Snap-On vs Harbor Freight: The TRUTH Behind the Price

[@ShopHumor]

Thanks for watching! Links below, more in the description! - P.I.T. Mini Toolbox: amzn.to/4elZw09 - HF Mini Toolbox: www.harborfreight.com/mini-steel-toolbox-red-72438.html - Snap-On Mini Toolbox: shop.snapon.com/categories/Micro-Boxes/875448

[@willhutton1516]

I think the HF box is going to sell like hot cakes lol. They’re cheaper than them too lol! They’re on sale for Black Friday for $9.98. They are perfect gift ideas for those on a budget.

[@ShopHumor]

@@willhutton1516 crazy how cheap they are, they’re such a good value. Very well built for what they cost.

[@kings3411]

Excellent review my guy, your in depth analysis does not go unnoticed!! Subbed

[@blazebrady3659]

FYI... Kobolt is coming out with a bottom box soon. The Pitt not only has a bottom box already but for a little while they had them available with a small set of tools. Have seen that offered lately so I do know what the status is on that in the future. Great review. 👍

[@ShopHumor]

⁠@@kings3411 thank you so much!

[@chesterwsmith]

Harbor freight has been stepping their game up about as fast as the big brands have been stepping theirs down. I'm definitely going to pick up one or three of those when I see them

[@ShopHumor]

They really have been. Most of my HF tools are not power tools but I couldn't be happier with the value I've gotten from them - hydraulic press, shop crane, tool carts, etc.

[@hotrodgreg504]

@@ShopHumor the Hercules electric ratchets are the best for the price. I have 3 of the 4. The one I dont have is a Matco. My Matco is very nice, and spins faster than the Hercules, but does not have as much torque. But you can buy all 4 Herc ratchets with batteries, and chargers for less than 2 of any other name brand offerings. The Herc 1/2 high torque has also impressed me.

[@dj2slicc]

@@ShopHumor hercules impact, hammer drill with like 2 batteries and charger i bought for around 200 for literal industiral work. co workers laughed and so did i when it kept up with milwaulkee and dewalt, used em for around 3 months till i got a milwaulkee bundle and i keep them in my old toolbag as backups. they fr work great

[@brandondickie3456]

The warranty is the biggest thing.

[@ShopHumor]

@@dj2slicc that’s awesome

[@jorgetorres9643]

fun fact: made in vietnam products are oftentimes just made in china to dodge certain taxes. theyll make them in china, send them to vietnam where theyll slap on the snapon logo, then ship it to the us

[@ShopHumor]

I didn’t know that… I wonder if that happened here

[@ChrisS-oo6fl]

@@ShopHumoryep same with many of the products from Mexico. Amazon has massive warehouses in Mexico where the store Chinese products to import across the boarder as Mexican. Started right after the trump tariffs (maintained by the Biden admin). Raw Steel and aluminum is the same deal. It’s being imported in from other nations for the same reason.

[@dand3975]

​@@I_Am_Your_ProblemWait until Jan P2025

[@haysoos123]

The executive branch, i. e. the president absolutely has the power to impose tariffs. Why make false statements about such obvious things that can be looked up?

[@dand3975]

@@haysoos123 you are correct about tarrifs. Trolls like to troll to provoke an argument.

[@burtbacarach5034]

$150 bucks for THAT??Damn SnapOn,have you no shame?

[@ShopHumor]

Crazy, right? They ought to be embarrassed

[@sambrose1]

No

[@ezragonzalez8936]

well idiotic sycophants are the ones who will buy snap on branded toilet paper and claim it wipes their ass the best!

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

Daylight robbery. A disgusting practice.

[@D4no00]

Isn't this with all brands these days? They put a premium price because they know that people who buy their tools got the money. Just buy the tools from the brand that are known to be good and don't bother on getting their entire collection, this is true even for makita these days, the cordless garbage they release is insane.

[@Butteredthanatoast]

Excellent quality, small channel. I believe I've found a diamond in the rough boys.

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you lol :) I appreciate you taking the time to comment

[@elijah3807]

Thank goodness you approve

[@Butteredthanatoast]

@@elijah3807 Indeed. Now, with my singular comment, the public masses will shower this channel with attention and support, and the creator will be elected President of the United States. Thank you for your support by commenting and doing your small part to feed the algorithm.

[@JayTee-uz8hk]

Most definitely 💯

[@FUZYsquatch]

@@ShopHumorShorts algorithm just brought me here. Good work

[@Beltfedshooters]

Excellent review. The Harbor Freight mini tool boxes were flying off the shelves the first day they were released. Corporate told all the Harbor Freight stores to hold them till black Friday. They were shocked at how fast they sold out on the first day. Hopefully they come out with a bottom drawer tool box for their mini tool box.

[@ShopHumor]

Thanks for the compliment and taking the time to comment! Yeah, I got mine the same week they first came out and then I heard all the complaints about them getting pulled off the shelves. The fact is that even for full price they’re a great value, and at the $10 sale price they’re a steal. I also hope they come out with a bottom chest and I hope they come out with their full color line to at least match their other offerings in the larger tool carts. I suspect they will, given the massive popularity, but time will tell.

[@jjjacer]

@@ShopHumor Problem i ran into is they can never keep the stuff in stock, ive been waiting over a month to get the Gordon Multitool (a gift for a friend as i have one), and even with the limit of 2 per customer on the boxes they were sold fast. Although it seems in some areas people are scalping the boxes and selling them at a 3-4x markup, and they have been doing that to a lot of the harbor freight meme tools (the cool cheap toys that you find at HF that everyone wants). Oh well i was told next shipment date so i will be there when it opens that day. BTW i do have the Kobalt, while not great, at the time when the HF box didnt exist the $20 at Lowes was not bad and i think i got it on sale as well, but when i get the HF one im giving the Kobalt to a friend lol (which right now contains a HF Icon Drop Knife, and a few other cheap trinkets lol

[@vonhousin4179]

theyve upped the price already it seems. im seeing it priced at 18 now

[@dougderby9454]

I got two harbor minis for $10 each and they match my other boxes.

