Harbor Freight brings back the $9.99 grinder


 
Jon Tofte

Jon Tofte

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
This is the low, low price on Harbor Freight's entry-level grinder. I thought we wouldn't see this price again:

www.harborfreight.com

4.3 Amp, 4-1/2 in. Angle Grinder with Slide Switch

Amazing deals on this 4.3Amp 4-1/2In Angle Grinder at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com www.harborfreight.com

Don't expect DeWalt, Bosch or Milwaukee, etc. But for ten bucks it is a cheap way to try out using one. Get one of their inexpensive cup brushes, SAFETY GEAR including mask, ear and eye protection and you are ready to restore your crudded up aluminum firebox.
 
Now that's how much a harbor freight tool should cost. I've noticed that a lot of their tools are now just as expensive or more than at home depot or wherever.
 
HF is trying to go full line, from super economy "don't care if I lose or break them" to tools you might be able to make a living with.
 
Well, I think HF is trying hard to move up to a higher level while still offering the cheap basics that made them famous. I have a Hercules grinder. It is leagues ahead of this $9.99 entry level one. Is it up to top level competiton? I don't have anything to do an honest comparison with, so you can see what YouTubers think. I will say that some of their Bauer and even better Hercules tools should not, in fairness, be lumped in with the "cheap junk" category their bottom level brands fall in. Not all of the power tools with those names are worth their price, but if you look at the better ones, I think you would be surprised to see that they are pretty decent - not pro grade - but very decent for an amateur like me.

On hand tools, I have been very impressed with the Doyle line of pliers and have a tray with several I enjoy using. These are not "Pittsburgh" line of tools. Some are actually thought to be made by the same factories that supply Mac and maybe other professional tool companies. Again, not saying they are Knipex, but for an at home amateur like me, they feel very solid and seem to hold up well.

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Wow that’s insanely cheap. I work with tools for a living and really am settled on Milwaukee M18 cordless everything.
I can’t imagine that $10 grinder not working.well enough to be worth the money. Certainly a direction I would go for an occasional use.
 
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Harbor Freight stuff is a lot better than it used to be. I just bought a Bauer rotary hammer for a basement project to bust up tile, and I put it through its paces, and it performed great. It was only $100, and well worth it for the rare occasion that I need a rotary hammer. Had my eye on a Bosch, but couldn't justify 400 bones for it for a rare use.
 
You guys can bash those $9.99 angle grinders all you want, but I have a cut off wheel on one, a grinding wheel on another and I have a 4" wire cup brush on my Dewalt. You don't see me changing wheels on my angle grinders very often. I just grab the one with the attachment I need and go. Heck, the only other $9.99 HF grinder I had did the insides and outsides of the cook boxes and end caps, not to mention cooking grates and burners of probably 25 or 30 grills before it died. Call them disposable, but I felt like mine deserved a little better than that. I put it back in the original box and gently laid it in the trash bin. Probably the best $10 investment I had made in many years.
 
Jon Tofte said:
Well, I think HF is trying hard to move up to a higher level while still offering the cheap basics that made them famous. I have a Hercules grinder. It is leagues ahead of this $9.99 entry level one. Is it up to top level competiton? I don't have anything to do an honest comparison with, so you can see what YouTubers think. I will say that some of their Bauer and even better Hercules tools should not, in fairness, be lumped in with the "cheap junk" category their bottom level brands fall in. Not all of the power tools with those names are worth their price, but if you look at the better ones, I think you would be surprised to see that they are pretty decent - not pro grade - but very decent for an amateur like me.

On hand tools, I have been very impressed with the Doyle line of pliers and have a tray with several I enjoy using. These are not "Pittsburgh" line of tools. Some are actually thought to be made by the same factories that supply Mac and maybe other professional tool companies. Again, not saying they are Knipex, but for an at home amateur like me, they feel very solid and seem to hold up well.

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View attachment 42965
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Those channel locks look scary close to Knipex.
 
Bob H. said:
Can't use a 22 in town......
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Check out sub sonic .22 rounds. They barely sound more than a good air rifle. The trade off is that you likely wont kill the coyote or fox cleanly unless to you tap him in the head.

www.cci-ammunition.com

Buy Quiet-22 22 LR Ammo 40 | 960

Shopping for the Quiet-22 - Learn more about the latest Quiet-22 and other hunting or shooting gear at CCI.
www.cci-ammunition.com www.cci-ammunition.com
 
I have a new one sitting in my cabinet awaiting the time when I start the restore on the Gen 2. Paid $9.99 about three years ago right after the first one died after cleaning about 15 -20 cook boxes. Then I quite rehabbing grills just too hard to find any without a 200+ Rt trip to Phoenix.
Was well worth the $9.99 I paid for it and then some.
 
Bruce said:
You guys can bash those $9.99 angle grinders all you want, but I have a cut off wheel on one, a grinding wheel on another and I have a 4" wire cup brush on my Dewalt. You don't see me changing wheels on my angle grinders very often. I just grab the one with the attachment I need and go. Heck, the only other $9.99 HF grinder I had did the insides and outsides of the cook boxes and end caps, not to mention cooking grates and burners of probably 25 or 30 grills before it died. Call them disposable, but I felt like mine deserved a little better than that. I put it back in the original box and gently laid it in the trash bin. Probably the best $10 investment I had made in many years.
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That is a great idea. I never thought about having multiple grinders. Not having to switch attachments would save a lot of time. I did not even own a grinder until 3 years ago when I needed one to take the metal lathe out of a plaster wall I took down. This was the 1st time using it hence the lack of more clothing, although I did have goggles and mask.
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I have 4 grinders out in the back shop, and 3 of them are close to the fixturing table. One has a cutting wheel, one has a grinding wheel, and one has a flap wheel on it. Yeah, not having to stop, grab the wrench, loosen the retaining nut, spin it off..... even $40 or $50 will pay for your time awfully quickly.

The local welding shop suggested I try wheels from PferdUSA.... holy cats. Yes, they ARE expensive, but they remove material easily and outlast Dewalt and the other locally available brands easily, possibly multiple times over.
 
You know, for this type of forum, this is not the type of "grinder" I was expecting when I clicked on this thread!

That being said, I do have a hf grinder too. I bought it 11-12 years ago. I believe it's a Pittsburgh; it's yellow, has one speed & is crazy loud! Arre! Arre! ARRE! (My best Tim Allen impression).
I needed to cut a chevy axle & with a 4" cut-off wheel, it went through it like a knife through butter!
 
Brian_D said:
You know, for this type of forum, this is not the type of "grinder" I was expecting when I clicked on this thread!

That being said, I do have a hf grinder too. I bought it 11-12 years ago. I believe it's a Pittsburgh; it's yellow, has one speed & is crazy loud! Arre! Arre! ARRE! (My best Tim Allen impression).
I needed to cut a chevy axle & with a 4" cut-off wheel, it went through it like a knife through butter!
Click to expand...
It took me a minute and not quite sure I got it, but I remember they call subs and heroes grinders in New England. Is that what you meant. Oh maybe a meat grinder, coffee grinder?
 
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