Ranking Shoe Polishes (19 BEST & WORST Brands) ft.

[@michaelrmcornejo]

also a special shout-out to the video editor!!! Class, professional, and refreshing. Kudos kudos kudos

[@gentlemansgazette]

Thank you! Our editors do an awesome job 🙌

[@borkwoof696]

Thank you so much! Good to hear about different brands in one video. Would have been curious about Burgol, though.

[@gentlemansgazette]

There are a few other brands we considered, but we had to stop the list somewhere! 😅 What's your experience with Burgol?

[@borkwoof696]

@@gentlemansgazette No experience whatsoever, that’s why I asked haha. That being said, I completely get making a cut somewhere. Maybe for a part two, though?

[@bill99208]

I know this is about shoe polishes but the HI-FI enthusiast in me can’t help but noticing the McIntosh Amplifier to Jack’s left in the background. To this I say spot on!

[@gabrielvillegas6071]

Thank you, I would love to see Anders showing how to make a perfect mirror shine!

[@gentlemansgazette]

Watch this space (very soon!) 😉

[@lindalane1166]

As an Australian, it's always been Kiwi polsh for our shoes. Our Australian bootmakers R.M Williams have a fairly good polish and leather conditioner.

[@Boyracer73]

Good timing, I got all three different types of Saphir products reviewed here on mail earlier today, going to test them out on weekend 🙂

[@gentlemansgazette]

Nice! Which Saphir products did you get?

[@the.dirty.pigeon]

Great video. I’m mostly using Saphir these days but I do have a tin of Lincoln that, even though I assumed it was poor quality, seemed to do a great job. Good to see that Lincoln got some decent praise here.

[@artaudcharles]

Comprehensive review! I learned a great deal. Thank You

[@djartyom924]

im guessing Preston does the ranking names

[@gentlemansgazette]

Jack here - I'm going to have to take the credit there, but Preston and I certainly share a sense of humour!

[@craft-o-matic399]

@@gentlemansgazette Great presentation Jack! You and Anders work nicely together. Thank you! Lisa

[@ocean911]

Wow...very good work! Did not know all the different options ppl have for their leather footwear conditioning/polishing. Keep up the content!

[@SuCollins-y2v]

Thank you, GG. I learned a great deal and enjoyed the flow of conversation.

[@henrikbunkenborg6743]

This is wonderful nerdy. Keep going.

[@thom-bennett-tailoring]

Great walkthrough of all the polish on the market, something the shoeshine gurus of KZbin don't seem to explore. Thanks for the time to make the video.

[@gentlemansgazette]

Thank you! Glad to hear you enjoyed

[@michaelrmcornejo]

Love this!! Thank you gentlemen!!!! Great to know the best out there. The knowledge y’all shared are such value. I appreciate them. Keep it up! Sapphire is almost feeling superior! a league of their own.

[@gentlemansgazette]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it! A question for you: if Saphir wasn't an option, which polish would you pick (and why)? 🤔

[@fluwix9017]

You need to consider Burgol in future shoe care videos. They're up there with Saphir and, in my opinion, achieve much better mirror shines.

[@mikeoxmaul45]

Pate de luxe and mirror gloss for my combat boots. 👍🏻

[@Fiestacat12345]

Kiwi is what I learned to polish with as a kid, what I used in the military, and what I use on my western boots. It does the job.

[@TheBackpackingSailor]

in the navy we are issued kiwi. i started using saphir for my uniform shoes and lincoln for my boots but i might move to saphir for the boots too

[@bheinatz1]

I've tested many, including all of Saphir's offerings, but nothing has topped Pure Polish, made in Oregon. Fantastic maintenance and shine products, including the very best you can get for cordovan!

[@purepolishproducts]

Thank you! Much appreciated.

[@harrymusselwhite2535]

Interesting, but how about that Power McIntosh receiver/amp in the back. Wowza. Top drawer.

[@gentlemansgazette]

Arteron have a beautiful set-up!

[@annjas]

Interesting video, learned some more about polish. Would be interested in seeing what you think of Angelus wax and crèmes.

[@StevanMilesevic]

Personally I think you should have included Burgol products in your comparison. For me they are the second best after Saphir but way more affordable.

