Northern tool seems to cater more to the small construction companies, facilities maintenance, and farmers. HF seems to cater more broadly to homeowners and increasingly mechanics. NorthernTools clearance section can hold some amazing values. My local NT is clearing out high end Ingersoll Rand air tools for maybe 25% of retail.
This is exactly what I was going to say. There is some overlap but I think they are targeting slightly different markets. My Northern Tool is in an industrial park right next to Graybar.
The NT in Omaha is expensive by comparison to HF. Clearance items are not always clearance caliber prices. I have enjoyed some very good deals but they’re few and far between.
I have shopped Northern Tool for years. They are a very good "mail order" store. They don't compete with Harbor Freight for the "low end DIY stuff". If you are doing Northern Tool, you are looking for quality that will last for years, not just a one timer. Each store has it's place in what you need. With that said, I love Harbor Freight for all my home DIY stuff!
@@RobertMillerJustme Why would they make tools last anymore. 4 tool brands own the entire market. One other reason I shop at harbor freight is not just the lower price. I've been very happy with the quality of harbor freight.
@@SillyOmega - I have a bit of their stuff some dispoible made some decent. I have their drill press three winches, grinder and will be getting a tool box soon waiting on a sale, I did go with the California air compressor this past summer My black max was just too loud, I found that on their clearance page on eBay and price wise they beat Harbor frieght I am also a pros member of theirs, I have been for years. I also have dewalt and Ryobi hand tools just because when purchaced HF still had the old styles.
Northern is good for select items but i can’t help but to appreciate Harbor Freight for what they do. There’s quite a number of hand tools that both Northern AND HF sell but Northern marks the price a good deal up
I've never been in a Northern Tool store but, I have ordered online. They used to send me big catalogs but, I haven't ordered anything in a while so, I don't know if they still do that. From what I could see from the catalog listings, a lot of what they sell is similar, if not identical to that product at Harbor Freight but, usually priced slightly higher. The one thing that I appreciate about Northern over Freight is their selection of hard to find bearings, pillow blocks etc. When I need something like that, Northern Tool is the first place I look.
I definitely wouldn't compare Northern Tool to Harbor freight, more to a Tractor Supply with less farm specific feeling. Or like an ace but with better pricing... I went into one the other week for the first time in a while and was surprised by all the solid brands they now had. Even knipex on the shelves. They've always been a little out of the way for me so I haven't frequented there much but Northern Tool is definitely worth a walk through.
I needed a tow behind sprayer. The one from NT has great reviews, so I went that route. I walk into the store thinking I'm about to get a 25 gallon; well they had the bigger 31 gallon for the same price on sale. I left with the bigger one. It made my day. NT is always worth the stop in. I'm still an HF junkie, but NT definitely has its place.
My favorite part of Northern Tool is going through all the miscellaneous stuff in the bargain bins. There’s a lot of junk but usually I can find something unique that I’ve never seen before.
The big Northern Tool catalogs are shipped everywhere, no need to have a physical store near you. That I think is the best thing about them. I remember growing up turning the pages in that catalog wanting everything on the page.
THANKS for posting this, Brother! I was wondering if there was a Northern Tool nearby, and I found one over in Pensacola!! I purchased (years ago now) one of the BEST battery powered tools I ever owned in an 18v Milwaukee Impact Gun, and I have been looking to replace it forever. I bought it at Northern Tool, and now I might be buying its replacement from the same store thanks to your great video! Thanks!
One thing I haven't seen mentioned is Northern Tools has, at least in the Charleston store, a very complete small engine and equipment repair facility. They do much more than just engines. I have a driveway/sidewalk cleaning tool for my pressure washer that quit turning and wouldn't work. They fixed it in about a week with a new O-ring and some cleaning. Worked great. Ever wonder where Lowes or Home Depot send their yard equipment for repair? Northern Tool down here. Very cool!
1:22 "they've got some really high end stuff..." as the camera pans to Milwaukee, "...and then they've got some really low end stuff" as the camera pans to Dewalt 😂
At work we get a bunch of pallets full of returns or damaged goods that can’t be sold in store. We go through all the stuff and take what we want. Man I’ve got so many free air compressors, welders, generators, tools, tool boxes, floor jacks, etc, etc. The best part about things that have been returned that have a small motor like air compressors and generators is that 90% of the returns are because the customer didn’t realize they have to add more oil after they get it in order for it to start and run. So it’s still brand new when I get it. People also like to panic buy generators when there’s a big storm coming but then return it afterwards once they realize they didn’t need it.
