Which RUPES Polisher Is Right for You? Polishers, Pads and Polishes Explained
Quick answer: which RUPES polisher should you buy?
For most people, the best RUPES polisher is the LHR15 Mark V. It has a 15 mm throw and a 5-inch pad, and it works on almost every car. Want no cord? Get the BigFoot iBrid HLR15. For tight spots, add the LHR75E Mini or HLR75 Mini iBrid.
RUPES has been around since 1947. It started out making sanders, and it built some of the first portable electric sanders. Today it's one of the most trusted names in car polishing.
We carry a lot of RUPES gear at The Rag Company, so we asked Anthony from our media team to walk through all of it. Below, you'll learn what each RUPES polisher is good at, which pads to pair with it, and which compounds and polishes to use.
Prefer to watch? Here's Anthony's full breakdown.
The RUPES LHR15 and LHR21 Mark V: the bread and butter
The RUPES LHR Mark V is the polisher that made RUPES famous. It changed what people expected from a dual action polisher. With the right pad and compound, it has enough power to cut like a rotary in some jobs. That means you can cut and finish with the same machine.
A quick naming tip: LHR models have a cord. HLR models are the cordless, battery versions.
Here's what Anthony likes about the Mark V:
- Thin backing plate. It makes less heat and spins more freely than older, thicker plates.
- Big rubber speed dial on top that's easy to grab.
- Trigger lock so you can run it without holding the trigger the whole time.
- Variable speed trigger. Set the dial to 6, then feather the trigger to control speed with your fingers.
Why a dual action polisher won't leave holograms
A rotary polisher spins the same way, at the same speed, all the time. That leaves a repeating pattern in the paint called holograms. A dual action (DA) polisher spins and wobbles (oscillates) at the same time. That random motion breaks up the pattern so your eye can't see it.
RUPES 15 vs 21: which throw should you get?
"Throw" is how far the pad swings out as it oscillates. The Mark V comes in two sizes:
| Model | Throw | Backing plate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| LHR15 Mark V | 15 mm | 5 inch | Most cars and most people |
| LHR21 Mark V | 21 mm | 6 inch | Big flat panels: large hoods, trucks, box vans |
Anthony's take: the 15 is the right answer for about 95% of detailers. It works on every kind of vehicle. Step up to the 21 only when you need more coverage on big panels.
And don't let anyone tell you a huge throw with a 7, 8 or 9 inch backing plate is the best way to finish a car. It never was. Pick a moderate throw with the right size plate for the car in front of you.
Small RUPES polishers: where the details live
Big machines are great on hoods and doors. But bumpers, mirrors and tight curves need something smaller. That's where the RUPES mini polishers come in.
RUPES LHR75E Mini (corded, 3 inch)
The LHR75E Mini might be one of the toughest polishers ever made. It uses a 3 inch backing plate with a 12 mm throw. Most 3 inch machines only have an 8 mm throw. The Mini has enough power to handle the bigger throw, so you still get strong spin and oscillation.
It feels like a little brick, but it's balanced well. Anthony can hold it out with one hand. He uses it on fenders, trunk areas and busy bumpers, or anytime a bigger pad starts to stall.
RUPES iBrid Nano (cordless, smallest)
The iBrid Nano II Kit was the first real "toothbrush style" polisher with a solid battery. It gets into spots a 3 inch machine can't reach, and spots you don't want to polish by hand.
The best part is the quick-release head. Pop it out and swap to a short throw, long throw, or rotary head. Anthony gets about 20 to 30 minutes per battery, depending on speed.
RUPES HLR75 Mini iBrid (cordless, 3 inch)
The HLR75 Mini iBrid is the battery version of the LHR75. It keeps the 3 inch plate and 12 mm throw, and it has noticeably more torque than the corded Mini. Our team rarely runs it above speed 3 or 4.
Pair it with a microfiber pad or wool pad and it can cut out sanding marks. Runtime is about 20 to 30 minutes, so grab a second battery and swap as you go. You can also get it as the HLR75 Mini iBrid Beta Kit.
RUPES HLR15 and HLR21 iBrid: the cordless Mark V
The BigFoot iBrid Polisher Kit is the newest generation of RUPES machines. Same naming trick as before: swap the L and H, and now it's cordless.
- HLR15: 15 mm throw, 5 inch backing plate. This will likely be the best seller of the two.
- HLR21: 21 mm throw, 6 inch backing plate. Again, it's for bigger panels and bigger jobs.
Anthony thinks these are some of the best battery polishers you can buy. Battery life is solid, but his favorite part is the feel. The rubber grip is comfortable, and running a foam pad with a final polish feels smooth and controlled.