[@stellaKAU]

thank you so much for this. I use Saphir and apart from Kiwi did not even know about others. Having said that, still want my Saphir :)

[@jfruser]

I am not ashamed to be considered a shoe polish phreak. Great video and informaiton, thanks.

[@ShotsMerkzAll]

Do you have any suggestions for suede cleaner? Thank you

[@jfruser]

@@ShotsMerkzAll Nope. I don;t like suede and do not own anyhting made with it. Closest I have are rough-out hot weather combat boots.

[@mancroft]

UK here. I use Kiwi. Always have.

[@gentlemansgazette]

Jack here - It's what I've grown up with, too. What's your plan now that it looks like Kiwi's going to be harder to get hold of?

[@mancroft]

@@gentlemansgazette Good question. I don't use much shoe polish nowadays. Might have to resort to Cherry Blossom.

[@mickosullivan2962]

Excellent video presentation !

[@lloydaurion-gaming46]

I was finally able to get good dress shoes recently, getting some AE. Always love GG and glad to see more faces! I’m using Saphir for my shoes. I figure go hard from the get go and get accustom to that. I have also never shined shoes before this so it has been a huge learning experience.

[@gentlemansgazette]

Stay tuned for a more in-depth shoe-shining video coming soon!

[@carltrotter7622]

A wonderfully in-depth discussion of the best shoe polishes. I look forward to experimenting with many of these other polishes myself and diversifying my collection. I have only had the pleasure to use Kiwi and Saphir, and the difference is like night and day. Mr. Collins, I'm curious about maintaining such an extensive shoe collection. As a student, I meticulously maintain merely two pairs of shoes at a mirror shine, a process which proves to be quite laborious. Does it become more manageable to maintain that shine across multiple pairs of shoes? Sort of an economies of scale in the ratio of time spent shining against the quantity of shoes?

[@gentlemansgazette]

Hi Carl, Jack here - the economy of scale certainly helps maintain the integrity of a shine between wears, but I've found that I'm rarely rotating my whole collection in any real pattern. I've grown to admire what Anders and I discussed as the "dull shine", as I'm less concerned about shattering the mirror shine (pun intended) when I'm wearing the shoes in everyday life. This level of shine is also super easy to bring back to life with a clean soft brush, cloth, or even a tissue/paper napkin in a pinch, and is still a higher level of shine than most people will have out in public!

[@fretho8410]

Enjoyed the video. Can definitely recognize the shrinking of Saphir Mirror Polish over time. Tells me that this is indeed an expert on this matter.

[@HookahBurdar]

Very interesting video but I miss some important French, German and Swiss brands such as Burgol (German and Swiss (now Siegel) brands),Ed Meier, Monsieur Chaussure and Famaco. I use both Saphir and German Burgol (which is made in France) and would have liked to know more about these German brand which also produces some of the best shoe brushes in the World. I would also like to know wether the Ed Meier of Munich are the same as Burgol, just rebranded, or a different product.

[@rogerr.8507]

Good topic finally. I took jodhpur boots, the rogue anjeo brown and i dyed it black - then used black cream polish... now they look great in black! :D

[@giftedriders3194]

Here I'm very curious to learn about shoes polish 😅i learned a lot thou😊 very insightful content.hugs from Jamaica 🇯🇲❤ i will definitely recommend the best rated ones for my husband to be 😅

[@GiantSlayerKing]

Hi I would like to see Burgol shoe shines and creams included in the video, compared to Saphir.

[@Thing-vc2qm]

I always use Saphir cause it always been great for me and I really don't want to ruin a nice pair of shoes with cheap polish.

[@joejackson9986]

Good choice

[@KB-fk3jj]

I didn't see Meltonian so I wanted to give my own rating. I use the cream polish for my work boots, where scuffing is common. The finish is a nice, even gloss. It helps to keep the leather nourished and restore some of the colour loss. Definitely a Daily Gleam, as the shine is gone after 2 or 3 workdays

[@alfazagato1455]

Kiwi was great. Resistant to rock salt and fumed silica

[@gordonpace7066]

I can't find it anyplace where I live (Utah, USA)

[@alfazagato1455]

@@gordonpace7066 They mentioned in the video Kiwi's business state was in question. May not be in production.

