Does it say "This windlass sucks! Don't buy this awful product!", or does
it say what boat magazines always say that every advertiser's, or potential
advertiser's products are just wonderful and you can't live without them?

Have you ever looked at a "Practical Sailor?" If not you should do so.
They accept no advertising whatsoever and tend to be pretty straight
shooters about things that don't work. I've been a subscriber for
about 20 years because they are about as good as it gets. Not perfect,
but better than anything else I've seen.