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 holds speed under pad pressure, and the worst thing that happens when you press 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 with constant speed control holds 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 shorter and quieter than the Mark III it replaced, which owners report as less fatigue 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 30-foot cord is a gift in a shop and a nuisance in a one-car garage
Side by side
| Griot's Garage G9 Random Orbital Polisher | 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 |
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).