A polishing machine takes the heavy work out of your arms and gives a more even result than by hand. An eccentric (DA) machine is forgiving and safe for beginners; a rotary cuts faster but requires experience because it burns through paint more easily. Choose the machine to match your pads and your experience level.

For paint correction on daily drivers a DA with a 15mm throw is sufficient in most cases. If you need to remove deeper scratches or work on harder paint, a rotary or forced-rotation machine gives more cutting power, but never without the right pad and compound.