Cordless Polishers 2025

Bobby B. said:
Please do not bash any vendors or forum members. Rupes, Flex, and Griot's Garage all offer a factory warranty for their machine polishers. If a customer has any issues, please contact the manufacturer and they will repair the polisher under warranty. They also offer service centers for when the polisher is outside of their factory warranty.

rupesusa.com

RUPES USA | Warranty Service and Repairs

Factory-backed service and warranty repair for the entire range of RUPES tools
rupesusa.com rupesusa.com

Warranties | FLEX

Get the details on FLEX warranties for 24V tools, batteries and chargers as well as corded, 12V, and 18V FLEX products
www.flexpowertools.com www.flexpowertools.com

Tool Warranty Registration - Griot's Garage

Register your Griot's Garage power tool using this form once you've located your serial and model number.
www.griotsgarage.com www.griotsgarage.com
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Bobby B. said:
Please do not bash any vendors or forum members. Rupes, Flex, and Griot's Garage all offer a factory warranty for their machine polishers. If a customer has any issues, please contact the manufacturer and they will repair the polisher under warranty. They also offer service centers for when the polisher is outside of their factory warranty.

rupesusa.com

RUPES USA | Warranty Service and Repairs

Factory-backed service and warranty repair for the entire range of RUPES tools
rupesusa.com rupesusa.com

Warranties | FLEX

Get the details on FLEX warranties for 24V tools, batteries and chargers as well as corded, 12V, and 18V FLEX products
www.flexpowertools.com www.flexpowertools.com

Tool Warranty Registration - Griot's Garage

Register your Griot's Garage power tool using this form once you've located your serial and model number.
www.griotsgarage.com www.griotsgarage.com
Click to expand...

Define bashing a vendor please.
Does that mean we can't share real world experience with a product??

Thx
 
Just finished the polishing phase on a Lexus RX350 and here are my thoughts on the Rupes HLR15 and Flex PXE 80. Both machines exceeded expectations.

The Rupes has more than enough power to do a very thorough one-step correction. It does occasionally stall on vertical panels but it’s very brief and a non-issue. I learned to crank the speed up just a bit on vertical panels and stalling was a non-issue. I will say that it does not like microfiber that much but if you need to use microfiber you’re probably doing a two step or should be using a more powerful corded machine. But, with Lake Country blue SDO pads this machine performed beautifully with defect removal and finished to a mirror gloss. The battery really does give you around 50 minutes and the power is constant until the battery dies. I believe the LEDs on the side are supposed to give some kind of indication that the battery is low but I was focused on the job and never noticed. The machine literally is going full force one second and the next it dies. The Utoobers that complained about battery placement just need something to bitch about. I’ve used it on several vehicles and have not had a single issue where it impeded my movement or I felt it was going to bump against the paint. For a version 1, it’s a great machine and I’m sure I’ll upgrade in 20 years when v2 gets released.

I bought the PXE just because my HLR75 arrived damaged and is out for repair and I needed a small polisher ASAP. I really had no real expectations of how it performed and was more interested in buying the APS kit to make it a dedicated 2 inch rotary but for the job it was my 3 inch for tighter spaces. For such a small and light machine it packs a punch. It can stall on speed 3 but on speed 4 some type of thermonuclear reactor kicks in and it goes into beast mode. Sometimes speed 3 isn’t powerful enough but 4 feels like I’ll burn through the clear instantly. In some areas I got a slightly better level of correction out of the Flex than the Rupes. Knowing what I know now, I probably wouldn’t have bought the HLR75 since it looks like the Flex can fill many functions and do them all very well. If I could do things all over again I probably wouldn’t buy the HLR75 and would let my Flex be my end-all-be-all mini-polisher. I’m tempted to sell the Rupes when I get it but it is nice to have multiple machines so I’m not constantly switching out parts and I need a backup in case something does break.
 
Optimus Grime said:
Just finished the polishing phase on a Lexus RX350 and here are my thoughts on the Rupes HLR15 and Flex PXE 80. Both machines exceeded expectations.

