Reviewing some of the coolest Husky Tools of 2018. (Husky Portable Work Bench, LED Lights and Ratchet Straps)

Provided by the Home Depot Prospective Program

Husky portable work table

Over the past few months, I have been using more and more Husky products around the house and shop. As of late, Husky tools have taken an aggressive approach to not only their build quality, but the warranties that really rival anyone on the market today. That being said, we are going to look at a few of the newest members to the Husky line, and we think you will really like what you see.

The first new Husky product we looked at was their new 1.8 ft. x 3 ft. Portable Jobsite Workbench. I wanted to start with this first because it is one of the coolest products that we reviewed this year.

Now, this is no ordinary table as it kind of reminds me of a Transformer. Yeah, you can throw

a few car parts up on this thing, but that’s not all it does. What’s really sets this apart from the others is that it can be used by so many different industries? If you’re a mechanic, toss a carburetor up on it and rebuild it on a solid surface. If you’re a cabinet maker, attach your router to it and go to town. If you are a carpenter and need a larger work area, throw a couple 2x4s in the side brackets and add a plywood top for drawings and/or tools.

If you are wondering how solid this table really is, let me put your mind to rest… It’s solid.  

1   1. Portable workbench is lightweight at just 19.85 lbs.

     2. Includes router insert plate to accommodate common routers Heavy-duty metal legs support up to 1500 lbs.    

     3. And again, it can be used as a miter saw stand, router table and general purpose use.

We also loved that the legs could be independently stored under the table for storage, and will allow the table to be placed up against a wall during storage. For the size of this table, it really does not take up much room at all. I also thought the handle was a nice touch as it allows you to move the table around with ease.

With all the great that this table has to offer, we did find a couple issues that we would like to see improved.

1   1. The router fence (have to make your own) does not glide smoothly. It is held in place by two bolts, but even when they are loose, the fence gets jammed up when trying to adjust it.

2   2. The table legs need to be removed and placed under the table when in transport. Though this is easy to do, folding legs would have been really nice.

3   3. Accommodate different size bar clamps.  The table will only accept up to 2” clamps. Though this is one of the best features of the table, it would be nice to use other sizes.

4   4. Router table attachment plate needs to be drilled to accommodate most routers. One of the biggest questions I had when using this table is why did the holes not line up with my very common Ryobi plunge router? If the face does not line up with your router, you can add the holes yourself, but this was disappointing considering Ryobi and Husky are both really only sold at the Home Depot.  

More Specs

• Metal rails allow small bar clamps to be inserted to create a clamping surface (bar clamps not included)
• Standard professional router insert plate included, pre drilled to fit common routers
• Work table surface is 32 in. height, equal height to the standard sawhorse
• Integrated handle makes it easy to carry; folds down for unobtrusiveness when using the table
• Includes 4 metal brackets to hold 2 x 4s
• Storage case included for accessories
• Backed by a 2-year limited Husky warranty
• Requires assembly
• Bar clamps and tools not included, shown in images for demonstration purpose only
• Polyester webbing, weather resistant, UV-protected design resists wear from the elements
• Full-size, non-marring, vinyl-coated S-hooks
• Large, comfort-grip handle

All in all, this really is a solid, multi-functional table that will help many in the trades. I love how portable it is, and how well it is actually built, and for the price of this table, it really can’t be beat.

Husky Portable LED Clip, Hook and Head lights

The next set of items I want to show you are the new Husky LED portable work lights. Though these may now be the best when it comes to lighting large areas, they really shine (pun intended) in smaller work spaces.

The fist light we looked at was the Husky 200-Lumen Multi Use LED Clip Light

The light includes:

• A hook and magnet to hang for hands-free use
• Let’s you choose between high or low light illumination
• Has a Lifetime Warranty with no questions, no receipt required.