Been buying from Northern Tool since the 1980s. I have never been disappointed in anything I have purchased from them. My local retail stores are well run. They are many steps above HF with regard to overall quality BUT they are a bit more expensive. Their power equipment, generators, pressure washers, compressors, are top shelf in their price range.
You're stuck in early 2000s harbor freight. If you were to go there tomorrow and give it an honest look around you will find that a lot of their brands are now competing with deWalt Milwaukee Makita and others. They still have cheap tools which is great because you use it, it does its job, you take it back get your money back. Or if it has a little chip you take it back and swap it out. Personally I barely ever bring tools back to harbor freight unless it breaks. And that has only happened on one or two occasions and that was because I was being harder than hell on it there was no way I was going to spend a bunch of money on something I knew I was going to abuse the shit out of one time. If you got money to burn.... Absolutely Northern tool is the place for you. I will say there are times when you do want to spend the extra money. Although again harbor freight has gotten a lot better so if you do want to spend the extra money on a quality tool they usually have you now. And will still be cheaper than Northern tool. I moved down to Florida from Iowa, and I got to say I miss Menards. Menards over Northern tool all damn day
It looked like that northern tool was missing two floor jacks. They were running $50 off a low profile strongman 3 ton jack this weekend 8/11 for $149. They also had a 3 ton standard profile jack $20 off for $149 or something close to that deal. I scooped up the low profile jack.
I had never heard of this store, until I started shopping online to replace my floor jack. Northern tool has one called a "strongway" that is a head to head competitor with HF's Daytona. There was not an ounce of difference between the two, and I ended up going with the strongway because I happened upon a free shipping deal. But before that, I did not even know this chain existed, much less that they had a location one town over, in Greensboro. **** 3:54 Right there. the blue one. That is the one I ended up buying online.
I love Northern Tool! There are no stores near me so I shop online. I shop at HF, too. There are some overlaps in products. I just purchased some 8 inch casters from NT after looking at HF's casters. The price was more than double but I like the quality (I'm building a lumber storage cart, so it will be heavy). I'm an advantage member - $38/year - so I get free shipping and some better pricing.
I don't shop there as often as I did a year ago, but they do offer a great military/veterans discount. It can also be used when ordering something in the store and also on sale items.
Pretty cool store. I didn't even know they had stores. I thought it was online only. But then again I too live in the southwest. And the only thing we have apart from Home Depot and Lowes is Harbor Freight which is good enough for me. Still, if we had a Menard's or Northern Tool store, I'd definitely go and check it out. NT definitely has a great selection of a lot of things.
Yeah there are no NT stores further west than El Paso, TX currently. I learned they just opened a new distribution center in Vegas last year to help ship to the west coast faster than before, that might mean an expansion of retail stores in that area in the future. They have many stores in Texas and Florida, and a decent number in the midwest. I think it's good to have options and NT does have good deals now and again.
I think Northern Tool complements HF (especially) and the 2 big box stores to a lesser extent rather than being a direct competitor. One thing I notice is wider aisles in NT than you might see in Harbor Freight....at least in the HFs near me. Would love to have a NT near me. Aside from HF, only a Tractor Supply is relatively close ( aside from Home Depot and Lowes of course)
This was like 2 years ago, but I was pretty happy about a purchase from their website. I got a Milwaukee mid torque 3/8 impact wrench with two 6ah batteries for 219!
I’ve shopped at northern tool for years. Like you, being from Nevada I never had access to a store but I was able to order from them through their catalog but nowadays there’s the web which makes it easier. Now that I live in kansas we have a store in Wichita and it’s so much easier to just walk in and grab the stuff
I used to receive their catalogs. Prices are high plus I’d pay shipping. I can go to Tractor Supply, Harbor Freight and the big box stores 30 minutes from home. I have purchased from Northern but stopped when their customer service gave me a hard time over a lost in transit problem.