The Rupes has more than enough power to do a very thorough one-step correction. It does occasionally stall on vertical panels but it’s very brief and a non-issue. I learned to crank the speed up just a bit on vertical panels and stalling was a non-issue. I will say that it does not like microfiber that much but if you need to use microfiber you’re probably doing a two step or should be using a more powerful corded machine. But, with Lake Country blue SDO pads this machine performed beautifully with defect removal and finished to a mirror gloss. The battery really does give you around 50 minutes and the power is constant until the battery dies. I believe the LEDs on the side are supposed to give some kind of indication that the battery is low but I was focused on the job and never noticed. The machine literally is going full force one second and the next it dies. The Utoobers that complained about battery placement just need something to bitch about. I’ve used it on several vehicles and have not had a single issue where it impeded my movement or I felt it was going to bump against the paint. For a version 1, it’s a great machine and I’m sure I’ll upgrade in 20 years when v2 gets released.
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What brand of microfiber pads did you use?

The ultra-thin backing plate apparently makes the HLR15/21 sensitive to thinner pads, to the point where Rupes redesigned their DA line of pads, the wool and microfiber ones in particular. Personally, I've only used foam ShineMate and Rupes pads on this machine, all seemed fine.
 
DFB said:
What brand of microfiber pads did you use?

The ultra-thin backing plate apparently makes the HLR15/21 sensitive to thinner pads, to the point where Rupes redesigned their DA line of pads, the wool and microfiber ones in particular. Personally, I've only used foam ShineMate and Rupes pads on this machine, all seemed fine.
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Urofiber 50/50. They’ve been my go to for one-steps with my G15 but they are on the thin side and don’t play nicely with the Rupes. On horizontal surfaces it’s not as much of an issue and I did a test on the hood. One half was done with the Urofiber and the other with Lake Country blue foam. The Urofiber side had slightly better scratch removal but not enough to really make an aesthetic difference. I do have a few yellow Rupes wool that I can use if I need a bit more cut but I think I’ll be fine with foam.
 
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Optimus Grime said:
Urofiber 50/50. They’ve been my go to for one-steps with my G15 but they are on the thin side and don’t play nicely with the Rupes. On horizontal surfaces it’s not as much of an issue and I did a test on the hood. One half was done with the Urofiber and the other with Lake Country blue foam. The Urofiber side had slightly better scratch removal but not enough to really make an aesthetic difference. I do have a few yellow Rupes wool that I can use if I need a bit more cut but I think I’ll be fine with foam.
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I've really liked using the Rupes Yellow Wool, very forgiving to work with.









Having said that, I haven't used that pad on the HLR-15. Actually, Rupes also redesigned the Yellow Wool for those new machines, which were included in the kit. Again, have yet to use them. They took the angle out of the foam interface, essentially making it vertical. I do wonder if this was to make the foam more stable and reduce fatigue/twisting, I've seen the older wool pads twist the foam to the point where it begins to separate with the wool.





 
DFB said:
I've really liked using the Rupes Yellow Wool, very forgiving to work with.









Having said that, I haven't used that pad on the HLR-15. Actually, Rupes also redesigned the Yellow Wool for those new machines, which were included in the kit. Again, have yet to use them. They took the angle out of the foam interface, essentially making it vertical. I do wonder if this was to make the foam more stable and reduce fatigue/twisting, I've seen the older wool pads twist the foam to the point where it begins to separate with the wool.





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I actually have a few of those but didn’t think to use them. It was a Lexus so it was relatively soft paint so the blue foam was more than enough. The next time I work on an Audi they will definitely be in use.
 
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I know he isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I've just finished watching Matt's first try of the new 24-volt Flex machine, the free spinning DA and the forced rotation DA. I'm not pushing anyone's agenda, I like his content and (mostly) trust his assessment. If you want to watch it, you know where to find it.

Highlights for the Flex machines were a significant advantage in fit and finish. Being part of the Chevron group, which is also responsible for the excellent Ego gear, the battery tech is considered to be the best on the market.

From what I could see/hear before he started to make comment, the free spinning machine certainly produced more noise and chatter compared to the Rupes. According to Matt, the vibration of the machine was excessive and caused fatigue. Although he did later admit that balance and vibration was very pad dependent.

