One of the frequently asked questions in car detailing is related to how to choose the best car polisher.
To answer this question it is necessary to make some assumptions: just as the best product does not exist, neither does the best polisher exist. Why are we so categorical? Well because in the world of car polishing there are so many variables that it is wrong to generalize.
What is a car polisher:
When we talk about polishers we are referring to the electric machinery (wired or battery-operated) that is used in car polishing. Polishing involves moving the pad that works the polish by performing a rotary or orbital or rotative-orbital movement.
What type of car polisher to choose?
Certainly, among the various types of polishers available on the market, we recommend choosing a random orbital polisher. This type of polisher is the best choice if you are just starting out because it greatly limits the risk of overheating the paint and stripping the paint from the support. Random orbital polishers perform a rotary movement combined with an orbital movement (i.e. they oscillate).
It is important to know that while the orbital movement (which describes a variable orbit of a few mm) the rotary movement is not forced. This means that if you are not perfectly flat the polisher stops and doesn't risk ruining the bodywork (but it doesn't polish either!). Therefore it is important to correctly choose the polisher to buy.
Which car polisher we have to buy?
Our advice is to avoid purchasing the polisher from large marketplaces such as Amazon or eBay because they are often sold cheap products of dubious quality and safety. Furthermore, since they are imported products, the description is often poorly translated and you risk buying the wrong polisher!
Returning to the definition of a random orbital polisher, we discovered that the orbit is variable. In fact, there are polishers with 8, 10, 12, 15, 21 and even 25mm orbits. The greater the orbit, the greater the speed with which defects can be corrected. It is also important to know, however, that the higher the orbit, the greater the probability that the polisher will stop at the first curve you encounter, rendering everything useless.
Taking for example the extreme case of the 25mm orbit polisher: with such a polisher it will be possible to polish roofs, bonnets and doors very quickly. However, as soon as you try to polish a bumper or a mudguard, this polisher will stop, almost completely losing its ability to correct defects.
With this in mind we strongly feel that the best polisher for beginners is a model with a small orbit, from 8mm up to 12mm. This way it will polish a little more slowly but it will be much more likely to be able to correct paint defects with greater uniformity.
The car polisher models we recommend for getting started:
Considering the features that a polisher for beginners should have, here are some models that you could consider:
Liquid Elements T2000: this German-made polisher has an 8mm orbit. It might seem like a low value but we assure you that we use it a lot even during our courses and all the students are amazed by it. It also comes with a convenient carrying bag and spare brushes
Shinemate ERO 600: this polisher has a 9mm orbit and is not only comfortable thanks to its low weight but also very powerful. It also comes with a soft pad included
Shinemate EX605: we allow ourselves a small "exchange to the rule" with this polisher because with its 12mm orbit we are already in the presence of a decidedly more powerful polisher. But its size and shape make it an extremely comfortable instrument. We are talking about a highly professional level polisher. It comes with two sponge pads of different hardnesses.
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