Side by Side Comparison of: WEN vs Makita

Good buffer. Ran for about 8 hours straight and pushed it pretty hard. Buffer held up and the pad is still in good shape. It's a strong little buffer - dropped it a couple of times, got it super hot, and it kept going just fine.

Ok finally got around to using this today. I had some concerns after reading some other reviews, but those concerns were completely unfounded.

The 6" size is probably the perfect balance of coverage and the ability to get into corners and tight areas. The power is just fine. The motor itself doesn't bog down, though the spinning bonnet holder is clutched, so if you press down it'll slow down, but thats probably to protect your paint. The orbital aspect of it doesn't bog down.

It not only makes waxing your car faster with less effort on your part, it seems to do a really great job of really working the wax into the clear coat. My car looks shinier than it did when I applied the wax by hands. This waxer really does make the job easier - and more fun! I didn't hate waxing my car, and I usually do.

I only used the waxing bonnet to apply the wax. I wiped the wax off after it dried with a regular microfiber towel. I'm not sure how to use the fuzzy polishing bonnets.

It takes a bit to figure out how much wax to use. I would start with more to get the bonnet well saturated, then you can cut back as you wax your car. Ultimately this product is very efficient with expensive quality waxes.

I had done the research on a small waxer/polisher. WEN is an old and reliable name in the waxer/polisher field, and I have used their products before and they are excellent and durable. I plan on using this first to clear up some headlights on our vehicles - beats that hand method. I will use this between wax jobs, just to keep things looking good.

I bought this to replace the same I bought years ago. On the outside looks exaclty the same but operates a bit diff.. Not so wobbly as the old one. The old one overheats and shuts down. For the price its a deal.

Returned. He will order another at some point. Great size for a home auto cleanup. I'm sure it will work great. WEN has never let us down.

This is the Cadillac of variable speed compounding buffers! It is very well made and holds a consistent RPM -- what more can you ask from this tool? The package deal with the bag and extra buffing pads is a bonus. I expect many years service from my new tool. My only complaint, and it's due to the build quality, is that this is a heavy buffer. I'm getting older, and holding the machine at chest level for minutes on end is a workout, but perhaps you younger folks are in better shape.

This puppy is one powerful variable speed piece of equipment. After much research it came down to this or the Dewalt. I chose this one because it came with the bag and a couple other attachments and from seller that did not charge tax. Both would be excellent choices in this price range I do believe. The variable start up does just that and does not sling liquid during start up. IF I did have any cons whatsoever it would be the dang thing weighs so much. However, all the brands with this sort of power appear to weigh roughly the same so I guess you can say that power is simply heavy. Buffing is definitely an art form and slowly but surely I'm getting the hang of it. In conclusion I would certainly recommend to a friend without hesitation. Now I need to try and figure out who makes the best pads. So many brands and styles that are all rated high... PEACE OUT

Makita is the ONLY choice for the professional. I have used this buffer, and its predecessor the 9227, for 8 years in the automobile detailing industry. I run my buffers an average of 5-8 hours every day, every day. I have worked them so hard that the outer plastic casing has been nearly melted and tacky to the touch. I doubt there is an industry that could possibly use them more than mine. I have used the DeWalt 849, and there is no comparison between the two. The DeWalt has a very touchy speed control, and lacks torque when pushed hard or under a heavy load. The Makita will keep going no matter what. I have Makitas that I have used all day, every day for more than four years and they keep going. The only parts I have ever replaced are brushes and the power cords (the power cords get a lot of abuse in my business, being drug around on pavement all day). I have never had a failure of any kind with the drive gears, switches or speed controls. Don't waste your time with another brand. With Makita you will find that the speed control is precise, regardless of pressure applied (these machines have a TON of torque). The soft, start is predictable and gentle on the drive system. The new rubber armor around the head helps prevent dings and scratches on the surface your are buffing, and the screens for the motor vents keep wool and debris from entering the motor housing. If there were a way to give it ten stars, I would.Tim WildaUCMOAB.COMUltimate Car MakeOver in A Bottle

