Harbor Freight Compressors Good or Bad

[OchoMarko]

I'm in the market for an air compressor and these Harbor Freight 21 gallon, 3 horse power compressors are on sale for $120, regularly $200. Does anybody know if they are good or would you recommend $250 for a similar Craftsman compressor?

 

[BAD97LSC]

dude just spend 399 and get a big 60 gallon husky from home depot. mine is 16 years old, and only thing i have done to it is replace the head gasket and the pressure switch, my compressor has had the balls kicked out of it and it owes me nothing, 5 hp, 60 gallon 150 psi pressure switch 220vlt i love the old girl! harbor freight compressors suck, you dont know how many harbor freight pumps i have seen with rod's through the case!

 

[NoLimit95]

I started out with a 60 gal from Harbor Freight and it was a pile. Took it back the next day and went to Lowe's and bought a Porter Cable but not in the 2 to $300 range.

 

[pektel]

You get what you pay for at harbor freight. If you only need to use it once or twice, buy from harbor freight. You want any amount of quality, stay away from them.

 

[Moes8]

I started out with a 60 gal from Harbor Freight and it was a pile. Took it back the next day and went to Lowe's and bought a Porter Cable but not in the 2 to $300 range.

i like the pick of your mark in the sig .... she yours?

 

[marked8]

Anything with motorized parts stay away from. Harbor Freight is good for engine stands, cherry pickers, dollys etc.

 

[BAD97LSC]

actually a few air tools also, i have a right angle grinder, a regular air grinder, a cut off wheel all from harbor freight for the cheap money they have already paid for themselves, they are all over a year old and still kickin, the cut off wheel and air grinders were all 10 bucks each!!

 

[marked8]

actually a few air tools also, i have a right angle grinder, a regular air grinder, a cut off wheel all from harbor freight for the cheap money they have already paid for themselves, they are all over a year old and still kickin, the cut off wheel and air grinders were all 10 bucks each!!

For that kind of money you can't go wrong.

 

[BAD97LSC]

not at all most of the stuff in there is doo doo balls but some of it is cheap enough that if it gets you through one job that you must get done, its paid for if it breaks at the end!

 

[NoLimit95]

i like the pick of your mark in the sig .... she yours?

It's one of those "friends with benefits" type of things but she cost more to maintain than the car. Honestly she's a bitch or can be. That's why I stuck her ass online lol. Always changin hair color and highlights and nails and tanning. Trying to figure out who's benefiting. I like my car better. It cranks, and never speaks a word.

 

[NoLimit95]

actually a few air tools also, i have a right angle grinder, a regular air grinder, a cut off wheel all from harbor freight for the cheap money they have already paid for themselves, they are all over a year old and still kickin, the cut off wheel and air grinders were all 10 bucks each!!

I'm down with the air tools from there. Some are pretty damn good and they even told me once that I could run over any of them with the truck or car and bring it back for a new one. Seems like it was a grinder that I bought when she said that.

 

[rooster1969]

Put a Gagball in her mouth and let her turn the crank! lol.

 

[dollman0]

Good for the Money

I'm in the market for an air compressor and these Harbor Freight 21 gallon, 3 horse power compressors are on sale for $120, regularly $200. Does anybody know if they are good or would you recommend $250 for a similar Craftsman compressor?

I just bought one of those cheap air compressors and I think it is a good value. Mine had some minor defects but not an issue if you work on cars.

1. The pressure was too low, had to set it up.
2. The drain was leaking, had to run a pipe tap in the threads.
3. There is a pin hole leak on the safety valve where it is welded.
4. The compressor is very loud.

I made a video on youtube about this compressor, (my user name is the same). I also do a break-in on the pump and then run Amsoil synthetic compressor oil in my equipment to prevent undue wear from heat. Check out my video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd8DmgBZIFw

I bought this compressor to run as a secondary compressor along with a belt drive Campbell Hausfeld. My tools consume more air than a small compressor can handle. This also doubles my tank size, that is what really counts.

 

[MediumD]

I did a pretty decent amount of research into compressors before buying mine. I have a US General 3hp (maybe 3.5, can't remember) 60gal that was $400 ($320 with 20% off coupon) at the time and sells for $420 now. IIRC US General compressors are made by a company that also makes some other brand that's reputable. I haven't used it much at all yet, since my neighbor whose shop it was in has since moved, so I can't really say much about it other than it's surprisingly quiet.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of the full size models, but I would shy away from their smaller oil-less compressors.

 

[mespock]

Places like Harbor Freight are like Jamie said ... Good for tools that you won't need to use often and cheap enough that if they break they did the job for their value.

An Air Compressor .... I'd look elsewhere ....