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Close-up of a Smittybilt winch. Credit: Smittybilt

The Best Winches of 2024

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Close-up of a Smittybilt winch. Credit: Smittybilt

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Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

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Product image of Warn 103252 VR EVO 10

Warn 103252 VR EVO 10

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The legendary WARN winch offers solid waterproofing and a seven-year warranty in a heavy (if pricey) package. Read More

Pros

  • 7-year warranty
  • 90-foot cable
  • IP68 waterproof level

Cons

  • Heavy at 83 pounds
  • Requires separate plate to install
Product image of Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC 97495

Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC 97495

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This comfortable, lightweight headlamp offers great value with a warranty, hands-free operation, and several lighting modes. Read More

Pros

  • 6.6-horsepower motor
  • 94-foot cable
  • 3-year warranty

Cons

  • Tilt limited to 60 degrees
Product image of Off Road Boar QZ01516-OB Winch Kit

Off Road Boar QZ01516-OB Winch Kit

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With a larger motor and 92 feet of steel cable, the Off Road Boar also has smart features like a roller fairlead and clevis hook. Read More

Pros

  • 5.5-horsepower motor
  • 92-foot steel cable
  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • Iffy customer service
Product image of Smittybilt X2O 97510

Smittybilt X2O 97510

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A name brand among winches, the Smittybilt X20 is a beast of a motor backed up by a solid five-year electrical warranty. Read More

Pros

  • 6.6-horsepower motor
  • 5-year warranty
  • Waterproofing

Cons

  • Expensive to replace lost remote
Product image of Zeak ZEAK13000N Electric Winch

Zeak ZEAK13000N Electric Winch

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A waterproof-sealed solenoid, synthetic rope, and both wired and wireless remotes make for a great winch system at a good price. Read More

Pros

  • 6-horsepower motor with clevis hook
  • 86-foot synthetic rope
  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • Print on winch labels fades quickly
  • Warn 103252 VR EVO 10
  • Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC 97495
  • Off Road Boar QZ01516-OB Winch Kit
  • Smittybilt X2O 97510
  • Zeak ZEAK13000N Electric Winch
  • Pismire 13500 lbs Capacity Winch
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

By the time you need a winch to get your vehicle free of some muck, it’s probably too late to go back home and get it. Luckily, winches can be mounted directly to your vehicle so they’re ready when you need them. But first you have to buy one.

Finding a great winch can be challenging. To sort through the features you need (and pass on the ones you don’t), you need to be clear on your winch expectations. Choosing a winch means considering your vehicle’s weight—or the weight of the vehicles you’ll be pulling—as well as your preference for steel or synthetic cable.

While both types of cable require some maintenance, it’s worth noting that certain off-roading events only allow synthetic cable to be used. All the winches listed here include both wireless and wired remote controls for use.

To help you find the right winch, we dug through thousands of reviews for a variety of options available online. These are some of the best winches you can shop right now.

Product image of Warn 103252 VR EVO 10

Warn 103252 VR EVO 10

  • Pull capacity: 10,000 lbs

This is the brand that, when other winches failed, reviewers either threatened to buy or wished they had. The Warn Evo line is a favorite: 90% of reviewers rated this heavy-duty winch at five stars. With the highest waterproof rating on this list at IP68, the Evo is available in three different size winches and either steel or synthetic cable.

Most of the negative reviews on Amazon involve mishaps like customers receiving used winches when they’d ordered a new one. Installation requires buying a plate as well as the winch, so there’s an additional cost there, too. With a seven-year warranty on electrical parts, this winch sounds like a pretty low-risk investment overall.

Pros

  • 7-year warranty

  • 90-foot cable

  • IP68 waterproof level

Cons

  • Heavy at 83 pounds

  • Requires separate plate to install

Buy now at Amazon


$564.92 from Walmart

Product image of Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC 97495
Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC 97495
  • Pull capacity: 9,500 lbs

If Smittybilt is a brand you prefer, but the price tag is a tad high, check out the XRC winch line. With a similar sized motor and all the thoughtful details Smittybilt offers in their other winches, the Gen 2 XRC has most of the features at a lower cost. One of the big differences is a reduced guarantee, with this winch having a three-year warranty on electrical parts.

The Smittybilt Gen 2 XRC includes a four-roller fairlead and a solid hook, with one reviewer noting the thoughtful features like a magnet in the remote to help you keep track of it. Like the other winches, this one has both wireless and wired remotes. A couple of reviewers mentioned that, when free-spooling cable, this winch can require a bit of work to pull the cable out.

