I did the same thing, and eventually ended up selling them to co-workers. The 20v hammer drill out performed my old m18 brushed hammer drill. The recip saw is essentially a copy of the M18 brushed tool
They now have 5 year warranty on their brushless tools including the oscillating multi tool! That makes these tools a huge buy for me. No questions asked 5 year warranty. Walk in, walk out. Not like these other brands where you have to mail something off and argue about whether it's covered or not. If you run it over with your truck, Harbor Freight will replace it with a smile!
The rubber flaps over the USB ports is a good idea kind of like the one on the Makita dual charger has the dust flap..... But I think the Hercules doesn't have the dust flap because it's not a job site ready tool it's a good option for a homeowner tool but I have yet to see any Hercules on a job site that I've been on
Our local news posted a hidden camera photo of a dude caught stealing catalytic converters. His tool of choice was easily discernible in the picture- a Hercules cordless reciprocating saw. Now that is a ringing endorsement.
Deffinitively a video worth seeing. The tests were real and I felt it was a genuine fair evaluation of the tools' performance. The best part, in my opinion, was to show not only the tools strengths but also their shortcommings. Also I really appreciated that in the end you let us to decide if the tools were the right ones for us.
I do see the appeal to their power tools. A lot of people are HF one stop shoppers at heart for their hand tools, jacks, etc. Myself as one of them. I own Ridgid power tools and Milwaukee tools so I have no reason to get Herc/Bauer tools. Love their hand tools though!
I don’t own a business where I need top tier tools but I do like having nice tools that have pretty decent quality here on our property and in our shop. I live on an acreage with plenty of projects that are always taking place so I took a chance and bought into the Hercules line a while back. I’m by no means rich but do well enough that money isn’t a big factor in my tool purchases. I find going to and getting in and out of the big box stores very time consuming and I hate it. I find it much quicker to get in and out of HF. I started with the 20v hammer drill, 5.0ah battery, and single charger. I liked them so much I kept buying more of the Hercules tools. I now own the 20v cordless setup in the grinder, circular saw, oscillating tool, and impact driver. I actually really love all of them and in all honesty I haven’t had a single problem with any of them. I’m sure there will be a time when the tools quit and give it up but I put in a lot of effort and care with them in hopes they don’t fail because of something I did.
I tend to like the Hercules brand and am excited to see them add even more to their lineup of cordless tools. I think these are their pro line of tools and am very glad they are making these tools to compete with the big box brands. Competition is always a good thing to keep everyone trying to innovate instead of staying stale. I am also a big fan of Skils new line of tools.
Disclosure when harbor freight products start to recieve to many poor ratings they will change the product's model number to reset the reviews. Sometimes they make upgrades to the products and sometimes they don't. Also they will have different manufacturers making the same products.
Yep. I bought the hercules electric screw driver and a milwaukee screwdriver. The milwaukee was actually cheaper.. Though the hercules screw driver is pretty darn good. It can replace a drill because it has like 3x torque and 2x speed of the milwaukee. But it has the lowend torque and actually feels nicer than the milwaukee.
Issue with that though is you usually have to wait for those better brands to have those deals going on which is maybe a few times out of the year, whereas the HF prices are pretty much year round. If you needed a semi-decent tool right away and couldn't afford to wait for any deals to be going on due to whatever circumstances that don't allow you to do so, I'd much rather get the Harbor Freight stuff at that point where time was the main factor. Now if I had the time and extra money to do so, and the HF tool didn't end up doing the job then yeah I'd definitely invest in a better tool.
In all my years I’ve treated my tools right never pushed them beyond their limits expect a few times, but I’ve never had to return or warranty a tool. So to me a warranty is nice to have but rarely necessary.
I think Hercules is great for a home owner who has projects here and there. I would prefer Ridgid but their oscillating multitool is still $40 more when on sale. I own the fan and it works really well. We take it to our kids soccer games to keep the baby cool. It’s half the rice of a Ridgid and does the same job for me.
Great job on this video Vince! I think that this was a great service to the DIYers that are wanting to get into a tool line, but maybe don’t have the budget or need for the big box brands. Impressive that HF is stepping up and offering a tool line with this many tools. I must say, a lot of those designs look mighty familiar. Thanks again on a job well done! 👍
Hercules has had their 20 volt platform out for a while. However limited tools. I just purchased the "multi tool" and it is awesome! Also own the circ, recip, drill and impact. All great products. Use them everyday.
I did purchase the oscillating tool from harbor freight, Hercules brand, and I am very pleased with it. I used it to remove my sheet rock with a half moon blade after hurricane Ida flood and it worked flawlessly. Made my job so much easier
I usually will have 2 or even up to 4 vacuums on a job site because one thing I cannot stand is a filthy job. Not only does it make the job look disgusting it's easier for someone to get injured so at the end of the day I don't care if it's me or the lowest guy on the job site everything's cleaned from the jobs to the tools have a good day brother VCG
Id 100% hire you to build/wire/plumb (insert your trade here) something for me for sure. Love that attitude. I’m a commercial fisherman and I’m super disorganized in my personal life and don’t clean often but I keep the boat as clean as I reasonably can. Had some downtime the other day so I scrubbed the screws in the port side rail because the caulking seems to attract algae lol. So I get what you’re saying. Plus, it’s a great way to advertise yourself to anyone that’s watching and knows what they’re looking at.
Nice job showing the tools off. You may have been a little diplomatic in the reviews. Not saying to crush them , but would you take them over the other entry DIY systems. Keep up the great vids !
I have their table saw, when researching 10" table saws for 400 n less. I have a Dewalt which is prob 7 yrs old now. But I will say I'm impressed with this saw. Compared to my Dewalt, I think its better...
Well I’d hope that a new saw that cost $400 dollars today would be better than a 7 year old saw lol I spent $450 on the dewalt job saw I have now. $650 with the stand. It’s the best portable table saw I’ve ever owned. The closet thing to a good cabinet saw I’ve found, and the stand is the best saw stand for a portable saw I’ve ever seen.
I mean specifically at new numb nuts... I build houses for a living i work with a large inventory and new tools daily. I was saying as comparing. Since you wanna know I also have a milwaukee m18 table saw. Along with 4 meters saws...... for the money the Hercules eats the Dewalt equivalent... now they made a rack n pinion version as well. Dewalt fucked, I mean blk and decker....
My only hercules tool is the compound miter saw. As a metal fabricator, all my tools associated with that are brand name. I only dabble in carpentry so harbor freight works for me. (It's a really nice piece and $299 with coupon).
It’s not a warranty but actually a protection plan. Just like Home Depot and Lowe’s. I do like the carbide oscillating tool blades as my drywall blade. But nobody makes a better blade than Diablo
I’m a home DYI so I guess relative durability is not a priority. Having said that I settled on, by preference and number owned, Milwaukee, Dewalt, and ryobi, when on stupid level of sale price which typical gets cost below Hercules and Ryobi like prices. I do buy harbor freight as an ITC member... gotta factor in the ITC discounts.
Thanks Vinny for the video. I felt you were honest & objective. I liked the 'sub-compact' wet/dry vac the most followed by the light & fan. I felt the multi-tool was just an ok'er. Price points were good except again for the multi-tool. It was priced slightly high & Hercules should have engineered out more of it's vibration. P.S. Love the cord/cordless options-SMART!
I have several of these and really love the vacuum with a 12ah battery. It’s replaced my much bigger one. I can grab it on a moments notice and goes anywhere. Picks up cat litter with ease! (A situation I’d never haul in the big guy) And with 12ah, I’ve literally never charged it yet. Also great for car interior way away from an outlet.
