If you are a person that tows a lot, then you need to buy the best winch possible. The market is filled with options that claim to be the best, making choosing one product for use even difficult. Well, that changes with this article.
I will be focusing on some of the best winch for Jeep. There is an included buying guide too, for people who have any confusion. I will also be awarding a winner at the end of this article. So, stay tuned to find that out!
1. WARN 96800 VR8 12V Electric Winch
If you are looking for something truly incredible, then this WARN 96800 VR8 12V Electric Winch is for you. This winch has been designed for users such as towing and hauling and is pretty good at it. The manufacturer has added some pretty solid features, which all of you are going to love. Let’s first discuss the weight limit.
Well, this winch can pull around 8000 pounds, which is truly an insane number. It is nearly impossible for anyone to exceed that limit, which means that it is perfect for almost all uses.
The winch itself has a low-profile design. It looks good and does not compromise on anything. The manufacturer has utilized a waterproof Albright contractor, which is truly the best in class right now.
The winch also uses a one-piece tie plate. If you know about winches, then you might find it strange and must be asking why there is one tie plate. Well, this one plate is more durable than multiple ones, which are commonly found in hinges.
WARN has also used a cone brake that will easily be able to hold any load you want. The VR8 is also the best in all of its family in a no-load line speed.
Finally, the company also offers a seven-year warranty with this electric winch. The warranty covers all electrical and mechanical issues, as long as they were not caused by improper usage and originated from the factory. This means that this buy is completely risk-free because if there are any faults, they will be visible within the first few months of usage.
- Waterproof Albright contractor
- One-piece tie plate for strength
- Seven-year warranty
- Can pull 8000 pounds of weight
- Shipping mishaps
WARN can change its courier or see a drop in ratings and overall trust from its buyers. It has created a solid product, but what is the point of making one when it cannot be used.
2. OFF ROAD BOAR 9500-lb. Load Capacity Electric Winch Kit
OFF ROAD BOAR is a brand that I am not familiar with, but it certainly is a popular option out there. With more than 600 positive ratings, this OFF ROAD BOAR 9500-lb. Load Capacity Electric Winch Kit is one of the best out there.
Let me tell you what features it has to assess if it is good for you. It is not uncommon to see electric winches being offered in different configurations.
Manufacturers offer it in different load capacities. But when it comes to mind blowing options, OFF ROAD BOAR is the brand for you. It offers four options, from 3000 pounds and up to 13000 pounds. That is truly insane. The fact that there are people who need to pull this kind of load honestly shocked me. The motor on this winch is pretty beefy.
When under full load, it will be able to produce around 6 HP, which is impressive, considering the overall size of the package. Let’s take a look at the efficiency of this product.
When there is no load, the winch can pull at a rate of around 24.6 feet per minute. It can go up to 6.4 feet per minute when it is fully loaded, which is pretty impressive. The thing about winches is that they are exposed to the weather all around the year.
Whether it be the rain or the snow, a winch needs to handle it because the electrical components inside it will short out. OFF ROAD BOAR knows about this and has handled it by making the winch IP67 water-resistant.
Honestly, I think it is overkill because IP67 allows the product to be submerged underwater for over 30 minutes. So, the company went overboard to make sure the winch could not be shorted out.
- Load capacity is up to 13000 pounds
- Can pull at 6.4 ft/min at full load
- IP67 water-resistant
- Different load options
- Faulty items received
Apart from a small number of users who complained about the issue, most of the 600 buyers were more than content with what they received.
3. Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC Winch
Interested in a product that has a higher load capacity and more buyer ratings? Then there is no product more suitable for you than this Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC Winch. With buyer ratings almost reaching 3000, the company has made a famous product.
When you take a look at what it brings to the table, you will be certainly impressed. Just like the previous one, this winch has been offered in four different variants.
All of these variants are the same, except for the load capacity. Starting from 9500 pounds and going all the way up to 17500 pounds, the company has made a product that has been designed for true heavy-duty usage.
Unlike the previous winch, which was designed to be water-resistant to an extent, Smittybelt made its product completely waterproof. This means that it will not be affected by water or snow in any regard.