Ironically, "Northern Tool" isn't "Northern." Their stores are in the South. It is their corporate headquarters that is in Minnesota. I had never heard of them until a few months ago I was looking online for a specific item. It popped up as what turned out to be their house brand "Ironton." It turns out that not two weeks earlier they had just opened a store in a downtrodden strip mall in a close-in suburb of Chicago. It would be a 25 minute drive for me, but as a long-time HFT shopper, I was bit by the curiosity factor. The video tour here is exactly what I found there. Such a varied mix of stuff that I couldn't figure out who their target market is. I don't think it is me, though, as I find what I need at HFT and they are closer. It does seem that Northern may be looking to expand in the "North." This store itself is going through new-store opening pains as I couldn't find the item and it was listed as in stock on their website. Took employees 15 minutes to find it "in the back" but they were very helpful and friendly.
I drive for ODFL as a local P&D driver in the PacNW. Northern Tool does a booming online business. A day rarely goes by where I don't see something from Northern Tool cross our dock headed to either to a residential delivery or a small business. It's also not just one type of product either.
I have both Harbor Freight and Northern Tools here and I find that NT is more expensive on similar items. Also there are more HF stores than NT in the DFW area.
Yeah, I tried Northern Tool when they opened that shop in South Fort Worth off 35. Saw the prices, got back into the car and went to Harbor Freight, instead. =)
Well I will say I am impressed. I have shopped at Northern for many years, (Great place for Pressure washers and hoses, et), but mainly catalog. The reason is that while I live in middle TN the closest stores to me were Murfreesboro, or Knoxville and both were out of the way, older, dirty, dingy places that honestly you didn't feel really good about going in. This looked, nice, new and clean. I don't often go to Nashville anymore but next time I do I would stop in. What part of town was it in?
The things i value NT for over HF is their "similar/same" import stuff. Shop equipment that HF used to sell, but phased out due to lack of interest or sales, can still be found at NT. A good example I can think off the top of my head is the 1000lb lifting cart. The HF one is nice and goes on a really good sale about 3 times a year. However it only has one set of scissors under the platform. Meaning it can only lift 34". (This isn't always ideal, but i understand the safety aspect) The same cart can be had at NT but can go higher at 54"... that will definitely help you get things in and out of your pickup truck bed or up on a 4' high surface. I can't tell you how many times I've used it like a helping hand when installing or removing heavy items by myself.
Since there’s a Northern Tool about a half mile from Harbor Freight in Murfreesboro Tn I end up shopping both some times. Northern Tool also rotates displays based on seasons; Winter they bulk up on heaters,wood burning stoves, etc, summer its fans, garden tools/hoses. You can get a screaming deal on overstocks when they change. Order a catalogue to see their full lineup, including tractors, small dozers, 2 & 4 post car lifts….the list goes on.
Iowa born and raised and while I’ve heard of northern tool, I’ve never seen a store… even in my travels anywhere. It kind of reminded me of HF with a real king/fleet farm/ theisens/ farm and fleet along with a tractor supply vibe. Interesting to see how the other half lives, appreciate the tour.
I like Northern Tool they have open stock hand tools in their brand, they have name brand tools including power tools and more. In some segments they do compete with Harbor Freight especially with their house brands. At times it's difficult find the specific tool you're looking for from brands like Milwaukee or Dewalt at HD, Lowes or even Ace so having a local Northern Tool store gives you another option and is definately a plus. Like you pointed out they have many items that compete with stores like Tractor Supply and more. I find Tractor Supply to be lacking in many areas even in items you would think they would carry so Northern Tool is another option in that segment also. I'm happy to have them in my region and I do shop there.
I would love to check out a Northern Tool and Equipment store, but' unfortunately' they have no stores in the northeastern section on the U.S. yet. Thanks for showing it to us!
Many years ago we ordered tools from a company called Northern Hydraulics which I think became Northern Tool. It's always been tools and stuff for farming, logging, construction, mechanics, etc. The stores I've been to in the Kansas City area are small, not very extensive and disappointing. A store stocked like the one you are at would get a lot of business from me.