Love the vids bro! One thing I’d love to see is an initial review and longevity test of the Hercules 12 inch miter saw. A lot of people seem to say it’s great and a lot of people seem to say it’s bad and no in between so I’d love to see my favorite very cool guy over here give it a test and see what happens!
Been using it for two hard years, works like new nothing has failed on it and it is still spot on with angles & cuts. Was going to buy DWS780 then this came out, went to store put my mitts on both i was aircraft mechanic, mech engineer and have build countless cars so I feel like I know what quality is. IMO the DWS is not better built and I could not find any reason why to spend the almost double price over a Hercules. I recently helped brother in law build his deck, he was so impressed with it that I was getting nervous he was going to steal it 😊. It is an excellent tool, well worth the money unless you need a brand name to make you feel good about yourself
Go Vince! I appreciate the fact that Hercules has that "Dual Power" feature on certain tools that definitely add much value & convenience to that tool. Bravo! I hope another "unnamed" tool manufacturer adapt this type system innovation in thier future offerings. Having ultimate flexibility is very empowering!
Hercules changing the game and making it work for the regular guy that has regular money and needs tools to do jobs around the house and friends and families so they made them strong and way cheaper than the other guy but also they are more powerful with a warranty that backs it all up im a fan .
Makita has always had a USB port (slow charger) on their dual port simultaneous rapid chargers. The Dewalt DCB102 dual port simultaneous charger also has one USB port.
Harbor freight does have some quality tools, but it's a lot harder to find. They are the place I go to when I need consumables (electrical tape, zip ties, super glue)
I do believe there tools have vastly improved from the Chicago electric ones but I’m a hardcore tti guy I have Milwaukee and ryobi and the only other company to me that’s tempting are from chervon skil and skill saw and of coarse if I remember hearing correctly that chervon makes kobalt for Lowe’s
Sorry about all the comments but the other day picked up the new Milwaukee M18 oscillator me and my partner have been on different jobs a lot lately and I have the older Milwaukee M18 oscillator find the difference is unbelievable instant notice you can blindfold someone and feel the difference in the Milwaukee's
I think Harbor Freight needs to be much more competitive on pricing before I would even consider buying them. Like you said about the oscillating tool you can find a major brand tool for the same or slightly higher price and that's true of many if not most of the tools. I think the people who own/run Harbor Freight need a major dose of reality.
I half way agree. However on the other end of the spectrum, the warranty is insane. I purchased the mitter saw and the girlfriend got to cutting a Christmas tree on it(long story) while I was at work and broke the safety gaurd. I brought it to harbor frieght they looked at it for 2 seconds and told me grab a new one off the shelf no cost
@@nickabel8279 Not on the mitter saw its a standard 1 year warranty. and for the price i paid for it bringing it to the 3 year warranty and it was still cheaper than the dewalt's. and with dewalt if it breaks under warranty sure its free but you have to ship it and with shipping you might as well go ahead and buy a new saw
About 3 weeks ago went to Harbor Freight wanted to purchase a floor jack impact sockets and a ratchet gun. I went to the harbor freight in Hempstead Long Island I was told they're no longer mailing coupons but you can use a coupon from your cell phone. Not one person in the store new this information and when I tried to explain they were rude I showed them the 20% off coupon from my cell phone they told me it was no good so this is why I do not shop at Harbor Freight went to Home Depot and purchased Milwaukee and I ordered online a floor jack
I’m am just buying my first line of wireless power tools, I was planning on going Milwaukee, but Hercules made me rethink it, 5 year warranty on their drills, decent selection, half the price. I’m pretty sold on Hercules now.. anyone think that’s a mistake? If so why?
I have a Makita 36v/110v Hepa Vacuum that cost a lot more than the hercules and works pretty good. I use it as dust collection for tools mainly and it definitely has more power on corded power, but the cordless option is great especially with a tracksaw or 5057kb hardie plank saw. The hercules vac looks interesting though..
I'd like to see you compare the different storage solutions that the different manufacturers provide. I just noticed Harbor Freight has something similar to the Milwaukie, Ryobi, Dewalt and I'd really like to see how Harbor Freight ranks.
They need to put more robust webbing around the switch inside of the oscillating tool. Its easy to repair with CA glue but having it not be able to switch off can be dangerous. Love the platform however... i was keeping the cord for milwaukee prices but im all in on the hercules.
What all tool reviews miss on Hercules tools is while dewalt and others have that once a year sale where say their drill at $99.00 but they get you with batteries from $120.00 to $130.00 . I have the 1/2" drill, 7 -1/4 circ saw , recip. Saw and never had complaint esp. In power or that all the batteries interchange and don't change designs. I will keep buying Hercules to keep from so much for others batteries. Loved your review.
You did a great job. You gave an honest opinion based on your vast experience and your hands on review. This is why I trust you. You tell me your opinion so I can make an informed decision for myself. I rely heavily on your reviews. My needs are vastly different than yours, but we both faster and safer applies universally. As always, thank you and God bless you and the VCG production crew.
I want to see them expand and improve the Bauer brand . The Hercules brand isn’t really affordable compared to the low grade Milwaukee. Heck the Bauer brand isn’t really a deal on some of there stuff , like your better off buying a Milwaukee brushed drill or impact than you are Bauer. I think you need to be more criticizing , it seems like you are holding back on how you really feel , because maybe you don’t want to be “mean” since they sent you them for free, but giving them an honest review and show where the products are lacking is how they get better!
Hercules line overall is good. There are some good deals you can get, replacement batteries are not so expensive. I have herc, milwaukee and dewalt. I buy what is on sale most of the time the deals are hard to resist and specially on name brands tools.
I do not feel this is biased at all. I feel people need to understand that any tool brand that sends free tools to people who for sure going to review the product. Companies just want their honest review. Great Job Vince!!
I just started buying this brand of cordless for travel and it's decent actually like them more than the top brands in lowes and home depot because they have more power and their warranty is unbeatable direct inside store.
I've used Harbor freight tools for years (hand/mechanics tools) and have no problem with them. I have noticed their prices have been going up over the past few years. I tried their cordless years ago and didn't care for them. Batteries didn't seem to last and tools were not very durable. After my last HF cordless 1/2" drill, I didn't see the value in getting another. That is when I switched to Kobalt cordless (18V) They had the best price and by far the best warranty and still do. I am very happy with my 24V brushless Kobalt tools.
Which brand power tool was it of theirs that you used back then? If it was the Chicago Electric or Drillmaster brands those are absolute junk. I have the Hercules stuff rn and so far I'm fairly impressed with it. Haven't used Bauer but I've heard good things about those as well.
If i was still in the trade (electrical) currently I would run Milwaukee just because most if the trades use the platform because of how big it is. But for side work or your setting up a home shop for DIY work and such I think its definitely worth it. Easy returns really doesnt break the bank.
One thing to consider is the cost of all of their tools in their line. Chargers, batteries, drills, all cheaper even if this oscillating tool is pricey. But they have a more limited line then Milwaukee. Depends on what you need. But I don’t think they are bad. Perfect or the weekend warrior/DIY guy.
