Harbor Freight ICON Magnetic Matt
- Thread starter mooman
- Start date
Those three magical words..For those cheap sons of ***** among us (myself included), they increased the price today!
$19.99 to $24.99, so it will cost you $5 more.
Supply and demand
Now I feel better, since I thought was doing the wrong HF thing, by paying the full price at $20
Bummer! Glad I picked up four at $15 each during the 'buy more, save more' Icon sale. Still a decent product even at the $25 price point.
Rare earth magnets have been particularly impacted by tariffs, though I doubt that raw magnet cost alone drove a 25% retail price increase.
Of course they are now in-stock at all my local stores, and they were extremely hard to find previously, so would you rather have a $25 magnetic mat that you can actually buy or a $20 mag mat that is perpetually OOS?
Rare earth magnets have been particularly impacted by tariffs, though I doubt that raw magnet cost alone drove a 25% retail price increase.
Of course they are now in-stock at all my local stores, and they were extremely hard to find previously, so would you rather have a $25 magnetic mat that you can actually buy or a $20 mag mat that is perpetually OOS?
A $20 that is perpetually out of stock…
Snap on probably has a nice supply in stock
They are not” perpetually out of stock” of these products.
They get some in and they are sold out by the end of the day
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MichaelP
Well-known member
I ordered two Icon mats online and received them a week or so ago. The mats hold tools and parts well add adhere to metal surfaces perfectly.
Meursault74
Well-known member
That's the guy with no arms or legs lying down in front of the door.Who is Matt?
How? They are in-store only and not available to order online. They're also still out of stock in-store, or at least they have been around here.
In fact, there is not a single store in the entire state showing any stock online as of this post. I can't get to my local store fast enough to buy it when they get that 1 or 2 in stock.
Steel_Rain
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Look at the first post. ^Does anybody have the new ICON magnetic tool mat yet? Looks promising.
This mat was available for $5 cheaper and online when it was first available. HFT realized they had a huge hit on their hands, increased the price and took the ability away to order online so you have go to the store to get (and hopefully buy something else).
Capitalism 101, still very much alive in 2025.
Bagherra
Well-known member
When i got my mat, they had none on shelf, manager said she keeps them in back cuz people were stealing them.
LopezBart
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People w/o anemia were walking out w/ them stuck to themselves, apparently.
Renegade1LI
Well-known member
I had no problem getting some, picked up 4 last week. Still not sure what to use them for but I'll have them when I need them.
They come into my local stores occasionally, but sell out almost instantly. I scored five the first day they were available at $20 list $15 sale price, not even stocked on the shelves yet, and managed to score one more today at the new $25 price.
I use them constantly, including two of them that now just live inside my ratchet drawer for ratchet organization in combination with some HF magnetic bars.
they were available online for a short period of time... Not when the first came out, and not now, but for a few weeks in the middle.
I use them constantly, including two of them that now just live inside my ratchet drawer for ratchet organization in combination with some HF magnetic bars.
they were available online for a short period of time... Not when the first came out, and not now, but for a few weeks in the middle.
Not a surprise.
I actually stopped at HF earlier today and didn't see any. But I also didn't think to ask if they had them in the back. Perhaps a mistake. Online inventory isn't always accurate either.
I have one for a couple of months now, still stuck unused to the side of the tool chest.
Almost seems like a gimmick now, other than working next to a metal fender. Maybe laying flat for disassembly, with a lot of small parts, working under a lift.
I'll keep trying.
Almost seems like a gimmick now, other than working next to a metal fender. Maybe laying flat for disassembly, with a lot of small parts, working under a lift.
I'll keep trying.
The Pulaski TN HF store had them last time I was there about 2 weeks ago. Of course, based on the hoopla here, I bought one.
The lady at the checkout counter said they can't keep them in stock. she said sometimes, they don't even make it out of the shipping box, they are handing them out straight from the box.
The lady at the checkout counter said they can't keep them in stock. she said sometimes, they don't even make it out of the shipping box, they are handing them out straight from the box.
