Quick Answer: Best Cheap Winch
Admit it or not, winches tend to be expensive. Especially, the best winches from the top brands come with a huge price tag most of the time. But if you research the market thoroughly, then you will find a number of winches that are cheap yet high-quality.
We know that it is not possible for everybody to scour the market. Thus, we have gone ahead and did the job on your behalf, went to off-road trade shows, tried out a large number of winches, spoke to experts, full-time offroaders and overlanders to find some of the best cheap winches for our readers. In this post, we will be sharing reviews of these winches with a brief buying guide.
Best Cheap Winch
Best Cheap Winch – Reviews
Best Cheap Truck Winch – ZEAK 10000lb. Advanced Electric Power Winch Review
ZEAK is known for offering high-end products but at a very reasonable price. So, if you are looking for the best winch without spending a ton, then you should not skip ZEAK.
They have various types of electric winches. This is the winch with 10,000 lbs. of pulling power.
So, it will be suitable for SUVs, 4×4 vehicles, trailers, and similar types of overlanding vehicles. This winch comes with a 5.6 Hp permanent magnet motor (12V DC).
In addition, it is equipped with a 3-stage planetary gear train. The gear ratio on this one is 218:1. This indicates you will be able to operate this winch smoothly.
As for safety measures, they have used a dynamic braking system and a circuit breaker. The net dimension of this ZEAK winch is 6.3 x 21 x 8.35 inches. Additionally, it weighs 81 lbs. or 36.71 kg. It comes with 81 feet galvanized steel cable with a diameter of ⅜ inch.
You will get a latched clevis hook, weatherproof solenoid, 4-way roller fairlead, and other winch mounting hardware. It is compatible with the 10 x 4.5-inch mounting bolt pattern. This cheap electric winch also features a free spooling clutch. The drum size is 2.5 x 8.8 inches.
When there is no load it can attain a line speed of 16 ft./mn and with full loads, it has a line speed of 5 feet/mn. You will get a handheld remote with this one.
The remote comes with an 11.5 feet cable so that you can operate this from a safe distance. All in all, for the price, this could be one of the best winches out there.
What Previous Buyers Said?
The majority of the previous buyers have praised the quality and the performance of the winch.
They also said that the price is not that high for a winch of this caliber. They liked that it comes with almost all the necessary mounting accessories. Overall, they are very happy with the winch.
Pros:
- Comes with circuit breaker
- It has a 1-year limited warranty
- Comes with a handheld remote control
- Ruggedly built waterproof winch
Cons:
- No wireless remote control
Best Cheap Winch for Jeep – Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC Winch Review
Smittybilt has become one of the biggest brands when it comes to winches. But most of their products tend to be a bit pricey. But it is the exact opposite in the case of this Gen 2 XRC winch.
It offers the perfect price to performance ratio. So, if you are facing difficulties in finding the best budget winch for Jeep, then you should look no further.
This electric winch comes with a rated line pull of 9500 lbs., which makes it a perfect 4×4 winch. It has a 6.6 series wounding motor. You will get all the installation accessories and wiring tools with it for free.
The net dimension of this cheap Jeep winch is 20.88 x 6.3 x 7.4 inches. Plus, the weight of the winch is about 78 lbs. or 35 kg. This winch from Smittybilt is compatible with the 10 x 4.5 inches mounting bolt pattern.
This Smittybilt winch is made for handling any tough weather conditions as it comes with IP 67 certification. It uses a 3-stage planetary gear train with a gear ratio of 161:1.
You will also get a wired handheld remote control with a 12 feet cable. It features sliding ring gear and automatic in-drum braking technology.
The installation process of this winch from Smittybilt is very easy. Matter of fact, you can mount the 500 AMP solenoid in various ways.
The winch comes with a galvanized stainless steel cable of 93.5 feet in length and 5/16 inches in diameter. That means it is integrated with a 4-way roller fairlead. Besides, you will get a clevis hook with a latch and the mounting bolts with this.
What Previous Buyers Said?
Like any other Smittybilt winches, this one also has become one of the most popular winches to various users.
Most past buyers are recommending it. They are stating that this is a great product at a very reasonable price with a reliable warranty policy.
Pros:
- Waterproof winch IP67 rated
- Comes with a lifetime mechanical and a 5 years electrical warranty
- Very long winch cable
- Multiple solenoid mounting points
- You will find all the wiring necessary for the installation process free
Cons:
- The instruction manual could be better written
Best 4×4 Winch for the Money – ZESUPER 9500 lb. Load Capacity Electric Winch Review
This electric winch is for the users that are looking to get a winch with a synthetic rope. This one comes with a 48 feet synthetic cable with a diameter of 3/16 inches.
