Electric Shoe Polishers: Is It Worth It to Invest in a Machine?

Electric Shoe Polishers: Is It Worth It to Invest in a Machine?

The problem is clear: your dress shoes are looking seriously dull. With a good pair of leather dress shoes costing hundreds of dollars, retiring your shoes once the color starts to fade a bit is not an option. This is where a good shoe polish comes in. However, sometimes even the most buff men can’t buff out stubborn scuffs and stains with their arm strength alone. It’s time for us here at FootFitter to welcome you to the world of electric shoe polishers.

Electric shoe polishers do the hard work for you. Keep reading to find out how they take your leather dress shoes from drab to fab.

What are the benefits of using electric shoe polishing machines?

Electric shoe polishers use motor power to buff away scuffs and stains. Alternatively, buffing in product by hand is less effective at deeply cleaning shoes because of the strength difference.

Along with the quality of the cleaning comes the time it takes to get shoes their shine back. Electric shoe polishing machines work more effectively if you want to clean shoes quickly because of the increased strength. So, instead of spending 15 minutes scrubbing back and forth, you will be ready to hit the town in a matter of seconds.


Polishing shoes by hand takes around 15 minutes. On the other hand, electric shoe polishers shine shoes in a matter of seconds.


This also helps you save more polish because electric shoe polishers get the job done the first time and don’t need multiple layers of polishing to be effective.

In addition, electric shoe polishers help to save the sanctity of your clean house. While buffing in product by hand can be a messy process for both your skin and your carpet, electric shoe polishers help to keep polish in place.

Which electric shoe polishers work best?

FootFitter shares electric shoe polishers
Beck Diplomat Electric Shoe Polisher

Two of the top electric shoe polishers on the market are the Beck Diplomat and the Ray Charles Easy Shine electric shoe polishers.

First off, the Beck Diplomat Electric Shoe Polisher uses buffers made from lamb’s wool, which is known for its softness and gentleness. In addition, lamb’s wool is very flexible. This makes it the ideal texture to use to buff polish into your shoes.

Not only will your dress shoes look like a new pair in a matter of seconds, they also won’t undergo any additional damage in the cleaning process. While this is the pricier option, Beck also offers replacement buffers so you don’t have to replace the entire machine when they wear out.

FootFitter shares electric shoe polishers
Ray Charles Easy Shine Electric Shoe Polisher

Next, the Ray Charles Easy Shine Electric Shoe Polisher is the ideal polisher for the person on-the-go. Its lightweight handheld design makes use and packing the machine into your glovebox or carry-on simple.

Whether you need a quick touch-up before a business meeting or you’re planning on looking your best while on vacation, the Ray Charles electric shoe polishers will make your life easier.

How do I use electric shoe polishers?

Use is also very simple. With the convenience of an electric shoe polisher, it will likely take you longer to read how to clean your shoes than the actual cleaning process.

Nevertheless, it’s important to know what you’re doing. Look below to find out how to properly use these machines.

  1. Apply shoe polish evenly to your dress shoes using a microfiber cloth.
  2. Press the button on the machine to make the buffers start operating.
  3. Stick your shoes under the buffers until desired look is achieved.

Still need help? Check out this video on the Beck Diplomat that visually depicts the process.

Overall, is it worth the investment?

If you’re still questioning whether electric shoe polishers are worth the investment, think of the money and time you will save in the long run.

With electric shoe polishers, you cut costs on buying new dress shoes because your old kicks will last longer and you save polish because the process is less messy. In addition, if you typically take your shoes to a cobbler or stand for polishing, you save the costs of paying and tipping someone else to decrease your dress shoe dullness.

In addition, your time is precious. An electric shoe polisher saves you the time of driving somewhere to get your shoes polished or polishing them yourself. With 15 minutes being replaced by a few seconds, you’ll have more time to devote to other important tasks.

When it comes to asking yourself if you should invest in an electric shoe polisher, your answer should be a resounding, “yes.”

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