Planning to buy a winch but can’t decide which brand you should choose? Then read this article top to bottom to find out the right winch brand for you.
In this article, I’ve put together necessary information on some of the top winch manufacturers to help you choose the right one.
It is vital to remember that these brands are not the only good options in the market. These brands are merely the best reviewed. They have been manufacturing quality winches for quite a long time. It is safe to say that they are highly knowledgeable in the secrets of their trade.
There are other brands out there that might be a really good option for you. Brands that provide quality winches for competitively affordable price points. But these winches are generally the first options – and for good reason. These brands are tried and tested.
They are known for their quality, dependability and durability. If you want to play it safe, there is very little room for a mistake if you go with these winch brands.
Here are some of the best seller winches on Amazon:
Top 6 Winch Makers
- Warn Winches
- Smittybilt Winches
- Mile Marker Winches
- Ramsey Winches
- Superwinch Winches
- X-Bull Winches
1. Warn Winches
This legendary winch manufacturer company was founded in 1948 by Arthur Warn. They began manufacturing locking hubs for surplus World War II Jeeps. They improved the very fast recreational winch in the year of 1959. They have quickly become the leading brand for off-roaders because of their pioneering features.
The company is very popular for its innovative design and leadership. They achieved many awards for their top quality products.
Whether you need a winch for the truck, car, jeep, ATV or any other application, the company has you covered. And their products are of true premium quality.
In the 1980s, the company introduced more new products to the winch market.
Warn Winch industries offers products including Hydraulic Winches, Electric Winches, Winch Accessories, Winch Mounting systems, Off-road Bumpers, Off-Road Lights, Hydraulic Hoists, Electric Hoists, Fender Flares, Skid Plates, Four-Wheel Drive Hubs, Plow Systems, and other off-road gears.
The company established a good relationship with Ford Motor Company in the 1970s. They started producing hub sets for the automobile manufacturer. By 1986, the company moved to another place. Mike Warn Became the new president of the company in 1984. As of today, Warn manufactures off-road equipment and winches that are specifically made for certain car models. But, of course, they also offer products that can be installed on a wide range of models.
The company was acquired by Northwest Equity & Endeavor Capital in 2000. The Dover Corporation acquired it in 2003 for $325 million.
Warn launched the ZEON Platinum winch line in 2014. This is the most technically advanced winch on the winch market. This is not to say that the ZEON Platinum is the only option when it comes to purchasing a Warn winch. They have other series and models that offer the same Warn level of reliability.
Warn winches are known because they are durable, powerful, and efficient and are generally good investments. Though quite pricey, you can be certain that you are getting the best that money can buy. Add to that quality product the good customer service that Warn provides and you’ve got yourself a brand that can’t be but well known and trusted.
Featured product: WARN M8000
The right size and the right price has made this winch a popular choice. It provides enough pulling power for most common jeeps, trucks and SUVs. You can rely on this M8000 Warn winch for years. Read our reviews of Warn Zeon vs Zeon Platinum to find other winches made by warn.
2. Smittybilt Winches
Basil Smith who was also known as “Smitty” began a little machine shop in 1956 which is called Rock-ett Products.
Smith was one of the original four-wheel drive enthusiasts. His dream was to develop four-wheel drive equipment for jeeps and trucks. Eventually, the company was named “Smittybilt”.
Tom, son of Smitty, was able to create new and innovative product ideas. He created products including tulbar front, rear and front bumper for jeeps. The company has built many fantastic products that impressed the off-roaders. Smittybilt winches have become a popular name in the winch industry.
Smittybilt winches can be relied on for their power and sturdiness. A Smittybilt winch is a long-lasting winch. They offer winches that have rated pulling capacities that range widely. Whatever the category of the winch capacity you need, Smittybilt has got it.
Featured Product: Smittybilt 9500 XRC
The Smittybilt XRC Winch comes with all the features you could want in a high-quality winch. They feature 8000lbs of line pull, 172.8:1 gear ratio, 5.5HP SW motor, and a reliable roller fairlead. Also, read our reviews of best Smittybilt winches.
