That cheap mortar mixer from Harbor Freight cost me twice as much in the end

I bought their 2-bag mortar mixer for $89 last spring thinking I was saving money. On my third job mixing type S for a retaining wall, the gearbox started grinding and then seized up completely. Had to rent a mixer from Sunbelt for $65 a day to finish the job, then buy a proper one for $350. Has anyone else had luck fixing those cheap mixers or is it just scrap metal after it breaks?

3 comments

3 Comments

sean_barnes2416d ago

Spend a little more upfront or pay for it later every time.

kellygrant16d ago

Funny how people always learn this the hard way, huh. What's the biggest thing you've cheap'd out on that ended up biting you later?

brooket4316d ago

Flip it around and tell me cheaping out on a cheap coffee maker hasn't saved me a hundred bucks over the years. Got a $15 Mr. Coffee that's been running for four years straight, never cleaned it once. Meanwhile my buddy bought some fancy espresso machine for $400 and the pump blew after six months. Same with tools - I've got a $10 socket set from the gas station that's handled every job I've thrown at it. Sometimes spending more just buys you a fancy way to break down faster.