Automotive · Head-to-head
Griot's Garage G9 Random Orbital Polisher vs RUPES BigFoot LHR15 Mark V Random Orbital Polisher
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Dual Action Polishers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The G9 is the machine most people should buy: a 9mm orbit corrects real defects, the motor is built to hold speed under pad pressure, and the usual result of pressing too hard is a stalled pad rather than burned paint. The Rupes LHR15 Mark V is faster across big panels and finishes cleaner, and it starts making sense once you are polishing several cars a year instead of one.
Griot's Garage G9 Random Orbital Polisher
Buy itThe most capable machine a first-time polisher can safely handle, with a 9mm orbit that corrects real defects without punishing mistakes.
- 9mm orbit hits the sweet spot: enough throw to correct paint, short enough that the pad stays predictable on curves and edges
- 1,000-watt motor is built to hold pad rotation under pad pressure instead of bogging down
- Ships with a 6-inch vented backing plate and accepts a 5-inch plate, so pads are cheap and easy to find
- Detachable 10-foot cord and a fan-cooled counterbalance that owners credit for lower vibration and cooler running
- Corded, and the 6-inch head still cannot reach mirrors, pillars and tight bumper sections
- Slower than a 15mm or 21mm long-throw machine across big flat panels like hoods and roofs
RUPES BigFoot LHR15 Mark V Random Orbital Polisher
Buy itA 15mm long-throw machine that covers ground faster and finishes cleaner than anything short-throw, if you polish often enough to justify it.
- 15mm orbit clears hoods, roofs and doors in noticeably fewer passes than an 8mm or 9mm machine
- Runs 5.5 to 6 inch pads on a 5-inch plate, so it still follows contours a full 6-inch machine skips
- Progressive trigger plus a speed dial gives real control at the start and end of each section pass
- Mark V is quieter than the Mark III it replaced (the maker cites 78.5 dB down to 73 dB), which helps over a full car
- Costs several times what a competent beginner machine costs
- Long throw is less forgiving on sharp edges and body lines, so it rewards technique you build on a smaller machine first
- The long cord is a gift in a shop and a nuisance in a one-car garage
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Griot's Garage G9 Random Orbital Polisher Our pick | RUPES BigFoot LHR15 Mark V Random Orbital Polisher | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | First-time and occasional polishers who want one machine that can correct a whole car with almost no risk of burning paint. | Detailers and serious enthusiasts correcting several cars a year who value speed and finish quality over up-front cost. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$$ · flagship |
| Orbit (throw) | 9mm | 15mm |
| Backing plate and pads | 6 in. vented plate included, 5 in. plate optional (5.5 to 6.5 in. pads) | 5 in. plate (5.5 to 6 in. pads) |
| Motor and speed control | 1,000W, 6-speed dial, 2,000 to 6,400 OPM | Efficient motor, progressive trigger plus speed dial |
| Speed on large panels | Good | Fastest here |
| Beginner forgiveness | Very forgiving, pad stalls before paint suffers | Forgiving, but the long throw rewards good technique |
| Reach into tight areas | Limited unless you fit the 5 in. plate | Good for a full-size tool |
| Warranty and parts | Lifetime against manufacturing defects, parts direct from Griot's | Extended with registration, wide professional parts supply |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Griot's Garage G9 Random Orbital Polisher if
first-time and occasional polishers who want one machine that can correct a whole car with almost no risk of burning paint.
Know before buying: corded, and the 6-inch head still cannot reach mirrors, pillars and tight bumper sections.
Pick the RUPES BigFoot LHR15 Mark V Random Orbital Polisher if
detailers and serious enthusiasts correcting several cars a year who value speed and finish quality over up-front cost.
Know before buying: costs several times what a competent beginner machine costs.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Griot's Garage G9 Random Orbital Polisher - The most capable machine a first-time polisher can safely handle, with a 9mm orbit that corrects real defects without punishing mistakes. Choose the RUPES BigFoot LHR15 Mark V Random Orbital Polisher instead if detailers and serious enthusiasts correcting several cars a year who value speed and finish quality over up-front cost.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Dual Action Polishers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).