[@shawnevans827]

​@@ShopHumorI work at Harbor Freight part-time and they already have a gray and green SKU so it's just a matter of time before those start shipping and I'm guessing by the end of this year so colors will available.

[@IcecalGamer]

Suddenly i NEED a mini tool box IDK why.

[@ShopHumor]

It's a mystery lol. They're so good for so much stuff though. I'd bet most people regardless of their interest or hobbies could find a way to fill one up. Doesn't take much!

[@saturnFIV3]

Because they're cute lol

[@howitworks3607]

You should get a Snap On, I hear they’re great

[@jodymoyer5569]

I know what you mean. Never did black Friday before but I was standing in line at Harbor Freight on Friday to pick up 2. Using one for my edc

[@ShopHumor]

@ worth it. They’re so good

[@syedhassaanmujtababokhari6199]

And that's why physical stores are important. You can check each brand's product before they can scam you.

[@ShopHumor]

Lmao, always better to see it coming than get taken by surprise

[@Douglas1ro]

To be fair, you can physically check out anything from a tool truck before buying it. With that said...anyone buying a novelty like this knows they are only paying for the name and dont care. The Miwaukee fan boys are the worst, God bless-em' lol.

[@RVthereyet25]

@@Douglas1ro Snapon fan boys are the worst.

[@Douglas1ro]

@@RVthereyet25 I will meet you half way...Someone shilling for any brand is the worst.

[@rogerwilco2]

I really don't understand why people buy at shops like Amazon instead of going to a local store. Amazon is an awful company.

[@p3chv0gel22]

I see one issue with the entire door construction of the Pit and Snap-On: If i need something from one of the drawers, i always need to open up the top cover as well. Yeah, it's only a minor inconvinience, but those are storage boxes. They serve one purpose: To store stuff until you need to access it. And on that front, a minor inconvinience just doesn't stack up

[@ShopHumor]

It's purely an aesthetic / style choice. Definitely a trade off - and one that I agree with you, doesn't seem worth it.

[@jon9103]

FYI the 3M logo on the paper covering one side of the feet is for the adhesive, unless 3M is molded into the rubber, the actual feet could be from anywhere.

[@ShopHumor]

Good catch, thanks!

[@drw1926]

Nonsense. What are you basing that on?

[@charliemagoo7943]

Could be fake 3m as well.

[@Vessekx]

@@drw1926 reality. The adhesive is what's sourced from 3M. It isn't like the rubber feet of a mini toolbox is really going to be a high-wear part, though. You just want to make sure they don't fall off. (Not that there aren't good adhesives from other sources as well. Without the branding, though, you have no idea what you're getting, so it's a bit of a crap shoot. It could be fine, it could be crap. Heck, it could be either depending on which batch of feet you get with the 'same' box.)

[@xxMastufaquxx]

@@Vessekxtbh even if it’s 3M it could still be crap and fall off. I’ve seen a lot of products cheap out on legit 3M adhesives and choose to use the wrong tape for the wrong application just because it was cheaper or, potentially but unlikely, they just didn’t know which adhesive tape to use because 3M makes a bunch of variants lol.

[@TomF1-25]

Snap on tools have zero warranty too, unless you have a dealer which i don't as I'm not currently in a garage. When i break a Halfords Advanced tool i take it to the shop and they replace immediately. I have phone my local snap on dealer 5 times about a few tools i need to warranty and he isn't interested because I'm not spending hundreds on the truck.

[@ShopHumor]

Crazy isn't it? I was really surprised they didn't even include a warranty for that price. No premium features & no warranty, for only 3 times the price lmao

[@armedappalachian]

Alternatively, get ahold of whatever shop is local to you and ask when their snappy dealer comes by, and meet him there. Again, not ideal, but definitely better than having a broken tool in the drawer.

[@Ryan.90]

Halfords Advanced are actually really good tools in my experience.

[@rtechlab6254]

Halfords Advanced stuff is amazing value. Had a couple of failures and replaced in store instantly. Not sure what the North American equivalent is though. Another interesting point warranty NA vs ROW, or at least Europe. A one year warranty is mandatory in many places.

[@ShopHumor]

@@rtechlab6254 Wish we had your consumer protection laws over here in the States.

[@peterdavid5034]

Instant subscribe, superb content. Channels like this are absolute gems. Your extra effort in contacting Snapon and politely but persistently requesting clarification about the warranty was especially commendable.

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you so much. I truly appreciate the compliment and that you took the time to comment. It means a lot!

[@BBB_bbb_BBB]

In general I find Snap-on products to be more for people who like the idea of being a handyman without actually being one. My cousin buys Snap-on almost exclusively, despite never doing any work with tools. He also drives a big truck, but never hauls anything and has a ball for the trailer hitch that people aren't allowed to use since it may scratch the ball. He makes me think of the people who takes selfies with the meal at the restaurant, or the teens buying Stanley tumblers.

[@pogtuber5146]

man I do not like your cousin already

[@cbotten106]

Lots of pros use Snap On. Your cousin sounds like a poseur, btw, but I guess you knew that. 🤣

[@BBB_bbb_BBB]

@@cbotten106 haha, yeah, we all make fun of him. I'd have to guess a lot of pros use their products. I've seen enough reviews that attest to the quality of most of the tools they offer. But I find it seems to be the tool equivalent of Apple computer products. Where the computers are certainly competent, but for significantly lower cost you can find a Windows PC with similar performance, but minus the fancy Apple logo.

