the earthquake tools

[@Mixwell1983]

Hey bear if you get a chance it would be cool to do a demo with these 3 drills using some spade bits and drive in some deck screws to show the difference.

[@denoftools]

I have done videos on these just like that.

[@Mixwell1983]

@@denoftools oh okay, ill have to search for em. 👍

[@popwarhomie]

I went with Ridgid. $99 for my impact with 4ah battery and charger. Lifetime warranty on the tool, battery, and charger. Harbor freight impacts are the same price with only a 1.5ah battery and just 90 day warranty. Pass.

[@denoftools]

Good luck on that LSA.

[@popwarhomie]

@@denoftools Sounds alot better than just being SOL after 90 days. Even if you weren't able to get the LSA (which I was approved) you still have a 3 year warranty.

[@SillyOmega]

@@denoftools I know I here so many poeple who can't get tool warranted.

[@awlthatwoodcrafts8911]

To be clear, it's a lifetime service agreement. Something goes wrong with a registered tool, they'll fix it. Yeah, I've heard the stories of it taking forever once you send it in. I'm taking my chances. What is most impressive is that you can get batteries for life when you register them. Of course, it just means that if you only have two Ridgid batteries, you will always have 2 batteries. Even if you don't register a Ridgid tool, you still get a 3 year warranty. Much better than 90 days. Does it sound like I'm a Ridgid guy? Maybe the orange US General tool cabinet gives it away. Lol

[@popwarhomie]

I own Milwaukee, Dewalt, Craftsman, Earthquake XT and now Ridgid. I could have paid $20 more for a Milwaukee impact but went Ridgid because of the LSA. Highly doubt i'll ever need to use it but still nice to have. I know this channel nut hugs HF which is fine I like HF but 90 day warranty is a joke when you can get better power tools for the same price and better warranty. The Hercules isn't even brushless.

[@callofgeorge]

imagine if they made these tool lines interchangeable.. ex - bauer and hercules batteries/chargers being able to work in bauer or hercules tools.. because i don't want to invest in both lines but 1 brand has certain tools the other doesn't... i'd love a bauer pole saw but they don't have a die grinder.. etc..

[@santoraofcali5458]

I was checking out the Hercules impact. It doesn't fit in my hand as comfortably as the Bauer. And I did not see the drill and impact sold as a set. Probably online?

[@josephtaub20]

My problem with HF battery tools is the batteries. As you know, they take the lowball-supplier route "cloning" their products, BUT parts/accessories are NOT necessarily interchangeable. Most annoyingly, the batteries. I had eight Drill Master drills with NiCd batteries They die, of course and must be replaced, but the supplier changed and HF no longer sold the earlier-style batteries. I never broke any of the drills, but had to throw them away. And no, the local shops would not rebuild them. (Makita did the same thing and I had to throw away six of them.) If I buy any of these HF tools, will they be supported. So far, no. Now I am heavily invested in BD 20v tools but I buy the multi-supplier (eBay) generics so I'll probably be able to get them for a fair while yet. ( I really liked the HF tool marketing: like Barbie dolls, they gave away the drills to to make you buy batteries! It was cheaper to buy the drill kit to get a battery, which is why I wound up with so many drills.)

[@mikeb6431]

Have they discontinued the Chicago Electric DA polisher? Looks like it’s been replaced with the Bauer line.

[@notpinhead3514]

man im on the edge as far as if i should get a baur drill or a hercules drill, not working construction or anything like that but i would like something with good power when i do projects

[@michaelgregory9677]

Do Bauer batteries interchange with earthquake brand?

[@denoftools]

No

[@mws3779]

Bauer is nice, but I like the Hercules blue. But the bags are nice but I hate the blow molded cases.

[@denoftools]

Yeah, I wish Herc would switch to all bags.

[@rumsfield78]

I'm tool illiterate. What is the difference between a compact drill/driver set and a compact hammer drill/driver set?

[@GCJT1949]

The hammer has the option of moving in and out as well as rotating. Most useful drilling concrete. Geoff Who doesn't own one.

[@rumsfield78]

Appreciate it. So for most jobs, the regular compact will do the trick?

[@GCJT1949]

@@rumsfield78 Depends on your level of work, I'm fine with two 12-volt drill / drivers, one dating back to the 1990s and one of the cheap Drillmaster plug in units for heavier jobs, replacing one that finally broke. Geoff Who is retired and avoids the heavy work.

[@ChrisGilliamOffGrid]

@@rumsfield78 Hammer drills are pretty pathetic at drilling concrete. That's a job for a rotary hammer, unless you're putting a small hole in mortar.