[@joebelcher4984]

Just bought some Saphir Cream. I don't want mirror shine, so I bought cream only no wax

[@joejackson9986]

People who don’t know how to polish to a mirror shine do get the cream only

[@salemslotandmore8278]

Thank You for the Video 😀

[@babygerald4645]

I've been lucky to match my first three pairs of dress shoes to Saphir creme and wax polishes. I use creams once every few weeks to revitalize the color and the wax about once a week or as necessary. My cat loves the smell of the turpentine, apparently, as he loves to huff the shoes after they are gleaming. I also have a wax polish by Angelus and some Allen Edmonds branded stuff, but Saphir takes the prize by a country mile.

[@robingeorgetowntx]

Thank you for testing all of those shoe polishes for us👍

[@davidnorth9390]

Are Meltonian products recommended and available? BTW: thank you; this was informative and fun!

[@Warpedsmac]

mmm.... but I'd like to hear that MacIntosh amp up loud too!!!! Cheers from Australia.

[@KennyLuz]

Personally, I enjoy Famaco, what are your thoughts on it I wonder?

[@wayneelliott7011]

No mention of Collonil? I've been very happy with with the various Collonil Polishes/Creams that I've been using for close to twenty years. I've just ordered another batch of their products.

[@alebarre7389]

Interesting video for those who are looking for good products. Nice job! I just have a question: I have a cordovan leather boots but I don't know what kind polish or cream is going to be good for it so what is the best fro cordovan leather?

[@LifeAndFaithTogether]

Very helpful video! You explain clearly the different products and their intended purposes for each. That said, I will be sad to see Kiwi enter the realm of history.

[@raybennett8399]

I have a ? Dies a cream polish cover black spots on leather? I have a cordvin colored leather shoe with black spots coming through.

[@TeslaRules1856]

What about the other polish line from Saphir ? Creme Surfine ?

[@testnametestsurname1032]

Sounds geeky. I'm in.

[@LairdDavidson]

I only use Saphir now. I don't even bother looking at other brands except for Renapur leather balm (which is only for items that you want to use that type of product on). Yes Saphir is expensive but when I consider how little I use it's not a major expense. Unlike cheap brands it doesn't dry out after a year or two and have to be thrown away. It's also better for my leather products than cheap polish so maybe I save money in the long run.

[@sakojanessian4938]

This is a great one...what's your opinion on the best creme for shell cordovan

[@kelvinthenedy]

Nice products reviews!! Anyway about Kiwi, have you guys tried the Kiwi Parade Gloss Prestige, I just heard about it recently but couldn't find the product anywhere in my country (funnily enough, my country, Indonesia, is the one that produced it). Would love to have your takes on this if you guys have tried it before or would be willing to try it in the future. Thank you in advance!

[@michaelmclaughlin7328]

An interesting video and insights 👍 I have mirror shined my shoes/boots for work every day since 1998. I stopped using Kiwi because the polish cracks and flakes off. I then switched to Cherry blossom because I could get as good a shine but without the cracking and flaking that put me off Kiwi and any bashes or scrapes were more easily easily repaired. I started using Saphir when I discovered Loake shoes and boots because I was attracted by the Saphir cremes which give a nice shine on the flexible vamps as well as moisturising and feeding the leather. Now I only use Saphir cremes and wax polishes.

[@lifesbeautiful3024]

Meltonian?

[@sakojanessian4938]

Any thoughts on Burgol/Siegol???

[@gentlemansgazette]

We have visited a french manufacturer (not Saphir) of shoe polish and I believe they manufactured some polish for those brands. Not sure if that is still the case.

[@theamarcord1332]

Hi, would you use Saphir wax on brand new shoes?

[@stevenroche9874]

Famaco definitely makes good cremes and wax polishes. When considering dubbins for hiking, hunting, and work boots, the French products are top tier as well. Collonil products are hit and miss in my experience.

[@IamMotionMedia]

imagine having the director of a shoe shine company to rate the products of their competitors....

[@tyronewalker5764]

Been using Kiwi since I was a kid, since it proves better protection from water. Can cremes prove this same protection?

[@TheoTheTimeTravelingMagician]

Very good! Love it!

[@Lord_Ivoundy_Creood]

What if instead of Turpentine you use Acetone as the solven??? Wpuld that work???

