That would be cheating for this exercise! This isn't necessarily about the very best protection or the deepest shine, rather it's about a good all rounder that even the laziest car enthusiast could manage.
The deepest shine definitely comes through use of the machine polisher with the right grade pad and a good polish, topped off with a nice carnauba wax. Of course it will all get scratched with the first couple of washes no matter how many buckets you use unless you use something a bit more durable like a nano sealant. Not naming any products so I don't break the rule of the thread!