[@johnsanko4136]

Even if Snap-On covered the micro box with their lifetime warranty, the cheaper HF box is still better. Just buy another at $15.

[@ShopHumor]

You're not wrong. I really don't think that the warranty has much value for products like this that don't ever really "fail" but I knew if I didn't mention it, people would be saying that's the reason for the price discrepancy (in fact a few comments did say that despite me mentioning it!).

[@notme8232]

Hell, buy 10 to match the price lmao

[@wildbill23c]

I agree, I have one of the US General mini-boxes, its very high quality for $15, it blows all the other knock offs out of the water....Made in China doesn't always mean lower quality, and in this case it was easily proven. I haven't figured out what to use the box for yet, still trying to organize my shop and put stuff away so I'll eventually get down to the small stuff where those mini-boxes will be very useful...like for some of the tooling for my mini lathe, probably where the box will get used.

[@Kevin_Rhodes]

I have one of those Kobalt boxes, it's attached under my router table to hold bits. Mine doesn't have the magnets behind the drawers, but that makes no difference, it's not tipping over. $20 is perfect for this, $150+ is insane. HF didn't have any at the time, that was the first place I went looking. I simply removed the lid by driving out the hinge pin, cut a piece of wood to fit into the upper tray, and screwed it to the toolbox and the underside of the router table. I think I will add another one too to hold all the tools to change bits and whatnot.

[@ShopHumor]

Sounds like some cool mods you did to yours. Would love to see it, but I think I can picture it pretty well from your description. After doing this video I have too many tiny toolboxes and I might just do the same mod you did to my Kobalt!

[@danfarmer5343]

Pretty clear to me , the us general wins it hands down , better quality , better value and better features !

[@rrt08]

Not available.

[@ShopHumor]

It's definitely the winner for pure value and actually the build quality seems to be the best too

[@byerenny]

Now if it wasn't as rare as a three-headed unicorn to find.

[@archieherrington9955]

Finally someone not bought out by snap on or just a fan boy been trying to tell people expensive is not always better snap on hasnt been stepping their game up at all and HF has been non stop getting better and better

[@reddcube]

I hope the US General box goes back in stock. Having a EDC tool box sounds so fun.

[@ShopHumor]

I'm sure they will. The $10 black Friday sale price is crazy. Even for full retail they're an incredible deal..

[@maxmotors9497]

I kinda need something like this. 🎉

[@ltbigdog]

I heard Feb was when they were thinking they'd be available.

[@MrTelephos]

Keep checking your local Harbor Freight. I work at one, and we're getting them in about 20 at a time.

[@ShopHumor]

@@MrTelephos Awesome, thanks for the tip!

[@ChuckFinley-m5e]

Sounds like you've sold me on the Harbor Freight mini toolbox. It looks perfect for a soldering station setup, for storing all of the soldering iron tips, wick, solder wire, flux, and other assorted knick-knacks for the setup. I plan to set up a home business working on electronics this year, and a couple of those mini toolboxes would be a good investment for my workshop.

[@Smash0pe]

Found a seriously underrated channel. Love the unbiased review ,really goes to show that any company with a good reputation can ruin it just as easy by making a product with a premium price but not anything to justify the “premium” price.

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the encouragement. Very new to KZbin so still getting it figured out. Thanks for commenting, and I agree.

[@Smash0pe]

@ShopHumor No Problem Man! When i see a youtuber putting in hard work i gotta appreciate the work y’know? Especially when its a new youtuber love it when they start off strong.

[@fabianmckenna8197]

Following a works van when the back door quickly flipped open and shut but just enough time for a small tool to fall out and bounce along the road. Popped a u-turn on my motorbike to find a lovely small Snap-on ratchet screwdriver which was none the worse for wear after its fall. That was twenty odd years ago and it still performs flawlessly.........

[@ShopHumor]

That's fantastic. Good story, good find, nothing better than free lol

[@NutsandBoltsAuto]

An extra point for the Kobalt because they have a bottom chest available. You can also keep on stacking the bottom chests as high as you want 👍

[@ShopHumor]

Good tip thanks for letting me know!

[@Dingleberry1856]

So one could stack garbage endlessly?

[@wildbill23c]

Until they tumble over of course HAHA!!! I bet the others come out with a mini bottom chest soon too, and Harbor Freight will wait until next Black Friday to release them HAHA!!!

[@gerald5344]

My Harbor Freight mini was made in Cambodia. Was thinking about the P.I.T. as well, glad I saw your review first.

[@ShopHumor]

Thanks for commenting! Hope you like your HF mini. I love mine :)

[@nerdhunt]

Great video, love it when people just do real talk about quality instead of simping for corporations or advertisers.

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate the kind words and that you took the time to comment.

[@ChrisSV98]

I have one of the Harbor Freight ones and love it so much. I keep it as an armor repair kit for my medieval armor set. Mostly rivets, leather punches, and leather strips that I pre-cut.

[@Taskarnin]

Good review. I’ll share a little anecdote on US General boxes. Back around 2016 a coworker and I were fresh out of college working as manufacturing engineers. We were trying to get started and wanted to see what toolbox to start building off of. The problem? We were broke. So cue some malicious compliance. I needed a box for a new forging line I was putting in for work, but work did not want to shell out for an industrial grade box. So I talked them into a US general thinking why the hell not. I’ll get to see how long it lasts and if they’re worth it. Bonus points for low cost (made the accountants happy). I’m here to tell you that box lasted. Not just normal garage use but forging plant abuse. I beat the living crap out of that box. I kept everything from our 1 inch drive impact that weighed 50 pounds by itself, to many sledges and large wrenches. All thrown in that box, literally, and beaten on 16 hours a day for a year. The box was not phased. The icing on the cake? The plant burned down a few years later, talking every fire station within 30 miles showed up, 70 ft tall hydraulic oil fire about 50 feet from this box. It worked perfectly afterwards with no paint issues despite anything plastic inside it being melted. Since then I’ve had no qualms about US General for my home tool boxes. I think they’ve made the latest generation a little pricey and maybe they’re giving Husky room to edge in, but there is ZERO reason to buy any snap on box anymore. US General has taken their lunch and I’m sure Icon is a bit nicer.

