Link: http://HarborFreightReviews.com/HFRreviews.html

Item: 1-lb Rubber Mallet
Item number: 39646
Retail price: $2.99
Frequent sale price: $1.99
Best price: $0.99
Target price: $1.99
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How often do you use a rubber mallet? Probably not very often and that's why you shouldn't pay much for one. Harbor Freight provides the opportunity to pick-up this infrequently used tool for a buck or two, and there are times that it's really needed. For example, when hammering tiles into the thinset to level them (yes, you hammer on a wooden block, but the rubber mallet is still good to soften those blows); more often when you want to avoid marring the item being hammered (e.g., hammering into place some of those ill-fitted Chinese parts, adjusting that stuck mirror on your MoHo). Once you buy it, just remember you have it (and where you put it), and you'll find plenty of times when you want to minimize the surface blemishes from hammering.

If you're delivering a lot of rubber blows, you might want to invest in a somewhat better quality tool such as Harbor Freight's Fiberglas handled model (95083, sale price $3.99). But for the occasional user who is saving their money for other great deals from Harbor Freight, this is the model to buy.

Bottom line: A steal deal from Harbor Freight, get this rubber mallet for the time you DO need it. Remember you have it and you'll find plenty of times you 'need' it.

Link: http://HarborFreightReviews.com/HFRreviews.html

Item: 16-oz Fiberglas Handle Hammer
Item number: 47872 (claw style)
Item number: 47873 (rip style)
Retail price: $4.99
Frequent sale price: $3.99
Target price: $2.99
Item Link

You can get a better balanced hammer for several times this price, but it won't matter if you're only driving a few nails. It makes our "Hot Buys" list as a spare or duplicate hammer and as a primary hammer for those who don't hammer much. In short, we like it.

This is a prime example of the type of tools for which that Harbor Freight™ has become known: a perfectly acceptable quality tool at a very low price. How good is "acceptable quality"? Well, that's "relativity" applied to tools all over again (click here and see the text box in this other review for a discussion of the theory of relativity applied to tools; no, it doesn't involve hammering so fast that the nail backs out of the hole, viz. time travel). It's perhaps easiest to explain by example.

For hammering a few nails around the home or shop, this is a perfectly good hammer. It has a firm grip and a decent feel, delivering its 16-oz blows with precision dictated by its user. If we were to be using a hammer all day, or for that matter even several hours continuously, we would probably select a better quality hammer such as a Craftsman™. Higher quality hammers have a better balance and more comfortable grips, giving them an overall better feel. This makes little different to the nail but it does matter to the user over extended periods of time. Hand and forearm fatigue and ultimately 'blow control' is influenced by the feel of the hammer. If you're doing lots of manual hammering, you should probably invest in a better quality tool.

Caution: Most higher priced hammers are NOT better quality than this hammer from Harbor Freight. Don't be fooled by just the higher price; check the balance and overall feel as well as the warranty. For most applications, this hammer is a great.

Don't get us wrong, we really like this hammer. For its very low price we get a good-quality hammer (or two or three) that we can distribute throughout our home and shop, making sure that there's always a good-quality hammer within easy reach. For doing a lot of manual hammering (Does anybody really do this anymore since the introduction of the air nailer?), we do feel the different with a precision-balanced Craftsman™ tool. (OK, "precision balanced" is perhaps a bit too strong, but go to Sears™ and you'll feel the difference. )

Bottom line: Buy a couple for spares or for your primary hammer if you don't do a lot of carpentry or construction work. The overall quality is good and the balance is fine, but some more expensive hammers have a noticeably better feel.

Link: http://HarborFreightReviews.com

Item: Stubby Claw Hammer
Item number: 95929

Item: Stubby Ball Pein Hammer
Item number: 95930

Retail price: $4.99 (each)
Frequent sale price: $2.99 (each)
Target price: $1.99 (each)

What can you say about a stubby hammer? Well, it's short and packs a punch . Now that I gotten that out of the way (the bad pun) and before I beat it to death (oops, another bad pun slipped out , even worse than you can imagine, see insert box ), these hammers are a great value for that challenging job where you need to pack a punch in a small space.

Some might consider these the poor man's autohammer. Yes, the Craftsman™ autohammer does most of what these stubby hammers can do, does it faster, and with far less effort. But there are times when an old-fashioned, manual stubby hammer can come in handy and it won't ever let you down because of a dead battery. For many there's a certain satisfaction in accomplishing the same task with a $3 hammer that others need a $100 hammer to achieve (sounds like military spending).

A little dark humor (skip over this if you're British or easily offended: Did you know that hammers are often used as murder weapons in Great Britain? With guns being banned and knives too 'bloody awful,' the next weapon of choice seems to be the common hammer. When traveling in UK my wife and I have often noted a murder or two committed with this trusted household tool. And a number of years ago when we read about a murder in Thailand that was committed with a hammer, we both thought immediately, "ah, it must be a Brit. traveling with his or her trusty hammer for personal protection" And it was--a Brit. who killed the person in Thailand while on holiday. In the UK this mini-version might be considered a concealed weapon. Does it require a permit? I think not, but check with local authorities when traveling in the UK.

At 8oz. it can pack quite a wallop, and at only 6" long it can reach those tight spaces. This hammer can find a lot of uses around the home or on the road (for repairs only, please). It's compact size makes it not only suitable for tight spaces but as light addition to a travel toolbox. It's also good for use with small children--letting them hone their hammering skills, of course. Lastly, cyclists may find this useful on their urban rides. I've heard of one cyclist using it to give a gentle tap back on an automobile fender when they were first 'tapped' at a stoplight by a motorist squeezing them off the road. (Hum, anybody I know? ) Gently, please, but it does get the point across. (FYI: In most states cyclists have the same rights and rules for road use as motorists, and many municipalities ban cycling on sidewalks!)

Bottom line: Buy them just because they're cute and pack a punch. Buy them to carry around in unusual places. Hell, buy them for personal protection in you live in the UK. A great value for the right job.