For a weekend DIYer I wouldn’t recommend Hercules but Kobalt or perhaps Skil Powercore although line is limited. It too Hercules like 5 years to get the tools past drills most those tools just came out this year (2021) and not in stores yet. Also the aka warranty is a protection plan meaning it has ONE use then you have to buy it again. Kobalt, Skil 5 year warranty Lowe’s will also offer protection plan. HF also doesn’t sell ANY combo kits just bare tool or quasi kit aka buy battery charger ( est $70-%90 get $25 off )
@@Bob-gy6ud I haven’t settled on one yet (I have the old craftsman c3 from Sears that idt they make anymore). But I do like the kobalt but they are def more pricey. If I went like the HF Bauer line I could get damn near every tool I would ever need at a fraction. I do like the skill, they have great deals on the drill and driver, but past that they are more expensive too
I love my Hercules- I have a couple Milwaukee tools- but I love Herc. I don’t do heavy usage shit like you guys do- I’m a miner, so the stuff I do is… light/ med work. Not constant. Build furniture, build stuff for around the house… so obviously theyre great for the DIY guy. I have- ~The 1/4” socket hammer drill (awesome) ~Hammer drill (awesome) ~Circ saw (this one is ok… not the best that I’ve ever used, but it works) ~Blower ~Dual batt charger (works amazingly) Would like- Drill, sawsall, tablesaw. Wanted the miter saw, but got a Matabo.(big sale)
My primary concern with HF power tools is in 3 years Hercules and Bauer will probably be gone, and they’ll be onto Perseus and Taurus. Let alone 7-10 years from now...
Chicago electric stuck rnd awhile but yeah they did lynxx dirty. So will they keep with these? Idk. They Investing a lot into the line right now. Good sign
To be fair, how is that any different than the current big name brands potentially developing a new battery design within that same time span that's not compatible with their older tools as they discontinued the old style battery? You'd have to be forced to buy newer tools anyway just so they're compatible. The only brand I see not doing that is Ryobi since they've had the same battery platform for years.
On the Hercules. The price is good for Chinesium tools. 1. The fan - To much plastic in the construction. 2. The work light - Not bag for home owner use. Not a constructors tool, but not bad. 3. The multi tool - At $100.00 I would be more likely to buy Hercules over Dewalt, maybe Milwaukee, Ridgid, and some of the other bargain brands. At $100 to $150 I would go Makita. My choice, that I use is Fein. But I am in business for make money to. To summarize, Hercules is not a bad choice for most projects. Cool video, Thanks Vince !!!!!
I'll say I look at Hercules as a homeowner-prosumer at best tool option, but Wow Stephen, I can honestly say I'm shocked at number 3 on your list! I know why you choose Fein, but why Hercules over the other brands? Thank buddy!
@@VCGConstruction It is complicated In my opinion Fein and Festool are almost the same machine. Bosch is a spin off of the Fein mechanically and all using Star Lock, anti vibration methods, and Bosch has a price point of $200.00. I should note that I have a lot of experience with the Fein and Bosch. ( Next in line ) The Makita is well build. Makita tools go through a 5 year testing process, comes in at a very good price point, and if it is damaged or stolen it is easily replaced. Its down side is that it is a very heavy tool. ( Now as to the other brands ) I know people with the Dewalt, Milwaukee, Ridgid, Rockwell, and Porter-Cable versions. That is off the top of my head. The people that I know who have these brands use them regularly and are satisfied with there tools. I have at times used them is a pinch. Dewalt and Porter-Cable to me are the same tool. Clunky, cheaply made, & to light weight. Milwaukee 12V Fuel - I like in a pinch. As to the Milwaukee multi tool in general I feel that It is not a Star Lock and I think there is to much plastic in the tool. I have had issues with Milwaukee tools breaking, but the warrant is very good. TO THE HERCULES - If I was on a job and needed a multi Now !!! And a Home Depot with a Makita was not close by, and Habor Freight was close at the $100.00 price point. In my opinion Hercules is the top of the Habor Freight tool lines. There warrant is pretty good for a 90 day tool. If it makes it through a few jobs thats awesome. It does remind me of a Makita physically. So to me it is the top of the bottom of tool lines. To recap my choices. Fein is $200 - $400 Bosch is $180 - $200 Makita is $150 or so And Hercules is the top of the bottem at $100.00 Hopefully this answers your questions. If not please let me know. BRANDS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TESTED 1. The new German Metabo version with the Star Lock 2. Metabo HPT because it is a Hitachi and it also reminds me of a Makita. 3. Skill is one that I think has potential.
Nice review. In California, North and South, we have many Harbor Freight locations so that’s a plus. At the end of the day Hercules pricing/warranty/selection must beat Ryobi. Love the USB charger 🎈
I absolutely love the Hercules line because they have so much of the stuff I use being the fan and the light and the 12v and 20v impacts and the 12v electric ratchets I'd like to see a Bluetooth speaker tho that would be awesome and Ive even reached out to harbor freight about this but I think a 5 amp hour 12 volt battery would be an amazing addition to the line
I bought a 65lbs jackhammer on president's day special for under $500 it works like a big brand, I used to rent jackhammer and it cost me between $80 -$150 a pop plus the time running to the rental place to rent and return it at the end of the day that was very costly, I have done a few jobs already that I feel I already got my money back and get to keep the tool.
Diablo multi tool blade surpasses any other blades I’ve used!!! I bought a three pack of the nail-embedded blade that you reviewed on and a carbide blade. Cut some vinyl and never had such clean, bur free cuts with any other.
from my perspective, the 5 ah battery at $75 is a huge incentive. Makita and Milwaukee are $150 for the 5 ah version. Yes you can hunt for sales but often one has to buy a tool to get the deal and entry cost seems to run around $200 with the tool added in. Makita just seems to confuse their batteries for their children!
They are well below the price of Milwaukee, Makita or Dewalt, in most cases they are even below Ridgid and Kobalt XTR in my area. FYI I own no Hercules.
Harbor freight may offer shorter warranty options than other brands, but they offer probably one of the best warranties out of all of them in terms of no hassle or wait times. For example, Milwaukee has a five year warranty on their power tools which seems fantastic...BUT, you have to send it back to them, they have to examine the tool to determine if it was actually defective or if it was caused by operator error (which at that point they won't cover it and could potentially come up with an excuse to make it sound like operator error just so they don't have to cover it), then having to wait for them to send it back. Too much of a hassle if you ask me. Harbor Freight literally doesnt give a shit. You could purposely run it over with your truck and they'll return or exchange it anyway same day, as long as they can validate proof of purchase, and still within the 90 days (or past 90 days with an active replacement plan). Might be a shorter warranty, but it's a guaranteed one that's worth the money if you ask me.
Yep, I unintentionally poked “the bear” in another video, the Hercules brand is a hard sell. Just buy Bauer. Or better yet, just buy ryobi, or m12 Milwaukee as they are “proven”.... I have some Bauer items, mostly lights, a fan, and one barely used hammer drill (it stinks, literally), I like the stuff but kinda feel like I should have went with ryobi
@@cowboy41231 yea harbor freight is missing the target here. They need to analyze why big brands are doing well. Warranty, brushless, compatibility, battery life. Work on those things. Until then, I'd stay away
@@blaineturner1434 I agree, I’ve been “told” Hercules has better electronics than Bauer, but man a 2 pole brushed motor is still a 2 pole brush motor even if it has mosfets ontop of it.... I’m not saying they are “bad” tools but they look to be rebranding budget tools from Europe ( can’t remember the brand) and making it into an eco system of its battier platform (which is cool) but highlight your concerns about brushless and shitty base warranty with “premium “ pricing/marketing = look for another “proven” brand ...... on a different note, I have yet to see someone trying to modify a Bauer/Hercules battery to be interchangeable and or to use with other tools
@@nickabel8279 a couple tools are brushless, but ones that heavily rely on motors to worn lime drills and impacts are brush. Idk about their battery tech, just seen lot of people saying they don't hold compared to HD brands
They have new Hercules Rachets!! Also impact wrenches, I am an auto technician and these are the tools I use. Also the drill and driver. I wish vince we could review those tools.