[@krisbright3227]

I used to work at Harbor Freight, first as a Shelf Stocker/Customer Service Clerk, and as a Truck unloader, then later a Cashier and left after being an Assistant Manager for a year. A lot of products we sold at HFT, were essentially loss leaders or were priced hyper competitively. Managers would push our sales associates and cashiers to sell as many warranty pamphlets as we could as that was how we made commission and how we actually made our money as a store. I make way more money now in IT but I used to love working there and helping people get great deals on tools. I still go to HFT any time I need anything years later.

[@WJCTechyman]

Well, that's certainly an endorsement. We don't have Harbor Freight in Canada but we have choices like Princess Auto and Canadian Tire with multiple grades of tools in both name brand and house brands. The only reason I know about Harbor Freight is basically people comparing it to Princess Auto and also the popularity of HF's "Predator" Honda clone and derived engines.

[@ShopHumor]

That's a really good anecdote. Thanks for sharing it. I have one of the US General boxes from around that time (it's a 42", 2012-2014ish) and it's been a real workhorse for me, but I'm sure I haven't put it through nearly as much as you described.

[@drengskap]

Those reviews from people buying mini toolboxes and then complaining about them being small - LMAO

[@ShopHumor]

Lmao that got me too

[@thomassciurba5323]

Happens all the time if you read Amazon reviews.

[@maxmotors9497]

These are TEMU’s favorite humans

[@greenmedic88]

" not ' "Now if he doesn't know the difference between feet and inches is not my problem." "But you're not as confused as Nigel."

[@hoilst265]

@@ShopHumor This is honestly why I avoid reading user reviews. Someone'll buy a fish tank, and complain that it did not hold up his pants as well as the belt it was supposed to replace.

[@chrisd5758]

Just picked up the harbor freight box for all my compact impact sockets and extensions and mini ratchets, fits a surprising amount.

[@ShopHumor]

It's actually a freaking awesome little toolbox. I got mine before the black Friday sale so I paid $15 but I plan to buy some more eventually.

[@CYMotorsport]

Problem is shopping. That’s kind of the point. You can’t get that HF online I’d bet my channel. Not at that price. Which by itself honestly is shockingly low . One I actually can feel and see the price long term is my craftsman mini. I inherited it so I’ve taken care of it but retails near $200 . And you can feel every single penny years later. My personal choice for value are the proto branded chests. They simply do the job day 1 at a great price. Fun vid !

[@howyoudurrinhunneh]

A facebook group that i'm a part of became obsessed with the KOBALT boxes 😂 I was gifted a black one, and it's okay. I bought the lime green one myself as part of a theme project. They both sit full of small flashlights and box cutters. None of these extra features mentioned mean anything to me and I have no desire or need to buy anymore, but the one with magnets, that's a nice touch.

[@ShopHumor]

What kinda group? Just curious if you don't mind sharing!

[@howyoudurrinhunneh]

@ShopHumor Olight

[@andrewt.5567]

I looked at those because of the colors thinking the kids could use them for whatever. They just are not very nice. I am not a HF fan but everything I can see indicates they have a better box, but no stock.

[@spencers4121]

I can remember in the 90's, working a tire/mechanic shop. I was a teenager working on the tire side, so I needed no tools. Th mechanics both had Snap-on, both still paying them off years later. Both would have 2-3 items ever couple week for warranty. For the price they paid, the tools shouldn't have "failed" or needed warranty work that much.

[@LouisCapps-p3z]

I picked up 2 US General mini boxes with coupon for 10/ea. Sold out quickly. Great buy

[@ShopHumor]

Fantastic value at $10 each. They're a great value at full price, but $10 is ridiculously good

[@shanefetterolf6707]

I’m into the RC hobby and these would be a huge help with organizing a work bench. Definitely looking into these.

[@quagmiller]

I've been trying to find a HF one for 4 months now. You can only get them in store and they are always sold out. Doesn't matter how good it is if you cannot get one.

[@quagmiller]

Update....Lady let me buy 3 today. Says new colors are dropping this week.

[@ShopHumor]

Saw your update. That's awesome. Glad she hooked you up and DAMN new colors will go crazy if true.

[@rightwingsafetysquad9872]

@@quagmiller I always thought they were dumb and were never in stock anyway. But a family member asked for something to keep her Dremel attachments in. The next time I was in they happened to be in stock so I got the 2 limit. Unfortunately they only had black, I'm sure she would have liked blue or red better, but she says she loves it.

[@huckleberry12]

You, sir, have completely won me over in the very first video of yours I've watched. If more people were like you this world would be a better place.

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you! That's one of the kindest comments I've ever received. Made my day :)

[@fetus2280]

Excellent review mate. These are perfect for a guy like me, Computers/Parts etc. My only option here are cheap plastic dollar store drawer boxes, they stack but thats the best aspect of them. A few of these would be a wonderful investment for my studio/workspace. Thanks for taking the time. Cheers. P.S. you gained a sub.

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you so much! I truly appreciate the comment, the subscription, and the compliment. Thank you!

[@fetus2280]

@@ShopHumor Merry Xmas to you and yours.

[@ShopHumor]

And to you and yours.

[@doctorpatient519]

great review! > the HF box's drawer slides are a big plus -- most of the video shots where you're opening or closing a drawer we see side-to-side wobble > at 3:17 you show a fantastic use for these mini cabs: storing your collection of spare 100 dollar bills!

