Bodywork
Corded or cordless dual action polisher?
Both are dual action machines, so both spread heat and stall under pressure rather than digging in. What differs is the orbit — how far the pad travels per rotation — and whether there is a cable to drag across a panel you have just finished.
| Compared on | MZ-XR with polish set | CP-EP 18/125 Li BL-Solo |
|---|---|---|
| Orbit | 15 mm (0.59 in) | 8 mm (0.31 in) |
| Power | 720 W corded | 18 V cordless, brushless |
| Backing plate | 125 mm (4.92 in) | 125 mm (4.92 in) |
| Speed settings | 6 stages | Not published |
| Published weight | 2.8 kg (6.2 lb) | Not published |
| Cable length | 8 m (26 ft) | None |
| Compounds included | Heavy cut, medium cut and finishing, 100 ml each | None |
| Battery included | Not applicable | No — supplied bare |
| Listed on amazon.com | Yes | Yes |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these products answer different questions.
Buy the Menzerna to correct a whole car. A 15 mm (0.59 in) throw covers panels quickly and stays controllable on curves, six speeds give real control at the finishing end, and three graded compounds from a compound maker mean the correct sequence is available on day one. Eight meters of cable reaches around a car without an extension.
Buy the Einhell to correct a panel, or if you are already on Power X-Change. An 8 mm (0.31 in) orbit is the most forgiving throw for a first machine — slower to correct and far harder to make a mistake with — and no cable means nothing dragging across wet paint. Add the price of a battery before comparing.
Eight millimeters is the safest and slowest; 15 mm (0.59 in) is the general-purpose size and still forgiving on a dual action machine. Twenty-one millimeters is for large flat panels and unwieldy on a mirror.
Some, every time, and the amount is finite. Start with the least aggressive pad and polish that works, on a test area, and stay off edges and body lines.
Three 100 ml bottles cover a panel or two and teach the sequence. A full car needs more of whichever grade turns out to do the work.
720 W · 15 mm (0.59 in) throw · 6 speeds · 125 mm (4.92 in) plate · 2.8 kg (6.2 lb) · 8 m (26 ft) cable · 3 × 100 ml polishes included
A corded 15 mm (0.59 in) dual action machine sold with three graded polishes — cut, medium and finish — from a maker whose compounds are the reference.
Best for: A first machine polish, where having the right compounds matters as much as the machine.
Cordless 18 V Power X-Change · brushless · 8 mm (0.31 in) orbit · 125 mm (4.92 in) plate · supplied without battery
A cordless brushless polisher with an 8 mm (0.31 in) orbit — the fine, forgiving throw — on a battery platform shared across a large tool range.
Best for: Someone already on Power X-Change who wants to correct a panel rather than a whole car.
≈ $340
