Which KUPA nail drill should I buy?

If you are setting up a station from scratch, the MANIPro Passport Companion with Cradle is the complete option: the handpiece docks in the Passport Cradle so it stays powered between clients, and KUPA rates it up to 35,000 RPM with a brushless motor. If you already own a KUPA Passport control box, the KP-65 handpiece on its own is the way to add a second handpiece or replace a worn one.

What RPM does a KUPA drill run at?

KUPA lists the MANIPro Passport Companion at up to 35,000 RPM and the original Passport line at up to 30,000 RPM. Top speed is for bulk removal only. Cuticle work belongs at roughly 5,000 to 8,000 RPM, and KUPA suggests 15,000 to 18,000 RPM with a medium or coarse carbide bit when removing EnrichRx builder gel.

Do KUPA handpieces fit standard drill bits?

Yes. KUPA handpieces use a standard 3/32 inch chuck, so carbide, ceramic, diamond and sanding band bits made for that shank size fit. Lock the bit in the collet before starting, hold it at a slight, constant angle on the product rather than pressing straight down, and wipe the handpiece and clean the bits between clients. Store bits dry once they are clean.

What is the difference between Gelfinity and EnrichRx?

Gelfinity is KUPA's base and top system: a base coat that bonds gel to the nail plate, a no-wipe gloss top and a matte top. EnrichRx is a brush-on soak-off builder gel that adds structure to natural nails. KUPA's instruction is to apply EnrichRx over the Gelfinity base, then finish with color and a Gelfinity top. Gelfinity comes in 0.5 oz bottles and 8 oz refills, while EnrichRx is sold by shade in brush-on bottles.

How do I remove KUPA EnrichRx?

KUPA recommends filing off about 90 to 95 percent of the gel with a medium or coarse carbide bit at 15,000 to 18,000 RPM, then wrapping the nails in acetone for 15 to 20 minutes. Lift the softened remainder with a medium sanding band on a mandrel instead of filing into the natural nail.

KUPA MANIPro Passport Companion with Passport Cradle include - Phantom - DTK Nail Supply

KUPA - All Products

KUPA at DTK: the MANIPro Passport Companion e-file and the KP-65 handpiece, Gelfinity base and top gels in 0.5 oz and 8 oz, and 4 EnrichRx brush-on builder shades, with free shipping on qualifying orders.

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KUPA at DTK: what this page holds

KUPA makes the MANIPro and Passport e-files, and the brand also makes the gels that sit around a drill service: the Gelfinity base and top coats and EnrichRx, a brush-on builder gel. This page gathers every KUPA listing we carry in three groups: e-files and handpieces, Gelfinity base and top gels, and EnrichRx builder shades. Each listing shows which options are available today.

If you came here searching for a KUPA nail drill, start with the e-file section below. If you already own a KUPA drill and want the gels that finish the service, jump to Gelfinity and EnrichRx.

KUPA e-files: MANIPro Passport Companion vs the KP-65 handpiece

MANIPro Passport Companion with Cradle, Phantom: the MANIPro Passport handpiece with the Passport Cradle, a bench dock that keeps the handpiece powered between appointments. KUPA lists a brushless motor with consistent torque up to 35,000 RPM, low vibration and a standard 3/32 inch chuck.
Passport KP-65 handpiece: the original Passport line is rated up to 30,000 RPM with a brushless motor, a forward and reverse switch and a 3/32 inch chuck. On the Passport colour listings (Unicorn, Rose, Charcoal, Candy Apple Red, M. Princess and M. Prince) the option currently available is "Only Handpiece - KP-65", for techs who already run a Passport control box and want a second or replacement handpiece.

Before you order a handpiece on its own, check that your control box is a KUPA Passport unit. The listing variants are named after the control box they belong to, so read the option list before adding to cart.

