Looking to buy my first ATV. I've never owned one before and probably have a total of 20 lifetime hours riding one.

I definitely don't need the best or the fastest, but I would like

4x4 with differential lockers
winch
cargo racks
ease of maintenance
known for cold weather operation (alaska)
ease of maintenance
and somewhat light weight for traversing alaska swamps

I'm also open to getting one of those utility ones with a cab and heater instead of a regular ATV.

What brands and options should I look for and also what should I stay away from? How much should I plan on spending for a decent setup?

This also interests me. The amount of options out there can be a bit overwhelming.

Honda

But which of the 4000 Honda options? Models to avoid? Things to look for buying used?

Honda Foreman.

Yamaha Kodiak or Grizzly. Followed by a Honda.

I owned a grizzly and kodiak,  put a few thousand hours on them and just changed oil in motor and diff and spark plugs/air filter.

Honda.  Which one should be determined by your needs, primarily how much stuff and how many people you plan on hauling regularly. If I were in Alaska I'd want a full cab enclosure for the rain and cold weather.  Yamaha would be my second choice, but based on my experience with Honda ATVs I'd have to get a Honda.  The last one I had gave me 6 years of trouble free use hauling supplies through the woods at least every other day.  I now have the Honda Pioneer ATV.

Another vote for a Yamaha Grizzly.

Stick with Honda/Yamaha, the others are GARBAGE!  Unlike you, been riding these damn things when there were ONLY Honda ATC 3 wheelers!  More important than ANY other feature you're looking for, should be 100% RELIABILITY, especially for your location!  Honda & Yamaha are the ONLY mfgs that will give you this!

A front locker is mostly fluff unless you are a serious offroader. That said, Yamaha has the best 4x4 system.

As to reliability our '12 Yamaha Grizzly 450 has over 10,000 miles on it with no major break downs. I had a '03 Kawasaki Prairie 650 that had 14,000 miles on it when it laid down for the last time, was a lemon with multiple engine and transmission rebuilds.

Most any 400cc to 700cc machine will do all that anyone needs a four wheeler to do.

I suggest Yamaha or second choice probably Honda, although they are overpriced and under perform. I avoid Polaris at all costs and don't acknowledge Arctic Cat as even existing.

Obviously you need to go buy a bro'ed out RZR

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I have owned a Yamaha Kodiak 400, older style, manual shift.
Not fast, but as a work rig for trapping, around the property, pushing snow, it was great.
Change oil, add gas, and just drive it.

Then I moved to the 2007 Grizzly 660, I believe the year is correct, maybe an 08.
The thing was a beast, go anywhere, climb anything, etc, etc.
Hauled whole Elk, pulled trees, pulled a neighbors truck out of the snow one time.
I have nithing bad to say about it at all.

I had to go to a steering wheel at my Doctor's recommendation due to a bad shoulder injury.
I bought a 2008 Polaris RZR 800, used with 600 miles on it.
It was like going back to my first rig, a 1944 Jeep, when I was a kid.
Lots to pay attention too, grease zircs, lots of them, constant clutch monitoring for issues.
The air box required constant cleaning out, and a few other things.
But, pound for pound, with a 4500 Lb winch, I could carry more gear, and it would go places the Grizzly might think about, but not touch.

Next, at the wifes request, we traded up to a 2013 Midsize Ranger 800.
It ran fine, but had SEVERE heating issues in the cab.
Underseat heat from the motor was horrible, and caused melting  of wires and the throttle cable.
Polaris was not helpful.
I fixed it myself, with turbo wrapping the exhaust from the manifold back, wrapping the fuel line and throttle cable, and a few other things.
That solved the problem.
That machine scared me, with the possibility of a fire starting.

