Marc08EX
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Review: Griot's Garage Boss 21 Long Throw Polisher - Comparison To Rupes 21ES
Griots Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher
Description:
The power to achieve perfection!
Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher is a high-powered dual action orbital polisher designed to make quick work of paint defect removal. The sleek body design and lightweight build of the BOSS G21 are perfect for extended buffing sessions as well as quick spot work. Whether you’re on the road with your detailing kit or at home in your garage for the weekend, the Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher will help you achieve that show car quality shine.
Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long-Throw Orbital Polisher at a glance:
- Powerful 900 watt, 7.5 amp motor delivers the torque to maintain consistent pad rotation for advanced paint correction.
- Smart heat management engineered throughout enhances tool consistency and extends pad life.
- Variable speed trigger throttle allows the user to throttle the tool from a dead stop to the maximum dial setting incrementally throughout the sweep of the trigger. Quick response delivers the power when you want it, acutely focusing the control you have over the tool.
- The BOSS G21 may use either a 5” or 6” Pad system interchangeably.
The Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher combines the safety and ease of use that Griot’s engineered into their first polishers with the latest advances in machine buffing technology. The huge 21 mm throw is not only one of the biggest on the market, but also one of the most powerful. Traditional machine buffers and polisher have a relatively small throw (4-8 mm) and take more time to perfect the paint. Using a machine or polisher with a large throw cuts your working time down.
Manufactured with a 900 watt motor, the Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher has no trouble removing different types of swirls and paint defects.
Considering how much work goes into making your paint shine, every second saved is valuable! They’ve also included an anti-fatigue feature in the form of a Trigger Lock Button. This allows the power trigger to be held in place while polishing the paint. This is the perfect feature when polishing for an extended amount of time! Coming in at around 5 lbs, the Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher is lightweight and easy to handle.
*** continue reading product description by going to the product page.
Price:
$385 for the G21
$365 for the G15
Introduction:
We all know that polishers are a must have in anybody's detailing arsenal. Yes, defects can be removed by hand but polishers accomplish the task faster. Plus, it saves our arms and body from extreme fatigue.
Back in the day, the standard 8mm throw Dual Action (DA) polishers were the only non-rotary polishers we could use. It accomplished defect removal and paint polishing just fine.
When the Flex 3401 came out, everybody went crazy over it because of its forced rotation nature. It's an unstoppable beast and they promised to make defect removal and paint polishing faster than the traditional DA method. I was one of them. I bought the 3401 and I thought it was a great tool.
Then a few years after that, Rupes came out with the first ever long throw polishers. At that time, I couldn't afford to buy another polisher so I sold my Flex 3401 in order to purchase the Rupes 21ES. After spending some time with the Rupes 21ES long throw polisher, I quickly found out that selling the 3401 was the right move for me.
Why do I like the long throw DA polisher better than the forced rotation DA polisher you might ask? First, the 21ES just melts swirls away with ease. Also, you don't have to apply as much downward pressure to the head of the polisher in order to achieve correction. This produces less fatigue to the user. Third, the 21ES was much easier to control for me. During a detail session, there will be times I'd get frustrated because the 3401 would walk on me randomly. It's always a constant fight with that polisher.
Please keep in mind that this was my preference and opinion. I'm not saying that the 21ES or any long throw DA polisher is a better tool than the 3401. It's just my tool of choice. You might like the 3401 better and it's OK.
Recently, Griot's Garage introduced their own set of long throw polishers, which are the BOSS G21 and G15. These polishers have the exact same throws as the Rupes ones. Having choices is a good thing but it could sometimes be a difficult task. So, I bought the BOSS G21 to do a review comparison with the Rupes and hopefully help a future long throw DA polisher buyer on which one to pick.
Review:
This review will be in a different format than the normal reviews. Normally, I would use the product being reviewed and see how good it does its job. But we all know that the long throw polishers accomplish paint polishing and defect removal with ease. So I'm not going to do that. Instead, I will be doing a comparison with the Rupes polisher and try to give my honest opinion on which one is better based on different aspects of the polishers.
