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A good, thorough detail is a must-do at least once a year for your car, with a bit of extra TLC needed to restore its gloss and shine, remove the dings and scratches that accumulate over time, and keep that colorful paint looking fresh. But it’s an awful lot of work to do by hand, especially if you’re dedicating hours — and a whole lot of elbow grease — to polishing and buffing your car’s exterior by hand. That’s why every garage can benefit from a car buffer and polisher. These powerful, quick-working tools will take the hard work out of a serious detailing job, putting professional-level results within reach. Available in countless sizes and styles, with a variety of speed choices, feature options, and even power levels, a car buffer and polisher can completely change your detailing game.
Summary List
Best Overall: DEWALT Buffer/Polisher DWP849X
Best Budget: Avid Power Polisher
Honorable Mention: Porter-Cable Variable Speed Polisher
Best Cordless: Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Variable Speed Polisher
Best Large: Ryobi One+ 18V Cordless 10 in. Orbital Buffer
Best Lightweight: Sun Joe Random Compact Orbital Electric Buffer Polisher
Our Methodology
I chose the top car buffers and polishers by diving into the many different products and power tools available to shop. I sought out options from well-known brands in both the automotive and power tools, looking for options that were highly rated by users and reputable in their brand histories. Each buffer or polisher was compared to similar models, and those with the best collection of features, efficiency, and power — plus great reliability and performance ratings — are those highlighted below.
Best Car Buffer and Polisher Reviews & Recommendations
Best Overall
DEWALT Buffer/Polisher DWP849X
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Best Value
Avid Power Polisher
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Honorable Mention
Porter-Cable Variable Speed Polisher
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Best Cordless
Milwaukee M18 Fuel Cordless Variable Speed Polisher
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Best Large
Ryobi One+ 18V Cordless 10 in. Orbital Buffer
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Best Lightweight
Sun Joe Random Compact Orbital Electric Buffer Polisher
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Our Verdict
The lightweight DEWALT Buffer/Polisher DWP849X will give you variable speed settings, protective and non-marring rubber housing, and a convenient and comfortable grip to stay in control of your buffing and polishing work. If it’s value you’re looking for, the Avid Power Polisher is a more budget-friendly pick that delivers plenty of bang for your buck, thanks to its great speed range.
Consider Secondhand
When we start shopping for tools and products, we never overlook the secondhand market. In fact, it’s usually the first place I look. Whether you’re scrolling through Amazon’s Renewed section, eBay for car parts or tools, or flipping through the pages of Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, you have hundreds of thousands of used tools, parts, and gear ready to be shipped to your doorstep. Refurbished to like-new status, they’ll be willing to give you many more years of faithful service all while saving you money.
If those options don’t have what you need, your local salvage yard is great for car parts, while swap meets are a great resource you should tap. Just Google either and head on down.
Secondhand Tips
To make your secondhand search easier, here are two tips to finding the best deals and making sure your new-to-you stuff wasn’t destroyed by the previous owner.
- Since pads get reused repeatedly, look at the quality of the buffing and polishing pads — you may need to replace those before you use a secondhand machine for the first time
- Check the power situation whether you’re shopping for corded or cordless; you want to make sure you don’t have to replace a chewed-up cord or buy a separate new battery
Things to Consider Before Buying Car Buffers and Polishers
Types of Car Buffers and Polishers
Rotary
Professional detailers normally prefer this type of polishing machine due to its powerful motor and precision. You can easily remove blemishes with the direct-drive system for a high-gloss finish. The aggressive output isn’t as suitable for car buffing newbies as there’s a tendency for a beginner to accidentally damage the car paint while car polishing.
Orbital
For at-home detailing, an orbital buffer is the safest choice. Its ease of use is a huge plus for non-pros with lower power outputs than rotary polishers. A random oscillating buffer can be a safer option compared to standard orbital buffers, although they might not produce the most flawless finish. They’re both very user-friendly, so it’s hard for a detailer to slip up with this type of car polisher.
Dual Action
The motor and drive for this type of car polisher will oscillate in circular motions randomly. With this set up you won’t accidentally apply too much pressure in a single spot over and over again. This makes it the safest choice for beginners as they’re also more lightweight and easier to maneuver.
Car Buffer/Polisher Pricing
You can equip yourself with a decent car buffer and polisher even on a tight budget. Small six- to 10-inch buffers are available at prices from $20 to $50, though they may not be the most feature-filled or customizable. For $55 to $125, you’ll find larger buffer/polisher options as well as machines with more features and customizable modes or settings. If you’re looking for more power, more options, and more capability, you can find premium buffers and polishers priced from $130 to $275.
FAQs
You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.
A: Polishers and buffers are the same tool, but with different levels of abrasiveness. Both polishing and buffing a car are actions that remove imperfections, like small scratches, to achieve a flawless, shining finish on your exterior paint. Polishing, however, typically involves a more abrasive pad than buffing. You’ll also apply different detailing compounds during the process (like a glossy polish for polishing and a waxy compound for buffing).
A: If your scratches haven’t penetrated your car’s clear coat, then you should be able to buff them out of sight. If you have deeper scratches, you can enlist your buffer/polisher’s help, but you’ll also need to apply touch-up paint.
A: You can totally use good ol’ elbow grease to buff and polish your vehicle. But this will take more time and effort, which is why a buffer and polisher is a speedier, more efficient choice. Plus, if you buff and polish slowly with care, your power tool can do just as fantastic of a job as you would by hand (with considerably less physical fatigue).
A: Technically, any time you polish, you’re removing a bit of your existing clear coat. After all, polishing is done with a slightly abrasive polish formula. However, how much you’re removing, and whether you need to restore your clear coat, really depends on how abrasive you’re getting, how frequently you’re polishing, and how deep the defects (like scratches) are you’re trying to eliminate.
A: On average, buffing once or twice a year is sufficient to keep your car well-maintained. However, if you’re hard on your vehicle, or you tend to get more swirls, scratches, and other light damage, you may need to polish a little more frequently.