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Nail lamps are an excellent tool for applying UV gel polish. These machines work quickly on gel polishes by curing and drying each nail evenly, as opposed to using regular nail polish where you have to spend time blowing your nails or flapping them about while you’re trying to watch Love Island.
By purchasing one of your own, you’ll be able to upgrade your DIY beauty regimen to help you achieve salon-quality at home. However, finding the best nail lamp can be a somewhat troubling affair. Thankfully, we've put together a nifty buying guide to help you decide between LED and UV. Make sure to read on for our ranking of the top 10 best in the UK available on Argos and Amazon!
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The biggest difference between nail lamps is the type of bulbs they use. You can either choose from LED or UV lamps, and while they both work in the same way, curing and drying your nails evenly, there are differences between the two.
Firstly, LED lamps will only cure LED specific gel polish. Meaning that if you opt for this type of lamp, then you’ll have to be selective about the polish you buy. However, UV lamps work for all types of gel polish. Therefore, they offer more flexibility when shopping for polish, as you won’t have to worry about whether it will work with your lamp.
Here are our favourite gel nail polishes that you might want to add to your collection.
Next, you’ll want to consider the curing speed of the nail lamp. Generally speaking, LED lamps are faster than UV; this is because UV works with a broader light spectrum, so it requires more time. As a rule of thumb, LED bulbs take between 10 – 120 seconds to cure, depending on the model you opt for. UV lamps, on the other hand, will need 2 – 5 minutes to work.
Just so you know, we’ve included the fastest curing time in our specification table below each nail lamp in our ranking, but often there are other settings, should you wish to slow things down a bit. For instance, a quick LED light might have a top speed of 15 seconds, but will also allow for 30, 60 or even 90 second drying times.
Everyone enjoys a little sparkle on their nails every once in a while - browse our pick for the best glitter nail polishes!
Nail lamps range fairly widely in how powerful they are, from under 10 W to over 100 W. Usually, the higher the wattage, the quicker and more efficient they are and the faster it will cure. However, the prices tend to increase as the power goes up.
The type of lamp you buy will influence what wattage you need. If you’re purchasing a more versatile UV lamp, then something that's at least 20 W would be best. When it comes to LED lamps, those below 10 W aren't ideal as they will not provide fast speeds or good results. Therefore, you should always stick to models above 12 W.
For the perfect finishing touch, here are 10 best top coat nail polishes in the UK!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mylee PRO Salon Series | £49.99 High Mid | Get Glam Nails Anywhere, Anytime | ||
2 | Sunuv LED Nail Lamp | £49.99 High Mid | Get the Best of Both Worlds | ||
3 | NailStar Professional UV Nail Lamp | £26.99 Mid | Ensure You're Ready to Go Straight Away | ||
4 | NailStar Professional LED Nail Dryer | £27.99 Mid | One of the Most Reliable and Trustworthy Lamps | ||
5 | Mylee UV Gel Nail Lamp | £20.00 Low Mid | An Additional Reflective Layer for Effective Curing | ||
6 | BELLANAILS Professional LED Nail Lamp | £24.99 Mid | For Those in Need of Rapid Curing | ||
7 | Rio Professional UV Gel Nail Polish Lamp | £40.00 High Mid | Dry a Range of Polishes From Shellac to Polygel | ||
8 | Unisun Nail Gel Dryer | £13.99 Low | Get Ready Hands-Free | ||
9 | RIO UV Lamp Gel Nail Extension System | £40.00 High Mid | DIY Preparation for a Special Occasion | ||
10 | W7 UV / LED Gel Nail Lamp | £17.00 Low Mid | Perfect for When You’re Not in a Rush |
This offering from Mylee is a favourite among many of the pros, largely because it can get the job done well in as little as 15 seconds! This isn't simply achieved through its ample power and quality bulbs, the unique dome design with well-placed lights ensure perfect distribution.
For the travellers among us, you'll be glad to know that this is the first nail lamp with worldwide voltage compatibility. It might be a little expensive, but the truth is that sometimes in life you get what you pay for, and in this instance, we would agree.
With a unique combination of UV and LED lights, this offering from Sunuv aims to give you the best of both worlds. This offers more variety in terms of which polishes you can use and multiple curing times, with a 10-second drying when set to LED, or 2 minutes under UV.
