Competition is a great thing - really. Whether it’s two competitors dukeing it out on a rock course, or more than one manufacturer making a similar product - competition drives the opposing forces to do or make something better, faster, stronger or even less expensive– which of course is a great thing for the consumer.
This brings us to the review in hand, the
Mile Marker electric E12000 and E9000 winches.
For years, Mile Marker dominated the hydraulic winch industry, while Warn and Ramsey ruled the electric lineup. Only the last year or so have some new players, such as Mile Marker and T-Max enter into the electric winch market. This very competition has turned the tides for those of us who have always wanted a winch for our rigs, but chose to invest our hard-earned clams on products that net us more traction, more articulation or more bling.
For the cost-conscious, weekend wheeler, a winch is something every 4-wheel drive should have-but it's a lot like a first aid kit-you hope you will never have to use it. Since most winches only get used a handful of times throughout the year, the "cost-per-pull" doesn't provide a big return on your investment. In short, if you spread the cost of a name-brand, $1,000 winch over a year in which you only use 5 times, it'll cost you about $200 per use. That's a lot of dough, so does it justify spending big money on a big name, or is it worth taking a look at the newer, more competitive (read: less expensive) winches in the market?
The point we’re driving at here is this. Should you purchase a winch that is ultimately less expensive (overall, and ‘per-pull’) so that you can put your savings to good use somewhere else? Or does the old adage of “you get what you pay for” ring true here?