I've used Meguiers for decades now,
cutting compounds, polishes & waxes,
I'm not sure if they're the best or not,
it's not the cheapest for damn sure,
but they worked great so far, so I stuck with them...
Bought a case some 20 years ago,
I keep them in the house so they won't go bad...
Mothers Claybar {like Dennis said} is a great idea too...
Use different pads or covers for every grit, polish or wax
I have different pads & attachments for drills for doing my
windows {Eastwood glass polish} & my wheels, Mothers Ball & Cone etc.
I have different pads for different cars/trucks/wheels too...
Otherwise you can scratch your paint/alum or polish
if you use a pad with a polishing/buffing/cutting compound
& than wax on it, if it's not perfectly 100% cleaned...
It costs more but it's well worth it, better to be safe than sorry...
Good luck & good for ya' getting a buffer/polisher...
I had an old Dewalt variable speed angle orbital
7"-9" for quite a while, burned it up last time I used it,
now I need to find another one now...
Looking at a Milwaukee maybe {?}
Those smaller hand held one handed buffers
look like they'd be a lot easier to use thou...
Old habits die hard...