Like some others have mentioned, the NT house brand stuff is often identical to HF, but a different color and higher price. For example, HF used to sell the Haul-Master 4x8 folding trailer with 12" wheels for $299 (SKU 62666, was often $249 with coupon, but is now $520). NT sold the identical Ultra Tow trailer for $500, but in black (seems unavailable now). Something pretty cool, though, is that they sold an aluminum version for $800 along with other variations. It seems NT only sells the aluminum version now (SKU 49803) for $900, which doesn't seem terrible since the HF one has doubled in price.
got a northern tool about 30 minutes from me & a harbor freight, a lowes, & a home depot, all about 5 minutes from me... so honestly, i like going there, but i rarely "need to" ...but its a cool store to have around when u need something u cant get anywhere else. thank u & god bless
Hey Bear, appreciate the virtual walkthrough. I've been an occasional online NT customer over the years, as there is no physical stores near Emmett-ID...but I do have a nearby Harbor Freight Ontario-ORegon store location that I frequent, primarily due to no Sales Tax!
While I don't shop at Northern Tool a lot, they do definitely fill holes that do exist in Harbor Freight, Lowes, Home Depot, and Tractor Supply. For Example: Harbor freight had a bench mounted Sheetmetal Shear 15 years back that was simply detestable (they have since discontinued it), but Northern Tool had a Killer bench mount unit.. well built, very high level of quality for just a few $ more. They also had Bondhus Allen wrenches.. definitely 5 cuts in quality above Harbor freight's wrench sets. Just a couple of many examples, and in short, NOT the cheapest, or the most selections, but have yet to be disappointed with purchases.. I agree it is worth the trip and time (especially if you're not getting satisfaction with the big box store selections).. thanks for giving them a shout out!
Northern Tools used to have more name brand tools but they have replaced a lot with their house brand. I'd say the same about Menards. Mine is down the street from HF. I rarely go there. They do have a good selection of trailer parts and small engine stuff. For tools, I'm going to HF, Menards, Home Depot or Acme.
Speaking for NT and Menards, seems most of the housebrand stuff is made by the same people that had been selling, just brought under the housebrand to limit warrenty/ service.
Our area in Minnesota has two places that you rarely visit, Menard's and Northern Tool. I shop both of those, also Harbor Freight and Home Depot. We don't have a Lowe's nearby. Each has their place...I shop Menards more than the others. Northern has a huge over 400 page catalog and small mailers that include coupons for $5, $10, or $25 off depending on size of purchase.
You were right when you said it reminded you very much a Princess auto up in Canada. Almost everything I saw in your video I’d find in Princess auto, except maybe there’s a bit more of the brand names in northern tools. Hope you have a great vacation, Mike from Montreal.
Acme Tools stores are truly a wonder to behold they've got a great one in Duluth, they'll even send reps out and deliver to construction sites sometimes within the hour.
My son recently went from working at Ace Hardware to Northern Tool about 3-4 weeks ago. If you want to compare Northern Tool and Harbor Freight, they are literally maybe 100 yards from door to door in Edmond Oklahoma, just across the parking lot from each other. And Tractor Supply is just across the road at the traffic light.
I have shopped at Northern for over 30 years. They were in the area before HF. I don't of a store where you can go in and buy most of what you need to build a trailer. They are more for the small contractor or handy man. They have upgraded their product line. They use to sell more of the same things as HF and if you look at their catalog, they still do but they are stepping up. Their main area of operation has them competing with Menards, Home Depot and Lowes but also Farm King, Farm and Fleet and Fleet Farm. That store looked a little thin on product.
They must sell singles! Every time I go to HF, there are always multiple socket sets with one socket missing. Somebody bought it. No other possibility 😂
They are different not really a one better than the other. I go to each for different things. But I don't go into northern without the coupons they mail out every month or so. They aren't big into the floor jacks like HF. That one typical of all Northern tool stores. Northern does have some good clearance prices from time to time. Northern also has allot of the low end tools that you see at the swapmeets. Did you get the coupons etc I sent you before your trip?
The store you went to here is showing a lot, but there are a lot of empty shelves compared to others I have been to. When HF talks about their utility trailers, you may find one or two there, and forget finding one if they are on sale. But you can find stacks of trailers in a NT store. They are usually fully stocked at these NT stores.
I've been finding a HUGE, HUGE selection from Northern Tool website long before they had a store in my area. The store you found here is bigger than mine but I still find maybe 20 to 50 times more on the website, Harbor can't compare with that although my HF store is a little smaller than my Northern, my HF probably stocks 50 to 80% of what I see on the website. Please do a review on Northern's website.
