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TIL a cheap post hole digger from Harbor Freight cost me a full day on a job in Springfield.
The handle snapped clean off after about 15 holes on a basic cedar fence line. Had to send my guy to get a new one while I stood around, which killed our schedule. I'm out about $120 for the lost time, not even counting the tool cost. Anyone have a solid brand for a manual digger that can take some clay soil?
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alice_allen56mo ago
Oh man, that's the classic Harbor Freight tax right there. You saved twenty bucks on the tool just to lose a whole day's pay. Clay soil laughs at those bargain bin handles. Should've just used a spoon, might have been slower but at least it wouldn't have snapped.
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rileyd436mo ago
Harbor Freight is fine for stuff you use once a year. For daily work, it's a total gamble. That clay soil will destroy cheap tools every time. I've had a Jackson digger for three seasons now and it's a tank. The extra cost up front saves you from exactly this kind of day. Never had a handle even feel loose.
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fionam115mo ago
It's like that with so much stuff now. You can buy the cheap version of almost anything, but for the tools you really depend on, that first low price is a trick. I've learned the hard way with garden tools and even basic kitchen gear. The thing that's supposed to save you money ends up costing more in time and frustration when it fails.
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maxl936mo ago
Yeah, but I gotta push back a little on the idea that Harbor Freight is only for once-a-year stuff. I've got their fiberglass handle digging bar that I've used almost daily for two years in rocky ground, and it's held up fine. It's more about picking the right specific tool from them. Some are junk, but some are shockingly solid. You're totally right, @rileyd43, that their super cheap wood-handle stuff would snap in clay in a heartbeat. But dismissing everything they sell feels off when a few gems slip through.
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