I traded it after a year-

I now have a 2015 Polaris Ranger midsize 570 Crew cab.
I put a 2" Super ATV lift on it, swapped up from the 25" tires to 27", 8 Ply Dirt Commander tires, added the 4500 Lb winch, and a ham radio.
I did go to all 4 wheels and tires the same size for easy swapping or rotating depending on the amount of wear.
It gets 25 MPG, and runs great.
I added what's called Fish screen intake covers for the motor and clutch intakes, and an Outerwear air filter cover.
The seating is upright, and yes, it isn't tiny.
But I can haul 10 days of supplies and gear for 2 people, and with 5 gallons of fuel, and driving like a sane person, can go about 300 miles comfortably.
I Use it for emergency cimmunications, Search and Rescue, and of course setting it up as a base camp to hunt away from in the fall.
I carry a mountain bike taken apart for quiet wandering.

This machine I like, but you have to pay attention to the maintenance.
I don't need the insane power the Ranger 1000 puts out, and I can keep up with them when crawling around in the woods.
On a speed run, no I can't but I have mine for more utility purposes.

Sorry for the long post, and hopefully this helps.

I have owned a Yamaha Kodiak 400, older style, manual shift.
Not fast, but as a work rig for trapping, around the property, pushing snow, it was great.
Change oil, add gas, and just drive it.

Then I moved to the 2007 Grizzly 660, I believe the year is correct, maybe an 08.
The thing was a beast, go anywhere, climb anything, etc, etc.
Hauled whole Elk, pulled trees, pulled a neighbors truck out of the snow one time.
I have nithing bad to say about it at all.

I had to go to a steering wheel at my Doctor's recommendation due to a bad shoulder injury.
I bought a 2008 Polaris RZR 800, used with 600 miles on it.
It was like going back to my first rig, a 1944 Jeep, when I was a kid.
Lots to pay attention too, grease zircs, lots of them, constant clutch monitoring for issues.
The air box required constant cleaning out, and a few other things.
But, pound for pound, with a 4500 Lb winch, I could carry more gear, and it would go places the Grizzly might think about, but not touch.

Next, at the wifes request, we traded up to a 2013 Midsize Ranger 800.
It ran fine, but had SEVERE heating issues in the cab.
Underseat heat from the motor was horrible, and caused melting  of wires and the throttle cable.
Polaris was not helpful.
I fixed it myself, with turbo wrapping the exhaust from the manifold back, wrapping the fuel line and throttle cable, and a few other things.
That solved the problem.
That machine scared me, with the possibility of a fire starting.

I traded it after a year-

I now have a 2015 Polaris Ranger midsize 570 Crew cab.
I put a 2" Super ATV lift on it, swapped up from the 25" tires to 27", 8 Ply Dirt Commander tires, added the 4500 Lb winch, and a ham radio.
I did go to all 4 wheels and tires the same size for easy swapping or rotating depending on the amount of wear.
It gets 25 MPG, and runs great.
I added what's called Fish screen intake covers for the motor and clutch intakes, and an Outerwear air filter cover.
The seating is upright, and yes, it isn't tiny.
But I can haul 10 days of supplies and gear for 2 people, and with 5 gallons of fuel, and driving like a sane person, can go about 300 miles comfortably.
I Use it for emergency cimmunications, Search and Rescue, and of course setting it up as a base camp to hunt away from in the fall.
I carry a mountain bike taken apart for quiet wandering.

This machine I like, but you have to pay attention to the maintenance.
I don't need the insane power the Ranger 1000 puts out, and I can keep up with them when crawling around in the woods.
On a speed run, no I can't but I have mine for more utility purposes.

Sorry for the long post, and hopefully this helps.

Personally I put Suzuki up there with Honda & Yamaha. We have two 2009 King Quad 750s that have been perfect. They have been great in the winters here, although it does get not as cold here.

Eta: IMO they are a great, simple and reliable atv. They have a selectable front locker, which I have used a few times, racks, winch, and are light weight (~660lbs).

