There are certainly a couple tools Harbor freight which are far better in quality and well worth the money.
For instance, the blue Chicago electric tools are not worth owning but many of the orange ones aren't too bad. I use a hand held grinder almost every day I am in the shop. I have so for nearly 2 car restorations and 100 metal work jobs I have worked on. I have several hundred hours on this orange grinder when my high dolar Makita didn't last half that long. They sell routeenly for $17!!!
http://www.rc-tech.net/cars/panttransam/1905/bw/chan1.jpg
http://www.rc-tech.net/cars/panttransam/1905/bw/pr5.jpg
On the flip side my old neighbor built airp pumps for a Sears portable pump. The pump was Made in the USA. They have a regular and a delux model which is $20 more. He showed me the pump. The SAME pump goes in both the regular and the delux model. The ONLY difference is the delux model has a BIGGER case!