[@ShopHumor]

Lmao. Thank you for the compliment. My collection of one spare bill that, as of the writing of this comment, no longer exists. Been buying a few new tools to review coming up at the start of the year and man that stuff gets expensive quick

[@Yonni6502]

Nicely done! GREAT video!

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you, and thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@Chocolate_dragon]

I have a blue harbor freight one sitting on my desk. Top has my knives in it, middle has a set of electronic screw drivers, and bottom drawer has a pocket 1/4" socket set, and a tape measure. Does exactly what I wanted it to do. 15 bucks! Plus it matches all my US general boxes I have in my garage.

[@Harry.Dresden]

Can we take a moment to appreciate how much Harbor Freight stepped up to fill the spot of solid tools for cheap prices that are often competitive with big name brands, for the hobbyists and home mechanics and even the budget minded professionals. I stopped buying tools from other stores about 4 years ago. Now if I need a tool or something along that nature, I go to HF and see what they have, it’s usually laughably cheaper than other tool stores, and gets the job done no muss no fuss.

[@MyNameWasTecho]

About 25 years ago I read a comparison of torque wrenches in a motorcycle magazine. Despite being the most expensive by a reasonable margin, the Snap-On tool needed to be calibrated before it could be used for the test. 🤯 Every other tool, including the Harbour Freight equivalent, was good to go straight from the box. Have never even considered buying a Snap-On tool since.

[@peterfranko]

I found this review incredible. Your attention to detail and thorough explanations of everything is what I want in a review channel. You were constantly to the point and it never felt like it was trying to stretch the video to hit a specific time frame. I hope you do more of these in the future!

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you so much Peter. I truly appreciate the kind words and encouragement. I'm relatively new to KZbin, just started a few months ago, so still trying to get it all figured out. Thanks!

[@alexandreoliveiramiranda5317]

I love how he translate sizes and weights to worldwide language instead of U.S Only measurements, awesome!

[@ShopHumor]

Thanks! Ive been trying to remember to include the conversions - I missed a few in my first couple videos but have been getting better at it.

[@cjjojo8985]

Outstanding review. Well thought out, narrated and edited.

[@user-hm5zb1qn6g]

seems like a kid's toy, to be honest.

[@ShopHumor]

They're great for little tools, hobby stuff, etc.

[@ChrisS-oo6fl]

That’s cuz you missed the point. But it has many use cases. What, did you think people where purchasing it for their entire wrench and socket sets, or as their primary box? Clearly not.

[@user-hm5zb1qn6g]

@@ChrisS-oo6fl I can't imagine anybody buying those little pieces of junk for anything other than "My first tool box" for a kid, as I said earlier. HF got it right, pricing it at $20.

[@madjackgamingandfitness498]

It looks like a good gag gift if you have money to blow. “Got you a snapon tool box, merry xmas” a home hobby would feel like I’d need multiples of them.

[@JeffinTD]

I could see something like that for Tig torch parts, plasma cutter parts, that kind of stuff.

[@ju1cycrackfa1ry]

I got a Kobal as a Christmas present from my angel of a wife; she said the USG boxes were sold out all over town. I’ll never give it up but I might pickup an upgrade later on when they’re back in stock lol

[@DavidLGood]

I thought this was going to be a spoof video -- because I saw the channel name, "Shop Humor". So, I didn't get a funny skit -- but the review was well done so much so that I watched the whole thing. Good job.

[@lunondisposable5382]

I've been buying HF stuff for a while and only had a couple of issues, all of which were within the 90 day warranty (and were mainly my fault for not inspecting what I pulled off the shelf). The way I see it, even if it only lasts 91 days it's more worth it than the "premium" brands.

[@chrischapman276]

I've got the 48inch rollaway box with the top and side boxes. That thing is completely full with a lot of weight in tools in all compartments. It rolls when I need to move it just fine. The drawers, even after tipping over during the move from one state to the other, needing to be repaired a bit are still working just fine. I'll buy my boxes from HF before wasting money on having some brand name in my garage all over again.

[@RickCicchini]

Thanks for the video, it popped up at random for me today after watching a ton of 3D printing videos, some of which were for printing organizers for this exact tool box - I didn't realize it was so cheap, now I have to go grab one. I love me some Harbor Freight

[@ShopHumor]

You're welcome! Thanks for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it.

[@davekeller2798]

Snap on, mostly caters to professional mechanics at garages and dealerships. They come to these workers on the job, saving the workers time to go looking for needed tools. They also have a payment plan and a warranty on their tools, under normal use. I haven't bought any tools off the Snapon truck in many years, but like Mac and Cornwell tools were very good and held up to the test.

[@Mike-me3sp]

You'd think this little (novelty) toolbox is something they'd just hand out for free to good customers, not charge premium prices to the general public.

[@dsregart]

I appreciate your review. Straightforward and honest without any gimmicks or annoying music.

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment!

[@CAPTAINFLAKEZ]

Thorough, comprehensive, honest and insightful Great comparisons, appreciate it😎

[@xj31]

Snap on came out with mini tool boxes years ago when tool boxes were red and only red. They made those for the dealers to be able to show new colors, they were never intended to be sold but they kind of caught on. I got my first one in the early '90s. It's cranberry and my dealer gave it to me.

[@TheDwightMamba]

I bought a bunch of a version of the Harbor Frieght/ Kobalt at Menards for $8/ piece. Kept a few and gave away the rest as gifts. Quite handy for your most expensive tiny tools and little things I don't want to lose.