[@randerson4124]

I guess the US military switching to no polish boots hurt Kiwi the most as that was virtually the only brand sold in the PX

[@Nimzzeee]

Seen a lot of shoe polishing videos on KZbin. One thing is never addressed. Hopefully you can help. We're typically advised to have 2 shoe brushes. One for black and one for "browns." Before you polish a shoe, you're advised to brush off the dust and dirt so you have a clean canvas to apply product. Do you use the same shoe brush to initially clean the shoe as you do to buff to shine? Or should you have a separate cleaning shoe brush? Why would you use the same shoe brush that is used to pick up and remove dirt and dust and then use that same shoe brush to finish off the aesthetic. It doesn't make sense to me.

[@gentlemansgazette]

A good question! The short answer is no - you should NOT use the same brush to clean and polish. To clean, you need something with stiffer bristles, like a horsehair brush. Then to polish, you'll want softer hairs, like goat or yak hair. Typically, it's a good idea to have one cleaning brush (as it's all about dirt removal, not distributing color), and two polishing brushes for light and dark polish.

[@Nimzzeee]

@@gentlemansgazette That's wonderful advice thank you.

[@gentlewolf]

A polish sommelier!

[@BeezerWashingbeard]

*Connoisseur perhaps

[@gentlewolf]

@@BeezerWashingbeard a shoe polish sommelier tasting course

[@ProxyBuks]

a refreshing taste of fresh turpentine

[@paulm2467]

I wouldn’t take his assessment of his own products too seriously, he’s ranking it alongside Saphir, the very best who have been developing their products for over a hundred years.

[@guldenaydin9918]

"Don't ask the age of my shoes, ask the color shoe polishes ... P.S: Sorry for my English. I hope I could explain what I mean..

[@sophiawittmann-b7d]

can we get a how to video

[@gentlemansgazette]

Stay tuned! 😉

[@reinhartgregory]

Basically, just use Saphir as usual lol

[@ralphmarkasher]

how about Angelus shoe polish from California?

[@joejackson9986]

Harsh chemicals

[@Vandemiir]

What are you doing at 2 am? Watching some dudes put shoe polish in a tierlist

[@hanwenyap]

As a Boot Black user, I can't take this video seriously. Other top brands have had their mirror shine waxes ranked, while BB doesn't. BB shines at its mirror shine tools, and High Shine Cleaner. If GG actually cared about doing this in a fair manner, they'd include a regular wax, a cream and a high shine wax (if applicable) for all brands.

[@gentlemansgazette]

Interested to hear your rankings, as a Boot Black user, of course 🙂

[@hanwenyap]

@@gentlemansgazette Coming from someone living in a tropical climate, I would put BB regular wax a B or a high C, as its nothing special. I would give its cream an A, lots of pigment and doesn't dry too fast (Saphir has too much solvents that evaporates too quickly in warmer climates). High Shine Base and High Shine Coat will be A too, as these products help build wax layers very quickly, thus making mirror shining your shoes a breeze. For Saphir, I give the regular wax A, cream D (dries too easily), and mirror gloss C (way too dry and hard to apply, unlike BB).

[@bfelinemaximus]

I hope my buddy Pricey Price sees this video.

[@cashau2965]

....you ignored Famaco which is a well known French brand why?...

[@TrueStrongNorth]

Kiwi is god-tier. Shoe creams hardly make the shine old-school Kiwi makes. This list reflects people who like to spend more to brag more.

[@phileandro]

👏👏👏👏

[@Myrslokstok]

You can't compair; welcome to this list!?!

[@celloplayer]

why is the man in the intro winking?

[@gentlemansgazette]

He's been that way for quite a while, now! 😉

[@LanguagesWithAndrew]

For those who don't want to watch the whole video: yeah, just stick with Saphir, they're the best.

[@bheinatz1]

Saphir is great, but I find Pure Polish to be better, particularly with cordovan.

[@gentlemansgazette]

For those who don't want to watch the whole video...why did you click on a 32-minute video about shoe polishes? 🤔

[@SdA20013]

Soooo, Is This man single? Asking For a friend

[@rovercoupe7104]

E?

[@asecretcinema]

clowns

[@tonymoto1188]

Kiwi has disappeared from shops in Australia