Taking a rotary tool to your car to clean it seems daft. However, these mighty little things pack an almighty punch when polishing up the finer areas. Surprisingly, many power tools can help reduce your time cleaning your car.
Yes, you can use a rotary tool to cut away sections of your car. They’re used often on the F1 circuit to make areas of bodywork and rear wings ‘circuit specific’. However, did you know you can replace the head and use them to get that gear knob extra shiny? Or even the chrome on your front bumper, which might need a super fine bit of sanding and polishing?
These powered-up magical wands can cut sections of material and buff, polish, shine, sand and drill, making them a versatile tool in your garage. So let’s look at the best rotary tools for those tricky polishing jobs.
The best rotary tools for car detailing
Best rotary tool
Probably the OG in terms of rotary tools – so synonymous with what it does that people often call all rotary tools Dremel’s. So while this might be more than some might want to pay for a rotary, look at what you get with it – 45 different accessories, a charger, a shaping platform, a detailers grip and a case.
Pros
- Very well respected brand
- Adjustable speeds
- 45 piece kit
Cons
- Not compatible with accessories from other brands
| Power | Battery |
| Corded? | No |
| Weight | 660g |
| Max RPM | 35,000 |
Best rotary tool under £100
Before we get into it, this does not come with a battery and does not come in a protective box. There is an option to buy with both, however. What it does have, however, is an LED light to help you see what you’re doing. It’ll also spin up to 35,000rpm – pretty mega. If you own other Bosch products with a battery, they are interchangeable, so you don’t always need to buy a battery.
Pros
- Reputable brand
- Adjustable speed
- Compatible with various Dremel attachments
Cons
- Not supplied with battery
| Power | Battery |
| Corded? | No |
| Weight | 1.2 kg |
| Max RPM | 35,000 |
Best corded rotary tool
uk.ryobitools.eu
Ryobi takes its battery-swapping game seriously; you can run basically all its products using the same batteries. If you already have Ryobi products, buying the bare products can be a much cheaper way of doing things. However, this 35-piece set gives you almost everything you need to get up and running with your rotary tool game. Just remember the lack of battery means it won't work out the box.
Pros
- A high number of accessories
- Respected brand
- Adjustable speed
Cons
- The cable doesn’t make it the most versatile
| Power | Battery |
| Corded? | Yes |
| Weight | 1.16 kg |
| Max RPM | 35,000 |
Best Rotary tool under £50
www.toolstation.com
Part of the 12V Draper range, this handy little rotary tool will get you buffing in no time – it comes with a battery and charger and many accessories which will help you do more than polish your car’s chrome. Being in the 12V range, the battery is compatible with other Draper products in this range, plus it comes in a handy little box to keep things organised and protected.
Pros
- Lots of accessories
- Six-speed settings
- Handy box for organisation
Cons
- Not many at this price point
| Power | Battery |
| Corded? | No |
| Weight | Not given |
| Max RPM | 35,000 |
Best lightweight rotary tool
www.toolstation.com
A small and mighty little rotary tool, this one. Charging via a micro USB charging port, the kit box has 52 accessories. The device has five different speed settings and uses an LED light to help you carry out your tasks. It’s the lightest on the list, too, which is very handy if you’re working close up and for an extended period of time.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Lots of accessories
- Handy LED light
Cons
- No mention of battery life, but LED lights let you know how much charge is left
| Power | Battery |
| Corded? | No |
| Weight | 0.38 kg |
| Max RPM | Not given |