Unlocking the Secrets to Harbor Freight's Affordable Vacuum Pumps

Which brings us back to the DIY and home-improvement crowd, always on the hunt for tools of good quality at decent prices. For me, there is only one go-to for high-quality, cheapo goods of all kinds: Harbor Freight. It’s a big-box store that sells everything from gardening implements to home woodworking tools. I’ve always gone there if I need something above reproach and below budget – and that includes the kinds of otherwise esoteric things, such as vacuum pumps, that don’t make it to the pages of many consumer magazines.

The Versatile World of Vacuum Pumps at Home

Though you would not expect to find one in every home, there are many uses for a vacuum pump that will make certain household chores easier and more effective. Whether it’s the automotive enthusiast looking to perform routine maintenance on his car, or the home owner who wishes to check his home air-conditioner for leaks, vacuum pumps can be useful. Harbor Freight has three different vacuum pumps that can help the home maintenance enthusiast, whether he be a novice or a real handyman.

Hand-Powered vs. Electric: The Harbor Freight Range

Spending some time browsing through Harbor Freight’s offerings – vacuum pumps of all varieties, hand-powered and electric, manufactured by the likes of Mityvac, Maddox, Pittsburgh Automotive, and Hercules – left us convinced that the elegant, simple solution to this problem is a shop vac.

Hand-Powered Convenience

For the more thrifty or labour-inclined among us, the Mityvac and the Maddox hand-powered vacuum pumps are worth considering. Costing $47.99 and $69.99, respectively, these manual options might be low-cost, but they seem to be reliable, at least according to the high average customer review ratings of both. The Mityvac has more than 1,000 customer reviews, earning a 4.2-star rating, and the Maddox is hot on its heels, with more than 200 reviews for a 4.1-star average.

Electric-Powered Efficiency

For slightly more power – without the labour involved in cranking – there are electric options from Harbor Freight’s electric line of products under the Pittsburgh Automotive and Hercules cordless brushless vacuum pump. With some convenience and efficiency comes a bit more cost. Pittsburgh Automotive’s electric plug-in models can range from $99.99 to the costlier $139.99 for the Hercules 20V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 2-Stage Vacuum Pump. Again, higher prices yield better ratings and satisfied customers. ‘Works like a champ! Customer is happy,’ reads one review of the Hercules 20V Lithium-Ion Cordless 2-Stage Vacuum Pump. ‘Simple to set up & use. Vacuum works as advertised,’ reads another review of the Pittsburgh Automotive Plug-In model.

Cost vs. Quality: Striking the Right Balance at HOME

And while it might be true that Harbor Freight centres on low-cost products, it seems to have glass-half-full glory along the way by getting the quality part right as well. There’s a wide range of prices for vacuum pumps – some starting at under $15, like the air vacuum pump by Pittsburgh Automotive for $14.99; some under $50; some under $75; and topping out near $139.99, like some electric models such as those by Hercules and Pittsburgh Automotive. This all reminds me of when economy cars first began to rule the road and size comparisons to actual people began, with a station wagon being known as a woodie for the size of your entire family, the Malibu a mini-galleon, and a compact a pocket. But today, when almost everyone wants a sports car, all sizes of vehicle are now simply known as ‘compact’. The largest size is now called an SUV: sports utility vehicle. Soon it will be SES...