Packaging:
The packaging of the Griot's Garage BOSS G21 is amazing. So much thought and design was put into this package. You'd think that a box is just a box and majority of the products we buy don't really have a WOW factor in the design of the box. But I was blown away with this. Also, they included a product flow chart poster. I think that's very thoughtful. Here's some unpacking pictures of the BOSS G21 polisher:
Instruction Manual And Accessory Bag:
Contents Of The Accessory Bag:
Polisher Unveiled:
Comparisons:
Power
This is the meat of this review. The 900W motor of the Boss polishers is very intriguing especially when you compare it to the 500W motor of the Rupes.
I remember Mike Phillips back in the Porter Cable days saying that 15-20lbs of pressure were required in order to do paint correction. I hated that because it makes your body very tired and sore. So when the long throw Rupes polisher came out, I was so ecstatic because you don't have to apply much downward pressure anymore. But for this test, I wanted to apply some downward pressure and see if the BOSS can handle more pressure.
For this test, I used a 15lb dumbbell as shown below:
I wanted to make sure that both tools received equal amounts of pressure and eliminate the human factor of error. I didn't feel comfortable going more than this because I was afraid of dropping the weight into my car. And trust me, it was very hard to do this part.
I also tried to use the same 6.5" pad to eliminate any variation given by different pads. I also didn't want to use Rupes or BOSS pads because I didn't want to give either tools an advantage. I used a 6.5" white polishing pad and I put a black line on the side of the pad to show you guys how much the pad is rotating.
Here are the videos of the 15lb test, which shows you how much rotation each polisher has even after applying the 15lb weight.
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
[video=youtube_share;yguA9rc_FwA"]Griot's Garage BOSS G21:[/video]
Rupes 21ES:
[video=youtube_share;OJVbncHfBhw"]Rupes 21ES:[/video]
Rupes 21ES Take 2:
[video=youtube_share;-GESQcMEfJw"]Rupes 21ES Take 2:[/video]
You can see when the weight is applied because the pad compresses a little and the rotation of the pad slows down. You can also hear the motor working harder.
Both polishers didn't really stop as much with the 15lb weight.
I've always heard people complaining about the long throw DA polishers that stop spinning. I tried to polish some slightly curved surfaces and I couldn't make it stop. So I tried polishing surfaces with a very tight concave radius. Here are the videos:
Griot's Garage BOSS G21 (Surface 1):
[video=youtube_share;gowgeqI70nQ"]Griot's Garage BOSS G21 (Surface 1):[/video]
Rupes 21ES (Surface 1):
[video=youtube_share;tgjgd-QOXG0"]Rupes 21ES (Surface 1):[/video]
Griot's Garage BOSS G21 (Surface 2):
[video=youtube_share;xxDL65SPZSI"]Griot's Garage BOSS G21 (Surface 2):[/video]
Rupes 21ES (Surface 2):
[video=youtube_share;jwdwGJVS1Zc"]Rupes 21ES (Surface 2)::[/video]
Both polishers slowed down with the concave surfaces encountered with a tight radius. But I don't think this is the long throw DA polisher's disadvantage. I think it just boils down to user technique. Yes, you'd say that the 3401 is a better machine because it won't stop spinning. But are you really polishing that surface? I'm sure your 6.5" pad on the 3401 won't make contact with the paint so are you really accomplishing defect removal if your pad isn't making contact anyway?
From all the videos above, you can definitely hear that the BOSS polisher sounds more powerful and louder. The specs say the BOSS is 80% more powerful. But there was no way I could quantify that so I'm not sure.
Build Quality
I think I'll give this one to the Rupes polisher. Don't get me wrong, both tools are built very well and I think have high quality. But I just feel that the Rupes polisher is more refined.
Comfort and Ergonomics
I think this is another reason why a person would pick the G21 over the Rupes (besides the bigger motor). There are rubber grips everywhere. I think this will help reduce vibration slightly and I welcome anything that accomplishes that. Some people may also feel that the head of the polisher has some curves to it making the grip easier. I don't think it matters to me but it might matter to someone.