How to choose a KUPA set-up

Item	What it is	Best for
MANIPro Passport Companion with Cradle	Handpiece plus bench dock, up to 35,000 RPM	A fixed station with back-to-back clients
Passport KP-65 handpiece	Handpiece only, Passport line up to 30,000 RPM	Techs who already own a Passport control box
KUPA Gelfinity base and top	Base coat, gloss top and matte top in 0.5 oz, refills in 8 oz	The foundation and seal of every gel service
EnrichRx builder gel	Brush-on soak-off builder in a bottle	Natural-nail overlays and added strength

Gelfinity base and top gels

Gelfinity is KUPA's soak-off base and top system. The base coat bonds color gel to a prepped nail plate, the gloss top seals the service with a no-wipe shine, and the matte top cures to a soft matte surface with nothing to wipe off. You can buy each one alone or in matched sets:

Base coat, gloss top and matte top, each in a 0.5 oz brush bottle.
The base and top duo in 0.5 oz, or the trio of base, gloss top and matte top in 0.5 oz.
8 oz refills of the base and the gloss top, alone or as a pair, for salons that decant into working bottles.

With the 8 oz size, pour into a clean service-size bottle rather than dipping a brush into the refill, and keep the large bottle closed and away from the lamp. Both sizes sit with the other brands' base and top gels in base and top gels by brand, if you want to compare systems.

EnrichRx brush-on builder gel

EnrichRx is a UV and LED cured, soak-off builder gel that brushes on from the bottle to add structure to natural nails, and KUPA describes it as infused with Vitamin E and Collagen. The shades in stock right now are Ultra Clear, Sheer White, Soft Pink and Perfect Peach. KUPA describes Ultra Clear as the shade for an invisible overlay and Sheer White for French work and a brightening base, while Soft Pink and Perfect Peach give a tinted finish for clients who prefer a natural tone.

KUPA's instruction is to apply EnrichRx after the Gelfinity base coat. For more brush-on options from other brands, see more brush-on builder gels, and for sculpting length with a spatula, jar builder gel for sculpting.

A KUPA gel overlay, step by step

Prep: push back the cuticle, remove the shine from the nail plate and clean away the dust.
Base: apply a thin layer of Gelfinity base coat, cap the free edge and cure under your LED or UV lamp for the time printed on the label.
Build: brush on EnrichRx, place the apex and let it settle before curing. Cure as the label directs.
Refine: shape the cured overlay with your e-file at a low speed, keeping the bit flat on the product.
Color: add gel color in thin coats if the client wants color, curing each coat.
Seal: finish with Gelfinity gloss top or matte top, cure, and there is no sticky layer to wipe.

Curing times differ between the KUPA listings, so follow the label on the bottle and the instructions for your own lamp. Our lamps for Gelfinity and EnrichRx show the wattage and cure settings for each model.

Removing EnrichRx with a KUPA e-file

KUPA's own removal steps for EnrichRx combine the e-file and acetone:

Reduce the bulk with a medium or coarse carbide bit at 15,000 to 18,000 RPM, taking off about 90 to 95 percent of the gel.
Wrap the nails in acetone for 15 to 20 minutes.
Lift the softened remainder with a medium sanding band on a mandrel.

Do not file into the natural nail to get the last of the product off; let the acetone do that part.

Bits, speed and care for your e-file

Bits: KUPA handpieces take standard 3/32 inch shank bits, so carbide, ceramic, diamond and sanding band bits all fit. Browse 3/32 inch bits and bands.
Speed: keep cuticle work slow. Cuticle bits are meant for roughly 5,000 to 8,000 RPM, and higher speeds build heat on the nail.
Angle: hold the bit at a slight, constant angle on the product, never pressed straight down into the nail.
Care: wipe the handpiece and clean bits between clients, and store bits dry.

If you want to compare KUPA with other machines, see e-files from other brands.

Ordering KUPA for your salon

A simple way to stock Gelfinity is a 0.5 oz base and gloss top at each station and one 8 oz refill of each in the back room. Add the matte top if you offer matte finishes, and keep Ultra Clear EnrichRx on hand for overlays. For the drill, decide first whether you need a complete set-up with its own dock, like the MANIPro Passport Companion, or just a KP-65 handpiece for a Passport box you already have. Prices are shown on each listing.