You can take it anywhere, and you can have the peace of mind that the electronics will not be affected. Unlike other manufacturers that include the winch and not the required hardware and wiring, Smittybelt has added everything in the same box. You don’t have to worry about getting the required wiring from the nearest hardware store.
This makes this buy pretty convenient. Warranty is a thing that many people want to know about when it comes to electric winches. Well, if have some good news for you there. The manufacturer has included a lifetime warranty for mechanical failures and a 5-year warranty for electrical ones. This is certainly good news for many of you.
- Completely waterproof
- Can pull a load of up to 17500 pounds
- Lifetime mechanical warranty
- All electrical wires included in the box
- Faulty products received
The manufacturer has created an amazing product. There is little doubt about that. What it should focus more on is to make sure that the winch is working so that users will not have to find that out when they receive it.
4. Superwinch 1511201 Tiger Shark 12V Winch
You know a winch company means business when the term is included in its name. Superwinch is a company that makes some amazing winches. This winch comes in two variants, 9500 pounds and 11500 pounds. That is more than enough for most people. The manufacturer made sure to not let the weather affect its product at all.
Whether it be the rain, snow, or even the dust, everything will work perfectly, without any issues. The working of this Superwinch 1511201 Tiger Shark 12V Winch will not be compromised, no matter what you do.
Even the solenoid has been fully sealed, so it cannot be affected. The company made sure that no condition would affect the usability of the winch. At its peak, the motor can produce 6.0 HP, which is comparable to the previous one.
This means that it is more than capable of handling the load specified by the manufacturer. It does not end there. The company has also used synthetic rope and an aluminum fairlead. Yes, all of this is included in the box. Synthetic rope is perhaps the best option out there. It is extremely durable and will not give in, no matter what you do.
For easy control, there is a rubber remote that will be able to control the operations of the winch. This makes this product very convenient to own. The wire for the remote has twelve feet wide, so it is more than enough for most people.
The design of this winch is also great. The spool control has been ergonomically shaped, so it will not run into any issues. It will have an excellent grip at all times and will operate effortlessly.
- Completely weather resistant
- Synthetic rope used
- Rubber remote with a 12 feet wire
- Ergonomically shaped spool control
- May stop working prematurely
Superwinch has made a superb product. Apart from very few buyers reporting about this issue, most were content with what they received. It should definitely be on your consideration list.
5. Rugged Ridge 15100.25 Trekker Winch
Looking for a product from a brand that is not popular? Well, if you really like to live on the edge, then this Rugged Ridge 15100.25 Trekker Winch is the perfect one for your Jeep.
With only 20 ratings, it is one of the least popular options on this list. But when I took a look at its feature set, it impressed me a lot, which led me to believe that it deserves a place on this list. This is perhaps one of the most popular options on this list.
With it being able to pull up to 12500 pounds, this winch can produce 6.6 HP of power, which is more than all previous products I listed here. That is not all. The manufacturer believes in the reliability of its product. That is why it has used a three-stage gearbox, which allows for better power management.
Rugged Ridge has designed this winch to be water-resistant. It has a resistance rating of IP68, which is excellent. The rating means that it can be submerged underwater for over 30 minutes. Although there are close to zero scenarios where this will be done, it is still reassuring to see that this winch will not fail due to water damage.
The manufacturer also makes a ton of accessories for its winches, such as this one. From synthetic roped to various types of hooks and kits, the company has made available many products that help you out in difficult situations. The company promises that its products are of outstanding quality and are durable and reliable.
- Three-stage gearbox
- IP68 water-resistant
- Many supported accessories
- Can produce 6.6 HP
- Missing hardware
Rugged Ridge genuinely impressed me with this winch. It is underrated because of the fact that it performs so good and is reliable too.
6. Mile Marker SEC15 15000 Pound Jeep Electric Winch
This article has almost reached its end, but I am not seeing any shift in the competition from the manufacturers. Each product that goes on to this list is so good that I am having a tough time placing them correctly.
Don’t worry because that has been figured out. With that said, arriving in the second last position is the Mile Marker SEC15 15000 Pound Jeep Electric Winch.
You will really appreciate its feature set. Do you love numbers? I know this is an odd question, but you can truly know the capabilities of any electronic if you are able to measure its performance.
Well, starting off, this winch can pull up to 15000 pounds of load, which is clearly in the heavy-duty category. That is not all. The company has opted for a 3-stage gear train, just like the previous one.
