By: Mitch | Last updated November 10, 2021 
Polishing is a method for removing swirls and light scratches on the car’s surface. It is often done in between washing and waxing the car. With this, users can retain the shine of their car’s paint and make its texture even. While this is mostly done by professional auto-detailers, users can also do this at home with a tool called dual-action polisher. These are made to be used even by beginners because of its safe design that enables good polishing with minimal strain of the hands.
Dual action polishers are tools that can oscillate and rotate while polishing the exterior. This makes it similar to hand polishing, only that it can do this at an average rate of 3000 revolutions per minute. This makes it good for polishing any light scratches and to even the car’s surface. It is generally recommended for all users, even with beginners, as it has a lot of features that can support first-time users.
First, it has a speed lock that can keep its revolutions or orbitals per minute at a constant rate. This is to help make the polishing consistent across the whole car exterior. Next, these can also be stopped instantly when you apply too much force. This prevents you from accidentally damaging the exterior in the process. Lastly, these tools are naturally built to help dissipate heat caused by polishing the car which means that you do not risk burning the car paint or making the exterior worse.
The first alternative are the rotary wheels which are built to be faster and more precise in its polishing. However, these are mostly recommended only for users who have more expertise in polishing the car. This is because this tool can cause the exterior to overheat when it stays on too long which may damage its paint.
Another alternative is hand polishing. While this is safe and can be done with barely any tools, it may be difficult to do so for an extended period of time. This is especially true if you will wash and wax it at the same time, which takes a lot of stamina to do. We don't suggest this route, because even if you are looking for a great arm workout, the results will be hit or miss depending on how tired you get. If you want to see the best options take a look at our review of dual action polishers on the market right now.
The first thing you should look for is a speed that matches your car’s needs. On the average, you will need 2000 up to 4000 revolutions per minute to polish irregularities in the car’s surface. Some may even go up to 5000 per minute which is only recommended for the deepest scratches.
Next, users should look for an ergonomic design that is easy to hold. This is made possible by having side and front handles for the D-shaped tool. Users should also look for a unit that vibrates less as to decrease the stress on their hands while they hold it.
Finally, they should look for a unit that is cordless to make polishing the car easier.
The highest rated one is the ZOTA buffer polisher which comes with 3 professional pads. It has a rating of 4.7 from 415 ratings. The unit aims to provide fast results with the use of its long-throw orbit and its motor that is powered with 850 W. This allows it to polish scratches and swirls better.
The machine is easy to operate because of its 6 speed dials that gives it a speed that ranges from 2,000 to 5,200 revolutions per minute. The start is also guaranteed to be soft as to allow you to be comfortable with its speed first before it goes into an appropriate polishing speed. This is perfect for removing any defects in the paint and oxidation.
The next best-rated one is the Ginour Polisher. It has a rating of 4.6 from 1,114 ratings. It comes with a 900W that has a low noise. It is capable of reducing swirls and polishing holograms, burn marks, and the likes. It gives 6 levels that users can range from 2,000 to 6,400 revolutions per minute which is one of the highest among the dual-action polishers. It comes with two different designs for its handles including a D-handle and one for the sides.