The forced rotation machine surprised in being smoother and quieter. Although not to his preference, it sounds like the forced rotation machine is where Flex put most of their attention in being much more refined. Personally, I've never used forced rotation, I kinda wish I tried one at the polishing workshop back in November.

My notes? I think two things are evident when it comes to the review/assessment of polishers -

1/ Preference
2/ None of them on the market are perfect

Taking preference out of the equation, I think the idea of combining the good parts of each would in theory deliver the perfect machine. Think Rupes smoothness and lack of noise, the ShineMate's torque, the Flex's battery. But then it would probably cost $5000.
 
To the guys that have cordless Shinemates 15mm and 21mm, what's this I hear about the charger draining the battery if you leave it on there after it's fully charged?
 
kttlbll said:
To the guys that have cordless Shinemates 15mm and 21mm, what's this I hear about the charger draining the battery if you leave it on there after it's fully charged?
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Can't say I've noticed this.
 
kttlbll said:
To the guys that have cordless Shinemates 15mm and 21mm, what's this I hear about the charger draining the battery if you leave it on there after it's fully charged?
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Haven't noticed but I also tend to prep before a polishing day by charging up all 3 of my batteries with a close eye. I think maybe once I've had them sit in the charger an extra hour or so. Unlike a phone that you plug in and forget it, I prefer not to find out the hard way given the cost of chargers + batteries on this stuff.

Sent from my SM-S938U1 using Tapatalk
 
A relatively new brand, Liquid Elements have started to release battery powered machines in addition to the corded options. Despite being a German company, the products appear to be very well priced.

The smaller 1-inch A1000 is similar in concept to the iBrid Nano and has been around for a while now.



The newest A4500 looks the most interesting, which is a high-torque 15mm throw 5-inch machine. As well as the sharp pricing, there are two key selling points of these -

1. In addition to the LE batteries, these machines can run on a standard Makita 18v battery, preferably the 4.0 and 5.0 ah.

2. There has been a high focus on ergonomics and user comfort. From what I've seen, it's not Rupes HLR15 smooth, but not far off and considerably cheaper.



It's good to see more options in this space coming to market. In particular, offerings that are sanely priced and not resting on former glories, cough, Rupes, coupe, Flex............................
 
DFB said:
A relatively new brand, Liquid Elements have started to release battery powered machines in addition to the corded options. Despite being a German company, the products appear to be very well priced.

The smaller 1-inch A1000 is similar in concept to the iBrid Nano and has been around for a while now.



The newest A4500 looks the most interesting, which is a high-torque 15mm throw 5-inch machine. As well as the sharp pricing, there are two key selling points of these -

1. In addition to the LE batteries, these machines can run on a standard Makita 18v battery, preferably the 4.0 and 5.0 ah.

2. There has been a high focus on ergonomics and user comfort. From what I've seen, it's not Rupes HLR15 smooth, but not far off and considerably cheaper.



It's good to see more options in this space coming to market. In particular, offerings that are sanely priced and not resting on former glories, cough, Rupes, coupe, Flex............................
Click to expand...

Finally!

What can you guys tell me about the replacement makita batteries on amazon. I just quickly found two 5.0Ah batteries for like $50USD. awful cheap.
 
I’ve been thinking of getting a cordless but not sure I want to spend the money. I use it on 2-3 cars once every 2-3 years. Never been happy with the Griots G9 but it works mostly and still have the PC. If I did it would be for convenience and for maybe a better experience with my neuropathy laden hands.
 
Texchappy said:
I’ve been thinking of getting a cordless but not sure I want to spend the money. I use it on 2-3 cars once every 2-3 years. Never been happy with the Griots G9 but it works mostly and still have the PC. If I did it would be for convenience and for maybe a better experience with my neuropathy laden hands.
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Some really good corded 15mm machines too that are relatively inexpensive. Shinemate 620 would be an example. Liquid elements also have a new more powerful 15mm corded machine. Both have more power than the Mark 5. Rupes is a high priced cult brand IMO.

edit: Barjack tools is the new kid on the block. The polishers look great.
 
