My neighbor said to buy the cheap HF floor jack, and I should have listened

He told me last year to just get the $90 Pittsburgh 3-ton from Harbor Freight for my home garage. I thought I was smarter and spent over $300 on a 'pro-sumer' brand online. The expensive one started leaking after about 8 months of light use. His cheap one is still going strong, and he uses it way more than I do. I was wrong to think more money always means better gear. Has anyone else had a basic tool outlast a fancy one you bought?

3 comments

3 Comments

felix_thomas732mo ago

Ever think it's just luck of the draw, like caseyw12 said? My buddy's cheap jack is fine, but another guy's broke right away. Maybe we just hear more about the ones that last.

caseyw122mo ago

Sometimes the cheap stuff just gets made right that day.

wright.cole1mo ago

My old man worked in a factory that made power tools. He said the machines that tighten bolts or set tolerances drift over a shift. So yeah, maybe one unit gets perfect torque at 10 AM, and by 3 PM the same machine is running a little hot and over-stressing the part. It's not really about a "right day," it's about which minute your particular tool came down the line. That inconsistency is what you're paying to avoid with the expensive brands.