I get the NT mail catalog. I've bought a few things from them, including their Gravel Gear jeans - very good by the way. If there were one in my town (Flagstaff) I'd stop in and shop. We have 2 Home Depots, a Cal Ranch, a HF, an ACE and a Tractor Supply, I've never been into. I like looking at the NT mailers and E-mails I get - Once in a while I do an order. I don't think they are like HF, each is an option to the big boxers though maybe not a replacement.
Holy smokes......I know we have one down the street from our harbour freight but I have never been down that way. I will have to take a stop by. Looks like a lot of good selection on some harder to find items
Northern tool is one of my favorite stores here in Columbia South Carolina. They also carry a pretty wide selection of Knipex products, which is pretty cool being able to see them in person.
I have been into that store many times. I always make it a point to stop in there on the way back to western Kentucky. I have purchased a push mower, trailer parts, and some odds and ends. I drop my wife off at Old Pottery Barn just north of that location so I have extra time to look. They have a large selection of power washers. The last time i was in they had a portable power washer kit on a trailer. The entrance is odd, but I am know how to get in and out without any problem. There is another store on the outer side of town. I didn’t see the Areins zero turns the last time was there. Love that store!!!!!!
Bear! I will be in DIRE NEED of a whole-home solar generator deal very soon haha. I’m buying a 5th wheel to live in, and want to power it off-grid. If you find any deals on the ecoflow deltapro or the bluetti ac500 it would be much appreciated ❤️
I've been to the Northern Tools store in Omaha, NE. a few times. I used to live about 30 mi. from there. It depends on what I'm looking for. Sometimes NT has a better deal if it's on sale or if HF is a lower quality than I need.
Near where I live in MN there is a Harbor Freight and a Northern Tool that are almost across the street from each other. They both seem to be doing fine. They don't take business away from each other.
There's a Northern Tool in Birmingham AL and I shop at both Harbor Freight and Northern Tool. To me they're not in competition with each other, they seem to coexist very well.
I have been ordering from NT way back in the 80's. I didn't get introduced to HF until like 2002 by a neighbor. I stepped foot in my first NT in 2023. With the combination of TSC and HF I can get just about any home project done. But I would live to have a NT locally for more options.
You managed to find a Northern Tool that was quite large compared to the stores I see in my area. I go to probably 3 different NT stores, and they aren't supplied with as much selection as you are showing here. That being said, we have a NT and a Harbor Freight right next to each other, so you can hit one then the other if you need to. NT used to keep you supplied with coupons, but have done away with that in my area over the last year or 2, so I haven't been in the NT stores for months. HF stores are kind of new around here, at least having one around that is convenient, so I have usually spent my time in the NT stores, up until they dropped the coupons.
NT can be hit or miss on the deals. If you're a Milwaukee guy id definitely keep an eye on them for sales. Just got a free M12 cordless ratchet and all I had to do is buy a single small CP battery as compared to Ace Hardware or Home Depot where you have to buy a whole kit to get the free ratchet.
Have not been to a NT store but have done mail order. Decent prices and good selection. I would hit both HF (10 min drive) and NT (if they had a local store).
If you come back through Sioux Falls, there is a Northern Tool and a Harbor Freight within a block of each other on 12th St right off I29 at exit 79. We have a Camping World too. Safe travels!!
Trapped on the west coast. I've never been in a Northern store but I've ordered from them. Also never seen what Menard's is all about. Holy mackerel there's a lotta stuff in that store. Thank you for sharing.
My dad used to order a ton of stuff from Northern by phone to use on the farm. It would be some tools, but more often parts. I've not shopped them much myself, but their prices on national brands tends to not be super competitive. I would like to look into their store brands that I just became aware of a few months ago, just to see how they stack up.
The things you go to Northern it's at a harbor freight for are your chain hoists, they also carry Milwaukee tools, The scaffolding their comalongs, their trailers, etc etc
We have Tractor Supply, Harbor Freight, and Northern Tool. Each has their strengths, but for overall mechanical, electric, woodworking tools, plus a wide selection of tool storage, it's Harbor Freight before the others. Years ago, the Freight was almost a joke for quality, but they have upped their game in several areas since then. If I was a mechanic just starting out, there's no way I would enslave myself paying for the Snap On, Mac Tools, etc. No doubt it's sometimes necessary to buy specific tools from one of the big name manufacturers. This is especially true for diagnostic equipment.