I bought a Honda Rancher new in 2004 and it is ridden every day on the farm.  I can count on one hand the number of oil changes I have done to it and it still cranks up and runs like its brand new. Last year the starter solenoid went out on it. Instead of buying a new one, I just wired directly from the battery to the starter through a switch I put on the handlebars. I do not advice the poor maintenance, but for the first 5 years my family rode it every day and I never changed the oil because I was only home for a week or two at a time. Then it became a "Let's see how long this thing will last with the absolute minimum care". As always YMMV.

A list of the issues I have had:
Starter solenoid
brakes need to be redone
wench mount was bent really bad and beat back into shape
Fan doesn't work, it is air cooled so it only ever came on when it was idling.  I have still yet to see the "hot" warning light come on. (Maybe it is not working either)

Bro, that is awesome. Your dick must be like 40" long. I don't see a Yeti or Costa sticker, though. So, you lose points for that.

Honda Foreman is what you seek.

This....

Get independent suspension you will thank me later.

What does that janky thing have, about a 2 hour CV life span? [on a good day with no axle loading]

I have had 4 - wheelers for years. But over the last years I have seen side by sides slowly taking over.  Most guys I hunt with now have them. So in April I broke down and picked up a Polaris Ranger Crew 1000. I couldn't be happier.

We have owned a dozen Hondas over the years, all Foreman have been great, one Rancher that was a POS.  For cold weather, look into fuel injected.  Newer Foreman has it and it starts better than the 10 year old Foreman I use.  Have put taller tires on both and that helps them go in snow and sand.

I have been very satisfied with my Yamaha Grizzly.  It has been absolutely reliable and has a lot of nice features.

We have a Can Am Commander 1000. Fully stock except for some cosmetics. It has been the best thing I`ve ever owned as far as "toys" go. Strong, comfortable, fast and capable. I take great care of it as I do everything I depend on. It has never let me down. From Moab to sand dunes to swamps to work around our place. I stuck my zero turn the other day. Grabbed the Can Am and used the winch to get it out of a bad place without damaging the mower OR the grass for example. My tractor would have worked but it wasn`t the right tool for the job. We load it up with fule, Boxerdog, food, shelter , spare parts and go wherever we want in the mountains. I built a custom gun rack for an AR behind the windshield which works well when we go out in the middle on nowhere. I can mount a large ice chest on the front. There is plenty of storage under the utility bed. It just works.

From what I've seen during my travels, most guys up there have Honda or Polaris machines, with the edge going to Polaris.

I'd lean to the Honda Foreman or Rubicon. On the Polaris end I'd get the 450 or 570 with EPS.

I have a 2016 Polaris Sportsman 570 and it's a beast, just wish I had the power steering once in a while on long rides.

Also, seems like a lot of folks run the 6x6 machines for swamps and muskeg. That might be your thing depending on where you are in AK.

This topic interests me.

My old 2001 Polaris trail 320 gets used on the homestead all the time but can't get to some areas due to no 4x4

Really want a ranger but those prices
Looked at a Kawasaki mule and jd gator too
Started looking at chuck wagons too due to cost
I know I'll keep it forever but it should not cost more than my tractor

Buy a small Japanese mini truck.

Enclosed cab w/heater and sometimes they have a/c.

They're almost always 4x4 and if you look long enough you can find one with a locking rear differential.

They aren't power houses but they have a granny low gear that lends itself to hill climbing, etc.

There's a ton of lift kits, wheels, tires, and so forth available for them.

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I've owned almost every single brand. Honda/Yamaha is best.

I bet that comes with a flat-bill hat, white Oakleys, a coupon for Buckle, and an array of Yeti and SaltLife stickers.

20% off if you drive a Dodge Ram with stacks.

Coming from a current Foreman owner. No. Will a Honda last, yes. Is it good for ranch work on flat ground, yes. That's about it. Honda is still stuck in the 90's. Weak engines, piss poor suspension and most models are 3wd.

Ive also got a Polaris 800 Sportsman, leaps and bounds a better machine. Only thing it doesnt have going for it, is the plastic rack, Ive ripped it in half twice now. New models are steel now.

