It s also true that some jobs will get better results with a buffing machine in the hands of a pro. A professional painter s buffer is nothing more than a body grinder with a polishing pad in place of the grinding disc. These are high power, variable speed motors that give a professional painter a lot of flexibility. Orbital polishers, on the other hand, have much less power, may or may not be variable speed, and have a special drive head that causes the polishing bonnet to run in a variable pattern. This is not an easy question, because no matter what I say, there is an opposing and equally valid response.
Buffers are for pros or serious enthusiasts.
The opportunity to ruin a paint job with a buffer is too high when a powerful, rotating machine is put in the hands of an unskilled person. One small slip and you ll pop off a molding, burn a hole in your paint, or break off a windshield wiper. I ve seen each of these mishaps, so I know it can happen. That said, the high-speed buffer is my tool of choice. I put myself in the category of a serious enthusiast, and I have had two minor mishaps in 20 years.