This review is being written after having spent one long session with this tool. I applied many coats of Zymol liquid polish using a little sponge-like applicator, and then buffed-out with the Makita using the wooly bonnet that comes in the kit. I kept the air intake screens cleaned by using the ShopVac occasionally, and I also used the vac on the rotating pad to pick up the loose pieces of fuzzy wool. I started off using speed #1 and stayed with that until I got a better sense of how to use the buffer. As I got the hang of it, step-by-step I worked my way up to using speed #4. The higher speed was used after having applied many coats of polish, and it was actually a lot of fun to whizz the big machine along at the high speed and keep it nicely under control, which I had learned how to do. I did all of my work on the roof of a '93 Corolla wagon that has always been kept outside in the driveway and has always had a roof rack installed. I had taken off the roof rack prior to waxing, of course. I don't think there's ever been a proper wax job done on the top of the car, and there were distinct bands of non-oxidized paint showing where the various members of the rack had shaded the paint.I had no trouble learning how to tip the rotating tool for the purpose of controlling the left-to-right swing of the buffer. This machine is pretty heavy, but with good tip control it's actually easy to use it at times with one hand, swinging it around with the trigger locked to "on." This was all on horizontal, or nearly horizontal, surfaces. I spent about three hours doing the top of the car, believe it or not. The speed control, by the way, is separate from the on-off function, and can be adjusted while the trigger is locked to "on." The incremental steps are precise, and go with lots of steps, not just 1-2-3, etc. By the time you're at 4 the pad is flying around pretty fast, and I didn't go above that.All of the tool's features worked properly and had a crisp and strong feel: trigger, speed control, rotation lock (for use during installation/removal of the backing disc while there's no movement happening). I made an appropriately-sized-and-placed loop of the cord and held it in position with two big cable ties and then passed my head through the loop and let the cord, with extension cord, dangle behind me. That worked out well, and made the management of the cord easier, but not perfect. Cords! … but no real beefs with having to manage the cord. 3-prong plug end, BTW. The storage bag is very nicely made and makes a convenient way to keep the whole outfit together when it's being stored.I am so very happy to own this buffer, I have to say. I'm planning to use it one or two panels at a time on both the family's vehicles: wash a panel or two with a towel and some water, dry it off, use the buffer to wax it, put it all away. I think I'll be fine with having a vehicle that has some shiny parts and some dull. If I use it step-wise like that I'll probably be more inclined to use it in the first place. Doing an entire vehicle is a big bite, but a fender, or a door––WTF. The way-faded roof of the Corolla today was the most heroic piece of all the polishing I'll have to do, and it was actually fun to do.I'll come back here and edit this review if there's ever anything germane to add. At the moment I'm very pleased to own this cool tool.

Let me start by saying I have never buffed a car in my life. I've used cheap orbital buffers from local car stores, and even tried the $120 Porter Cable one from Amazon. Having a black show car that often appears in major indoor conventions, I was very nervous to take that leap of faith to a rotary buffer. But nothing ever did the job I expected. So the price was right, and I took a chance on this one.And I couldn't be happier with this buffer!!Bottom line it is simple to use and does a fantastic job. It is a bit heavy, but otherwise very comfortable. The left-hand grip doesn't exhaustibly shake in your hand (like the Porter Cable Orbital one did), and the slow startup when pulling the trigger is an awesome touch of safety. I like that it also came with the extra pads (which I will use on other cars) and the storage bag.If you are a novice and want to give buffing a try, than I promise you - the Makita will NOT disappoint!

Ideal power tool for buffing, polishing or (hopefully not) sanding your car's finish. Rotational speed can be infinitely adjusted to suit the task at hand. Definitely worth the money and I highly recommend it to the individual who wants to take car care to the next level.

Very fast delivery and price is perfect. Works great for what it is and would recommend it highly.

I have never used a buffer before so have nothing with which to compare this but I put it through its paces using it for several hours one day polishing my Corian countertops using this and Novus 1,2,3 and was impressed with the improved appearance. U also used it with the Novus 1,2,3 to clean old acrylic tables and it made a huge difference. I had tried cleaning them by hand with the novus polish but the amount of rubbing needed was too much. The buffer made a big difference.

works but smells hot after a hour+ of use

Perfect size for my small hands. Use to buff granite countertops with a cleaner and sealer. Great price and quick shipping.

Okay so I needed to wax my Jeep Commander , a pretty big vehicle. I wasn't looking forward to it. Because it seemed like it would be a lot of work.

I saw this Wen polisher on Amazon and the price seem pretty good so I ordered it. It arrived promptly and was well packaged and upon inspection looked well-made and fairly easy to use and it came with two pads a wax applicator and a buffer. The Jeep was fairly new to me so this was the first time to wax it.