I also like the trigger and the speed dial better on the G21, which are discussed further below.
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21ES:
Start-up
The GG BOSS G21 doesn't have a slow start feature unlike the Rupes. (See videos above for start up). When I first started using the tool, I got startled because I didn't expect the polisher to violently start like that especially if you have such a powerful motor.
I don't think one polisher is better than the other on this aspect. This will just be user preference.
Trigger
I would say that the BOSS has a slight advantage on this. The trigger on the BOSS was easier to press and lock into place in my opinion. Also, it was easier to release.
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21ES:
Speed Dial
I definitely think that the BOSS polisher has this one in the bag. The BOSS polisher clicks as you change the speed dial setting. So you know where you are at in the knob. The RUPES doesn't have any feedback and it just rotates freely.
I do want to point out that I didn't feel or hear and difference in speed or motor output when I changed the speed dial from 4.5 to 6 on the G21. I'm not sure if it's like that or mine was a defect.
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21ES:
Counter Balance
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21ES:
Washer Mod
I'm a big fan of the Kevin Brown washer mod. Kevin was kind enough to send me a washer when I got my Rupes before. I think this mod is a no brainer because it unlocks extra power. It's like modding your vehicle. Who will say no to more HP?
So when Griot's Garage said that the BOSS G21 will come with the washer mod in the package - I said SWEET!!! This will be an amazing accessory because it's a must have. But I was totally disappointed with the quality of the washer. It was total #$@@. The washer wasn't really cut perfectly to fit the BP recess and the washer was so thin that it really didn't space out the BP to the shroud. Here's a video showing both tools with the washer mod installed:
[video=youtube_share;ORwY65LEZNw"]Washer Mod[/video]
I did hear that Griot's Garage is working to address this issue so I'm sure they will make this right.
Backing Plate
I think the quality of the BOSS backing plate is great. The top surface is pretty smooth so it doesn't get scoured when it gets in contact with the rubber shroud like the Rupes. I hated that on the Rupes by the way. Makes the BP look dirty. The BOSS BP also comes with grease on the top surface. I'm guessing this is to make the BP slide in case it does hit the rubber shroud.
The velcro also has a normal hold. The Rupes has a "hang in for your life" hold which makes pad removal a little difficult. The BOSS's velcro will reduce the chances of damaging pads when removing them from the BP.
Power Cord
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21:
I really don't think either tool is better than the other on this aspect. I heard a lot of people say that the BOSS has a better one but honestly, it doesn't matter to me so long as the power cord connections to the tool doesn't get worn out over time.
I do like this feature of the BOSS' power cord. It has a built in velcro strap so that it makes it easier to stow away the cord when you're done polishing.
Allen Key
The allen key to remove/install the backing plate is stored in the polisher's body in the Rupes. The BOSS doesn't have this feature. You have to remember where you keep your allen key when you want to change the BP and make sure not to lose it!
More Side-By-Side Pictures of Both Polishers:
Final Thoughts and Conclusion:
The Griot's Garage BOSS G21 polisher seems to be a well designed tool. They weren't kidding when they said it was built from the ground up. I totally believe this. I don't think this tool is a copy of the Rupes 21ES. It doesn't look like it unlike the direct copies of the Rupes...
People getting into detailing nowadays are very lucky because they have choices. Each tool has their own advantages and disadvantages. I think the BOSS polisher shines with the following features: bigger motor, a more ergonomic design, warranty you can't beat and the cheaper price (when discounts are applied). Overall, you can't go wrong with either tool because both are high quality tools that achieve the same task. But as a hobbyist, I won't be using the tool all the time nor would I use it often enough so the warranty is a big deal to me.
I am planning to do a review of the BOSS polishing system with their pads and creams in the future. I just can't afford to purchase the creams right now because I already spent a lot on the polisher. My wife will kill me if I buy more detailing stuff LOL! So stay tuned for that.
Hope this helps anyone trying to pick which long throw polisher to get.