3. Mile Marker Winches
How do you find a winch brand you can rely on? My suggestion is to go with the one that produces winches for the US Military. Actually, Mile Markers winch is the only approved winch for the U.S. Military’s HMMWV (Humvee). That’s why it’s a great option for anyone who is interested to do some serious off-roading.
They have been in business for over 30 years. Their products include high quality hydraulic and electric winches, snatch blocks, shackles, recovery kits, locking hubs, mounting systems, tow and rigging ropes, vehicle accessories etc.
They’re highly known for their hydraulic winch. But they also offer a full line of electric, Industrial, Utility and ATV winches.
When you’re looking for high quality and highly reliable good for your off-roading vehicle, then you can consider Mile Marker team to help you out.
Featured Product: Mile Marker 70-52000C H Series
The Mile Marker Hl12000 winch tap into the power steering pump on your vehicle for the power source. This winch will continue working if it’s flooded with water or encased in mud. Also, read our reviews of best mile marker winches.
4. Ramsey Winches
They’re a leading manufacturer of hydraulic winch, electric winch, planetary gear winch, worm gear winch, and planetary hoists. Their endurance, dependability, and quality have made them very popular.
The advanced manufacturing process, high-quality materials, and highly trained engineers have made this company highly reliable.
Rayburn and Claude Ramsey founded Ramsey Brothers Tool and Die in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They began producing parts, tools and dies for Douglas Aircraft Company. At that time, the demand for aircraft parts was very high because of World War II.
The aircraft parts demand declined after the end of the war. In 1945, Claude moved on to design a front-mounted winch, the Model 101. This winch drew its power from the crankshaft. It was specially engineered for pickup trucks and passenger cars.
Over the years, Ramsey winch became the mainstay of the recovery and towing industry. After the success of their product, they renamed their company Ramsey Brothers Winch Company. A private equity firm named Gridiron Capitol acquired Ramsey Industries Inc in 2007.
Featured Product: Ramsey 111036 Winch
5. Superwinch Winches
This is the biggest privately held winch manufacturers in the world. They keep their focus on producing reliable, simple high-quality winches than adding extra features that most users don’t even need. They offer the product at an affordable price.
A lot of their products are also manufactured using military grade materials. This means that they are rugged, they are tough, and they are more than capable of keeping you safe and snug in the outdoors.
Featured Product: Superwinch 1135220 Terra 35
This is an excellent choice because of its speed and compact design. It provides excellent convenience. Also, read our reviews of best Superwinch winches.
6. X Bull Winches
X-Bull Auto is an Australian company. They started about 8 years ago, not a long time but they have quickly earned a good reputation because of their quality winches at a comparatively low price.
In their short time as a winch manufacturer, X Bull has promptly proven that they are more than contenders in the winch arena. Their products are reliably tough and amazingly powerful. Within just eight years, X Bull made a name for itself due to the quality of their winches. That is an achievement worth applauding.
Featured Product: X-BULL 12V Synthetic Rope Winch
You can read our reviews of best x bull winches.
I hope, now you have got a clear idea about the top winch manufacturers to choose the right one for you. You can also read our winch buying guide.
Honorable Mentions
Apart from the brands above, I would like to mention some other winch brands that couldn’t make it to my top 6 list but they make good quality winches.
Though these brands are not as well-known as the other brands in the list, they are still very reliable brands. If you want a wide range of options for your next winch purchase, these brands should not be easily discarded for the list of choices.
Here are some of the brands: Badland winch, Runva winch, Champion winch, Engo winch, KFI winch, Speedmaster winch, Ironton winch, Offroad boar winch, Keeper winch, Superatv winch, Viper winch, Tuff Stuff winch, Rugcel winch, Rough country winch, Bravex winch, Zesuper winch, Orcish winch, Polaris winch, Westin winch, Traveller winch, Zeak winch, Lewis winch etc.
