10 Harbor Freight Tools For The Budget-Minded Home Landscaper
Harbor Freight offers a huge range of options for buyers who need durable, straightforward tools but don't want to break the bank. The store sells tools for all kinds of uses, catering to everyone from budget-conscious home mechanics to buyers looking for good-value tools for DIY. It also offers a wide range of landscaping tools, from yardwork essentials to more niche products.
These highly rated Harbor Freight landscaping tools retail for less than many of their big-name competitors. Each can be purchased from Harbor Freight for under $100, either from a store or online from the outlet's website. Most of these top picks are sold by one of Harbor Freight's surprisingly long list of in-house brands.
While Harbor Freight does carry a few duds in its stores, these budget-conscious landscaping tools shouldn't lead to buyer's remorse. In fact, the opposite may well be true — a number of reviewers note that, despite their low price, these tools have been even more handy than they initially imagined.
Portland 12 Amp, 3-In-1 Electric Blower Vacuum Mulcher
A leaf blower is a yard essential come fall, and a vacuum and mulcher are also likely to come in very useful. The Portland 12 Amp, 3-In-1 Electric Blower Vacuum Mulcher performs all three roles in one, all for $47.99. It reaches a peak output of 375 cubic feet per minute, with two speed settings available for optimal control. Being a corded tool, it's both cheaper and lighter than a cordless alternative, although at the slight sacrifice of portability.
A simple switch allows the tool to transition from a blower to a vacuum and then a mulcher. A collection bag is included with the tool for vacuum and mulching functions. It's reasonably quiet given its cheap price, with officially quoted noise levels of between 84 and 97 dB depending on the mode of operation. It gets consistently strong ratings from Harbor Freight owners, with an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5 from over 5,300 reviews. Of those owners, 91% said they'd be happy to recommend the product.
Bauer 20V Cordless String Trimmer
A string trimmer is another must-have pick for home landscapers, making it easier to trim corners and awkwardly shaped areas of lawn where a mower can't reach. With seven different head positions to trim, edge, and mow lawns, the Bauer 20V Cordless String Trimmer is one of the most versatile trimmers that Harbor Freight sells. It's also backed up by strong user reviews. From more than 1,500 reviews, owners gave the tool an average 4.5 out of 5 star rating, with 93% reporting that they'd recommend it.
Retailing for $49.99, the Bauer trimmer is sold as a standalone tool, and so will require a separate Bauer 20V battery to work. This won't be a problem for anyone who already owns a Bauer cordless tool, as all of the brand's 20V batteries are interchangeable. However, it does make the tool a slightly less bargain prospect for anyone new to the brand.
Atlas 80V Brushless Cordless Lawn Edger
While it's arguably not as much of an essential as a leaf blower or a trimmer, the Atlas 80V Brushless Cordless Lawn Edger might still be worth investing in for more dedicated home landscapers. Its electric motor generates a claimed four times more power than a standard 28cc gas edger, making it a great option for those looking for the most precise lawn edges. It retails from Harbor Freight for $99.99, although it's sold as a standalone tool, and so will require an Atlas 80V battery to function.
Alongside its impressive power output, the Atlas lawn edger also features a hardened steel blade to ensure that it stays sharp for longer and an eight-inch curb wheel for easy operation. Being a more niche tool, it doesn't have as many reviews as Harbor Freight's bestsellers, but those that it does have are almost universally positive. It's currently rated an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars from 76 reviews, with 97% of customers happy to recommend the edger.
Portland 9 Amp 14 Inch Electric Chainsaw
Harbor Freight's brand chainsaws might lack the prestige of rival offerings from the major chainsaw brands, but they're still very much worth considering. In fact, it's possible to pay significantly more money for a product from a well-established brand and not get any added capability in return. For $44.99, the Portland 9 Amp 14 Inch Electric Chainsaw offers enough power for casual landscapers and occasional users, with reviews confirming as much.
More than 1,500 reviewers gave the Portland chainsaw an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, with 90% saying that they'd recommend the product. The chainsaw features a lock-out switch and two guards to reduce the chance of an accident, and it's also designed to reduce kickback for improved control. Being a corded tool, there's no battery to weigh the tool down either, and as a result, it weighs in at just 6.8 pounds.
Bauer 20V Cordless Hedge Trimmer
Much like the brand's string trimmer, the Bauer 20V Cordless Hedge Trimmer is sold as a standalone tool and requires a Bauer 20V battery to function. For buyers looking for a new set of tools on a budget, buying several Bauer tools that can be used with one battery is therefore the most cost-effective way of stocking up on cordless tools. The hedge trimmer offers a lot for its $49.99 retail price too, with the ability to tackle branches up to 9/16 inches thick.