Griots Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher
Description:
The power to achieve perfection!
Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher is a high-powered dual action orbital polisher designed to make quick work of paint defect removal. The sleek body design and lightweight build of the BOSS G21 are perfect for extended buffing sessions as well as quick spot work. Whether you’re on the road with your detailing kit or at home in your garage for the weekend, the Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher will help you achieve that show car quality shine.
Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long-Throw Orbital Polisher at a glance:
- Powerful 900 watt, 7.5 amp motor delivers the torque to maintain consistent pad rotation for advanced paint correction.
- Smart heat management engineered throughout enhances tool consistency and extends pad life.
- Variable speed trigger throttle allows the user to throttle the tool from a dead stop to the maximum dial setting incrementally throughout the sweep of the trigger. Quick response delivers the power when you want it, acutely focusing the control you have over the tool.
- The BOSS G21 may use either a 5” or 6” Pad system interchangeably.
The Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher combines the safety and ease of use that Griot’s engineered into their first polishers with the latest advances in machine buffing technology. The huge 21 mm throw is not only one of the biggest on the market, but also one of the most powerful. Traditional machine buffers and polisher have a relatively small throw (4-8 mm) and take more time to perfect the paint. Using a machine or polisher with a large throw cuts your working time down.
Manufactured with a 900 watt motor, the Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher has no trouble removing different types of swirls and paint defects.
Considering how much work goes into making your paint shine, every second saved is valuable! They’ve also included an anti-fatigue feature in the form of a Trigger Lock Button. This allows the power trigger to be held in place while polishing the paint. This is the perfect feature when polishing for an extended amount of time! Coming in at around 5 lbs, the Griot’s Garage BOSS G21 Long Throw Orbital Polisher is lightweight and easy to handle.
*** continue reading product description by going to the product page.
Price:
$385 for the G21
$365 for the G15
Introduction:
We all know that polishers are a must have in anybody's detailing arsenal. Yes, defects can be removed by hand but polishers accomplish the task faster. Plus, it saves our arms and body from extreme fatigue.
Back in the day, the standard 8mm throw Dual Action (DA) polishers were the only non-rotary polishers we could use. It accomplished defect removal and paint polishing just fine.
When the Flex 3401 came out, everybody went crazy over it because of its forced rotation nature. It's an unstoppable beast and they promised to make defect removal and paint polishing faster than the traditional DA method. I was one of them. I bought the 3401 and I thought it was a great tool.
Then a few years after that, Rupes came out with the first ever long throw polishers. At that time, I couldn't afford to buy another polisher so I sold my Flex 3401 in order to purchase the Rupes 21ES. After spending some time with the Rupes 21ES long throw polisher, I quickly found out that selling the 3401 was the right move for me.
Why do I like the long throw DA polisher better than the forced rotation DA polisher you might ask? First, the 21ES just melts swirls away with ease. Also, you don't have to apply as much downward pressure to the head of the polisher in order to achieve correction. This produces less fatigue to the user. Third, the 21ES was much easier to control for me. During a detail session, there will be times I'd get frustrated because the 3401 would walk on me randomly. It's always a constant fight with that polisher.
Please keep in mind that this was my preference and opinion. I'm not saying that the 21ES or any long throw DA polisher is a better tool than the 3401. It's just my tool of choice. You might like the 3401 better and it's OK.
Recently, Griot's Garage introduced their own set of long throw polishers, which are the BOSS G21 and G15. These polishers have the exact same throws as the Rupes ones. Having choices is a good thing but it could sometimes be a difficult task. So, I bought the BOSS G21 to do a review comparison with the Rupes and hopefully help a future long throw DA polisher buyer on which one to pick.
Review:
This review will be in a different format than the normal reviews. Normally, I would use the product being reviewed and see how good it does its job. But we all know that the long throw polishers accomplish paint polishing and defect removal with ease. So I'm not going to do that. Instead, I will be doing a comparison with the Rupes polisher and try to give my honest opinion on which one is better based on different aspects of the polishers.
