10 Harbor Freight Tools You Can Fit On Your Keychain

Harbor Freight got its start as a mail order reseller of liquidated and returned tools, but the company has grown to become a go-to chain of brick and mortar shops for DIYers, professional fixers, and anyone else who needs some new tools.

Today, Harbor Freight offers a wide range of tools and products acquired directly from manufacturers and sold under its own in-house lines. Bauer, Braun, Haul-Master, ICON, and more are all brands under the Harbor Freight umbrella. Whatever you need to complete your current work in progress or round out your tool collection, one of these brands probably offers it. And that includes tools small enough to hang on your keychain.

While it's nice to have the perfect collection of tools at home or at the workshop, sometimes nothing beats a good pocket-sized tool you can carry around with you. Some of these tools are designed to connect to your keychain right out of the box. For others, you may need to add a jump ring, bit of twine, or some other connection point. In all cases, these are handy portable tools small enough to carry with you.

One of the first lessons you learn in the workshop is "measure twice, cut once." It's an age-old adage built upon the hard-won knowledge that you can always trim off a little more, but you can't uncut what's been cut. Precise measurements are the cornerstone of any successful construction product.

Despite, or perhaps because, measuring tapes are so important and so frequently used, it seems like you can never find one when you need it. To that end, you can never have too many. Even better, this miniature measuring tape from Bauer attaches to your keys, so you'll always have one within arm's reach.

Even though it's small, this tiny measuring tape has all of the usual features and then some. It has a built-in slide lock and a high-impact case to protect it from bumps and scratches in the workshop. A connected keychain attachment lets you clip it to your keys, connect it to your tool bag, or even just hang it from a hook or nail on the wall. It's great for day-to-day measuring but its small size is necessarily limited. If you need to measure anything longer than 6 feet, you'll have to reach for a larger tape measure.

The moment when you need a flashlight (when it's dark) is generally the moment it is most difficult to find one. Searching for things in the dark can be a recipe for stubbed toes and other injuries, especially when stumbling through a tool-filled workshop. This tiny LED flashlight from Harbor Freight clips to your keychain, giving you a portable light source anytime you need it.

It snaps to your keys, tool bag, or belt loop using a snap clip carabiner. You can light your way using three illumination modes: high, low, and flashing. The flashlight puts out 30 lumens of light powered by two CR2032 button cell batteries, commonly called watch batteries (included). It even features a magnetic backing to keep it in place against magnetic surfaces.

Whether you're trying to find a tool, open a lock, or navigate in the dark, a reliable light connected to your keys could make all the difference.

As the name suggests, chuck keys are useful for tightening and loosening chucks, a type of clamp used to hold cylindrical objects. It's the adjustable clamp at the front of your drill that holds the bit in place, for instance. You'll typically use your hand to tighten chucks most of the way, but a chuck key will help clamp it securely in place and offer that initial loosening when releasing the bit after you're finished.

Most power drill sets come with a chuck key designed for use with your drill, but they are easily lost. And without a chuck key, your drill can be rendered essentially useless. This pocket-sized chuck key has four different sizes, designed to fit most major tool brands. It's essentially universal, compatible with more than 125 major brands.

Whether you're working with a wide variety of tools (and a wide range of chucks) or you just need a replacement for a lost chuck key, odds are this pocket-sized four-way key can handle the job.

Sharpened blades are some of the first tools humans ever invented, and they are still some of the most useful. A pocket knife is useful for a wide variety of jobs from trimming soft materials to opening packages, and more. And a folding knife has the added benefits of taking up less space and being safe for pocket or keyring travel.

This particular folding knife from Harbor Freight ups the ante with a key-shaped design. When folded, the key is two inches long, housing a 1⅝-inch blade. It's made of copperized steel and other than a trio of screws holding together its few layers, it looks like an ordinary key.

It works well for removing staples, sharpening pencils, cutting zip ties, opening mail, and dozens of other common jobs. And you'll always know where your folding knife is because, like the keys it's designed to mimic, it conveniently attaches to your key ring.

In the course of your handy-person adventures, you're likely to need to cut or trim some tubing every now and again. There are several kinds of tubing and pipe cutters, from clamping PVC scissors to spinning tube cutters for soft metals.

Many tubing cutters are designed for a specific size of material. They are quick and easy, snapping into place over a compatible piece of tubing, but they only work on one size of material. If your tube is a little too wide or a little too slim, you're out of luck. This miniature handheld tubing cutter from Pittsburgh (the Harbor Freight brand, not the city) can trim tubes with diameters between ⅛ and 1⅛ inches (3 to 28 millimeters) and can cut copper, brass, and aluminum.

