5 Cheap Harbor Freight Alternatives To Expensive Milwaukee Products

If you want professional-grade power tools, you’re going to have to pay a premium price. At least, that’s how it goes with many of the top power tool brands. And of that bunch, few brands come with higher prices than Milwaukee. The brand certainly has its fans, but there’s no way around it: Milwaukee leverages its good reputation to justify charging high-end prices for its power tools. As tool prices climb across the industry, more and more people would probably appreciate a way to get Milwaukee power tool performance without Milwaukee power tool prices.

If that’s you, you might want to check out Harbor Freight. In recent years, this hardware store has greatly expanded its lineup of professional-grade equipment through its in-house brands like Hercules. In fact, their Hercules line is meant to compete directly with higher-end tools sold by brands like Milwaukee… all while keeping prices much, much lower than the big-name brands. To show you what we’re talking about, we’ve found five of the best Harbor Freight alternatives to Milwaukee’s more expensive versions.

No matter if you’re doing some woodworking, a home renovation, or finishing a furniture project, you’re probably going to need to do some sanding. Cordless random orbit sanders are one way to do so. The Hercules 20V Brushless Cordless 5-inch Random Orbit Sander sells for $54.99 at Harbor Freight, which undercuts the price of the Milwaukee Tool M18 brushless 5-inch random orbit sander, priced around $149 at Home Depot.

And even with that cost difference, the Hercules model is still built with many of the same modern performance features expected of a Milwaukee-type tool. Its brushless motor gives you variable-speed control capable of delivering up to 12,000 orbits per minute. When paired with a Hercules 5 amp-hour battery or larger, the sander can deliver up to 40 minutes of continuous operation. The sander also includes an ergonomic rubberized grip to reduce vibration, and it uses an eight-hole dust collection system paired with a dust bag to help keep your work surface cleaner.

Hammer drills are a cornerstone tool for both construction professionals and home renovators, especially when projects involve drilling into masonry, concrete, or other dense materials. And while Milwaukee has options for you (like the M18 FUEL hammer drill), you can expect to pay upwards of $229 at places like Home Depot. Meanwhile, Harbor Freight has the Hercules 20V Brushless 1/2-inch Compact Hammer Drill/Driver for $79.99 instead.

This tool can give you up to 1,200 inch-pounds of maximum torque, so you can drive large fasteners or drill holes into dense materials like it’s nothing. It’s also capable of up to 32,000 blows per minute in hammer mode. That rapid percussive action helps the drill break through concrete and masonry more efficiently than a standard drill ever could. Under typical conditions, Harbor Freight says the Hercules can drill up to 110 holes in concrete on a single charge.

Angle grinders are another popular power tool that people might look to Milwaukee for. For example, the 15-amp large-angle grinder from Milwaukee Tool sells for $299 at Home Depot. Compare that to the Hercules 15-amp 7-inch/9-inch Trigger-Grip Angle Grinder going for $129 at Harbor Freight. That’s more than 50% savings if you’re willing to swap the popular red tool for this lesser-known blue one.

The Hercules grinder is powered by a 15-amp motor that can produce speeds up to 6,500 revolutions per minute. You also get a trigger-grip handle for more leverage and control compared with traditional side-handle-only grinders. The handle includes an optional lock-on function that lets the tool run longer without you constantly applying pressure to the trigger. The Hercules grinder also includes tool-free guards for both 7-inch and 9-inch grinding wheels. It’s all protected by an all-metal aluminum gear case with a reinforced plastic housing to reduce that annoying vibration.

Reciprocating saws are a must-have for demolition, remodeling, or rough-cutting applications. Milwaukee’s M18 FUEL reciprocating saw costs $249 at Home Depot. That’s not the brand’s most expensive power tool, to be clear, but it’s still not cheap. The Hercules 20V Brushless Cordless Reciprocating Sawhowever, is priced at $79.99 at Harbor Freight, which is quite a steep price drop.

The saw can deliver up to 3,000 strokes per minute via its variable-speed trigger. It also uses a pivoting shoe with three depth adjustment positions to give you more control over the cut. (Beyond the extra control, adjusting the shoe means extending the blade life by exposing different parts of the blade during repeated cuts.) Blade changes are nice and easy thanks to a keyless single-action mechanism that lets you swap things out without any additional tools. The reciprocating saw also includes a super safe electric brake that stops the blade immediately after the trigger is released.

Right angle drills are great for working in those tight spaces where traditional drills just won’t fit. But if you want one from Milwaukee, you’ll have to pay $329 for it at Home Depot. On the other hand, Hercules can get you a 20V Brushless Cordless 1/2-inch Variable-Speed Right Angle Drill for only $94.99 at Harbor Freight. It’s one of the most dramatic differences between Milwaukee and Hercules pricing that we’ve seen.

It comes with a variable-speed trigger for adjustable drilling speed based on the material you’re drilling. (That’ll also help prevent the drill from overheating and avoid any bit damage that can come from switching between softer materials and denser wood or construction lumber.) It also includes a built-in LED work light that shines on the drilling area. All in all, you’re looking at more than 120 holes drilled per battery charge. Combine that with the fact that it’s a third of the price of the Milwaukee version, what’s not to like?