Steel_Rain
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Since this thread is back on top now…anyone seeing this in local stores? I haven’t seen these in stock for over a month at the 4 stores near my location. Was going to get a few of these for holiday gifts but nada.
I check the website every week or two and none are ever in stock in the stores in my area. Inventory often exists in stores in smaller towns, more rural areas but the 3 stores in my area never have it when I check
4xdog
Well-known member
I have a couple of ‘em, and I‘ve given another as a gift. The first one I got lucky and simply found on the rack on a random visit. The others I’ve had to be there the day they arrive or the next morning.
The magnetic mat is really quite a good product. Worth the hunt. I use mine all the time.
The magnetic mat is really quite a good product. Worth the hunt. I use mine all the time.
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I sound like a broken record. I still have yet to see one. These mats and the knock of Streamlight weapon lights, they are both impossible to find.
I check when I'm looking at the sales, and I have them saved to my "wishlist" on the website and app. Only a handfull of stores (if any) in the entire state will ever show "in-stock" inventory online, but they're too far away to check or be worth the drive.
Seems fairly common with new release HF tools... The Snap-On style long nose pliers were pretty much impossible to get for a long time, the "meme plus" Icon socket set as well, and many other tools.
Couple that with the US tariffs and China's retaliatory export restrictions on rare earth materials (like neo magnets) and you have empty shelves where magnetic mats would go.
They are quite nice though. I bought five of them the day they were released in the stores, they hadn't even been stocked on the shelf yet. Since then, I've been able to buy exactly ONE, and that was a return someone made in line in front of my and I told the cashier I'd take it... I also would have gladly bought more as holiday gifts.
Couple that with the US tariffs and China's retaliatory export restrictions on rare earth materials (like neo magnets) and you have empty shelves where magnetic mats would go.
They are quite nice though. I bought five of them the day they were released in the stores, they hadn't even been stocked on the shelf yet. Since then, I've been able to buy exactly ONE, and that was a return someone made in line in front of my and I told the cashier I'd take it... I also would have gladly bought more as holiday gifts.
I have two of them. I bought them on two different occasions. I tried to do the right thing and only bought one each time so others could get one.
I've only seen them in stores 3 times myself and its been over a month since I saw one.
I threw one on the freezer in my garage and now think there is a permanent black stain on it. Be careful what you stick them too.
I've only seen them in stores 3 times myself and its been over a month since I saw one.
I threw one on the freezer in my garage and now think there is a permanent black stain on it. Be careful what you stick them too.
Renegade1LI
Well-known member
Must be a geographical thing, I bought 4 off the shelf, must of been another 20 plus stacked up. Seen them in a couple other local stores as well.
Madjik Man
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Good to know about the staining. Thank you.
Bigblue&Goldie
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Last week the valley was well stocked with the magnetic mats and the pliers that have been hard to get. They must've got a large shipment to the distribution hub. The Tempe and Mesa stores actually had them in stock for a few days. I meant to get one and ran out of time. My wife told me to buy some stocking stuffers for myself, so I ended up grabbing one when I was in Flagstaff last weekend.
I'm looking forward to using it for underwood work.
I don't doubt it. But unfortunately Tempe and Mesa are over 60 miles away. I've seen them pop up in-stock in the East Valley, usually Chandler and a store in Mesa that is 2 blocks down the street from the apartment I lived in before I moved back in March.
However, I'm not making a 120+ mile 2.5+ hour round trip for a $25 magnetic mat I don't need.
Nearest store showing in-stock online as of this post is 31 miles away in Phoenix. That's nearly a 1.5+ hour round trip too with normal traffic. Not worth my time or gas or mental energy dealing with said ******** traffic.
Bigblue&Goldie
Well-known member
I thought you were still in the Valley somewhere.
Either way, I used the mat today and it worked okay. I would prefer it to be a little bit bigger for longer ratchets/wrenches. Time will tell.
No, I moved to the far west valley in March. It makes me actually miss being in Mesa.