[@xray45]

I have a question maybe someone can help. Buy 2 Bauer drills for $59.99 ea (coupon price) to make a 2 tool kit. Add $10.00 each for warranty, you have a total of $139.98. There are a bunch of other brands with combo kits that are in this price range. What makes you want to buy the Harbor Freight line over the other brands? Thanks for any advice.

[@T-Mo_]

My take. I have Ryobi, no Bauer, but I'd say one advantage is the warranty. Tool breaks, drive in to harbor freight and get a new one vs mailing in and getting one back in who knows how long. Although depending on which city you're in, other brands you could do same thing. Also, once you have a bauer drill/impact set with batteries/charger, the bare tool prices on other tools are pretty low.

[@lynnlange488]

Bear. I bought the Bauer drill/driver on your recommendation. I really like it. I’m actually looking at getting the Bauer hedge trimmers for light duty trimming to see how they work. Keep putting out videos like this one on good/better/best. Shine on!!

[@chrisbenoit1035]

How are the Hedgetrimmers? Thanks.

[@candyman111881]

Amen👍❤

[@grantvanriesen9407]

Great videos by the way Bear! I use all your videos for research and knowledge. I have friends asking me how I know so much about tools. I just tell them the "Bear" sent me.

[@jonathanhernandez90]

Did something change with the Hercules batteries cause they are more expensive now?

[@andyprairiedog]

I see dozens of pictures of Hercules circular saw in different areas...but none on HF website or in my local stores. Still waiting on them to travel west :)

[@sharksshark6212]

I don’t understand why they didn’t make Bauer the best brand since they expanded the line so quickly 🤔 unless there’s gonna be a Hercules 1/2 impact, I wouldn’t choose it over Milwaukee for that reason. 🙄 or if earthquake brand had a drill and 1/4 impact driver too many brands

[@DickTickles]

Don't see Earthquake ever venturing off into anything non automotive based and I'm having doubts that Hercules will ever have an automotive tool like an impact wrench. If they did, I'd buy a 1/2" Herc impact ASAP.

[@sharksshark6212]

Dick Tickles I get that, I’m just saying I don’t see the point in it, if you look at dewalt and Milwaukee they both have 1/2 impacts, I just don’t see buying into a tool brand that isn’t expansive, especially if they are trying to compete. It’s one reason I wouldn’t buy into say makita or another brand not expansive enough. 🤔 but I guess what I mean is it’s easier to just buy one brand then own like five different brands/ platform 😂 I’m at the point now with corded stuff.

[@DickTickles]

@@sharksshark6212 I understand the one battery, one brand to rule them all mentality, it's the reason I'm unhappy with how Bauer and Hercules don't share batteries and how if I want a 5 ah or 9 ah Bauer battery that I'll be spending as more than I would on a Ryobi battery that I can get killer prices on for Black Friday or other sales. If I have a project that's a one time only deal, I don't need to spend the money on a Milwaukee or a Hercules when a Bauer or Ryobi will do me just fine and cost a lot less. Then, if I were a professional in a field where I don't need to be lugging around 18 or 20 volt tools that are large/cumbersome and weigh significantly more or than 12v tools, there's no sense in using them just because it's the one battery/brand I have and use at home. Right now, I'd say there are 3 brands worth having depending on your situation: Ryobi- for the low price, but diverse tool line. M12 Milwaukee- small size/weight, but good power and warranty Hercules- for the price to performance ratio.

[@sharksshark6212]

Dick Tickles Completely understand

[@randysibley1908]

can you interchange batteries between Bauer and Hercules?

[@danny6247]

Prices are up on the hercules batteries.

[@Charliemmafan]

Cool video man but what is really the difference besides the name, the color and the price of Hercules compared to Bauer etc. because I have a lot of the Bauer tools and I like them very much but everyone says the Hercules are supposed to be better and will last longer but why? What's actually better inside the tools that makes them superior specifically do you know?

[@denoftools]

Take the Herc drill vs the Bauer. The Herc uses a custom built high torque motor. The Bauer uses an off the shelf "canned" motor. That's just one example. They use better parts and custom design on the Herc while the Bauer is a semi custom design with off the shelf parts. Herc also has better batteries and chargers. And now all Herc batteries come with a 3 year warranty and the brushless tools have a 5 year warranty. I use Herc in my shop but have a whole Bauer setup at home. Hope that helps.

[@Charliemmafan]

@@denoftools Thanks I appreciate the advice and keep up the good work with all your videos!

[@Charliemmafan]

@@denoftools Could you also tell me what's really the specific differences between other brands like from Home Depot like Dewalt, Milwaukee, Mikita etc compared to these much cheaper Harbor Freight tools or are they basically the same or if those Home Depot tools are better what's actually better about them to warrant the much higher price tags? Thanks.