The applicator worked okay although it seemed like I could do just as good a job with my hand and hand pad, what really made the difference was when wax was dry and I had the buff it out. The buffing pad did its job well as did the the buffer itself. It had a higher orbital rotation than some of the other polishers advertised at both cheaper and more expensive prices. I found that it worked well if I let the machine ride along the surface of the car without a lot of heavy downward pressure. This is my first time with a buffing machine so I'm not sure if this is typical but it seemed like the polishing buffer pad loaded up quickly with wax. Luckily I had purchased an extra pack of applicator and polisher pads from Amazon when I bought this, so a quick change out and I kept on going. The best part was when I had to wax the roof of the Jeep. The Commander sits on 17 inch tires and the regular suspension is a bit high, so the roof line is at 6 feet. Using a small stepladder I was able to buff out the roof fairly easily. It would've been much harder doing it by hand. I think I saved a couple of hours and a whole lot of effort by using this when waxer/polisher. Handles would have been a nice design but on the whole it's a pretty good machine.

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Is a workout..kinda heavy but good power

Pretty awesome product. Handle doesn't work very well at all though. Falls off very easily

Good quality although very heavy

Unless you can where gloves. Working in the hot sun this buffer gets so hot when compounding gelcoat that it burns your hands and callouses right off. Can barely touch it. Also the there is not much control when it comes to the trigger. It has soft start at first, but as you work around corners and tight areas you need to tap the trigger to work in compound and it is all or nothing, it acts as if soft start resets as you let the buffer sit for more than 3 seconds.. Dewalt 849x definitely has more control with the trigger. Dewalt gets hot too, but not near as hot as the makita. The makita gears/torque definitely feel stronger, But it has such a high pitch whine that'll make your ears bleed. Need to wear ear plugs or I'll go deaf. I don't have that problem with the dewalt. It is much quieter. All in all a great tool for the weekend warrior or car detailer that can work in the shade. But for a marine detailer working all day in direct sunlight it's not for me. And I don't want to wear gloves or hearing protection. So that's too many things to give this 5stars. Go with the Dewalt. No complaints.

great package

The Malita es the best mschine! Thanks!

The buffer it self if good for the money. Do your self a favor and mod it. Remove the foam padding and apply velco for a 6" foam pads. The bonnets for applying wax just put swirls and scratches in your paint.

For the price it’s hard to complain but there are a few things worth mentioning.The device is not “orbital” as described but merely vibrates excessively. The description indicates an RPM but this is false.The there is no adjustment for polishing intensity or speed.Quite large and difficult to get into smaller spaces and corners are impossible by design.The vibration is not dampened by the hard plastic handle (for lack of a better term) so one’s hand gets sore fast with use, a padded glove easily helps combat this however.

works OK for my needs, and I would have given it a higher rating except for the power switch. It's a little stiff when turning it on but hideous when turning it off. Way to stiff and awkward.

could use some more power, but for $15 I gave it 3 stars

seems to work as the manufacturer claims

Worked for what I wanted which was a light polisher over the car. But when I tried later to use it to buff out scratches it is just not powerful enough. It will stop rotating with minimal pressure on the car. Probably better off doing it by hand or if you need to buff buy a more powerful device or get a drill bit one.

Works well, but mine is leaking oil. I used it once, pulled it out this summer and it was leaking oil.

Nice little buffer, just not enough power for anything other than light hobby use

Very weak, easy to stall out.

At first I loved this little thing. However, about half way through the first vehicle the foam pad came off. I had some 3M spray glue, good for foam, so I glued it back on and was good to go. I finished my truck, my wife's car, and was working on the boat; the foam pad stayed on but it was pretty much worthless, thin and torn. I have had a 10" buffer for probably 15 years and never replaced the foam pad; this pad just needs to be made of a denser, more robust material. I will cut a pad out of better material, hopefully that will solve the problem and I can go back to loving this thing again.

Worked okay initially but then became noisy and appears to no longer be orbiting (but is still rotating).

This polisher works OK. The pad came half-way off after first use. The on/off button is not easily used one-handed.

I will use it until it breaks and get a different one.

Won't buy again.

Sent it back. Wouldn't work.

Useless. As soon as you put ANY light pressure on the vehicle panel it stops turning. It will still vibrate but no turns! Returning this.

It broke after three uses, buffer part came away from housing. We were/are in the middle of moving house and didn't have the time or energy to contact seller. Didn't want to pack a broken item so threw it away.

anytime I plug the polisher it flips my power strip
And gets extremely hot won't even function.

Only worked for one day; had waited too long to return would not buy Wen products again.

Back plate broke on April 5, 2017 and unit was only 8 months oldApril 19, 2017 unit caught fire at the wire going into unit and burned out unit

Very disappointed that it didn't have a wrench in the package For that kind of $$$ I shouldn't have to buy the wrench separately.