[@JohnHilman1968]

I got the harbor freight box for Christmas... I love it! I will use it for my bits and tools for my bench top cnc mill

[@RipRoaringGarage]

These are gimmick toys. I got the Kobalt and it was a gift. Its awesome! Its perfect to just sit there and look silly. Tookboxes-wise, I am a snob. Actually working and whatnot, only Snapon, Matco and Mac are good to me. I also buy them used, fix them up and use them for the rest of my life! Yes...them. I have too many tools, and do the shadow foaming, so needed to full size boxes, and I still have random tools in various places.

[@ratbert86]

Sams Club has their "Makers Mark" top and bottom mini boxes for $20 each. They're pretty equivalent to the Kobalt in quality but some colors are available with a 5 piece tool kit included with the top. Not great, but whaddya want for 20 bucks? My young grandson LOVED it.

[@LordOfTheThreeWorlds]

One of the best product reviews I've seen in quite a while. Excellent, thanks

[@mrlizard6529]

He quoted my thoughts at the beginning of this video almost word for word at the end.

[@groundhog5923]

I appreciate that SnapOn works with mechanics and dealerships and advances tools. I know mechanics who could cite a specific car make, model, year, engine size and specific bolt where a non-SnapOn ratchet would struggle to complete the task (this was decades ago now). They deserve some acknowledgment for that, but I don't know how they can justify their prices in an increasingly competitive tool market.

[@elmeromero1794]

I bought 4 kobalt ones on Black Friday for $9.99 because of the color selection. And on the same day I also bought 2 US Generals for also $9.99. For the price US General can not be beat. I also own a US General 56” tool box which a got for $689 on sale. The snap on was $5970!!!!! Snap on is definitely just a name if you ask me!!!

[@fruitydudexD]

I didn't even know these existed until I was buying something else at Harbor Freight last week and I saw these on a shelf. I picked one up because for 20 bucks I said why not. I was surprised at the quality. A few years ago, the thought wouldn't have crossed my mind, but now? Harbor Freight for the win. Also, thanks for the real review. I'm subbed.

[@Leib33]

I'm either very busy being handy or too lazy to put things away, but I keep about 100 small tools scattered around my computer desk in various open cans, plastic trays or just laying around my desk, even on top of my laptop. Yep, I'm picking up 4 of those Hardly Bright toolboxes on my next trip. I've been there 3 times helping a friend with his youthgroup recently and never noticed these. Thanks for the heads up, I never realized how much I need these.

[@Leib33]

Wait, my son-in-law and daughter are neat as pins, but I think they will like the cuteness of these boxes! Cheap Chanukah gift, sure to bring a smile!

[@ShopHumor]

You're welcome. I think you'll find that they'll suit your needs perfectly. Maybe call ahead before you go because I've had quite a few comments from people saying they're sold out (but others from HF employees saying they're getting more in stock occasionally). Very popular item it seems like.

[@Kazcmyzs1989]

I don't use a lot of tools, my job doesn't require them nor am I very handy around the house to keep more than a few basics, but I decided to watch this video because Snap-On and Harbor Freight are the names that I recognize the easiest, and i found your video fairly even, you covered points that I wouldn't have noticed being a layman and I liked that you went as far as to email Snap-On to get more information.

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you for the comment. I appreciate it!

[@paradiseprod6153]

harbor freight ones sold out by me and marked up on ebay, got the kobalt one to keep all my stationery in on my desk at work. p cool lil bit of color to go with the drawing of a window my coworker made, just like home

[@kurtpena5462]

I have the Kobalt. I like the matching bottom boxes that Kobalt sells. The color selection is excellent, but I found most colors were not available when I picked mine out. I wound up with a pair of blue boxes. The drawer action is a bit wobbly, but the lack of glides is not the issue. i was able to massage it a little to smooth it out. A box this small doesn't need glides due to the lack of weight being supported. I added a ball chain to the lid of the top box to keep it from falling back. The Kobalt seemed a bit over-priced, but I've also seen them on sale.

[@bvnny01]

1:50 Thanks for the conversion chart. I'm probably the only American who can not wrap their head around inches. Eyeballing/measuring in cm is just so much easier 😅

[@ShopHumor]

You're welcome! I'm trying to get better about including the conversions. Wish we used metric too but alas, it is what it is. Thanks for commenting.

[@francisngoh4719]

Thanks for an objective review. Too many reviewers just go with the reputation and not the intrinsic value of the tool. I bought the HF and Kobalt because they were cheap. Like you, I'm happy with price/performance of the HF. I'm using it for keeping my mini tools.

[@Book-Gnome]

I'm 63 yrs old and spent the first 10-12 years of my adult life as a professional mechanic after rebuilding bicycles and GTO engines/clutches in my garage starting at age 7. I never spent the dollars on snapon tool boxes or many of their tools mainly because my bay was next to a guy who was a snapon snob to the highest degree. I couldn't stand the guy. One day he spent an absurd amount of money on a new 1/2" drive air gun from snapon. I told him it was a POS which enraged him so he put his new gun up against my Ingersoll Rand (forget the model number) on the giant bolts in the center of the hydraulic in floor lift. This was in 80's. He turned the bolt as far as his gun would go then I put my IR on it and got more revolution, I don't remember how much but it was enough that he returned his precious snapon the next week LOL. BTW, Snapon hand tools are and have always been very nice but my favorite among all the truck brands was Matco. Snapon is overpriced, MAC just didn't feel good in my hand, Cornwall and Craftsman were garbage and broke daily. In the 80's with a wife and 2 kids I could never afford a box any better than Craftsman which were all junk and were mocked by coworkers. For the last 10+ years as a DIYer I have 2 big Harbor Freight boxes and freaking LOVE them. On the other hand every HF power tool I have bought for automotive and woodwork broke way too early. My HF chainsaw sharpener is still holding up but it's no prize. My HF shop style floor jack is still going after 12 years. A guy I used to know that rebuilds small engines told me that the HF engines use the same part numbers as Honda engines.