[@prabeshdahal7309]

Why did they stop selling Hercules kit with a battery and charger? Now it costs $115 to buy them individually. I’m leaning towards kobalt

[@denoftools]

not sure I mean they did it to try and compete with the tool kits so you could build your own but then the price is just unreasonable the sale price isn't bad though

[@larogersii1]

Oh no Bear has become a full blown HF Fan Boy. I really like HF but they are really increasing their prices on the new products and don't have a warranty for them and so they really have a problem competing with the other brands. I understand these tools seem to be good but they need to stand behind them for the price.

[@denoftools]

The prices are high when they come out but the settle down quickly and then the coupons come out.

[@EDesigns_FL]

Wow, a 16 minute video about HF's cordless tools without ever mentioning the absolute lunacy of their product lines: each of their lines uses a different style battery. One of the most important factors in selecting which cordless tools you want to purchase is battery compatibility. The successful companies like DeWalt, Milwaukee, and Makita have figured this out. Rather than selling a half dozen lines of tools that take different batteries, their batteries work on all their products within their respective categories (i.e. voltage format). DeWalt has taken compatibility even further by selling multi-voltage batteries that work in both their 20v and 60v lines. If you use more than one type of cordless tool, you have to be crazy to purchase HF's products because of their numerous ill-conceived orphan battery formats. In a couple years they may have even more formats and abandoned their current stuff. This is a ridiculous way to market cordless tools to penny pinching fools.

[@myes344]

Blab blab words. U realize all batterys are the same inside right? Is just the plastic casing make it not fit. All u have to do is wire any 18v to 18v tool with 2 wires and tape it toghter. I lost my ryobi charger. So i charged it with hf charger. Same damn thing

[@myes344]

Theres off brand dewalt batts on amazon cheeper then dewalt. Ive seen plastic adaptors for dewalt to use ? Brand of battery. It snaps on the battery to make it fit

[@myes344]

Im really impressed w dewalts 20v flex 60v. Thats the future

[@EDesigns_FL]

@@myes344 You are just all over the place with your comments. Modifying a battery pack and/or charger does not address capability issues. It only allows you to re-purpose a product. If you're working with several cordless tools at the same time, its nice to be able to pull a battery from one tool and put it in another when a battery dies to finish a job. Also, if you have numerous cordless tools that cannot share batteries, you have to purchase a lot more batteries and chargers than you would if they all shared a single format. Now, do you understand the issue with HF's half dozen unique proprietary battery formats?

[@richardscarlett7942]

do you not get that they're different Harbor Freight brands, different category lineups. By your same reasoning all Home depot cordless tools that they sell should also use one style of battery (slap). Some people are just stupid. So if you want the Bauer buy only the Bauer, if you want the Hercules buy only the Herc. Common sense injected, stupitity averted.

[@kuehnel16]

Would like to see a 3hp cabinet tablesaw!

[@satchmodog2]

I'm a remodeller and there's only one brushless tool I own and it was an accident. I do not like brushless for a few solid reasons. First is price. Why replace a perfectly good drill with a brushless version that's even more silly priced when it doesn't do anything exponentially better than the brushed? Durability. There's no way adding an extra layer or two of electronics to a ruggedly treated power ool is going to be beneficial to anyone except the tool manufacturer. Over load shut down. I do not like ceding control of my tools to a thermometer that says too hot, screw that last inch of cut. It's also one more point of failure on the tool. I still own corded tools and while they're sometimes a nuisance I know every time I plug them in, they'll work. My other L Ion tools are all also rather rugged and other than a few dewalts have endured a decent beating. I doubt any brushless tool used by a pro lasts 5 years. The only one that benefits is the manufacturer

[@billybobjamesalt2255]

I will say, harbor freight has come a very long way in recent years.

[@SillyOmega]

When they sell in kits the use cheaper tools to. Different serial numbers.

[@theanvil5288]

Happy birthday 🎊...same here...🎂

[@brollin2flybrollin2fly49]

Thank u

[@hairyfro]

Do you know whether there's a replacement for the Vulcan ProTig 200 coming?

[@denoftools]

No word yet.

[@chrisjones6165]

Lincoln,esab,miller,htp or maybe everlast if budget matters

[@mikeeaton9822]

Awesome video 👍

[@ArchLinuxTux]

Did, Or could you do a vid that goes moevi nto how they got that rep of crappy tools? I assume there is more to the story. What if sbout HF doing kits as buy 3 of the same brand and they give you 25$ off. That wzy urs still a 'kit,' but not one with a coffee maker or a flashlight or a fan.