Packaging:
The packaging of the Griot's Garage BOSS G21 is amazing. So much thought and design was put into this package. You'd think that a box is just a box and majority of the products we buy don't really have a WOW factor in the design of the box. But I was blown away with this. Also, they included a product flow chart poster. I think that's very thoughtful. Here's some unpacking pictures of the BOSS G21 polisher:
Instruction Manual And Accessory Bag:
Contents Of The Accessory Bag:
Polisher Unveiled:
Comparisons:
Power
This is the meat of this review. The 900W motor of the Boss polishers is very intriguing especially when you compare it to the 500W motor of the Rupes.
I remember Mike Phillips back in the Porter Cable days saying that 15-20lbs of pressure were required in order to do paint correction. I hated that because it makes your body very tired and sore. So when the long throw Rupes polisher came out, I was so ecstatic because you don't have to apply much downward pressure anymore. But for this test, I wanted to apply some downward pressure and see if the BOSS can handle more pressure.
For this test, I used a 15lb dumbbell as shown below:
I wanted to make sure that both tools received equal amounts of pressure and eliminate the human factor of error. I didn't feel comfortable going more than this because I was afraid of dropping the weight into my car. And trust me, it was very hard to do this part.
I also tried to use the same 6.5" pad to eliminate any variation given by different pads. I also didn't want to use Rupes or BOSS pads because I didn't want to give either tools an advantage. I used a 6.5" white polishing pad and I put a black line on the side of the pad to show you guys how much the pad is rotating.
Here are the videos of the 15lb test, which shows you how much rotation each polisher has even after applying the 15lb weight.
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
[video=youtube_share;yguA9rc_FwA"]Griot's Garage BOSS G21:[/video]
Rupes 21ES:
[video=youtube_share;OJVbncHfBhw"]Rupes 21ES:[/video]
Rupes 21ES Take 2:
[video=youtube_share;-GESQcMEfJw"]Rupes 21ES Take 2:[/video]
You can see when the weight is applied because the pad compresses a little and the rotation of the pad slows down. You can also hear the motor working harder.
Both polishers didn't really stop as much with the 15lb weight.
I've always heard people complaining about the long throw DA polishers that stop spinning. I tried to polish some slightly curved surfaces and I couldn't make it stop. So I tried polishing surfaces with a very tight concave radius. Here are the videos:
Griot's Garage BOSS G21 (Surface 1):
[video=youtube_share;gowgeqI70nQ"]Griot's Garage BOSS G21 (Surface 1):[/video]
Rupes 21ES (Surface 1):
[video=youtube_share;tgjgd-QOXG0"]Rupes 21ES (Surface 1):[/video]
Griot's Garage BOSS G21 (Surface 2):
[video=youtube_share;xxDL65SPZSI"]Griot's Garage BOSS G21 (Surface 2):[/video]
Rupes 21ES (Surface 2):
[video=youtube_share;jwdwGJVS1Zc"]Rupes 21ES (Surface 2)::[/video]
Both polishers slowed down with the concave surfaces encountered with a tight radius. But I don't think this is the long throw DA polisher's disadvantage. I think it just boils down to user technique. Yes, you'd say that the 3401 is a better machine because it won't stop spinning. But are you really polishing that surface? I'm sure your 6.5" pad on the 3401 won't make contact with the paint so are you really accomplishing defect removal if your pad isn't making contact anyway?
From all the videos above, you can definitely hear that the BOSS polisher sounds more powerful and louder. The specs say the BOSS is 80% more powerful. But there was no way I could quantify that so I'm not sure.
Build Quality
I think I'll give this one to the Rupes polisher. Don't get me wrong, both tools are built very well and I think have high quality. But I just feel that the Rupes polisher is more refined.
Comfort and Ergonomics
I think this is another reason why a person would pick the G21 over the Rupes (besides the bigger motor). There are rubber grips everywhere. I think this will help reduce vibration slightly and I welcome anything that accomplishes that. Some people may also feel that the head of the polisher has some curves to it making the grip easier. I don't think it matters to me but it might matter to someone.