It is a highly powerful winch with a load capacity of 9500 lbs. In addition, it sports a hawse fairlead instead of a 4 way roller fairlead.
The net dimension of the winch is 22.3 x 5.4 x 9.4 inches. It weighs about 53 lbs. or 24 kg. It supports the 10 x 4.5 inch bolt pattern.
You will like that it comes with a 6.6 Hp series wound motor and a three stage planetary gear train. It has a very high line speed. For your information, when empty, the line speed of this winch is 10.5 ft./mn.
On the other hand, when in full load capacity, the line speed of the winch is 3.3 feet/mn. One of the best features of this best off road winch for the money is that it comes with both wireless and wired remote control. That means you can control the winch from a long distance without any issues.
In the package, you will get the remotes (wired and wireless), a set of wire cable bolts, clevis hook, control box, solenoid contractor, and user manual with the winch.
All in all, if you are looking for a winch that comes with synthetic cable at an affordable price, then you should get this one.
What Previous Buyers Said?
Frankly, almost all of the former buyers of this winch said positive things about it. They have said that in terms of performance, this is a beast.
On top of that, the inclusion of some perks like both wired and wireless remotes, IP67 certification, synthetic rope, and clevis hook has made it one of the best cheap winches out there.
Pros:
- Comes with 1-year limited warranty
- Weatherproof and waterproof winch (IP67 certification)
- Comes with both wired and wireless remote control
- It comes with synthetic cable
- Best value winch
Cons:
- Nothing major to mention
Best Budget 10k Winch – Rugged Ridge 15100.07 Black Trekker Winch Review
Are you looking for a powerful winch without hurting your wallet? Then you should check this one from Rugged Ridge. This winch comes with a pulling power of 10,000 lbs.
Besides, it is packed with a 5.6 Hp series wound motor. You will also like that Rugged Ridge uses a three stage planetary gear train system with a gear ratio of 212:1.
All these pieces of equipment allow it to have a line speed of 7 ft./mn at full load. For safety purposes, they offer a free wired handheld remote control system.
So, it is possible to operate the winch from a safe distance. On top of that, the winch has an IP68 waterproof rating.
That means it will be able to withstand the harsh weather condition out there. The installation process of this winch is very user-friendly as well.
You will be able to mount the control box in a variety of ways. The winch is equipped with 85.3 feet or 26-meter steel cable, which has a diameter of ⅜ inches.
They also have a version of this best 10k winch with synthetic rope. However, the stainless steel cable version comes with a 4-way roller fairlead.
The net dimension of the winch is 24 x 13.5 x 10.5 inches and it has a weight of about 80.6 lbs. (36.5 kg). All in all, if you are looking for a ruggedly built winch with a lot of power, this could be one of the best winches for you.
What Previous Buyers Said?
This is another top-rated cheap winch. Most of the previous buyers left positive feedback about this. They have said that it is a great thing that it comes with such high load capacity.
Additionally, they have also liked the overall performance of the winch. They have also added that for a winch with a pulling power of 10,000 lbs., it has a very low price.
Pros:
- best budget winch
- Comes with IP68 waterproof certification
- Features wired remote control
- Comes with a 5-year warranty
- Multiple mount points for the solenoid box
Cons:
- Nothing major to mention
Best Winch with Synthetic Rope – FIERYRED Electric Synthetic Rope Winch Review
If you want a good cheap winch that packs a lot of power, then FieryRed has the perfect winch for you. For instance, this winch comes with a pulling power of 13,000 lbs.
Interestingly, they offer both wireless and wired handheld remote control for free with this winch. The wireless remote control can operate the winch from a distance up to 25 meters.
The build quality of the winch is top-notch. They have used a matte black textured finish which keeps it safe from the harsh environment.
You will be glad to know that it can withstand water, mud, rain, and anything on its way while outdoors. The 6.0 Hp series wound motor provides monstrous pulling power.
The electric winch is integrated with a differential 3 stage planetary gear train, which has a gear ratio of 265:1.
Also, it features an automatic load-holding brake for additional safety. It comes with an 85 feet synthetic cable that has a diameter of ⅜ inches.
The size of the drum is 2.5 (Diameter) x 9.6 (Length) inches. As usual, in terms of the farilead mechanism, it uses a hawse one.
The overall size of the winch is 20.8 x 6.5 x 8.6 inches and it weighs about 37 kg or 81 lbs. You will also get a clevis hook, circuit breaker, both remote controllers, a control box, and some mounting hardware with the winch.
Not many winches with a synthetic rope come at such a low price. So, if you are on a tight budget and trying to find a powerful synthetic rope winch, then this could be one of the best options out there.
What Previous Buyers Said?