[@Rgb414]

Nice review my wife saw the us general box just before black Friday for $10 at harbor freight she bought 2 for her sewing room. Great for all kinds of little sewing stuff that gets lost in bigger drawers

[@ShopHumor]

Thanks for the compliment. Your wife is right - they're perfect for little things like sewing supplies and craft stuff.

[@Rgb414]

I have come to know my wife is always right😂

[@ShopHumor]

Lmao, an important life lesson isn't it

[@Chevybass62]

Great review…glad I ran across your channel. Hey, I bought four of the Harbor Freight mini tool boxes on Black Friday for $10 each. Will give as Christmas presents. They are sweet and the ball bearing slides blew me away. I also have their Icon full size roller chest with a stainless steel top with a hutch mounted on top…two end cabinets with drawers and two storage cabinets on top. Awesome tool system…less than 17% the cost of SnapOn with a lifetime warranty. They are actually heavier than the similar SnapOn cabinets which mean better build and quality. The drawer weight capacity is higher than SnapOn. Harbor Freight has their foot on SnapOn’s throat and they will not let up. No SnapOn for me…ever!!

[@ShopHumor]

Man I am sooo jealous of your Icon full size roller lol. What a fantastic box that must be. Also, those boxes are going to make great gifts. Well done! Thank you for leaving the comment, I enjoyed it.

[@Chevybass62]

@ Thank you! It is a sweet tool system. Subbed and can’t wait for more content from you. Merry Christmas! Cheers…

[@ShopHumor]

Merry Christmas to you too!

[@AlbertScoot]

I had two of these and used one at work for storing frequently used endmills. The second one was for my calculator, notepad, pens and storing my phone and keys.

[@ShopHumor]

Perfect use for both

[@Majestic167]

I have 2 Kolbalt boxes, and I’m happy with them. I didn’t know US General had a micro box, so I’ll be getting them to!!! 😂

[@Camrographer]

From what I've heard is that many products come from the same manufacturing facilities and they are comissioned to make a product at a price-point. This price-point then dictates what will be compromised on or not. For instance, there are Costco only products from brand manufactuers. However when you look up the model number you'll see that it doesn't exist or it has an additional naming convention like A, B, C etc.. I recall buying a stereo system and I think I saved twenty percent comparatively but the amplifier was of lower power and missing a couple other features.

[@kllntime101]

I didnt know these exist. I have boxes in the garage for my work tools but I'd love this for my art and stationary stuff on my desk.

[@ShopHumor]

They're actually fantastic for desk stuff and art stuff both. Completely agree.

[@ffjsb]

While Harbor Freight doesn't have a very long warranty, they do offer extended warranties on much of their items. (which I NEVER get) I've returned a couple of things, but not many. Last thing I returned was a two stroke post hole digger. The first day I had it, it started smoking, and wouldn't start. Took it in the very next day, and it took me longer to buy it the first time than it did to get it replaced. They asked what was wrong with it, then told me go go back and get a new one, might have filled out a little card with basic info, and I was out the door as they told me to have a nice day. The second one has run like a champ since I've had it.

[@arcanask]

When I first saw the harbor freight mini toolbox I thought it was too small to be useful, but I just bought a watch repair kit and I also have other small tools that are just kinda floating around the house and nowhere to put them, and you know what? They would all fit perfectly into a tiny toolbox. 🤣🤣

[@Lann-k8j]

I STOPPED BUYING ANYTHING SNAP 0N YEARS AGO AFTER THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE SEVERAL LIFETIME WARRANTY HAND TOOLS......... I BET THEY WISH THEY DIDNT DO THAT NOW!........

[@Kamakazi025]

...I don't know how I got here, nor why I watched it fully... But it was great info and surprisingly entertaining 😀

[@DvLang]

I've had the snap on box shown in black for over 10 years. I have the smaller top box and the larger lower box, that was available atleast back then. I used them on my work desk for year until I brought them home and use them to store nic-nacs and pens and such. They are still in like new condition just dusty.

[@jforrest2140]

Harbor Freight is really focused on the customer I feel. They know they are making highly competitive products at competitive pricing. Some of the "old Harbor Freight" tools you should still stay away from but Icon tools, Hercules, US General from HF? Really doing a good job. The Pittsburg deadblows are good value. I even have started buying standard and flat blade shovels from them because they break the same as a $30 Kobalt haha.

[@forzaguy1252]

As of writing, you can get a 4 drawer service cart at harbor freight for 150 with inside track, so for the same price, or 30 dollars more if buying a membership at the same time as the cart, than the snap on you can get a full size took cart

[@ShopHumor]

That's wild. Such a good deal. I really get a lot of value out of my ITC membership.

[@HicklerJantlick]

Excellent video!! Way to go. Thanks for your effofts. I very much appreciate it. Time well spent for me. I will not forget this...

[@Tobi_Jones]

great review, its always interesting to see the price vs quality comparison

[@gregkelly319]

I love my harbor freight mini toolbox. I wish my wife had a small box

[@anthonymuccillo]

Husky in Canadian home Depot made a tiny single drawer tool box for 20$, even smaller than the snapon and pit and still features roller drawer slides

[@ShopHumor]

Crazy that the cheap brands can include features that the premium ones can’t, and do it for a lot less money

[@nunyabusiness4904]

Currently on Harbor Freight's website these are sold out. I've been of the mind for a long time that most of Snap On is just brand hype, my Dad has Craftsman tools he bought at Sears in the 90s that still work just fine, my grandfather had tools he also bought at Sears in the 70s that he used until he died earlier this year. On the rare occaision they broke one they swapped them out no questions asked. Kobalt and Craftsman have the same lifetime warranty on most of their tools that Snap On does, I asked a Snap On dealer one time why I should go with his tools when their competitors were cheaper and had the same warranty, he said you'd never need to use the Snap On warranty. He said that while he was at the trade school I was attending so he could replace sockets and screw drivers that were damaged and covered under warranty.

