My high-school best friend has been a mechanic for 32 years, and has come to the same conclusion as you. His home box is Snap-On (his former work box, slightly larger than my house) but it's full of HF, Northern Tool, ATD, etc. He's never had a complaint about any of it and derides no one for using it. If it came to him on a truck that would warranty it, he might use some of it at work too. We sell Performance Tool (Wilmar) hand tools at my store and I've been surprised by its quality. I haven't warrantied much of it over the past 16 years. I have quite a bit of it myself, but I'm a hobbyist.
However, I shy away from cheap 110V handheld electric tools after a $20 HF angle grinder burst into flame in my hands. The same heat that created fire must've melted the switch: When I dropped it, it darted off. Right out the walk-through door and into the back yard she went before I stomped the extension cord and it unplugged itself. Fast little bugger, especially considering it was on fire at the time. :p In its defense, I got 8 good years out of it prior to the impromptu inferno/drag race. The next (and current) one? Makita.
