Featured here: the Griot's Garage Griot's Garage G9 Random Orbital Polisher.
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Research-basedPicked from published specifications and the pattern across verified-purchase reports. We have not used these ourselves and do not pretend otherwise.How we pick
The verdict
Buy the G9 if you are correcting whole cars and the price difference does not sting. Buy the G8 if most of your work is doors, bumpers and spot correction, or if this is your first machine and you would rather be slow than sorry. Neither is a mistake.
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What actually differs
These two machines share a backing plate size, a pad ecosystem and the same lifetime warranty. The differences are narrow and worth stating precisely rather than vaguely.
G8 against G9 on the published figures
G8
G9
Throw
8mm
9mm
Motor
Not published by Griot's
1000W
Weight
Lighter
Heavier
Backing plate
5 in
5 in
Warranty
Lifetime
Lifetime
One millimeter of throw sounds trivial and in practice it is close to it. The difference you will genuinely notice is not the throw — it is the weight and the power. The G9 holds speed better when you lean on a cutting pad, and you feel the extra mass on a door after forty minutes.
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Both machines, with live prices
The price gap between these moves around. Check both before deciding — it is often smaller than the list prices suggest.
Griot's GarageSpec-verified
Griot's Garage G9 Random Orbital Polisher
Best for: The default answer for a first serious machine
A 9mm throw and a 1000W motor put the G9 exactly where most home detailers should be: fast enough to finish a car in an afternoon, short enough in the throw to stay predictable near badges and body lines. It is the machine we would buy if we were buying one machine.
Who should skip it. If you already own a competent 8mm machine, this is not the upgrade you think it is — the extra millimeter of throw will not fix inconsistent results. Put the money into better pads and a second liquid instead. It is also heavier than the G8, and you notice that on vertical panels after an hour.
Correction speed
8.5
Control
9.0
Ergonomics
7.5
Build
9.0
Value
8.5
What works
9mm throw is the best general-purpose compromise on the market
1000W does not bog down under pressure on a cutting pad
Griot's lifetime warranty is the strongest in the category
Takes the same 5 in plate and 5.5 in pads as everything else
What does not
Heavier than the G8, which shows on doors and quarters
The G8 is the G9's shorter, lighter sibling, and for a lot of people it is the better buy. An 8mm throw is slower across a hood and considerably more forgiving within an inch of an edge, which is exactly where beginners do damage.
Who should skip it. Correcting a full-size truck with an 8mm throw is a long afternoon. If most of your work is big flat panels, the extra throw of the G9 genuinely saves time rather than just sounding better.
Correction speed
7.0
Control
9.5
Ergonomics
8.5
Build
9.0
Value
8.5
What works
Lighter than the G9 and easier to hold against a door for an hour
8mm throw is the most forgiving option near edges and badges
Same lifetime warranty as the rest of the Griot's line
What does not
Slower on large flat panels — this is the real trade-off
Griot's does not publish a wattage figure we could verify
Priced close enough to the G9 that the decision is genuinely about throw
Holds speed under pressure; less fatigue from bogging
Mostly doors, bumpers, spot work
G8
The weight advantage matters more than the throw
Hard European clear coat
G9
The extra power genuinely helps on a cutting pad
Second machine alongside a long-throw
G8
Complements a 15mm machine rather than overlapping it
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What they share, and why it matters
The same 5 in backing plate, so pads bought for one fit the other and nothing is stranded if you upgrade.
Griot's lifetime warranty, which is the strongest in the category and genuinely honored — the single best reason to buy either over a cheaper machine.
The same speed control behavior, so technique transfers directly between them.
Both are sold as tools, so budget for pads and compound on top.
If you are weighing the G9 against the longer-throw machine instead, G9 vs G15 is the more useful comparison — that is where the differences are large enough to change the job.
06
Questions people actually ask
Is the G9 worth the extra money over the G8?
If you correct whole cars, yes — the extra power means it does not bog down on a cutting pad, and that saves real time. If you mostly do spot work and panels, the G8's lighter weight is worth more than the G9's power, and you should save the money.
Does 1mm of extra throw make a difference?
Barely. Between 8mm and 9mm the difference in coverage per pass is small enough that most people would not identify it blind. The weight and motor differences are what you actually feel.
Do the G8 and G9 use the same pads?
Yes. Both take a 5 in backing plate and the standard 5.5 in pads, so pads and plates move between them freely. Nothing is stranded if you upgrade or add a second machine.
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Sources
Every published figure on this page traces to one of these. Where a manufacturer does not publish a number, the page says so rather than estimating it.
Last reviewed October 5, 2026. Think a figure here is wrong? Tell us at contact@detailingandwax.com and we will check it, fix it and date the correction — see our editorial policy.