Ya I assume there are separate windings in the vac for 120v vs 18v because a power supply to either drop the voltage from 120v to 18v or go from 18v to 120v doesn't make much sense
With the escalating tool, Dewalt at lowes runs $99 all the time.. 5 yrs warranty, and so much more power...why should I pay the same for less quality...makes no sence to me.. HF missed the mark on this one... You were spot on....love the channel
Dewalt is ToysRus Stanley Tools however, I'm wondering if I should actually get back into Makita for a top notch Multi tool, got 12v and corded, but need an in between 18 without the starlock, for another blade option.
I am a huge milwaukee m18 FUEL fan…have 3 impact drivers, router, metal saw etc. BUT…when I went to buy a new circular saw….went with 7.25 Hercules. Build quality was identical to fuel version..and better than non-fuel milwaukee. 5 amp batteries were $58 ( samsung 16850 cores) and tool was $99. Milwaukee fuel was $269 + $169 5 amp hour batt ( hone depot june price) so…HF version was nearly $280 cheaper. Yes…Fuel are best..(non-fuel not so much). But milwaukee battery prices are just crazy. That’s the “value proposition”. The price differences are so extreme that it negates “platform lock-in” . The oscillating tool is not as good as my Fein…but just as good as milwaukee and again..battery is less than half the price.
The one tool I needed they don't provide yet. A portable router. For the DIY person that works at home or occasionally on projects, Hercules is fantastic for the price. With money you save you can buy higher quality bits / blades.
Hehehe... I only buy oscillating tool blades from Walmart... $4 each... I learned really quick that unless you're getting a specialty blade, they all wear out after the same number of uses. No way in hell I'm paying $20 or more per blade for the name brands. Some internet prices are even way cheaper for generics, but I don't plan ahead enough to make those types of purchases.
Vince, thanks for reading my review from the HF website. I can understand why you would think I'm "misinformed" about Hercules since you don't use any of those tools... yes they have had 20V tools out for quite some time. But the Hercules lineup has been very limited. They are finally coming out with more tools in the lineup... namely, most of the stuff you are reviewing in this video, along with a few other tools as well that you don't have here.
@@Ryan.zelenski I do. If you get one that works, they are pretty good. They won't blow you over, but they do move air. We bought 2 of them... one for the wife, and one for me. I'm on my 3rd replacement for mine. There just seems to be some QC issues with the fans. Get the warranty with it. My 3rd one so far seems to be a good one.
1 year after this video. The Hercules line has expanded a little. All of there brushless tools come with a 5 year Warrenty and battery’s come with a 3 year Warrenty. I have to say I’m my case I’m going full Hercules line up. I already got charger, batteries and 2 power tools going on 3 years of medium/heavy use and they work perfect still. All in all if you have the whole line up you save money. But I will say it’s not for everyone.
Best they have is definitely gonna be the Hercules 1/2 " ultra torque impact wrench golly jee wiz this impact makes it so nice for working on your cars and trucks its a must ive been saving for this buy for a year putting a little bit of money towards that purchase and for everything that i needed bits battery and charger came to 3 hundred and the other guy at home depot was almost double the price im beginning to go to harbor freight all the time for my tool needs there outo merchandise is leaps and bounds better than the other guys if the other guy even has what harbor freight has from stands to different mechanics chairs magnet bowl or there jump start or recovery they have such a great selection that is really a great deal not cheap but great deals for shore sales all the time they drop prices all the time .thanks harbor freight ❤
Warranties are great. But like coupons, how many consumers actually utilize them? Especially a big five year warranty. Keeping your paperwork around that long and assuming that they won't jerk your chain harder as time goes on is pretty tough. Warranties are to some extent a numbers game for manufacturers. HF warranties, though not as long as others, are as rock solid as you can get. The multi-tool is new and will come down in price to where you can purchase the warranty and still be comparatively priced.
The fan is great when working in an attic or where I need a fan where I can't find a working outlet and want to make job quick. I keep a DeWalt 20v fan and a dollar general fan for 120v. The 20v can take 120v but basically has the hp of the 20v still. DeWalt guy here only because I don't live next to a store that sells Makita or Milwaukee 😆
Can you do a Hercules Drill and Impact review ? Lights, fans & multi-tools are great but people don't want to get into a platform if the drill and driver can't hold up, as I think most people will be using them most often.
You did a great job being bias and without preferred prejudice. It was clear that hercules was diverse to get jobs done however that being said being very competitive yet they also protected themselves with a short warranty. Some items were better than others. It's Chinese and that not the best in engineering equipment but when it comes to laundry they are unbeatable.
to be fair, that winch looks pretty nice for the price comparison of the top tier version, though I dont have a need for one lol. I also trust Cody's word on alot of things if your referring to that review. Harbor freight seems like they are trying to break out into the mid-high tier tool market, and their marketing team is doing work right now.
I bought these so people would stop stealing my tools in the job site. It worked! Lol
Lmfao 😂😆 I thought Ryobi was the undesirable brand guess they stepped it up
@@bluemantom77 you’ll have shit talking between apprentices on the job site now. Hercules vs Ryobi, which one is better?! Lol
I did the same thing, and eventually ended up selling them to co-workers. The 20v hammer drill out performed my old m18 brushed hammer drill. The recip saw is essentially a copy of the M18 brushed tool
😂🤣😂
I wanna put my m18 stuff in a bauer bag.
They now have 5 year warranty on their brushless tools including the oscillating multi tool! That makes these tools a huge buy for me. No questions asked 5 year warranty. Walk in, walk out. Not like these other brands where you have to mail something off and argue about whether it's covered or not. If you run it over with your truck, Harbor Freight will replace it with a smile!
2:00 Those USB ports should have a rubber cover or flip- open cover to prevent them from getting filled with dirt/dust at the job site.
The rubber flaps over the USB ports is a good idea kind of like the one on the Makita dual charger has the dust flap..... But I think the Hercules doesn't have the dust flap because it's not a job site ready tool it's a good option for a homeowner tool but I have yet to see any Hercules on a job site that I've been on
True. My Dewalt doesn't have them and I gave up on cleaning them out.
Our local news posted a hidden camera photo of a dude caught stealing catalytic converters. His tool of choice was easily discernible in the picture- a Hercules cordless reciprocating saw. Now that is a ringing endorsement.
Better than the 12v Milwaukee hacksome 😆
"For meth heads, by meth heads"
Deffinitively a video worth seeing. The tests were real and I felt it was a genuine fair evaluation of the tools' performance. The best part, in my opinion, was to show not only the tools strengths but also their shortcommings. Also I really appreciated that in the end you let us to decide if the tools were the right ones for us.
I do see the appeal to their power tools. A lot of people are HF one stop shoppers at heart for their hand tools, jacks, etc. Myself as one of them. I own Ridgid power tools and Milwaukee tools so I have no reason to get Herc/Bauer tools. Love their hand tools though!
I don’t own a business where I need top tier tools but I do like having nice tools that have pretty decent quality here on our property and in our shop. I live on an acreage with plenty of projects that are always taking place so I took a chance and bought into the Hercules line a while back. I’m by no means rich but do well enough that money isn’t a big factor in my tool purchases. I find going to and getting in and out of the big box stores very time consuming and I hate it. I find it much quicker to get in and out of HF. I started with the 20v hammer drill, 5.0ah battery, and single charger. I liked them so much I kept buying more of the Hercules tools. I now own the 20v cordless setup in the grinder, circular saw, oscillating tool, and impact driver. I actually really love all of them and in all honesty I haven’t had a single problem with any of them. I’m sure there will be a time when the tools quit and give it up but I put in a lot of effort and care with them in hopes they don’t fail because of something I did.