RUPES pads by color: which one to use
The pad matters as much as the polisher. A lot of the "RUPES feel" comes from pairing the machine with the right pad. Anthony hand-picked most of the RUPES pads we sell.
| Pad | Color | Job | Anthony's notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DA Coarse Wool | Blue | Heavy cutting | One of his favorite cutting pads. Handles almost any defect, even on hard paint. Can finish in one step on some cars. |
| DA Coarse Medium Wool | Yellow | Cutting softer paint | His pick for soft clear coats, like many Japanese cars. Cuts well without taking off too much. Stays cool. |
| DA Foam Coarse | Blue | Cutting with foam | Lots of cut and can still finish. Stiff, so run medium speed and watch the edges. |
| DA Foam Intermediate | Teal | Cut and finish | The newest pad. Stiffer than yellow. Works best with a compound and gives long working time. |
| DA Foam Fine | Yellow | Everyday polishing | His "bread and butter" pad. Some give, some stiffness. Works with compound or polish. Start here. |
| DA Foam Ultra Fine | White | Final finish | Jeweling and removing tiny marring. Great on fussy paint. |
Not sure where to start? Grab the yellow foam pad. If it doesn't do enough, step up to teal or blue. If it's too much, drop to white.
Keep your wool pads clean
Wool pads load up with polish and old paint fast, so clean them often. Use compressed air or a stiff brush. The RUPES BigFoot Claw Pad Tool has a nylon brush on one end. Brush the fibers by hand, or hold it against the pad while the machine spins. The other end has a hook that pops the pad off the backing plate, so you don't tear it by pulling on the edge.
RUPES compounds and polishes
D-A Coarse and D-A Fine: the easy color-matched system
RUPES color-codes its system so it's simple to follow. If you're new to machine polishing, just match colors: blue product on a blue pad, yellow product on a yellow pad. You'll get a good result.
- D-A Coarse Compound (blue) does most of the cutting, with some finishing power too. It wipes off easily, doesn't dry like concrete, and has good working time. It stays fairly cool on a rotary, DA or forced-rotation machine.
- D-A Fine Polish (yellow) handles most everyday polishing. It has plenty of lube, wipes off clean, and has no fillers.
You don't have to follow the color system, but it's a great place to start.
UNO Pure: final finishing lotion
UNO Pure barely feels abrasive at all. Shake it, put it on a white ultra fine pad, and let the pad do the work. Anthony uses it to clear up micro marring on fussy paint, like GM black, and on ceramic coatings. The working time is long and there are no fillers.
UNO Protect: polish plus protection
UNO Protect was RUPES' first polish with built-in protection. It adds gloss, some UV protection and a lot of moisture to the clear coat. It has slight filling ability, but not much.
A favorite combo in our studio: polish the car with UNO Protect and let it haze. Then mist a spray sealant like P&S Bead Maker over it and buff it all off. The finish feels buttery smooth. Just know it only lasts a few months.
Pro tip: On very dry paint, Anthony runs UNO Protect over the car on a foam pad before compounding. It puts moisture back into the clear coat, and heavy cutting goes smoother after.
UNO Advanced: polish plus 12 months of protection
UNO Advanced cuts more than UNO Protect and leaves behind SiO2 (ceramic) protection rated for about 12 months. As it polishes, it works ceramic into the paint it's refining.
Anthony uses it to touch up ceramic coatings. Removing a scratch from a coating normally means polishing and recoating that spot. UNO Advanced does both in one step. Lots of people also use it as a one-step polish and protect on the whole car. Pick your pad by how much cut you need, let it sit briefly, then buff off.
RUPES FAQ
What is the best RUPES polisher for beginners?
The LHR15 Mark V. Its 15 mm throw and 5 inch pad work on almost any car, and a DA polisher won't leave holograms like a rotary can.
What's the difference between RUPES LHR and HLR?
LHR polishers have a cord. HLR polishers are the cordless iBrid battery versions. The numbers stay the same: 15, 21 and 75.
Should I get the RUPES 15 or 21?
Get the 15 unless you mostly work on big, flat panels like truck hoods or vans. The 21 covers more area with a 6 inch pad, but the 15 fits more of the car.
Which RUPES pad should I start with?
The yellow DA Foam Fine pad. It handles compound or polish. Go to teal or blue for more cut, or white for a final finish.
What is the difference between UNO Protect and UNO Advanced?
Both polish and protect in one step. UNO Protect adds gloss and a few months of protection. UNO Advanced cuts more and leaves SiO2 ceramic protection rated for about 12 months.
Can RUPES UNO Advanced be used on a ceramic coating?
Yes. Our team uses it to polish out scratches in a coating, because it puts ceramic protection back as it polishes.
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