i have a 96 explorer and was wondering what size winch i should get and what are the best models for each brand?

Welcome to the site. Use the Search feature and you're sure to find lots of info. I understand a good rule of thumb is to buy a winch with at least 2x the capacity of the weight of your truck. You'll also find there are just a few winch manufacturers. There's even a recent thread, in this Forum, about a winch from Harbor Freight that lots of members thought was a great deal. Good luck with your Search.