[@ShopHumor]

Sorry about your Grandpa. That's hard, I've been there myself. You know as far as that lifetime warranty goes, you're exactly right. Craftsman tools had it forever, and there are just a lot of companies these days offering comparable quality tools to Snap-On, that also come with a lifetime warranty, and cost a small fraction of the price. Much better value.

[@s.marcus3669]

I hadn't thought of purchasing any of these boxes for any reason but I was drawn to your review nonetheless. THANK-YOU for an excellent video where I can't find any fault with the video and audio presentation and editing. No crappy AI voice was probably the best of all! I'm thinking I might just buy the Harbor Freight box just for the price & quality and then find a use for it!

[@ShopHumor]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the compliment more than I can say :)

[@lusitaniafilms]

I owned a repair shop in California. the Snap on truck came to my store. They wanted 99.99 for a tool that I could get at K-Mart for 25.00. I told them that I rather get the worst case of hemorrhoids before I pay that for that Tool.

[@Warpetrie]

I was already sold on the Harbor Freight box, but man did you solidify it!

[@markej4801]

What an eye-opener! I have no need at present for such a small box, but appreciate the time and effort you have put in. I have to wonder if Lowe's or Home Depot have such items and how they stand in this?

[@ShopHumor]

The Kobalt box is actually from Lowes. There are other mini toolboxes around - I know Menards has one too - but as far as I know the Harbor Freight is the winner for features / price / value.

[@gregs9187]

I bought 2 HF minis the day the came out. Got home and unboxed 1 to play with. I returned both my next time to town. The drawers not fully opening makes them practically useless. Its a novelty item at best.

[@NoPonySpecial]

I personally find the many toolbox great to hold precision tools for electronics or hobbyist or your tools for 3D printers and other small tools that you might want to keep around your desktop. It said that the harbor freight one does not have a bottom attachment that could be sold separately, but that could be something that could be fixed by sending emails to the company that makes it, and see if they could create an add on feature.

[@williammarshall2935]

Lowes has bottom chest for their's this year if you can still find them . Better half ordered a few back in October for Christmas for us .

[@ShopHumor]

Great use for them for sure. Anyone who has a hobby that has small parts or tools or collectibles. A bottom chest would be nice.

[@JamesMJaime]

Bought two of these to give as birthday gifts to my buddies and I decided to wait until the Black Friday sale to get my own which was a huge mistake. Every store in my area sold out the first day and you had people waiting before opening to grab one. Guess I'll have to wait several weeks for the hype to die down.

[@ShopHumor]

Yeah, they're really popular. I guess that happens when you make something that is actually well built, with premium features, and then sell it for a more than affordable price. I was planning on buying a couple more during the black Friday sale as well but I'm just waiting until they restock.

[@rbaldino]

I was going to get one of those mini Kobalt tool boxes but now I'm going to go with the Harbor Freight box. Thanks for saving me a few bucks!

[@ShopHumor]

You're welcome :) Hopefully you find one in stock, they've been pretty popular. Maybe it will be better now that Christmas is over.

[@perrylankford4269]

The Harbour Freight toolbox fits in the tray where the fuel tank used to sit behind the seat in my 1954 3100 pickup.. It'll hold a 1/2, 9/16, sparkplug wrench, pliers AND screwdrivers for MOST emergency needs...

[@ShopHumor]

NICE! I bet that's an awesome pickup.

[@nodsib]

Great content, love a good honest review, and this one was well put together being both thorough and to the point with no filler. I’m currently looking to outfit a work trailer with some kind of storage system for irrigation parts and have been looking at everything from DIY wood shelves to large metal toolboxes to plastic storage drawers as options.

[@ShopHumor]

Thanks for the kind words. I truly appreciate it!

[@jonmallard2176]

As somebody who works in the automotive industry, it blows me away what some people will pay for a tool box just to have the Snap-On or Mac badge on the front. When you break it down, it just needs to be a box to hold tools. Whats the point of taking out a mortgage on a tool box?! My $1000 Milwaukee cabinet and chest has more features than some "top tier" boxes with 5x the price tag. 🤦‍♂

[@Mike-me3sp]

And, anyone who is in the market for those kind of cabinets is likely more than capable of modifying and improving the things themselves if they need it anyway.

[@dpstripe]

I bought one of the snap-on three-door boxes back in either 1994 or 1995. The price of that time was nearly $100 it still had no warranty and was made in China. But I really liked it and almost 30 years later I was looking for another one. I found the Pitt on Amazon and bought one. Comparing my 90's vintage snap-on, it was identical. So much so that I actually think that somehow Pitt got hold of the original tooling. I have no proof of this, but the original snap-on has the same fit and finish faults that you pointed out on the pitt. I wound up buying two of the pitt 5 drawer cabinets. Including a blue one to match my snap-on. The color match was excellent. So it appears that snap-on has improved their quality control with the Vietnamese product. But the Pitt is just 1990s Snap-on. The lack of warranty doesn't really surprise me because it was always sold as a novelty product, not a tool.

[@ShopHumor]

How do you like the 5 drawer chest? I think I might get one for the PIT.

[@dpstripe]

@@ShopHumor I like them. It would have been nice if there were a lip around the top to capture the 3 drawer, but it really isn't needed. I use one of them for parts and tooling for my 3D printer. And I use the other for tooling for my sherline lathe.

[@ShopHumor]

Sounds perfect for that. I’m using one for my CNC mill speciality tooling, one for the lathe specialty tooling, and one for pocket knives. But one for the 3D printer stuff sounds good too.