Harbor Freight 41"Tool Cabinet & Top Chest - Best Current Prices?

[tenorplayer23]

Guys,

Like a lot of you, I buy things on and off from Harbor Freight and subscribe to their newsletter/coupon mailer.

From what I have read on the forum, their 41" red tool cabinet and top chest are very good for the price and I'm interested in buying the pair.

The latest coupon for the bottom cabinet is $349. I haven't seen anything special for the top chest, except for for a 20% off coupon from the MSRP of $299 (therefore, $240).

Has anyone seen or purchased the pair recently for better prices than what I have mentioned above??? Because shipping is very expensive, I would pick the units up at the local store.

Appreciate your feedback and information on how to beat these prices.

Thanks in advance.

See ya.

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[NWphotog]

$299 is I believe a sale price. That is why stores that are following the current policy will not apply the 20%. Regardless I was able to find 2 local stores willing to. $239.99 is a sweet price for it!

 

[dumper]

personally, since HF raised their prices and stopped taking coupons on these things, I think, for $100 more I would rather have this. www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_009H0225000B?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

 

[williaty]

Interesting pricing and combo on that Craftsman.

I think there are several reasons no to go with it though. It's not part of a modular system of side cabs and whatnot. It doesn't have one really wide drawer for really long wrenches and whatnot.

It's a lot prettier though.

 

[toolmaker1]

personally, since HF raised their prices and stopped taking coupons on these things, I think, for $100 more I would rather have this. www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_009H0225000B?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

The problem with all the lower end Craftsmans like that for me is the lack of a full width top drawer. It sure does make it nice to be able to organize all your sockets in one large drawer instead of several smaller ones but thats just my opinion.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

personally, since HF raised their prices and stopped taking coupons on these things, I think, for $100 more I would rather have this. www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_009H0225000B?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

That HF box is a much better made box than that Craftsman box.

 

[Pro-Painter]

That HF box is a much better made box than that Craftsman box.

I agree.
I love my box. It's miles above normal HF quality tools.

 

[dumper]

its really too bad that the HF roller cabs, in black, do not sell for the same prices and/or sale prices as the red ones- they would probably sell 5x as many as they do now.

 

[pipsters]

personally, since HF raised their prices and stopped taking coupons on these things, I think, for $100 more I would rather have this. www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_009H0225000B?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_009C0535000B?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

Will be on sale black friday for $699 (same price), but with ball bearings, grip-latch drawers, etc.

 

[dumper]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_009C0535000B?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

Will be on sale black friday for $699 (same price), but with ball bearings, grip-latch drawers, etc.

thanks, thats the one I was trying to reference- griplatch and ball bearings. It holds about 40% more stuff than the equivalent HF setup. And its BLACK, and not wrinkle red...

 

[Daddy_Rabbit]

this new coupon policy is going to hurt HF in the long run.

 

[pipsters]

thanks, thats the one I was trying to reference- griplatch and ball bearings. It holds about 40% more stuff than the equivalent HF setup. And its BLACK, and not wrinkle red...

I did play with it when I was there. Waaaaaaaay outside my price range although I might have found the bottom one locally for $400 new. I would pay that. IMO it was better than the HF box. The HF box is good too though.

Normal price though, the HF box will blow the Craftsman out of the water. The Craftsman is made in the US though I believe, although that goes out the window for a lot of folks (me included) when you're talking $300, $400, $500 difference in price for comparable quality.

I would never pay full price for these Craftsman boxes (and tools), just not worth it. I haven't ever bought a full price Craftsman tool ever. If sears could get their overhead down they could make some darn good sales figures if they lowered their prices to Black Friday levels.

 

[pipsters]

this new coupon policy is going to hurt HF in the long run.

I kinda agree, I used to be a big HF junkie, loved going to the store with my coupon in hand, but now I don't. I'm now buying used tools or going to HD or Lowes or Sears for them when on sale, or buying stuff online.

 

[AJ1978]

I have the sears 52" Bottom box in black, and love it. The ball bearings, and grip latch, make a darn nice box. I did look at the HF 13 drawer box, Well built for the money, and with the coupon not a bad deal. I need just another bottom box for storage. Kind of waiting for sales before I make my decision

 

[posaune]

At the risk of getting even further off topic, I looked at the HF box and the CM box for almost a year before making a decision. The HF box is definitely better built. The whole thing seems more sturdy and feels like it is of higher quality.

That said though, I chose the CM. I got it (BB, Griplatch combo) for a little less than the $699 price, so it was nearly the same price as the HF. Most of my choice was due to drawer layout, but I also really preferred the Griplatch system over the detents of the HF. Fwiw, the drawers feel pretty good loaded - much better than they do in store. I also much prefer the CM finish, and that it is black.

I think there are several reasons no to go with it though. It's 5" narrower. It's not part of a modular system of side cabs and whatnot. It doesn't have one really wide drawer for really long wrenches and whatnot.

5" narrower where? Isn't the CM listed as 40" and the HF as 41"?

I completely agree about the long drawer, and that almost swayed me the other way, but there *is* a single full width drawer available as an intermediate chest. And Sears has at least a couple options for side cabs too.

 

[williaty]

5" narrower where? Isn't the CM listed as 40" and the HF as 41"?

EDIT: Just stepped out to the garage because this started to seem odd to me too. Turns out my fiancee managed to add 3" to the box (hope she does that when talking about me too!). Thankfully, she managed to mark the board for me with the same amount of error so it fit anyway.

It's 42" outside and 41-3/4" between the side flanges.

 

[posaune]

Typo on the HF site. The tool cabinet is almost 45" wide. I had to cut a piece of wood to go on the top of it and it needed to be 44-5/8 to fit between the lips on the edges of the top.

Really? I had no clue - they all look tiny in the store, I guess. My apologies!

 

[wornoutoldman]

Do yourself a favor and wait out craigs or ebay for a deal on a used Snap-On box. You'll be glad you did!

 

[williaty]

Really? I had no clue - they all look tiny in the store, I guess. My apologies!

See my update to my previous post.

 

[PT Doc]

For those considering the CM boxes. There are multiple side cabs/shelves that are available. Look regularly at the pricing online and in the store since they change way too often. You can get a deal at the right time that is nowhere near the regular selling price. They often have 10% of friends/family and online deals. I wish they wouldn't be so quick to change pricing unless its in my favor and then I'm OK with it.

 

[dumper]

Do yourself a favor and wait out craigs or ebay for a deal on a used Snap-On box. You'll be glad you did!

this is a good idea as well, IF you live in an area that has a good craigslist for the big boxes. When I lived in LA, there were good deals everywhere. Now I am in the middle of Oregon, and they rarely show up, within a couple of hundred miles. We do have Sears, HF, and HD, tho.

 

[Boost Creep]

i bet the prices on hf boxes will drop again after the holidays