Not only that, but this lamp has a removable bottom panel, making it much easier to treat your toes to some TLC. Plus, it turns on automatically when you put your fingers or toes in!
From one NailStar product to another, this is their UV nail lamp. As you'd expect, there are some vital differences. For instance, the wattage is much higher, so you're likely to get a better result, even though there is a longer curing time. But, when it comes to comparing the two NailStar lamps, they both excel in their own ways.
Some of the other features include a timer that can be set for either 2 or 3 minutes. Plus, you'll receive all the required bulbs with your purchase, so you'll be ready to go straight away.
This lamp from NailStar is right up there with some of the most reliable and trustworthy options money can buy. It has an ideal power output of 12 W, as well as a decent curing time of 30 seconds. Best of all, it benefits from a mammoth bulb life of 50,000 hours!
Meanwhile, the built-in timers gives you a choice of 30 second increments for perfect results every time. Just be aware that it's on the smaller side dimensions-wise. This could be a blessing if you're short on space, but a curse if you have bigger hands.
If you're looking for a fuss-free lamp, then this offering from Mylee will be right up your street. All you need to do is prepare your nails, ensure it's plugged in and you're away! It has a 120-second fixed timer and a reflective layer on the inner wall, which helps to produce even more effective results.
Unlike other models, this lamp comes in a choice of colours. You can either select the white you see here, or a black version, to match your home or salon decor. Additionally, the bottom panel can be removed, making it easier to get your toes in.
The obvious place to start when it comes to the BELLANAILS Professional LED Nail Lamp is its enormous 120 W power output. We haven't done the maths, but that definitely rivals more than the rest of the products in this article combined! It's this wattage that gives the machine a rapid curing time.
Of course, you don't have to run it that fast as there are four different speeds in total, ranging from 10 - 99 seconds. The device also comes with a nifty little carry handle, which means you can easily transport it around the home or salon!
With a very respectable 36 W, this UV nail lamp is ideal for those looking for a powerful appliance that gets the job done. Not only does it work for drying gel polish, but it can also be used for curing UV gel extensions.
Due to the bulbs used, this dryer will work with a range of polishes from shellac to polygel. Again, some customers found that there were discrepancies between the times stated in the manual and the time it actually takes for nails to dry, so you might want to use your better judgement.
This lamp comes with a neat feature that allows you to start the curing time hands-free. The automatic on/off setting powers the lamp as you insert your fingers or toes, which is very convenient as it saves you from having to fiddle with buttons with fresh paint on your nails!
Furthermore, the lamp comes with three different timer settings (30, 60 and 90 seconds) helping you create the perfect manicure. That said, some people have found that it struggles with base coats, so you might not want to pay too much attention to the timer settings and play it by ear.
Here, we have a kit that maximises your manicure potential. It includes a 15 W UV lamp that's suitable for both hands and feet and can be plugged into the mains, enhancing the aesthetics, as well as the strength and durability of your talons.
In addition to the lamp, you'll also get a range of accessories such as extensions, UV gel, a file and brushes. It might be a little more than some people need, but if you're looking to DIY your nails for a special occasion, it could be the ideal assortment!
Getting the ball rolling, we have this offering from W7. It's an LED lamp that fits four fingers at a time and has a couple of time settings (30 seconds and 60 seconds) to suit your curing desires. Plus, there's an auto timer to save you from having to keep an eye on the clock.
However, it's not as powerful as other models. Therefore, set your expectations accordingly, as the machine will likely take much longer to get up to speed and longer to cure your claws.
UV emits a broader range of wavelengths, whereas LED bulbs have narrower number of wavelengths. LED lamps can cure gel polish more quickly, but they can only be used with LED-specific polishes, whereas UV can be used with all sorts. LED lamps are more expensive, but they last longer as UV lamps frequently require replacements.
No. 1: Mylee|PRO Salon Series
No. 2: Sunuv|LED Nail Lamp
No. 3: NailStar|Professional UV Nail Lamp
No. 4: NailStar|Professional LED Nail Dryer
No. 5: Mylee|UV Gel Nail Lamp
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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