I've bought a number of things from Harbor Freight over the years. My usual philosophy on tool or equipment buying is that if it's something that I am going to use a lot, then I tend to buy the best that I can afford. If it's something that I'm going to use once in a blue moon, then just about any ol' crap will do. It's maybe my Scottish upbringing but to me there is no sense in tying up a lot of money in a piece of equipment or tool that you aren't going to use very often. I'm not buying a family heirloom to be passed down from generation to generation.
I bought a hand crank drum pump about 8 years ago and used it maybe 6 times, worked perfectly every time. I'm a little surprised that it's lasted this long. About 2 years ago, I bought a drum lifter and I've used it quite often. It was about 1/2 the price of other units out there and, come on, it's a pretty simple piece of equipment and the lift capacities were comparable, so why not?
If you keep in mind what you are buying from HF, there can be some good deals but don't expect to spend $250 on a 5 kW generator and expect it to run like a $3000 Honda. That ain't going to happen but if all you need is a generator for occasional use (very occasional use) then it might well meet your needs, at least for a little while.
I bought a hand crank drum pump about 8 years ago and used it maybe 6 times, worked perfectly every time. I'm a little surprised that it's lasted this long. About 2 years ago, I bought a drum lifter and I've used it quite often. It was about 1/2 the price of other units out there and, come on, it's a pretty simple piece of equipment and the lift capacities were comparable, so why not?
If you keep in mind what you are buying from HF, there can be some good deals but don't expect to spend $250 on a 5 kW generator and expect it to run like a $3000 Honda. That ain't going to happen but if all you need is a generator for occasional use (very occasional use) then it might well meet your needs, at least for a little while.