It reaches a maximum speed of 2,200 strokes per minute, with the blade itself being 20 inches long to deal with larger hedges more efficiently. Unlike some rivals, there are no gimmicks here: what you see is what you get, and as a result, Harbor Freight can offer the tool for a lower price than many competitors. Customers were very impressed with the trimmer's value for money, with 96% saying they'd recommend the product. Overall, owners gave the tool an average 4.7 out of 5 stars from more than 800 reviews.
Atlas 40V Cordless 10 Inch Pole Saw
The Atlas 40V Cordless 10 Inch Pole Saw retails for $54.99 and boasts more than 1,000 positive customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars and 96% of customers saying that they'd recommend the tool. It runs on either Atlas' 40V or 80V batteries — both of which are sold separately — and is claimed to offer around four times the runtime of a 20V equivalent.
The extendable shaft reaches up to nine feet in length, while the 10-inch bar makes dealing with thicker branches a straightforward task. A built-in branch hook also makes it easier to loosen branches that have become tangled in the tree after they've been cut. The tool is one of the lighter saws in its class, weighing just under eight pounds, and features a soft grip handle and forearm rest for more comfortable operation during longer jobs.
Bauer 20V Cordless Shear Shrubber
Anyone already in ownership of a Bauer 20V battery – or indeed sold on the brand's range of other cordless landscaping tools — should consider the Bauer 20V Cordless Shear Shrubber. It retails for $39.99 and can be used as both a shrubber and a grass shear, with the blade able to be swapped out without needing to use tools. It reaches a maximum operating speed of 1,160 strokes per minute, which helps it deal with branches up to 3/8 inch thick.
Both the eight-inch shrubbing blade and four-inch grass shearing blade are included with the tool. It has proved a popular choice among Harbor Freight buyers, with an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars from more than 380 reviews. It's not quite as universally liked as some of the other top picks here, with only 86% of reviewers saying that they'd recommend the item. Some critics noted that the tool wasn't quite powerful enough for them, but for light use including general grass and shrub trimming, it should do the job just fine.
One Stop Gardens Rolling Work Seat with Tool Tray
Spending hours crouching down to do groundwork can be very uncomfortable, especially for less mobile gardening and landscaping enthusiasts. With an adjustable seat and 10 inch wheels, the One Stop Gardens Rolling Work Seat should help make those kinds of tasks less of a grind. It features a tractor-style seat rated to suit users up to 300 pounds and adjustable height for optimal comfort.
Keeping tools to hand while working is straightforward too, as the work seat features a plastic tray to store smaller items like tools, gloves, or a water bottle. The tool is backed up by highly positive reviews from Harbor Freight customers, with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from almost 1,200 reviews. Of those customers, 95% said that they'd be happy to recommend the item to others, with many praising the seat's durability and value for money.
Portland 1750 PSI 1.3 GPM Corded Electric Pressure Washer
The Portland 1750 PSI 1.3 GPM Corded Electric Pressure Washer should come in useful for more than just yard tasks, and at $89.99, it's cheaper than equivalent offerings from many of the major pressure washer brands. The washer's maximum 1,750 PSI output will make short work of all kinds of grime and debris, whether from paving slabs, poolsides, or driveways.
The hose of the washer stretches 20 feet, reducing how often users will need to move the washer unit during operation. A 35-foot power cord also saves the need for an extension cord in smaller yards. Like any good pressure washer, a variety of nozzle settings are available.
As a consistent bestseller at Harbor Freight, the Portland pressure washer benefits from an exceptionally high number of user reviews. Over 13,800 owners gave their feedback through the store's website, with 90% recommending the product. Those reviews gave the washer an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
Bauer 20V Lithium-Ion Cordless 1 Gallon Chemical Sprayer
Anyone already in the Bauer cordless tool ecosystem or looking to join as a first-timer has a range of cordless gardening and landscaping tools at their disposal. That includes the Bauer 20V Lithium-Ion Cordless 1 Gallon Chemical Sprayer. It can be picked up for $49.99 both in-store and online, and utilizes the brand's 20V interchangeable batteries to dispense up to 70 gallons of chemical solution on a full charge.
The four-foot hose gives it an impressive reach of up to 12 feet, and it's also lightweight, weighing less than four pounds. It delivers up to 28 PSI and will keep delivering consistent pressure until its tank is empty. Users can keep an eye on tank fluid levels easily, with the tank itself being translucent. Over 460 customers have left reviews on the Bauer chemical sprayer, with 91% recommending the product. Across those reviews, the sprayer received an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars.