People are obsessed with gel nail manicure once they see how awesome gel can be. However, the cost of having a gel manicure every two or three weeks adds up fast, and keeping up with nail appointments is not always the case.
How’s about at home gel manicure? You’re probably thinking, “Oh. I’m not a professional manicurist.” At home gel manicure is more affordable and easier to achieve than you’d ever think. All you will need is gel nail polish (top and base coat) and a UV or LED nail lamp. It sounds easy enough, right? Now, you might have another questions about UV or LED nail lamp. Don’t worry! I’ll walk you through it step by step.
Why do You Need a UV or LED Nail Lamp?
You see, a gel nail polish is made to be different from a traditional nail polish. It is designed to never evaporate, hence will not harden simply by air drying. For the polish to completely dry, once applied it has to be cured under UV or LED light.
Differences between a UV Lamp and a LED Lamp
LED Lamp
Lighter in weight
Up to 50,000 hours (bulbs are not replaced)
Has difficulties curing some clear gels
Works well with DND nail polish
Cures gels faster than UV lamps
Currently more expensive than UV lamps
UV Lamp
Heavier in weight
About 10,000 hours of functional use (bulbs are replaced every 2 or 4 months depending on amount of use)
More effective at thoroughly curing most clear gels
Take longer to cure gels
Cheaper than LED lamps
These UV or LED lamps used to be really expensive and bulky, but there are a ton of quality nail lamp options available in a huge range of prices now. They can range from $30, which is just equal the price of a single manicure, or up to $200. Just by doing a simple calculation, you will see that purchasing a nail lamp totally makes sense.
It can get quite overwhelmed when you’re trying to compare these nail lamps. I’m going to break it all down, so you can decide which one is a perfect fit for your need. Here is my guide to the best UV and LED nail lamps on the market right now!
Best LED Nail Lamps
Gel II® Pro-Cure 2.0
This newest LED lamp from Gel II® is one of the most excellent and convenient LED lamps so far. It’s cordless, which is easier to move around and does not take up a lot of spaces. This LED lamp takes only 2 hours to fully charge and has up to 3 hours of use. There is plenty of rooms for one hand; it’s also good for doing feet.
The Gel II® Pro-Cure 2.0 offers 3 preset timers (5, 10, 30 and 50 seconds). The LCD display counts down as gels are curing and automatically shuts off after desired time setting. Now you don’t need to be around or keep checking on your customers since the motion sensors will only activate when hand is placed inside. It has ultra-fast curing time like curing some coats in five seconds fast.
Pros:
Ultra-fast curing time
Cordless
Safety automatic off prevents overheating
Motion Sensor Activated
Even light distribution
Light weight
Cons:
Can only do one hand or foot at a time
DeepDream 48W
The great thing about this DeepDream 48W is that it has double light bulbs, which allow it to work with both gel and shellac polishes. It has a wider opening, so you can easily place your hand inside. The curing time is good with 24 dual-light bulbs with 48 Watts of power. It also has 3 timer settings (30, 60 and 99 seconds) and a large LCD display screen to conveniently show your drying time.
Pros:
Cures both gel and shellac
User-friendly buttons
Affordable price
Cons:
Can only do one hand or foot at a time
Get a little warm
KEDSUM 12W
Kedsum 12W nail lamp safely dries nail polish in seconds. It’s specifically designed as a travel lamp, so it has a hand insert that is just enough to fit the four fingers at one. It comes with highly efficient five LED lights with a lifespan of 5,000 hours. Its flat surface can be also be used as a hand rest when applying polish to the nails.
Pros:
Quick and easy to use
4-timer setting
One-press button control
Automatic on/off feature
Bulbs do not need to be replaced
Dual purpose flat surface
Compact and stylish
Cons:
Will not fit the whole hand at once
No automatic sensor
NailStar Professional LED Nail Dryer
This LED nail dryer comes with a sleek design and runs on 36W. It’s made to be portable and lightweight and can be used for low intensity use at home as well as in a professional salon setting. It’s made to be easy and safe to use. It also comes with a 12-month warranty so, which is a huge advantage especially for products bought online.
Pros:
4-timer settings
Never need to replace LED bulbs
Compact and portable design
Safe for the eyes and the skin
Cons:
No side lights
Won’t fit one hand
BellaNails Professional 21W LED Nail Lamp
This nail polish dryer comes with a compact design, you can easily pack it with you if you wherever you go. It is designed with a revolutionary multi-dimensional reflective surface that makes it quicker to dry nails than other curing lamps. It has a built-in automatic sensor that allows you to have a high-quality nail polish finish without worries.
Pros:
Compact, portable, and stylish
Safe for the eyes and the skin
3-set timers
Multi-dimensional reflective surface
Low heat emission
Amazon’s bestseller
Cons:
Small hand insert
Slow customer response
Best UV Nail Lamps
MelodySusie 54W
Even though it takes longer to cure than LED nail lamps, you can fit both hands or both feet inside the MelodySusie 54W at the same time. You can use this lamp to cure all gels and shellacs. Normally, UV bulbs run a bit warmer than LED, but MelodySusie 54W nail lamp fixes this problem by adding an internal fan to keep your hands at a comfortable temperature.
Pros:
Cures 2 hands or 2 feet at the same time
Internal fan for comfort
Cures all gel types
Removable bottom panel
Comes with extra bulb
Cons:
Longer cure times than LED
Bulbs will need to be replaced
Larger than other lamps
SUNUV Sun2 48W
The SUNUV Sun2 has UV/LED dual light, so it works well on all gel and shellac polishes. This lamp is a perfect choice for at home gel manicure. It will distribute light evenly with its 33 bulbs positioned all over the dome. The SUNUV Sun2 provides 3 interchangeable silicone hand rest pads (pink, purple, and white) for making a convenient place when you apply your layers.
Pros:
Rated 4.7/5 by users on Amazon
Even light distribution
UV/LED dual light
Comfortable hand rests
Low heat setting
Cons:
No LED readout for timer
Buttons on back of unit
MiroPure 36W
You don’t have to worry if you don’t know what curing lamp to use for your nails to dry. The MiroPure 36W is made to cover a wider range of ultraviolet band. It will dry all kinds of gel nails safely and quickly. It has an auto sensor that will prevent the machine from overheating and burning your skin. Comes with free 3 colorful nail files and 1 detailed picture of nail gel polish application.
Pros:
Double light source
4-timer setting
Wide opening
Detachable bottom plate
Safe for the eyes and the skin
Long-lasting LED bead lights
Large LCD screen
Amazon’s choice
USpicy 24W
Cure any type of gel nail polishes safely and quickly with the USpicy 24W curing lamp. The lamp are made to provide at least 50,000 of curing time. This lightweight curing lamp comes with a unique grooved insert design that makes it a lot easier to fit in the whole hand. It has automatic sensors that will turn on and off.
Pros:
Curved Design
Powerful blue lights dry gels completely in 30sec
Safe for the eyes
Non-slip feet keep the dryer in place and prevent scratching surfaces
Lightweight
Long cord
Cons:
No automatic timer
Liberex 48W
This versatile and durable lamp comes with a dual light sources that can last for about 50, 000 hours or more. It can be used to cure gels, acrylics, glue, and so on. It’s made with SMART features which makes the curing process a breeze. The machine starts once you put your hands in it and automatically turns the lights off once you pull out your hand.
Pros:
Dual light source UV/LED
No overheating
Powerful 48 wattage
Smart 4-Timer Setting
Time-memory function
12-months warranty and lifetime maintainance.
Cons:
Slow customer response
No instructions in setting time for specific use.
Conclusion
There you have it, the best UV and LED lamps that you can use to cure your gel nails. Before you decide which one to buy, ask yourself these questions:
1. Do you prefer UV lamp or LED lamp?
2. Are you going to use this nail lamp for yourself or for your nail salon?
3. What is your price range?
After answering these 3 questions, you can decide which one is the perfect fit depending on your references.