Husky Claims that this light can shine its super-bright LED at 200-Lumen for up to 3 hours. I find that to be wrong, but in a good way. One night I was using this around the shop workbench and forgot to turn this and the utility light off when finished. I came back out the next morning and found that they were still shining bright. Total time that these lights were left on was around eight (8) hours. That means they were both only running on three AAA batteries all night without dying. How efficient is that!

Another nice feature is the hook and magnet at the bottom makes it convenient to hang anywhere you want. The light has a 12 m throw and the outside is made of a durable rubber over mold with a 10 ft. drop resistance. It has 2 modes of operation, high light and low light too. All in all, it’s tough and will take a bit of a beating.

Other Features

1    1. 2 illumination levels let you choose between high light and low light

2    2.Operates for 3-hour and 12m throw based on 3-pieces AAA batteries

3    3. Includes a built-in hook and magnetized clip for camping trips and outdoor usage

4    4. Includes 1 light and 3 AAA batteries so you can start using your light right away

5    5. Lifetime Warranty with no questions, no receipt required.

Husky 200-Lumen Multi-Use LED Utility Light

This was probably my favorite light out of the three that we looked at.

 

Features

• Includes hook and magnet to hang for hands-free use
• Choose between high or low light illumination
• Lifetime Warranty with no questions, no receipt required. 

Basically all of the specs that the clip light has except its round and can be hung from just about any area. This feature makes for a great addition while working under the hood. It also had the same great Lifetime Warranty with no questions, no receipt required.

The last Husky Light we looked at was the

The Husky 300-Lumen LED Dual beam Unbreakable Headlight

This head light was definitely a nice addition to the line of LED lights that we already looked at.

You can illuminate the area around you for safer nighttime activities such as riding a bike, or walking the dog.. The light offers 300-lumen of bright light, with high power LED and COB chip for wide range lighting. The light provides 3 modes of operation, spot, flood, both spot and flood. As a lightweight hands free solution, it's perfect for tradesman and general contractors as well.  Additionally, you can switch on the flashing red light mode for caution in some case.

Other specs

·       1. 3 light modes provide spot, flood, both spot and flood light

·        2. Rubber cover for 30 ft. drop resistant

·        3. 300LM/2H/60M for headlight

·        4. 4AAA energizer alkaline batteries included

·        5. Lifetime warranty with no questions, no receipt required

I really liked the flashing red lights, and could be seen for a long distance. I also liked the fact that the light, (Though can be adjusted) will focus in on the area that you point it at. The only real issue I noticed with this was that my fat thumbs had a hard time pressing the buttons as they sit in sort of a cradle style design, but other than that, I was happy.

The only real negative I found with the lights:

The only real issue that I found with the lights is that they all have that super bright daylight style LED. They are not a comfortable light to look at, or be around at all, and would have been nice to see a more natural illumination with them.

The last item that we looked at was the Husky 1-1/4 in. x 16 ft. Ratchet Tie-Down (4-Pack)

These were made to secure heavy loads, and have a break strength of 2,300 lbs. Not to mention, they are weather resistant and should hold up to whatever Mother Nature throws at them. The straps are made of polyester webbing, and seem well made. Each strap also comes with vinyl cover hooks to help prevent damage to your product/anchor points.

As for the ratchet, its smooth and super easy to use. I really liked the large release handle as I did not have to pull back on two little clips to release. I also put this to the test and strapped about a ton worth of metal down to a hauling trailer. After about 60 miles of travel, I checked to see if they were holding up. The load did not budge an inch.

The one negative I had about these straps is that there is no rubber padding in the back of the foot/casing. This could cause scratching or other damage to your product while tightening it down. Other than that, I was very pleased with how well they held up, and how easy they were to use.

So at the end of the day, Husk is really stepping up their game when it comes to new tools, and their LTW. One of the main reasons why I have become so found of their tools is because they stand behind them, and won’t hassle you if you need to return them. I reminds me of the good old days of Craftsmen tools when they did