It also has a 296 to 1 ratio, which is as good as it gets. This means that the winch will perform reliably and will not fail on your mid-operation. I will not be wasting any more time talking about waterproofing because that has been covered plenty of times in this article. This winch is IP68 water-resistant.
The manufacturer has designed it in such a way that snow and mud will not affect it. Mud is perhaps one of the most common places of emergency where a winch can be needed. Well, you can relax when I tell you that this winch will be able to handle contact with the mud like a champ. Even the solenoid is completely submersible.
- Can pull around 15000 pounds
- Rugged 3-stage gear train
- IP68 water-resistant
- Mud and snow resistant
- No ratings
I really would not worry about this winch because of the fact that it has some incredible features. Its performance is one of the best on the market, and you really would not want to miss out on something this good.
7. KEEPER KW75122RM-1 12V DC Rapid Mount Portable Winch
This article has finally arrived at the seventh and the final product. Before I get started, there is one thing that I must clarify.
Although this KEEPER KW75122RM-1 12V DC Rapid Mount Portable Winch has earned the last spot, it is definitely not the worst. As was said in the introduction, the market is filled with different options. So, all of these winches are pretty good.
With that said, let’s see what features this electric winch offers. This winch is offered in four different configurations. Starting from 7500 and up to 17500 pounds, the manufacturer has made sure to serve all sorts of people who use winches.
The motor used in this product is certainly weaker than the competition. It can produce 4.5 HP. That is still more than enough for most applications.
The unique thing about this winch is that it has a wireless remote, unlike other options on this list, which have a wired connection instead. This is certainly good news for many of you because it adds to the convenience factor of the winch.
The winch also supports accessories, which can be bought separately. This means that you will not have any compatibility issues as long as you have the proper accessories at the required time.
Moreover, the brand offers recovery straps and much more if you don’t want to risk it with other companies. The winch also has a galvanized wire rope that is pretty strong. Its strength easily crosses the point that you don’t even have to question its durability. No matter what you pull, the rope will not give up.
- Different buying options
- Available accessories
- Galvanized rope wire
- May fail early
After taking a close look at this winch, it can be concluded that it definitely deserves a spot on this list. It checks all of the boxes of a high-quality product.
FAQs
How Do I Choose A Winch For My Jeep?
This right here is a great question. The answer to this is simple. You don’t need to do any research or refer to someone. Instead, all you need to do is get a winch that can pull the weight that is 1.5 times your own Jeep.
This is very specific because users like to fill the Jeeps up with electronics and add-ons. You need to measure the weight and get a winch that can pull around 1.5 times its weight.
What Size Winch Do I Need For My Jeep?
This question is very similar to the previous one. Although it is recommended to measure the weight and do the appropriate calculations, you could make do with a winch that can pull around 9500 to 10000 pounds.
Now, this is number may vary, but if you have made very light modifications to your Jeep, then getting a winch within this range will be suitable for you. Again, it would be better to get a weight estimate of your vehicle and then proceed.
Do I Need An Extra Battery For A Winch?
Although it is not required for small winches, it is still better to get another battery for operating a winch. You never know when you may need one.
In cases when a winch completely drains the battery, and you are not able to start your Jeep, you will regret the decision of not getting a second one. That is why it is always advised to get an extra battery for winches that are used for applications such as high load pulling.
Can I Use Jumper Cables To Run A Winch?
Yes, jumper cables are perfect for running a winch. But they are only advised for short durations of usage. If you are looking to use the winch for extended periods of time, then jumper cables are not for you.
They have been designed to sustain only short bursts of electricity. Long usage can cause the terminals of the battery to melt due to it getting too hot. So, it is better to get proper wires which are designed for the job.
Conclusion
If you have done research prior to reading this article, then you may already be aware of the fact that the market is crowded with too many options. This was acknowledged in the introduction of this article too. After hours of research, I have finally narrowed that vast list down to these seven products, all of which perform exceptionally.
I would give the crown to the WARN 96800 VR8 12V Electric Winch as the best winch for Jeep. It truly is an incredible product and will give you a reliable experience. But, any product you choose, as long as it belongs to this list, will work flawlessly.