OP, Can Am, Polaris and Yamaha would get my vote. Make sure you get EFI. Carbs arent fun in the Cold. When I lived in Iowa my Foreman was used for plowing duties. Nothing like having to warm it up for 20 minutes in 0* weather to get it to run correctly.

Edit, unless you really want a ATV, UTV's would get my vote. We've got a 800 Ranger and a Turbo Can Am Maverick. The ATV's hardly ever get used now.

Last, if you are getting and ATV spring money on the power steering models.

Meh, first and second here are really down to preference.  Honda first for me, Yamaha second, and I have a few buddies that seem to swear by Polaris.

Find a used Rancher or Grizzly, if you okay with buying used, and pick up a Harbor Freight winch or two for it.

I have a couple of friends with various side by sides and I cannot really tell you which is the best.  One has a 1000cc CanAm that runs like a bat out of hell, another has a 4 seat Polaris that runs like a bat out of hell, and another is a lifted Polaris that is slower because of the bigger tires and lift but still runs like a bat out of hell.  

I will say that four wheeling in a side by side is a bit more difficult in the side by sides because you don't really have the wheelbase to keep stable in off-camber positions.  The good thing is that with a helmet and 4 or 5 point seat belts and a winch, if you happen to roll over you should still be relatively safe and it is not that hard to recover a flipped SxS.  Honestly, I have been leaning towards recommending SxS more lately because you can have just as much fun while being infinitely more safe in doing so.  I have seen some nasty ATV accidents in my days, and have been put threw a fence once myself, so I find myself considering that 20k sticker price more and more these days for that very reason.   I've only went out riding for the sake of riding once since the last time I could have killed myself almost 3 years ago.

I just saw one of those in a parking lot on Friday. It had plates on it and I was wondering what the people who designed it were smoking.

It didn't occur to me that it had an off-road purpose though.

I'll second this. My brother in law has one and it will go almost anywhere my ranger will and do it with heat and AC.  They are cheaper also.

Yep. Yamaha Grizzly 700.

Been very happy with my Yamaha Grizzly 550. Only thing I would have done differently is purchased the more powerful 700 series engine. Although the 550 has never been insufficient in the power department for what I have so far used it for (work around my hobby farm, snow plowing my driveway, parking area/paths to barn, hauling firewood, etc.) there have been a few times when plowing heavy wet snow I wanted a bigger engine. Also never had it struggle to start during our cold Wisconsin winters, something that my FIL's Honda (Foreman or Rubicon model, can't remember but it doesn't have fuel injection) struggles with. 

Check out the Arctic Cat No Brainer sales event.  There are ridiculous deals to be had if there are any units still around in your area.

after all that why in the world do you keep going back to Polaris?

OP, Honda or Yamaha is what you seek.

I have a 2016 570 with the power steering. I like it pretty good but kinda wish I bought a grizzly
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Yamaha or Honda for ATVs. Can Am, Honda, or Yamaha for SxS.

I've had Honda and Yamaha ATVs for as long as I can remember. Finally sold my last Honda ATV last year. We bought a couple of Can Am Commander SxSs in 2014, and I found myself never riding the ATVs anymore. The Rangers I ride with are nice, BUT they're always having small issues. We run our Can Ams like $2 whores, and they just keep working. Whatever you get choose power steering and EFI. Those two make riding so much more enjoyable, especially when it's 12+ hour days.

Power steering when plowing, or doing anything really, on a 4-wheeler is fantastic.

I have owned all brands since 3 wheelers came out, have a Polaris and a cat now, I will always have a arctic cat around, I hate the side by sides, to big to get through the woods unless your on a trail, and fuckin noisy rattle traps. When I have to drive to my hunting spot, which I can do here with rifle uncased I use my golf cart if I can.

Before you even consider, how's your retirement fund?

Everyone seriously disregards the Suzuki King Quad 750.  It is an excellent machine.  

They have good power, are lighter than the competition, are reliable, and usually can be purchased for substantially less than the others.  They are also easier to work on than the others.