I really respect your product review/recommendation for products. These days for honest reviews are far worth the weight in gold for everyone.
I tend to like the Hercules brand and am excited to see them add even more to their lineup of cordless tools. I think these are their pro line of tools and am very glad they are making these tools to compete with the big box brands. Competition is always a good thing to keep everyone trying to innovate instead of staying stale. I am also a big fan of Skils new line of tools.
Disclosure when harbor freight products start to recieve to many poor ratings they will change the product's model number to reset the reviews. Sometimes they make upgrades to the products and sometimes they don't.
Also they will have different manufacturers making the same products.
Wow interesting! Imma check in to that!
They wont let me post reviews that arent good at all i may have to make a video showing this
“We have a legend here, not me” omg that made me spit my drink.
Humble af
All legends are modest...cough cough. 😀
Exactly. The drink that is😂
The thing is with harbor freight bauer and hercules lines they are not as cheap as you think you can get better deals on name brand tool combo kits
Yep. I bought the hercules electric screw driver and a milwaukee screwdriver. The milwaukee was actually cheaper.. Though the hercules screw driver is pretty darn good. It can replace a drill because it has like 3x torque and 2x speed of the milwaukee. But it has the lowend torque and actually feels nicer than the milwaukee.
Herc better than bauer
Issue with that though is you usually have to wait for those better brands to have those deals going on which is maybe a few times out of the year, whereas the HF prices are pretty much year round. If you needed a semi-decent tool right away and couldn't afford to wait for any deals to be going on due to whatever circumstances that don't allow you to do so, I'd much rather get the Harbor Freight stuff at that point where time was the main factor. Now if I had the time and extra money to do so, and the HF tool didn't end up doing the job then yeah I'd definitely invest in a better tool.
Thx for the review! I like how the vacuum has a cord and battery option. Great job on reviewing the tools!
I can smell the store just looking at em
Lol Same here, Randy. That Chinesium . :)
🤣🤣
Smells like (DON.TRUP. VOICE) ChynA.
Great JOB Vince ! ! ! Warranty is weak.......I'll stick with my Milwaukee, Dewalt and KOBALT stuff........
Hercules isn't a value brand when you add the warranty, and you can't really have a power tool without a warranty.
In all my years I’ve treated my tools right never pushed them beyond their limits expect a few times, but I’ve never had to return or warranty a tool. So to me a warranty is nice to have but rarely necessary.
When he said “ I would think it would be unlimited run time... because it’s corded”💀😂😂😂😂😂😂
I think Hercules is great for a home owner who has projects here and there. I would prefer Ridgid but their oscillating multitool is still $40 more when on sale. I own the fan and it works really well. We take it to our kids soccer games to keep the baby cool. It’s half the rice of a Ridgid and does the same job for me.
Appreciate that most of their tools are dual power. It would be nice if Milwaukee did the same thing on more of their tools too!
5 year warranty now is game changer!
Great job on this video Vince! I think that this was a great service to the DIYers that are wanting to get into a tool line, but maybe don’t have the budget or need for the big box brands. Impressive that HF is stepping up and offering a tool line with this many tools. I must say, a lot of those designs look mighty familiar. Thanks again on a job well done! 👍
Thanks Johnny!
The color reminds me of makita
Hercules has had their 20 volt platform out for a while. However limited tools. I just purchased the "multi tool" and it is awesome! Also own the circ, recip, drill and impact. All great products. Use them everyday.
I did purchase the oscillating tool from harbor freight, Hercules brand, and I am very pleased with it. I used it to remove my sheet rock with a half moon blade after hurricane Ida flood and it worked flawlessly. Made my job so much easier
I usually will have 2 or even up to 4 vacuums on a job site because one thing I cannot stand is a filthy job. Not only does it make the job look disgusting it's easier for someone to get injured so at the end of the day I don't care if it's me or the lowest guy on the job site everything's cleaned from the jobs to the tools have a good day brother VCG
Id 100% hire you to build/wire/plumb (insert your trade here) something for me for sure. Love that attitude. I’m a commercial fisherman and I’m super disorganized in my personal life and don’t clean often but I keep the boat as clean as I reasonably can. Had some downtime the other day so I scrubbed the screws in the port side rail because the caulking seems to attract algae lol. So I get what you’re saying. Plus, it’s a great way to advertise yourself to anyone that’s watching and knows what they’re looking at.
Nice job showing the tools off.
You may have been a little diplomatic in the reviews.
Not saying to crush them , but would you take them over the other entry DIY systems.
Keep up the great vids !
I have their table saw, when researching 10" table saws for 400 n less. I have a Dewalt which is prob 7 yrs old now. But I will say I'm impressed with this saw. Compared to my Dewalt, I think its better...
Well I’d hope that a new saw that cost $400 dollars today would be better than a 7 year old saw lol
I spent $450 on the dewalt job saw I have now. $650 with the stand. It’s the best portable table saw I’ve ever owned. The closet thing to a good cabinet saw I’ve found, and the stand is the best saw stand for a portable saw I’ve ever seen.
I mean specifically at new numb nuts... I build houses for a living i work with a large inventory and new tools daily. I was saying as comparing. Since you wanna know I also have a milwaukee m18 table saw. Along with 4 meters saws...... for the money the Hercules eats the Dewalt equivalent... now they made a rack n pinion version as well. Dewalt fucked, I mean blk and decker....
My only hercules tool is the compound miter saw. As a metal fabricator, all my tools associated with that are brand name. I only dabble in carpentry so harbor freight works for me. (It's a really nice piece and $299 with coupon).
It’s not a warranty but actually a protection plan. Just like Home Depot and Lowe’s. I do like the carbide oscillating tool blades as my drywall blade. But nobody makes a better blade than Diablo
Bauer oscelater blades are actually better than Hercules.
I’m a home DYI so I guess relative durability is not a priority. Having said that I settled on, by preference and number owned, Milwaukee, Dewalt, and ryobi, when on stupid level of sale price which typical gets cost below Hercules and Ryobi like prices. I do buy harbor freight as an ITC member... gotta factor in the ITC discounts.
Thanks Vinny for the video. I felt you were honest & objective. I liked the 'sub-compact' wet/dry vac the most followed by the light & fan. I felt the multi-tool was just an ok'er. Price points were good except again for the multi-tool. It was priced slightly high & Hercules should have engineered out more of it's vibration.
P.S. Love the cord/cordless options-SMART!
I have several of these and really love the vacuum with a 12ah battery. It’s replaced my much bigger one. I can grab it on a moments notice and goes anywhere. Picks up cat litter with ease! (A situation I’d never haul in the big guy) And with 12ah, I’ve literally never charged it yet. Also great for car interior way away from an outlet.
Love the vids bro! One thing I’d love to see is an initial review and longevity test of the Hercules 12 inch miter saw. A lot of people seem to say it’s great and a lot of people seem to say it’s bad and no in between so I’d love to see my favorite very cool guy over here give it a test and see what happens!
Been using it for two hard years, works like new nothing has failed on it and it is still spot on with angles & cuts. Was going to buy DWS780 then this came out, went to store put my mitts on both i was aircraft mechanic, mech engineer and have build countless cars so I feel like I know what quality is. IMO the DWS is not better built and I could not find any reason why to spend the almost double price over a Hercules. I recently helped brother in law build his deck, he was so impressed with it that I was getting nervous he was going to steal it 😊. It is an excellent tool, well worth the money unless you need a brand name to make you feel good about yourself
Go Vince!