Hobbit said:
Some really good corded 15mm machines too that are relatively inexpensive. Shinemate 620 would be an example. Liquid elements also have a new more powerful 15mm corded machine. Both have more power than the Mark 5. Rupes is a high priced cult brand IMO.

edit: Barjack tools is the new kid on the block. The polishers look great.
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The cordless Rupes has its quirks with the trigger lock but the Mark 5 is wonderful. Buttery smooth machine with a ton of power. No regrets.
 
Optimus Grime said:
The cordless Rupes has its quirks with the trigger lock but the Mark 5 is wonderful. Buttery smooth machine with a ton of power. No regrets.
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I almost ordered the Mark 5 when it was first released. Good to hear your happy with the purchase. Beautiful machine. I just can't justify the price. Its ridiculous. Flex as even become worst.

I'm still happy with my first generation 15mm griots polisher - i've had it close to 7 years now. Its powerful and a little tank. It is loud however. It as a 950watt motor. It as more power than the Mark 3 but i'm not sure about the Mark 5.

Griots took a step backwards with the new G15. It's not the same manufacturer of the first generation.

I polish my cars yearly.

Just ordered 3D Speed, can't wait to get home! Never tried it before. I really like AIO's.
 
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Hobbit said:
I almost ordered the Mark 5 when it was first released. Good to hear your happy with the purchase. Beautiful machine. I just can't justify the price. Its ridiculous. Flex as even become worst.

I'm still happy with my first generation 15mm griots polisher - i've had it close to 7 years now. Its powerful and a little tank. It is loud however. It as a 950watt motor. It as more power than the Mark 3 but i'm not sure about the Mark 5.

Griots took a step backwards with the new G15. It's not the same manufacturer of the first generation.

I polish my cars yearly.

Just ordered 3D Speed, can't wait to get home! Never tried it before. I really like AIO's.
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I’d agree with you on the price if I didn’t get wholesale pricing. Compared to my G15, it was well worth the upgrade considering what I had to pay for it.

If you ever want a new polisher just holla. I can have it sent right to your doorsteps.
 
On Tuesday, I took advantage of the EOFY sale that's on at the moment. I only needed to restock a couple of favorites, but it got out of hand............................. :rolleyes:







I'd been looking for a new 3-inch polisher for a while now, but nothing really delivered what I wanted. I already had the EB351 3-inch, but its just too bulky for a 3-inch. The Rupes LHR 75 (pneumatic) is brilliant, but you have to be in the mood to use it as you are back to managing a cord/hose. The Rupes HLR75 I really didn't like when I sampled it last year, its super grindy and noisy. The Flex PXE80 is compromised, too small for a 3-inch, too big for 1-inch. The Mirka AROP-B is way too expensive.

And so, I arrived at the ShineMate EB212. Believe me when I say this, but the EB212 is the smoothest and quietest ShineMate ever, it's even smoother than the fabled Rupes HLR15.

This is arguably the Goldilocks of 3-inch polishers, a blend of size, performance and price. A full overview and review to follow.
 
DFB said:
On Tuesday, I took advantage of the EOFY sale that's on at the moment. I only needed to restock a couple of favorites, but it got out of hand............................. :rolleyes:







I'd been looking for a new 3-inch polisher for a while now, but nothing really delivered what I wanted. I already had the EB351 3-inch, but its just too bulky for a 3-inch. The Rupes LHR 75 (pneumatic) is brilliant, but you have to be in the mood to use it as you are back to managing a cord/hose. The Rupes HLR75 I really didn't like when I sampled it last year, its super grindy and noisy. The Flex PXE80 is compromised, too small for a 3-inch, too big for 1-inch. The Mirka AROP-B is way too expensive.

And so, I arrived at the ShineMate EB212. Believe me when I say this, but the EB212 is the smoothest and quietest ShineMate ever, it's even smoother than the fabled Rupes HLR15.

This is arguably the Goldilocks of 3-inch polishers, a blend of size, performance and price. A full overview and review to follow.
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What would you recommend for a small polisher that will handle the front aero of a mustang, mainly the fog light area. That’s my toughest spot to polish and last I did my wife’s mustang I just hand polished it with a towel since I don’t have a small one
 
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