15 Harbor Freight Tools That Are Better Than Home Depot's or Lowe's

If you're looking to upgrade your home workshop without blowing your budget, Harbor Freight is delivering some serious value, so you can save money shopping for tools to use around the house.

These tools give you nearly everything you need at a fraction of the price of similar items at Home Depot or Lowe's. With highly rated items across the board, you can find everything you need to deck out your workspace without sacrificing quality.

Here are 15 Harbor Freight tools that are cheaper and better than their Lowe's or Home Depot equivalents.

Price: $139.99

This kit has everything you need for car repair or any other mechanical equipment you're working with around the house. A comparable 226-piece DeWalt tool set at Home Depot goes for $229.97.

Price: $99.99

Convenient and powerful cordless drills are a must-have for any household, and the Bauer 20V double pack fits the bill quite nicely. It's a bit cheaper than the Craftsman 20V 2-tool pack at Lowe's, which goes for $119 (on sale from $149.99).

Price: $39.99

A cheap and powerful sander is essential to any home workbench, and the Bauer comes in at a solid price. A similar unit from Home Depot costs $64.97, so the deal on the Harbor Freight sander is a superior value. With a 4.5-star rating and 4486 reviews, you know that you're getting a solid piece of equipment with the Bauer sander.

Price: $21.99

A good torque wrench is essential for a variety of household and mechanical tasks. A decent one from Home Depot will run you $28.88 or more, depending on the brand. Pittsburgh is one of the most-reviewed items on Harbor Freight, with 8217 total reviews and a 4.5-star rating. Hard to beat that level of positive feedback.

Price: $8.99

One of the most reliable pieces of equipment you'll use, a good hand saw is worth its weight in gold. Fortunately, Harbor Freight offers a highly affordable model. An equivalent hand saw from Home Depot will cost $30.89, so you're scoring a massive discount by going with the Portland Saw brand. You won't be disappointed with the high levels of craftsmanship.

Price: $49.99

With 30,000 RPMs of precision, the Bauer rotary tool 40-piece kit offers great value. It can be used in numerous situations around the house, making it worth picking up.

A similar Ryobi model from Home Depot costs $79.00, so you're saving a significant amount of money for what is essentially the same tool set.

Price: $54.99

A reliable heat gun is essential for a variety of home improvement projects, making the Hercules brand a great choice. The equivalent heat gun at Home Depot, the Milwaukee temperature gun, retails for $249.00, so you're saving almost 80% by sticking with the Harbor Freight model.

Price: $84.99

You never know when you'll need a powerful chainsaw to cut down trees and shrubs in the yard, so the Bauer cordless saw is a great deal. Compared to the Ryobi at Home Depot ($179.99 retail), the Bauer is an excellent deal. With 2104 reviews and a 4.5-star rating, you can trust Harbor Freight on this one.

Price: $119.99

A good saw stand is a must-have for any serious homeowner, and the Bauer delivers outstanding craftsmanship for a great value. Considering the equivalent Home Depot stand, the DeWalt saw stand, comes in at $249.00, the Bauer is the superior deal. It's one of those set-it-and-forget-it tools you can always rely on.

Price: $139.99

You'll never look back once you have your first air hammer. No other fabrication tool does the job quite the same way, especially when it comes to cutting sheet metal and removing fastener heads.

The equivalent Aircat air hammer at Home Depot will cost you $154.00, so you're saving a decent amount on a superior product. Take a look at the 610 total reviews and the almost 5-star rating for the Chief air hammer.

Price: $279.99

A solid compressor is a must-have for homeowners with a workshop or large tools that require air (such as sprayers and nail guns). The McGraw brand offers solid quality at a price significantly lower than the Kobalt, which is sold at Lowe's and retails for $349.00.

Price: $349.00

A solid, nine-drawer storage unit is the cornerstone of any good home tool setup, and the Yukon 46-inch cabinet is the best one for the price.

A comparable unit from Home Depot, the Husky workbench, costs $448.00, so the Harbor Freight deal is too good to pass up. With a whopping 9,781 total reviews and a near-perfect star rating, consumers tend to agree that the Yukon storage cabinet is the way to go.

Price: $249.99

You'll make your dollar go a long way with the Bauer combo kit. A similar combo kit from Home Depot costs $799.00, so Harbor Freight offers the same thing at a steep discount. With a near 5-star review rating, you can't go wrong with the Bauer.

Price: $399.99

A pressure washer will make your patio, driveway, and walkway cleaning such a breeze that you'll be unable to imagine a time without it. The Predator is a bit cheaper than a similarly powered Husqvarna from Lowe's, which retails for $449.00.

Price: $379.99

You never know when you'll need a solid, powerful table saw, and the Hercules brand offers superb precision at an affordable price. A similar DeWalt unit from Lowe's will run you $699.99, so you'll save a pretty significant chunk of change by sticking with Harbor Freight.

With so many items coming in well below the cost of comparable Home Depot or Lowe's products, you can stretch your budget further without compromising quality.

A great idea is to check the Harbor Freight coupons page regularly, and you'll find 'Instant Savings' deals and downloadable coupons that stack on top of already low prices. Plus, if you pair this with a cash-back credit card, you can make your dollar go even farther, which will serve you better in the long run.