I appreciate the fact that Hercules has that "Dual Power" feature on certain tools that definitely add much value & convenience to that tool.
Bravo!
I hope another "unnamed" tool manufacturer adapt this type system innovation in thier future offerings.
Having ultimate flexibility is very empowering!
You da man Redd!
@@VCGConstruction Not me, it's the VCG!
Hercules changing the game and making it work for the regular guy that has regular money and needs tools to do jobs around the house and friends and families so they made them strong and way cheaper than the other guy but also they are more powerful with a warranty that backs it all up im a fan .
That's a great idea adding usb ports the charger I would like to see other brands pick up on that feature
Makita has always had a USB port (slow charger) on their dual port simultaneous rapid chargers. The Dewalt DCB102 dual port simultaneous charger also has one USB port.
Yeah... when you work in a hot attic in summer, them fans are great
Harbor freight does have some quality tools, but it's a lot harder to find. They are the place I go to when I need consumables (electrical tape, zip ties, super glue)
You might say that, but on an ice cold day that cheap tape and zip ties will disintegrate in your hands
@@BluCappy419 super 33 is the only way
I do believe there tools have vastly improved from the Chicago electric ones but I’m a hardcore tti guy I have Milwaukee and ryobi and the only other company to me that’s tempting are from chervon skil and skill saw and of coarse if I remember hearing correctly that chervon makes kobalt for Lowe’s
I believe Cervon alsoakes Masterpiece for Menard's. And THEY have brushless drills & impact drivers!
@@l00nybin The 20v line of masterforce at Menards is made by chervon. Can confirm.
@@l00nybin yes they do
Sorry about all the comments but the other day picked up the new Milwaukee M18 oscillator me and my partner have been on different jobs a lot lately and I have the older Milwaukee M18 oscillator find the difference is unbelievable instant notice you can blindfold someone and feel the difference in the Milwaukee's
I think Harbor Freight needs to be much more competitive on pricing before I would even consider buying them. Like you said about the oscillating tool you can find a major brand tool for the same or slightly higher price and that's true of many if not most of the tools. I think the people who own/run Harbor Freight need a major dose of reality.
I half way agree. However on the other end of the spectrum, the warranty is insane. I purchased the mitter saw and the girlfriend got to cutting a Christmas tree on it(long story) while I was at work and broke the safety gaurd. I brought it to harbor frieght they looked at it for 2 seconds and told me grab a new one off the shelf no cost
@@scottwest18 also nuts is that 90 day or u gotta buy 1 or 2 yr upping the cost
@@nickabel8279 Not on the mitter saw its a standard 1 year warranty. and for the price i paid for it bringing it to the 3 year warranty and it was still cheaper than the dewalt's. and with dewalt if it breaks under warranty sure its free but you have to ship it and with shipping you might as well go ahead and buy a new saw
About 3 weeks ago went to Harbor Freight wanted to purchase a floor jack impact sockets and a ratchet gun. I went to the harbor freight in Hempstead Long Island I was told they're no longer mailing coupons but you can use a coupon from your cell phone. Not one person in the store new this information and when I tried to explain they were rude I showed them the 20% off coupon from my cell phone they told me it was no good so this is why I do not shop at Harbor Freight went to Home Depot and purchased Milwaukee and I ordered online a floor jack
That’s crazy Joseph!
That seems to be a problem related to that store the 2 that I go to are always friendly and helpful
I’m am just buying my first line of wireless power tools, I was planning on going Milwaukee, but Hercules made me rethink it, 5 year warranty on their drills, decent selection, half the price. I’m pretty sold on Hercules now.. anyone think that’s a mistake? If so why?
I have a Makita 36v/110v Hepa Vacuum that cost a lot more than the hercules and works pretty good. I use it as dust collection for tools mainly and it definitely has more power on corded power, but the cordless option is great especially with a tracksaw or 5057kb hardie plank saw. The hercules vac looks interesting though..
Just got my multitool with what is now a 5 year warranty for brushless tools for $79 already had a couple packs
I'd like to see you compare the different storage solutions that the different manufacturers provide. I just noticed Harbor Freight has something similar to the Milwaukie, Ryobi, Dewalt and I'd really like to see how Harbor Freight ranks.
Honest review. You're a good man.
They need to put more robust webbing around the switch inside of the oscillating tool. Its easy to repair with CA glue but having it not be able to switch off can be dangerous. Love the platform however... i was keeping the cord for milwaukee prices but im all in on the hercules.
Awsome stuff but my milwaukee fanboi heart doesnt allow me to get Hercules. Lol
🤣🤣
Happy Sunday, VCG and the gang!🤙🧰🤙😍
Hey hey!
What all tool reviews miss on Hercules tools is while dewalt and others have that once a year sale where say their drill at $99.00 but they get you with batteries from $120.00 to $130.00 . I have the 1/2" drill, 7 -1/4 circ saw , recip. Saw and never had complaint esp. In power or that all the batteries interchange and don't change designs. I will keep buying Hercules to keep from so much for others batteries. Loved your review.
You did a great job. You gave an honest opinion based on your vast experience and your hands on review. This is why I trust you. You tell me your opinion so I can make an informed decision for myself. I rely heavily on your reviews. My needs are vastly different than yours, but we both faster and safer applies universally. As always, thank you and God bless you and the VCG production crew.
I appreciate that! Thank you Joseph!
Love the Scooby do reference
I want to see a live stream at harbor freight
🤣🤣 we can do it! 👍🏻
@@VCGConstruction you got to get there early tho. They close at 7 daily 😂😂😂
I want to see them expand and improve the Bauer brand . The Hercules brand isn’t really affordable compared to the low grade Milwaukee. Heck the Bauer brand isn’t really a deal on some of there stuff , like your better off buying a Milwaukee brushed drill or impact than you are Bauer.
I think you need to be more criticizing , it seems like you are holding back on how you really feel , because maybe you don’t want to be “mean” since they sent you them for free, but giving them an honest review and show where the products are lacking is how they get better!
Hercules line overall is good. There are some good deals you can get, replacement batteries are not so expensive. I have herc, milwaukee and dewalt. I buy what is on sale most of the time the deals are hard to resist and specially on name brands tools.
"Yeah, that's what tool-only means..." 😆
I do not feel this is biased at all. I feel people need to understand that any tool brand that sends free tools to people who for sure going to review the product. Companies just want their honest review. Great Job Vince!!
I just started buying this brand of cordless for travel and it's decent actually like them more than the top brands in lowes and home depot because they have more power and their warranty is unbeatable direct inside store.
I've used Harbor freight tools for years (hand/mechanics tools) and have no problem with them. I have noticed their prices have been going up over the past few years. I tried their cordless years ago and didn't care for them. Batteries didn't seem to last and tools were not very durable. After my last HF cordless 1/2" drill, I didn't see the value in getting another. That is when I switched to Kobalt cordless (18V) They had the best price and by far the best warranty and still do. I am very happy with my 24V brushless Kobalt tools.
Which brand power tool was it of theirs that you used back then? If it was the Chicago Electric or Drillmaster brands those are absolute junk. I have the Hercules stuff rn and so far I'm fairly impressed with it. Haven't used Bauer but I've heard good things about those as well.
Maybe I should paint my Makita tools to look like Hercules so all the other apprentices stop trying to borrow my tools.
I got tired of buying new rigid batteries every 2 years. I opted 4 hercules n I've been happy.