When you guys head up to the Iowa State Fair - you’ll probably go through Ankeny. Their Fleet Farm is massive! Should do a video on it to show everyone what they’re missing out on.
Never heard of this store. I live in Chicago and thinking they didn't have any here, went to their site and they have 4 surrounding Chicago. The closest one to me is in Bolingbrook even though it will take about 30 minutes to get there. I probably will never go there since I am more of a DIYer but that is a very nice store.
We have one nearby. IMO it seems as if it catered to contractors more than the individual. Its been several years since I've been there but last time I went I bought a hand truck with neumatic tires some of their brand AA batteries and some tarps. The hand truck is good and I still use it, forget what I paid at the time, maybe $30 for the hand truck, the batteries were inexpensive as were the tarps.
Where I live in Texas, Northern Tool opened a new store one hour south of me, they sent out advertisements, but their prices aren’t in my DIY/weekend Warrior budget.
Have you checked out Runnings yet? They are similar to Tractor Supply but bigger. Also, they have a hunting/fishing and gun section. They are based in the midwest and have been showing up in upstate NY in recent years. I have noticed they are in Montana where you live.
Recently visited a NT store in a medium-sized town. Loved the store, loved the tools but I don't know how they can stay in business. There were only a handful of customers! The nearby HFT, TS, Lowes, and HD usually have a lot of customers. Also, their prices made me leave pretty quickly.
I used to shop NT decades ago via catalogs I would get in the mail. That was mostly pre-internet and before HF had stores in northern Ohio. At that time, HF offered free shipping on any order over $50. I'm sure they lost their butt on the vise and the pipe wrench set I bought from them. Of course, when the pipe wrenches were like $25, I had find another $25 worth of other tools to buy on that order. Now, I found NT had good stuff, and more made-in-USA items, BUT I also found they tended to be more pricey. I would from time to time check them out online, and didn't find any reason to change that evaluation. If they had a store in my area, I would definitely go look them over. Lastly, I really agree with you about not liking to shop HD or Lowes. They have a huge parking lot to walk through both ways. Then the store is huge to find things in and finding and getting help is hit or miss. And, then finding someone knowledgeable is also another matter. I will drive twice as far to get to an ACE hardware if I'm confident they have what I need. And, surprisingly, Ace Hardware's prices are very competitive.
Living in middle Tennessee going to Northern Tool is like a candy store for men. Harber Fright is like a corner store compared to Northern Tool. I drive by two HF stores to get to the Northern. I primarily go the website route only because of the 1.5 hour drive. Thanks for doing the video. Lol, sorry about Nashville highway layout. It is getting better, so they say.
Our Northern Tools store in Charleston SC is always empty. Meaning no customers. They used to sell Homak tool boxes and doesn't anymore. They have some descent sales but their prices are overall on the high side
I used to buy from NT a lot. But i also hold a grudge. The experience i had after purchasing a drill press there several years ago put me off and I haven't been back. Maybe one day.
There are no Northern Tool stores here in upstate New York but I used to get their catalogs all the time when catalogs were a thing. So I just assumed they are just a mail order/online order type of place.
I've been buying from them since they were Northern hydraulics they started off with specializing in log splitters and pressure washers a long long time ago
Northern tool selection is very good, but the prices are outrageous. Some of my towing accessories come from Northern but I mostly use HF. Best bang for the buck, Harbor Freight.
The closest Northern Tool to me is in Murfreesboro in the Nashville area. Haven’t gone in but was checking them out online. Ultimately I ended up buying from HF. Eventually I’ll go in there now that I know they have some things HF doesn’t have and I then don’t have to go into Lowe’s
To me it's not an either/or thing. I have both near me, and when I need something it's fairly easy to compare pricing on similar items where they do overlap (both have good heavy duty extension cords that I have bought and use). Like you said in the video, you can buy pretty much anything from a lot of stores online, but for me, HF tends to have more of the stuff I need on hand. Like clamps for woodworking. The NT near me has zero clamps, and when you need a clamp, waiting on it usually isn't an option. I am sure the situation is reversed for other guys who do different things. But NT has some excellent stuff and when on sale is really well priced. I have a few sets of their heavy duty shelves in my garage and they are built like a tank.