Pros

  • 6.6-horsepower motor

  • 94-foot cable

  • 3-year warranty

Cons

  • Tilt limited to 60 degrees

Buy now at Amazon

$366.74 from Walmart
Product image of Off Road Boar QZ01516-OB Winch Kit
Off Road Boar QZ01516-OB Winch Kit
  • Pull capacity: 9,500 lbs

As a middle-of-the-road option, the Off Road Boar has 92 feet of steel cable and a 5.5-horsepower winch motor and a waterproofed cover. The winch is improved with a roller fairlead and a clevis hook to connect to whatever it is you need to winch out.

With a one-year limited warranty, reviewers were sometimes frustrated when contacting customer service to solve issues when the winch didn’t work out of the box. One reviewer in particular claimed the winch they received was very different from the one pictured.

Pros

  • 5.5-horsepower motor

  • 92-foot steel cable

  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • Iffy customer service

Buy now at Walmart

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Smittybilt X2O 97510
Smittybilt X2O 97510
  • Pull capacity: 10,000 lbs

With a 6.6-horsepower amphibious motor and 98.5 feet of steel cable, the Smittybilt X20 will survive the ride into trouble and get you out of that muck, too. With a higher waterproofing rating than several other so-called waterproof models, the Smittybilt X20 offers a solid build to the case as well as the forged hook.

The winch comes with one of the higher-torque engines, a rope sleeve, and both wireless and wired remotes. If a steel-cable winch is what you’re looking for, this winch offers a limited lifetime warranty on most of the parts, as well as a five-year warranty on the electrical components.

While these features price the Smittybilt X20 at a premium, reviewers often commented on its excellent quality. One reviewer noted that replacing the wireless remote cost roughly half the price he paid for the winch, so be mindful with the remotes.

Pros

  • 6.6-horsepower motor

  • 5-year warranty

  • Waterproofing

Cons

  • Expensive to replace lost remote

Buy now at Amazon

$564.84 from Walmart
Product image of Zeak ZEAK13000N Electric Winch
Zeak ZEAK13000N Electric Winch
  • Pull capacity: 13,000 lbs

After looking at this Zeak winches’ reviews, we found that customers praise the value of this winch, considering the synthetic rope and wireless controller as part of the package. With both wired and wireless controllers included, you have more choices in terms of where you stand while you operate the winch.

A waterproof housing on the solenoid adds to the winch’s ability to weather more adverse conditions. This is another manufacturer that recommends professional installation, since reversing polarity on this winch will short circuit it. Otherwise, many reviewers were happy with their purchase, often comparing this winch to more expensive alternatives.

Pros

  • 6-horsepower motor with clevis hook

  • 86-foot synthetic rope

  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • Print on winch labels fades quickly

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Pismire 13500 lbs Capacity Winch
Pismire 13500 lbs Capacity Winch
  • Pull capacity: 13,500 lbs

The Pismire offers a 7.2-horsepower motor, with 100 feet of nylon rope guided by two wireless remotes and one wired remote. Unlike other electric winches, the Pismire features an extra waterproof cloth cover to help protect the winch when not in use. Generally, most reviewers were happy with the cost of the winch, given the value it offers. One user noted that the rope broke earlier than expected, however.

With a one-year warranty on electric parts, the Pismire has a sufficient guarantee to check out the quality. The manufacturer cautions that installing incorrectly can damage the motor, so be careful when connecting the winch to your vehicle. Thankfully, most reviewers reported that installation was easy.

Pros

  • 7.2-horsepower motor

  • 100-foot nylon rope

  • Extra cover included

Cons

  • Installation can be tricky

Buy now at Amazon

How we chose these products

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

What is a winch?

A vehicle-recovery winch includes a spool of cable, a hook, and a motor for pulling vehicles out of snowy ditches, muddy areas, and other messy situations. You can mount a winch on your vehicle’s bumper or on a winch bar, depending on the kind of kit you buy and what the manufacturer recommends. Most of the ones in this guide have a pull capacity of about five tons.

How to mount a winch on a trailer

If you have a heavy-duty trailer that you pull behind your pickup, you can mount a winch kit to the inside of the trailer’s frame. You’ll find a number of video tutorials online, but you should consider what your likely use cases are and make sure you have bolts strong enough to mount the receiver or frame properly. When it comes to wiring the winch for your purposes, make sure you’re following any instructions supplied by the winch kit manufacturer. And always take the proper safety precautions when installing your own battery box, for example.

Meet the tester

Rebecca Boniface

Rebecca Boniface

Contributor

Rebecca Boniface is a certified PADI dive instructor, full-time nomad, and DIY enthusiast.

See all of Rebecca Boniface's reviews

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