Portable fans are nice to take with you into the blue outhouse 😆 on the job site
The light is brighter with the battery, I don’t know why but it’s the same for mine, happens on every brand I think
If i was still in the trade (electrical) currently I would run Milwaukee just because most if the trades use the platform because of how big it is. But for side work or your setting up a home shop for DIY work and such I think its definitely worth it. Easy returns really doesnt break the bank.
One thing to consider is the cost of all of their tools in their line.
Chargers, batteries, drills, all cheaper even if this oscillating tool is pricey.
But they have a more limited line then Milwaukee. Depends on what you need. But I don’t think they are bad.
Perfect or the weekend warrior/DIY guy.
For a weekend DIYer I wouldn’t recommend Hercules but Kobalt or perhaps Skil Powercore although line is limited. It too Hercules like 5 years to get the tools past drills most those tools just came out this year (2021) and not in stores yet. Also the aka warranty is a protection plan meaning it has ONE use then you have to buy it again. Kobalt, Skil 5 year warranty Lowe’s will also offer protection plan. HF also doesn’t sell ANY combo kits just bare tool or quasi kit aka buy battery charger ( est $70-%90 get $25 off )
@@Bob-gy6ud I haven’t settled on one yet (I have the old craftsman c3 from Sears that idt they make anymore). But I do like the kobalt but they are def more pricey.
If I went like the HF Bauer line I could get damn near every tool I would ever need at a fraction.
I do like the skill, they have great deals on the drill and driver, but past that they are more expensive too
Yes and the Tool Bear cut the battery pack open and found top-quality Samsung rechargeable cells inside of the battery.
I love my Hercules- I have a couple Milwaukee tools- but I love Herc. I don’t do heavy usage shit like you guys do- I’m a miner, so the stuff I do is… light/ med work. Not constant. Build furniture, build stuff for around the house… so obviously theyre great for the DIY guy.
I have-
~The 1/4” socket hammer drill (awesome)
~Hammer drill (awesome)
~Circ saw (this one is ok… not the best that I’ve ever used, but it works)
~Blower
~Dual batt charger (works amazingly)
Would like-
Drill, sawsall, tablesaw.
Wanted the miter saw, but got a Matabo.(big sale)
My primary concern with HF power tools is in 3 years Hercules and Bauer will probably be gone, and they’ll be onto Perseus and Taurus. Let alone 7-10 years from now...
Chicago electric stuck rnd awhile but yeah they did lynxx dirty. So will they keep with these? Idk. They Investing a lot into the line right now. Good sign
To be fair, how is that any different than the current big name brands potentially developing a new battery design within that same time span that's not compatible with their older tools as they discontinued the old style battery? You'd have to be forced to buy newer tools anyway just so they're compatible. The only brand I see not doing that is Ryobi since they've had the same battery platform for years.
What’s up Vince? Hope all is well, you did a hella of job. You keep 100! Appreciate your videos @VCG Construction
I bought Bauer and Hercules tools and like them both and they are a way better deal than the other options.
On the Hercules. The price is good for Chinesium tools.
1. The fan - To much plastic in the construction.
2. The work light - Not bag for home owner use. Not a constructors tool, but not bad.
3. The multi tool - At $100.00 I would be more likely to buy Hercules over Dewalt, maybe Milwaukee, Ridgid, and some of the other bargain brands. At $100 to $150 I would go Makita. My choice, that I use is Fein. But I am in business for make money to.
To summarize, Hercules is not a bad choice for most projects.
Cool video, Thanks Vince !!!!!
I'll say I look at Hercules as a homeowner-prosumer at best tool option, but Wow Stephen, I can honestly say I'm shocked at number 3 on your list! I know why you choose Fein, but why Hercules over the other brands? Thank buddy!
@@VCGConstruction It is complicated
In my opinion Fein and Festool are almost the same machine. Bosch is a spin off of the Fein mechanically and all using Star Lock, anti vibration methods, and Bosch has a price point of $200.00. I should note that I have a lot of experience with the Fein and Bosch.
( Next in line )
The Makita is well build. Makita tools go through a 5 year testing process, comes in at a very good price point, and if it is damaged or stolen it is easily replaced. Its down side is that it is a very heavy tool.
( Now as to the other brands )
I know people with the Dewalt, Milwaukee, Ridgid, Rockwell, and Porter-Cable versions. That is off the top of my head. The people that I know who have these brands use them regularly and are satisfied with there tools. I have at times used them is a pinch.
Dewalt and Porter-Cable to me are the same tool. Clunky, cheaply made, & to light weight.
Milwaukee 12V Fuel - I like in a pinch. As to the Milwaukee multi tool in general I feel that
It is not a Star Lock and I think there is to much plastic in the tool. I have had issues with Milwaukee tools breaking, but the warrant is very good.
TO THE HERCULES - If I was on a job and needed a multi Now !!! And a Home Depot with a Makita was not close by, and Habor Freight was close at the $100.00 price point.
In my opinion Hercules is the top of the Habor Freight tool lines. There warrant is pretty good for a 90 day tool. If it makes it through a few jobs thats awesome. It does remind me of a Makita physically. So to me it is the top of the bottom of tool lines.
To recap my choices.
Fein is $200 - $400
Bosch is $180 - $200
Makita is $150 or so
And Hercules is the top of the bottem at $100.00
Hopefully this answers your questions. If not please let me know.
BRANDS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TESTED
1. The new German Metabo version with the Star Lock
2. Metabo HPT because it is a Hitachi and it also reminds me of a Makita.
3. Skill is one that I think has potential.
Hercules miter saw is Hell of saw.
Nice review. In California, North and South, we have many Harbor Freight locations so that’s a plus. At the end of the day Hercules pricing/warranty/selection must beat Ryobi. Love the USB charger 🎈
I absolutely love the Hercules line because they have so much of the stuff I use being the fan and the light and the 12v and 20v impacts and the 12v electric ratchets I'd like to see a Bluetooth speaker tho that would be awesome and Ive even reached out to harbor freight about this but I think a 5 amp hour 12 volt battery would be an amazing addition to the line
I bought a 65lbs jackhammer on president's day special for under $500 it works like a big brand, I used to rent jackhammer and it cost me between $80 -$150 a pop plus the time running to the rental place to rent and return it at the end of the day that was very costly, I have done a few jobs already that I feel I already got my money back and get to keep the tool.
Diablo multi tool blade surpasses any other blades I’ve used!!! I bought a three pack of the nail-embedded blade that you reviewed on and a carbide blade. Cut some vinyl and never had such clean, bur free cuts with any other.
Agreed
Diablo blades are in every tool they make a blade for. And router bits. And sand paper. And impact driver bits.
from my perspective, the 5 ah battery at $75 is a huge incentive. Makita and Milwaukee are $150 for the 5 ah version. Yes you can hunt for sales but often one has to buy a tool to get the deal and entry cost seems to run around $200 with the tool added in. Makita just seems to confuse their batteries for their children!
Him testing the vacuum has me laughing 😂
Warranty and price is the greatest weakness they want to charge the same price as top brands and don’t bring more to table
They are well below the price of Milwaukee, Makita or Dewalt, in most cases they are even below Ridgid and Kobalt XTR in my area. FYI I own no Hercules.
Harbor freight may offer shorter warranty options than other brands, but they offer probably one of the best warranties out of all of them in terms of no hassle or wait times. For example, Milwaukee has a five year warranty on their power tools which seems fantastic...BUT, you have to send it back to them, they have to examine the tool to determine if it was actually defective or if it was caused by operator error (which at that point they won't cover it and could potentially come up with an excuse to make it sound like operator error just so they don't have to cover it), then having to wait for them to send it back. Too much of a hassle if you ask me. Harbor Freight literally doesnt give a shit. You could purposely run it over with your truck and they'll return or exchange it anyway same day, as long as they can validate proof of purchase, and still within the 90 days (or past 90 days with an active replacement plan). Might be a shorter warranty, but it's a guaranteed one that's worth the money if you ask me.