I also like the trigger and the speed dial better on the G21, which are discussed further below.
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21ES:
Start-up
The GG BOSS G21 doesn't have a slow start feature unlike the Rupes. (See videos above for start up). When I first started using the tool, I got startled because I didn't expect the polisher to violently start like that especially if you have such a powerful motor.
I don't think one polisher is better than the other on this aspect. This will just be user preference.
Trigger
I would say that the BOSS has a slight advantage on this. The trigger on the BOSS was easier to press and lock into place in my opinion. Also, it was easier to release.
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21ES:
Speed Dial
I definitely think that the BOSS polisher has this one in the bag. The BOSS polisher clicks as you change the speed dial setting. So you know where you are at in the knob. The RUPES doesn't have any feedback and it just rotates freely.
I do want to point out that I didn't feel or hear and difference in speed or motor output when I changed the speed dial from 4.5 to 6 on the G21. I'm not sure if it's like that or mine was a defect.
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21ES:
Counter Balance
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21ES:
Washer Mod
I'm a big fan of the Kevin Brown washer mod. Kevin was kind enough to send me a washer when I got my Rupes before. I think this mod is a no brainer because it unlocks extra power. It's like modding your vehicle. Who will say no to more HP?
So when Griot's Garage said that the BOSS G21 will come with the washer mod in the package - I said SWEET!!! This will be an amazing accessory because it's a must have. But I was totally disappointed with the quality of the washer. It was total #$@@. The washer wasn't really cut perfectly to fit the BP recess and the washer was so thin that it really didn't space out the BP to the shroud. Here's a video showing both tools with the washer mod installed:
[video=youtube_share;ORwY65LEZNw"]Washer Mod[/video]
I did hear that Griot's Garage is working to address this issue so I'm sure they will make this right.
Backing Plate
I think the quality of the BOSS backing plate is great. The top surface is pretty smooth so it doesn't get scoured when it gets in contact with the rubber shroud like the Rupes. I hated that on the Rupes by the way. Makes the BP look dirty. The BOSS BP also comes with grease on the top surface. I'm guessing this is to make the BP slide in case it does hit the rubber shroud.
The velcro also has a normal hold. The Rupes has a "hang in for your life" hold which makes pad removal a little difficult. The BOSS's velcro will reduce the chances of damaging pads when removing them from the BP.
Power Cord
Griot's Garage BOSS G21:
Rupes 21:
I really don't think either tool is better than the other on this aspect. I heard a lot of people say that the BOSS has a better one but honestly, it doesn't matter to me so long as the power cord connections to the tool doesn't get worn out over time.
I do like this feature of the BOSS' power cord. It has a built in velcro strap so that it makes it easier to stow away the cord when you're done polishing.
Allen Key
The allen key to remove/install the backing plate is stored in the polisher's body in the Rupes. The BOSS doesn't have this feature. You have to remember where you keep your allen key when you want to change the BP and make sure not to lose it!
More Side-By-Side Pictures of Both Polishers:
Final Thoughts and Conclusion:
The Griot's Garage BOSS G21 polisher seems to be a well designed tool. They weren't kidding when they said it was built from the ground up. I totally believe this. I don't think this tool is a copy of the Rupes 21ES. It doesn't look like it unlike the direct copies of the Rupes...
People getting into detailing nowadays are very lucky because they have choices. Each tool has their own advantages and disadvantages. I think the BOSS polisher shines with the following features: bigger motor, a more ergonomic design, warranty you can't beat and the cheaper price (when discounts are applied). Overall, you can't go wrong with either tool because both are high quality tools that achieve the same task. But as a hobbyist, I won't be using the tool all the time nor would I use it often enough so the warranty is a big deal to me.
I am planning to do a review of the BOSS polishing system with their pads and creams in the future. I just can't afford to purchase the creams right now because I already spent a lot on the polisher. My wife will kill me if I buy more detailing stuff LOL! So stay tuned for that.
Hope this helps anyone trying to pick which long throw polisher to get.
I asked some of our nice moderators to help out and fix the issue.