Price: $298.00
Pros: Great price with warranty and available parts for rebuild.
Cons: None for the avid weekend user.
Recommended? Yes

Comments: First off I trail every weekend I'm not a boulevard Jeeper. So I looked into Warn and other big names. This winch had the same 8000lb rate to it. But more so had replacement parts available. More so however. I've had water in the Jeep up to my mid section and realized I've only ever been stuck one time in a year! That was to my own direct stupidity. I knew I was going to get stuck. No doubt did it on purpose. So I decided to get the xrc 8 for "casual use" and have made a great choice. Easy install everything from the start to finish is labeled and color coded and "Lettered" a-d ect. You can't screw this up. Super winch. If you live in Alaska or need to pull up a 100 foot Mountain you might want a back up. But the mitty will do it anyways. Well, for the record it'll pull you up anyways. Over twice the weight pull....

Price: $264.00
Pros: Inexpensive, easy installation, great insurance
Cons: None
Recommended? Yes

Comments: I bought this online shipped to my door for 264.00! The directions were straightforward and all hardware was included. I just wish the directions showed how to mount the relay box. I figured it out, but I'm just saying...

Price: $299.99
Pros: Cheap, east to install.
Cons: Already fried my first one and I am on to my second one. Warranty replacement.
Recommended? Yes

Comments: This is a good starter winch. Maybe I had bad luck with the first one.

Price: $300.00
Pros: Looks great, performes great, great price
Cons: Slow recovery rate
Recommended? Yes

Comments: Pretty sweet for the price. A must for the casual/cheap off roader

Price: $299.00
Pros: Pulls hard and fast.
Cons: lever is weak
Recommended? No

Comments: I've had this on the front of my xj for a good two or three years now. It has not failed me when I used it until yesterday when the lever just popped off in my hand for some reason. I put it back in the hole but couldn't get it in gear. I heard this was a common issue with the winch so I'm currently emailing 4wd about this. I have the extreme warranty.

Price: $299.00
Pros: strong power
Cons: poor lever design to engage/free spool, controller is cheap (2 broke already),
Recommended? No

Comments: I have had this since Jan. (4 months). I got the first one and the and the "shift" lever was jammed (took 5 minutes to get in to engage not good when stuck in the mud) and I took it back to replace the entire winch.

Then next time I used it the cable with controller broke and wouldn't unwind the winch (not a huge problem as you can free spool it out) They sent me a new one with out any questions.

The same issue with the controlled occurred a second time (still waiting to talk to them about a new one)

Then the bolt that hold the cable to the winch disappeared and the cable came free from the spool. Creating all kinds of winching issues on while out in the mud since the end was flapping all over the place and creating a binding issue with the outer housing supports. Smittybilt says they don't have a screw to put in at this time. So go to the hardware store and buy what the guy at Smittybilt told me would fit. I take off the cable and and don't find anyway to reattach the cable with what the guy said. It appears that the bolt has sheared off and there is no way to attach it.

Nothing but problems with this brand winch. Yes, it can pull it's weight when it works right but if you plan on really using it I would upgrade to a better quality. It sucks to be out there and you look like a fool because your winch is a POS, and you can't get out because your POS is broken.

I guess if you are doing a little pulling and not really using it a lot it's very good, but doesn't stand up to real use.

I am going to buy me a Warn the next chance I get. Probably today since the POS I have is broken!!!!!!!!!!

Price: $300.00
Pros: easy to install
Cons: none
Recommended? Yes

Comments: I haven't really had to use this much but i have tested it and it doesn't seem to have many weaknesses.

Price: $300.00
Pros: Cheap, dependable, reliable
Cons: weak engage lever
Recommended? Yes

Comments: I had a problem with the engage/freespool lever in which the roll pin inside snapped. I purchased it from 4wd with the extended waranty and they did not send an exact replacment but instead shipped me an upgraded thicker and stronger part which to this day has not failed yet. This is the BEST winch for the money and then some. Good speed and pulls very good.

Price: $299.00
Pros: inexpensive insurance
Cons: gets hot with use! For intermittent use only
Recommended? Yes

Comments: I have not used this winch much, but when I have it gets hot pretty quick. I have had a Warn in the past, and it did not do this. I would say it's OK for light intermittent use, but if I was going to do a lot of sustained winching, I would spend the extra money for a Warn. If you are looking for cheap insurance for that occasional extraction, this is a good buy. The fit and finish is OK, and it mounts up easily. Does not add a ton of weight to the front bumper

Price: $300.00
Pros: cheap, easy install
Cons: None yet
Recommended? Yes

Comments: Used it a few times, never had an issue. Be sure to pick up a yellow top or other deep cycle battery if you get a winch

Price: $450.00
Pros: Synthetic line, price
Cons: Not a warn, but still a nice winch
Recommended? Yes

Comments: I'm just going to say I like it so far, never had to use it on the trail yet, but it's very easy to hook up for a newb that never used a winch before. Everything is labeled A B C D to keep it simple.

Price: $300.00
Pros: great winch always worked for mw
Cons: gets a little rusty down at the beach
Recommended? Yes

Comments: This winch has never failed on me. i have never actually had to use it for myself, but i have pulled tons of cars off of the beach with it. It has got a lot of power, earlier this year i pulled a Ford F350 out of the sand.

Price: $300.00
Pros: synthetic rope, complete setup
Cons: none
Recommended? Yes

Comments: worked just fine so far. Love the synthetic rope.
My TJ pulled my friend's Sport-Trac out of a slough with no problems.

Price: $300.00
Pros: Recovery, what more do you want?
Cons: none yet
Recommended? Yes

Comments: I havn't needed it yet for pulling myself out, but i have used it to move trees out of the trail. when the day comes that i get stuck, i know i can rely on this winch to get me out

Price: $299.00
Pros: All
Cons: Bad paint
Recommended? Yes

Comments: For this price there is nothing to say but BUY!

Price: $280.00
Pros: affordable
Cons: none yet
Recommended? Yes

Comments: have used it a few times to recover others, worked fine, just seems like you have to spool in before free spooling

Price: $249.00
Pros: cheap
Cons: slow
Recommended? Yes

Comments: works fine for the price

Price: $299.99
Pros: good winch for a cheap price
Cons: cant mount fairlead to the winch.
Recommended? Yes

Comments: awesome winch for the price, has pulled me out of dozens of tight spots and never had a problem performing. i once even pulled a dodge ram 1500 with no front wheels (broke his lca's off) through the mud, up part of a hill then through the rest of it and it never faltered.i had to use a strap to tie my jeep down to a tree to keep from moving though haha.

Price: $399.99
Pros: Cheap and gets the job done
Cons: Line speed is not all that fast.
Recommended? Yes

Comments: It works great for me I'm not a hardcore JEEPER and mainly used it for hunting and recovery when I do get stuck or for other hunting purposes.

Price: $300.00
Pros: Spools and unspools fast, runs strong, pulls hard
Cons: none!
Recommended? Yes

Comments: great price, great product, great customer service from the company!