A few of the customers complained about the poor instruction manual. Other than that, they didn’t have anything bad to say about the winch itself.
The maximum previous buyers admired the build quality and the performance of the winch. Also, they have liked that it came with dual remote control for free of cost. So, for a cheap winch, this could be a great deal.
Pros:
- Comes with circuit breaker
- Waterproof and ruggedly built
- Comes with 1 year of warranty
- It has dual remote controls (wired and wireless)
Cons:
- The instruction manual is poorly written
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Best Winch for the Money – Anbull 12V 9500lb Electric Winch Review
Anbull is known for supplying cheap yet premium high-quality products. And there is no exception in the case of this winch as well. This winch comes with a load capacity of 9500 lbs.
But it is packed with useful and unique features. First of all, it is IP67 certified. They are offering a synthetic cable with this winch. As a result, it also comes with a hawse fairlead, not a 4 way roller fairlead.
The synthetic cable has a length of 92 feet and a diameter of 8.3 mm. The build quality of the Anbull electric winch is heavy-duty. This is waterproof, alkali resistant, corrosion-resistant, and wear-resistant.
There is a 3-stage planetary gear system in this. Along with that, it has a 12V/4.1 Kw motor. The gear ratio of the winch is 265:1. The powerful 500AMP solenoid is sealed in a heavy-duty control box.
The no-load line speed of this winch is 7.8 m/mn. Conversely, in full load, it has a line speed of 1.7 m/mn. As usual, it is compatible with the 10 x 4.5 inch mounting bolt pattern.
The net dimension of the winch is 23.31 x 14.25 x 10 inches and the weight of the winch is about 60 lbs. or 27.2 kg.
That means it is a very compact, and lightweight winch. As a result, you will be able to install it with ease. For safety purposes, it has overload protection. On top of that, it comes with both a wired and wireless remote control.
The wireless remote control has a range of up to 20 meters or 66 feet. If the battery of the wireless remote dies, you will have the option to use the wired remote control.
With this winch, you will find a fairlead, two remote controls, user manual, winch mounting bracket, cable, hook strap, clevis hook, solenoid, and a few mounting hardware. In short, this is the best winch when it comes to value for money.
What Previous Buyers Said?
As per maximum past customers of this winch, this is a steal in terms of the price to performance ratio.
They mentioned that if you want a quiet and powerful winch for your ATV/UTV, then this is the perfect option. Also, they admired the inclusion of the dual remote control with this.
Pros:
- It has 1 year of warranty
- Comes with dual remote control (wired and wireless)
- IP67 waterproof certified
- Comes with synthetic cable
- Budget winch
Cons:
- Nothing major to mention
Buying Guide – Best discount winches
What Is The Best 12000 Lb Winch?
To be honest, there is not a specific winch that would be the best 12,000 lbs. winch. Because there is a wide range of winches available from a variety of brands.
In order to pick the best winch, you should go for one that is from a well-reputed brand.
Also, it should have a good warranty and after-sale policy. As always, you should take a look at what the previous buyers of the specific winch are saying about it.
Is A Warn Winch Worth It?
Warn is one of the best – if not the best – brands when it comes to winches. Most of their winches come with sturdy build quality, a reliable warranty policy, and top-notch performance.
However, they tend to price their winches a bit higher than the competitions. So, if you have the budget, and want a winch from a reliable brand, then you can go with a Warn winch.
In that case, it will be worth it. Because a winch should be long-lasting and reliable. But if you don’t want to break the bank yet want a premium winch, then you can go with any of the winches we have reviewed in this post.
How Much Does A Winch Cost?
Frankly, ‘Winch’ is a very broad term. There are different types of winches in terms of the mechanism or pulling capacity.
Also, different brands tend to price their winches differently. It is worth checking their winch deals. So, it is a tough task to answer this question in general. However, a high-quality winch with a lower pulling capacity would cost somewhere between 200 to 500 USD, heavy-duty ones can cost even around $1,500.
But of course, there are super cheap electric winches. On the contrary, some winches could cost more than a thousand dollars as well. Simply put, the price of a winch depends on many factors. So, it is not possible to provide a definitive answer to this.
Conclusion – Best Cheap Winches
From the reviews above, you can see that you don’t have to break the bank to get a high-quality reliable winch. We have tried to include winches of different features, specs, and price range. So that all of our readers find one that meets their needs and requirements.
Now, you can go with any of the winches reviewed above. Because all of these are top-class. They are cheap in price but not in quality. But if you are still in a dilemma, then you can follow our suggestion.
In our opinion, the Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC Winch is the best winch from the list above. But for its extreme value for money, the Anbull 12V 9500lb Electric Winch would come as a close second.