@vcgconstruction, nice review Vince, I think you did a great unbiased review of these tools. Nice job as always!
I been saying it, they need to go brushless, and improve their batteries. Would make a great bang for the buck
Yep, I unintentionally poked “the bear” in another video, the Hercules brand is a hard sell. Just buy Bauer. Or better yet, just buy ryobi, or m12 Milwaukee as they are “proven”.... I have some Bauer items, mostly lights, a fan, and one barely used hammer drill (it stinks, literally), I like the stuff but kinda feel like I should have went with ryobi
@@cowboy41231 yea harbor freight is missing the target here. They need to analyze why big brands are doing well. Warranty, brushless, compatibility, battery life. Work on those things. Until then, I'd stay away
@@blaineturner1434 I agree, I’ve been “told” Hercules has better electronics than Bauer, but man a 2 pole brushed motor is still a 2 pole brush motor even if it has mosfets ontop of it.... I’m not saying they are “bad” tools but they look to be rebranding budget tools from Europe ( can’t remember the brand) and making it into an eco system of its battier platform (which is cool) but highlight your concerns about brushless and shitty base warranty with “premium “ pricing/marketing = look for another “proven” brand ...... on a different note, I have yet to see someone trying to modify a Bauer/Hercules battery to be interchangeable and or to use with other tools
Thought they did go brushless? Batteries I was told use Samsung cells
@@nickabel8279 a couple tools are brushless, but ones that heavily rely on motors to worn lime drills and impacts are brush. Idk about their battery tech, just seen lot of people saying they don't hold compared to HD brands
They have new Hercules Rachets!! Also impact wrenches, I am an auto technician and these are the tools I use. Also the drill and driver. I wish vince we could review those tools.
The ICON tools are very good but expensive. Sometimes they go on sale.
I like the fact those would work battery or plug in
Milwaukee took 3 1/2 months to fix my m12 multi tool. That's over one quarter of a year!
Ya I assume there are separate windings in the vac for 120v vs 18v because a power supply to either drop the voltage from 120v to 18v or go from 18v to 120v doesn't make much sense
With the escalating tool, Dewalt at lowes runs $99 all the time..
5 yrs warranty, and so much more power...why should I pay the same for less quality...makes no sence to me.. HF missed the mark on this one...
You were spot on....love the channel
Dewalt is ToysRus Stanley Tools however, I'm wondering if I should actually get back into Makita for a top notch Multi tool, got 12v and corded, but need an in between 18 without the starlock, for another blade option.
I am a huge milwaukee m18 FUEL fan…have 3 impact drivers, router, metal saw etc. BUT…when I went to buy a new circular saw….went with 7.25 Hercules. Build quality was identical to fuel version..and better than non-fuel milwaukee. 5 amp batteries were $58 ( samsung 16850 cores) and tool was $99. Milwaukee fuel was $269 + $169 5 amp hour batt ( hone depot june price) so…HF version was nearly $280 cheaper. Yes…Fuel are best..(non-fuel not so much). But milwaukee battery prices are just crazy. That’s the “value proposition”. The price differences are so extreme that it negates “platform lock-in” . The oscillating tool is not as good as my Fein…but just as good as milwaukee and again..battery is less than half the price.
The one tool I needed they don't provide yet. A portable router.
For the DIY person that works at home or occasionally on projects, Hercules is fantastic for the price. With money you save you can buy higher quality bits / blades.
Hehehe... I only buy oscillating tool blades from Walmart... $4 each... I learned really quick that unless you're getting a specialty blade, they all wear out after the same number of uses. No way in hell I'm paying $20 or more per blade for the name brands. Some internet prices are even way cheaper for generics, but I don't plan ahead enough to make those types of purchases.
Vince, thanks for reading my review from the HF website. I can understand why you would think I'm "misinformed" about Hercules since you don't use any of those tools... yes they have had 20V tools out for quite some time. But the Hercules lineup has been very limited. They are finally coming out with more tools in the lineup... namely, most of the stuff you are reviewing in this video, along with a few other tools as well that you don't have here.
Do you have the fan? I am thinking about getting one next summer.
@@Ryan.zelenski I do. If you get one that works, they are pretty good. They won't blow you over, but they do move air. We bought 2 of them... one for the wife, and one for me. I'm on my 3rd replacement for mine. There just seems to be some QC issues with the fans. Get the warranty with it. My 3rd one so far seems to be a good one.
1 year after this video. The Hercules line has expanded a little. All of there brushless tools come with a 5 year Warrenty and battery’s come with a 3 year Warrenty. I have to say I’m my case I’m going full Hercules line up. I already got charger, batteries and 2 power tools going on 3 years of medium/heavy use and they work perfect still. All in all if you have the whole line up you save money. But I will say it’s not for everyone.
Best they have is definitely gonna be the Hercules 1/2 " ultra torque impact wrench golly jee wiz this impact makes it so nice for working on your cars and trucks its a must ive been saving for this buy for a year putting a little bit of money towards that purchase and for everything that i needed bits battery and charger came to 3 hundred and the other guy at home depot was almost double the price im beginning to go to harbor freight all the time for my tool needs there outo merchandise is leaps and bounds better than the other guys if the other guy even has what harbor freight has from stands to different mechanics chairs magnet bowl or there jump start or recovery they have such a great selection that is really a great deal not cheap but great deals for shore sales all the time they drop prices all the time .thanks harbor freight ❤
It looks just like the Craftsman dual charger and same for the batteries. May want to compare.
Warranties are great. But like coupons, how many consumers actually utilize them? Especially a big five year warranty. Keeping your paperwork around that long and assuming that they won't jerk your chain harder as time goes on is pretty tough. Warranties are to some extent a numbers game for manufacturers.
HF warranties, though not as long as others, are as rock solid as you can get. The multi-tool is new and will come down in price to where you can purchase the warranty and still be comparatively priced.
I have the Hercules grinder and multi tool. They’re both great tools. The multi tool especially. Outperforms my dewalt XR.
Hey Man, great video and review! I think it was totally unbiased, and will definitely help me choose what tools I should get.
3:46 "You can see here. We have a legend. Not me. On the charger!"
🤣🤣👍🏻
lmao
You're a legend in my book, Vince.
The fan looks like an m18 knockoff.ill stick with the milwaukee it's been running strong for 3 years now..
The fan is great when working in an attic or where I need a fan where I can't find a working outlet and want to make job quick. I keep a DeWalt 20v fan and a dollar general fan for 120v. The 20v can take 120v but basically has the hp of the 20v still. DeWalt guy here only because I don't live next to a store that sells Makita or Milwaukee 😆
Can you do a Hercules Drill and Impact review ? Lights, fans & multi-tools are great but people don't want to get into a platform if the drill and driver can't hold up, as I think most people will be using them most often.
You did a great job being bias and without preferred prejudice. It was clear that hercules was diverse to get jobs done however that being said being very competitive yet they also protected themselves with a short warranty. Some items were better than others. It's Chinese and that not the best in engineering equipment but when it comes to laundry they are unbeatable.
Seems like there tryin to do this with a lot of people saw another RUclips get not tools from them but a winch to try
to be fair, that winch looks pretty nice for the price comparison of the top tier version, though I dont have a need for one lol. I also trust Cody's word on alot of things if your referring to that review. Harbor freight seems like they are trying to break out into the mid-high tier tool market, and their marketing team is doing work right now.