Ask any car detailer wise in the art of protecting the finish on an automobile and you’ll hear the same answer: A thin coating of wax — buffed and polished to a fine gloss — becomes the best insurance for extending the life and appearance of a fine paint job.

That’s why detailers suggest waxing a car as soon as you get it, then continue to wax it often.

But who wants to spend so much elbow grease trying to make a coat of wax shine?

Of course, there’s a way to eliminate much of the work of waxing. You use an electric buffer — one of those hand-held polishers with a soft and fuzzy pad that spins around to perform the chore of polishing.

Such a device is called an orbital waxer, and it can be expensive, cumbersome and heavy to use, unless you choose your waxer carefully.

The one we discovered seems relatively affordable — $69.95 — easy to handle and light in weight. It’s called the WaxMaster Pro and appears in a mail-order catalog.

The WaxMaster Pro uses random orbital action to buff the wax after it has been applied to the car’s paint job. It can be as gentle on the paint as your own hand, so you don’t have to worry about melting the wax or marring the car finish.

This polisher has two contoured handles which provide a comfortable grip so you may hold the instrument in an ideal position when buffing the wax.

The WaxMaster Pro Orbital Waxer shows up in the current catalog of Herrington priced as item #R140. Order one by calling 866-558-7467 or by visiting www.herringtoncatalog .com.