Anyway, I have 2 mats from Snap On. A smaller like 4"x4" square and a larger maybe 8"x8" square with the snaps so you can fold up the sides and make a bowl of sorts.
I like having magnets and various bowls/dishes around. Use them every time I work on something to mostly hold smaller parts and nuts/bolts.
4xdog
Well-known member
Seven of 'em on the rack at my local HF yesterday.
I use one to hold tools on the inner fender and to keep a large microfiber towel in place as paint protection when I'm working on my Triumph TR3. It's great for that.
I use one to hold tools on the inner fender and to keep a large microfiber towel in place as paint protection when I'm working on my Triumph TR3. It's great for that.
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Great use-case idea!Seven of 'em on the rack at my local HF yesterday.
I use one to hold tools on the inner fender and to keep a large microfiber towel in place as paint protection when I'm working on my Triumph TR3. It's great for that.
dante2
Well-known member
Supposedly they are now available online so no more being disappointed at the store.
bwringer
Well-known member
"Sorry, we are not able to find this item in any nearby stores" and it's been that way for this item for the whole time.
I've never once seen these in stock anywhere near me. There are seven HF stores in and around the Indianapolis metro, and 18 within 50 miles or so. There's a store less than a mile and a half away from my house, so I'm in there pretty often.
I do appreciate that the website is reasonably accurate about stock levels when they don't have something, so at least I don't waste a trip. However, if the website does say they have stock, actually locating the item can be difficult at times due to human error and action. Stuff gets stolen, or the employees haven't put it out yet, or it's hanging somewhere weird, or it's buried in a stack of other stuff, etc.
I mean, I'll grab one when I see it, but it's also not something I'm going to get obsessive about. As others have mentioned, the long-snoot talon clone pliers had the same issue for quite a long time. I finally scored a pair, and they are indeed the bee's knees and I use them all the time. But it took a while and some dumb luck.
And yeah, NEVER stick a magnetic anything directly to ANY surface you care about. That's just basic mechanical knowledge.
I've never once seen these in stock anywhere near me. There are seven HF stores in and around the Indianapolis metro, and 18 within 50 miles or so. There's a store less than a mile and a half away from my house, so I'm in there pretty often.
I do appreciate that the website is reasonably accurate about stock levels when they don't have something, so at least I don't waste a trip. However, if the website does say they have stock, actually locating the item can be difficult at times due to human error and action. Stuff gets stolen, or the employees haven't put it out yet, or it's hanging somewhere weird, or it's buried in a stack of other stuff, etc.
I mean, I'll grab one when I see it, but it's also not something I'm going to get obsessive about. As others have mentioned, the long-snoot talon clone pliers had the same issue for quite a long time. I finally scored a pair, and they are indeed the bee's knees and I use them all the time. But it took a while and some dumb luck.
And yeah, NEVER stick a magnetic anything directly to ANY surface you care about. That's just basic mechanical knowledge.
was a few days ago, has any bearing in the shortage of what cold be a cool $25 gift. 
Madjik Man
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Seven of 'em on the rack at my local HF yesterday.
I use one to hold tools on the inner fender and to keep a large microfiber towel in place as paint protection when I'm working on my Triumph TR3. It's great for that.
I've seen pics online showing the black of the mat mars paint. I haven't had that experience, then again it lives on a gunmetal gray tool box and I've only used it twice so far... both times sitting on my garage floor.
So the microfiber is a nice barrier between the mat and your car's paint.
bigredcornhead
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I dont know about you all's store but the two close to me have also been out of the magnetic hooks for a while now.
four.cycle
Well-known member
As has been the case each and every time I have checked stock on this item at the 6th Ave store (#51), they have been out of stock.
Same as ever:
Same as ever:
Back In Stock Soon at
Tacoma, WAzimman
Well-known member
Yeah, it's $20. If you don't use it, put it under the kitchen window to catch forks and knives when the wife throws your dinner plate out the window. LMAO
Zim
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