The thing is, everything comes from China. Brand names mandate specs for tolerances and refinements.
Many castings are used for various brand names. From the casting facility they are graded and sent to one of a few factories where they are milled, drilled and fitted for bearings and such. The better castings go to those more expensive brands. And on down the line. Then come the electrics, and the Brand Names get the good stuff, and on down the line.
I hate to say this, but I think HF gets the bottom.
I've been in the market for a small air compressor to paint rockets with a small HVLP gun and run a couple air brushes.
Reading reviews on air compressors, I started to read other reviews on other things.
Not just from HF, but pretty much all the big box stores.
I don't read the 3,4&5 ratings, they don't give a lot of useful info.
But the 1 & 2 ratings do. And it doesn't seam to matter what brand, there seams to be a series of problems.
Either broken solid air lines or regulator failure, and motors that don't last.
But, HF has a lot more of these problems.
In today's "China Made" world, it's going to be hit and miss unless you spend top dollar.
When I bought my Power Matic Table saw in 2004, the top was ground flat, but rough.
I spent 8 hours power sanding it smooth. That's was the only problem I ever had with it.
So even spending the top dollar doesn't insure you perfection....from China.
Now I will Rant.
Stop exporting all our scrap metal and coal to China, and stop importing from China.
And put the American's back to work and be more self reliant as a Nation!!!
Rant Over.