Turning a metal bolt adjusts the size of the cutter's opening. A pair of rollers press against your piping, allowing it to spin freely while a circular blade makes the cut. Just insert your chosen tubing, tighten the clamping bolt, and spin. Even with the adjusting bolt, the small design makes it great for getting into tight spaces and it's small enough to hang from your keys.

In the toolshed, a plane is a hand-powered tool used to reduce the width of wood or flatten its surface. When you push a plane across a wood surface, it removes only the highest points, until you're left with an even surface. If you've ever wanted to try your hand at using a wood plane or if you need something to take the edges off small projects, this set of three mini planes is a great entry point.

The kit includes a few different kinds of plane: a bullnose, a scraper, and a block plane, each with carbon steel blades. Each is intended for a slightly different purpose and you can adjust the angle of the blade to suit your purposes.

It's worth noting that these planes are cheaply made and may not produce the best results. Some consumers report the planes have an uneven underside, a considerable problem for a plane. They also need to be adjusted frequently to ensure desirable results. More expensive planes may do a better job but these are small enough to toss in a bag or attach to your keys (just be sure to remove the blades first) and they're good for beginners.

For construction, repair, tinkering, or any other sort of handywork, a good multi-tool is pretty much a must have. While none of the tools on a multi-tool are the best possible version of themselves, there's something to be said for having a collection of basic tools at arm's reach. This multi-tool from Gordon features 20 different tools all folded into a single pocket-sized package.

A stainless steel frame houses pliers, needle-nose pliers, a wire cutter, a wire stripper, an 8-inch ruler, a bit driver, a can opener, a bottle opener, several files (diamond-coated, wood, metal), two knives (flat and serrated), a saw, a hook, a window breaker, scissors, a screwdriver, and a crimper.

Whether you're opening a package with the knife, tightening a loose screw, or preparing a lure for a fishing trip, this portable multi-tool has you covered. All of the tools lock into place when you're not using them and a removable belt clip lets you secure the multi-tool in place between jobs. There's also a fabric sheath you can clip to a key ring. And if you're looking to add to your multi-tool collection, check out our list of recommendations.

Torx bolts or screws come in various sizes (from T1 to T100) and are commonly used on vehicles and consumer electronics, so any half-respectable workshop or tool bag should have a set. Often, a Torx set comes with a collection of loose drivers in a plastic mount or carrying case, and they inevitably get lost. This Torx key set works like a multi-tool, with a set of drivers permanently attached to a central mount.

The drivers are made of steel alloy and feature hollow tips, making them compatible with security screws (learn more with MMtech Online's breakdown of different kinds of fastener heads and drivers) attached to an anodized aluminum handle, and come in the following sizes: T10, T15, T20, T25, T27, T30, and T40. It's small enough to slide into your pocket or connect to your keys, and because the drivers don't disconnect you'll never lose one, provided you don't misplace the entire set.

Magnetic tools can be lifesavers when working in tight spaces or unusual circumstances. Magnetism can hold onto a screw so it doesn't get lost and it can save you from mangled fingers by removing your fragile fingers from between the hardware and the driver. Harbor Freight's Icon brand makes lots of magnetic tools, but this one is from a different in-house brand, and solves a common problem with magnetized tools suffer from. 

While useful, a magnetized driver can also pick up metal shavings and other debris more easily, potentially mucking up temperamental projects. This mini magnetizer from Harbor Freight can magnetize — and demagnetize — ferrous metal objects including hardware like screws or nuts and tools like screwdrivers or wrenches, by passing them through strong magnetic fields.

The tool houses little magnets in such a way that they produce a small but powerful magnetic field. Passing ferrous metal materials through one of the holes alters the magnetic properties, making them magnetic or nonmagnetic. It also comes with a handy key ring already connected for easy attachment to your keys or tool bag.

Even the handiest among us are correctly wary of working with electricity. It's a marvel of modern science, but it's also dangerous. If you're planning to work on wiring, outlets, or any other electrical components, you're going to need a voltage tester. They're useful for ensuring power is disconnected before you start working or for narrowing down the source of a problem. Most of all, they're one of the most important pieces of safety equipment in your tool bag.

This portable voltage tester from Ames is small and has a built-in clip for easy storage. It detects between 50 and 600 volts with visual and audio alerts. It's powered by a single AAA battery (included) and works by inserting itself into a circuit. If electricity is flowing, an LED lights up and an audio alarm activates. If nothing happens, that indicates a lack of electricity in the circuit. Either way, you'll know if and where power is flowing.