Professional Nail Curing for Salons & Home – My 5 Favorite Nail Dryers of 2020

How to Find the Perfect Nail Drying Lamp
Every manicurist, be it the successful salon owner, or an enthusiastic DIYer, needs a decent nail dryer to dry – otherwise known as a nail lamp – to cure their creations. There are hundreds of models out there, so how do you pick the one that’s right for your requirements?
When it comes to drying nail polish, the main decision is whether to get a UV or an LED lamp. Both have their pros and cons
Ultra Violet (UV) Lamps
UV gel polish is a type of nail polish that is set by UV wavelengths hitting the molecules in the gel and activating them. Working well on all gels, drying lamps can take up to 2 minutes to dry the polish, creating that glossy shine we all love. These lamps are cheaper than the LED versions, but the bulbs will need replacing more frequently, depending on how often you use it.
LED Lamps:
These drying lamps can be more expensive than the UV lamps, but cure in approximately 30 seconds, so are much quicker – great if you’re in a rush or have a list of clients. More energy efficient, the bulbs will never need replacing, but they will only cure gel nails that are formulated specifically for LED technology. The range of suitable gels is expanding rapidly though, and the newer soak-off gel polishes are perfect for an LED lamp.
The other thing to consider is size. I prefer a lamp that fits all five fingers, but remember that thumbs can take longer, so doing them all together can be easier than doing the thumb separately – just sit there a couple of minutes longer. A dryer that is spacious enough for two hands at once, or feet if you plan to do pedicures, is well worth seeking out.
Here’s my take on the best nail dryers.
1) LKE UV Nail Dryer
What Makes It Great
This quick-drying lamp looks sleek and professional, and with three-speed settings controlled via an LED display panel, it can dry nails efficiently. Smart Touch technology activates the lamp as soon as a hand is placed under it, and stops instantly on removal. This automatic sensor ensures that you don’t waste energy, or risk botching your still-tacky polish by switching the dryer on. It really does work rapidly, and my nails were dry in well under a minute. It has plenty of room for toes, too!
Where It Could Be Improved
It would be nice if this came with an integrated hand rest, but for the money, this is great.
Energy and time-efficient, this is a really good, budget-friendly hand dryer, for home or salon use.
Nail UV Led Lamp,LKE Curing Lamp 40W for Gel Nail Polish Nail Light Nail Art Equipment for Nail Salon Nail...
- ❤High Power and Soft: 40W Gel nail uv led lamp with 21pcs led lights,110-240 voltage,Prevents browning of your skin.Different gel different dry time,You can according need to increase the dry time.
- ❤Save your money:30s,60s,99s ,3 Timer with LED display,Different time for different gel in order you to control.50,000hours life time.
2) MagicUV 48W UV Nail Lamp
What Makes It Great
Lightweight, but deceptively hard-wearing, this nail dryer is large enough for hands and feet – though not at the same time, unless you’re a yoga master! With an auto-sensor for switching on or off without pressing any buttons, it has three timer settings, displayed on a large, easy to read LED screen. The inbuilt temperature gauge regulates the internal temps. Plus, it comes with accessories – a manicure kit and a nail buffer!
Where It Could Be Improved
The cable is a little short, meaning I could only use it in a few places; however, the pros far outweigh the cons.
If you’re looking for a decent nail drying lamp, look no further. Perfect for manis, and pedis, at home or in the salon. This is easy to recommend.
MAGICUV 48W UV LED Nail Lamp. Professional Nail dryer for home Use For Gel Polish, Perfect For The Coronavirus Quarantine.
- IDEAL FOR CORONAVIRUS SITUATION : You can DIY nails at home instead of going to salon! Now when everybody need or prefer to stay home in quarantine this nail dryer is the perfect solution to keep your nails beautiful! Just do your nail at home and stay safe!
3) SUNUV UV LED Nail Dryer
What Makes It Great
Market leaders, SUNUV, have designed a nail dryer with a high tech look. Sleek and efficient, this combines LED and UV lights in order to cure all polishes. This is an awesome idea, and eliminates the need to stick to one specific type of polish – I love this. It has a large LCD screen, auto-switch on/off, and four-time settings; it also includes a low heat mode and a double power option for extra speedy curing.
Where it Could be Improved
It’s a little tight if you wish to dry both sets of nails at once, however with the double power option, doing each hand separately is still quicker than many lamps.
With the revolutionary use of both UV and LED lights, this is an awesome nail dryer, and a must for home or salon.
SUNUV 48W UV LED Nail Dryer for Gels Polish With Sensor (White)
- 1.PROFESSIONAL ALL-IN-ONE NAIL LAMP: SUN4 is closed and one-piece designed with 36 pcs UVLED combined light beads makes it works well with ALL types of UV gel and LED gel nail polish,e.g.Base Coat, Top Coat, Color Gel, Hard Gels, Builder, acrylic, sculpture gel, gem glue etc.. No brand requirements though.
4) Terresa UV LED Nail Dryer
What Makes It Great
This super-powered nail dryer by Terresa works 50% faster thanks to the 72W of power it possesses. The removable base allows pedicure curing, and it has Smart Memory technology, three timer settings, and a low heat mode, controllable via a large LED display. With enough room for both hands, this is a decent drying lamp.
Where It Could Be Improved
Many models have auto-sensors enabling them to switch on/off automatically, however, this dryer doesn’t.
A smart looking nail dryer, this UV LED from Terresa would be an ideal addition for a salon or home. Quick, efficient and stylish, you can’t go wrong.
UV LED Nail Dryer, Terresa Upgraded 72W Curing Lamp, Professional Nail Cure Light with 3 Timer Setting, Automatic Sensor for...
- Fast Drying and Save 70% Time for Curing Nails: Terresa 72 watt quick uv nail lamps takes only 10s to dry nail uv or led gel, our professional led nail lamp can shorten your curing time by 70% than other nail lamps. You can not only save time and effort, but also save a amount of money to get same salon experience at home.
5) Abody UV LED Nail Lamp
What Makes It Great
If a nail dryer can be glamorous, this is! As glossy as the shiniest nails, it’s prettily pink and stylish. The large circular LCD display is an attractive feature, and it has four inbuilt timer settings, a low heat mode and an automatic on/off sensor. Spacious enough for both hands, the removable base plate allows for pedicures, too.
Where It Could Be Improved
The only flaw I’ve found with this drying lamp is that the cord is too short. I added an extension cord and cured (pardon the pun) the problem.
Any salon, or DIYer would benefit from this awesomely efficient, super stylish nail dryer.
Abody Nail Lamp 48W UV LED Nail Dryer, Gel Nail Lamp with 5 Timer Setting, Automatic Sensor, LCD Display, Memory...
- 【Fast Drying】 Abody Professional Nail dryer adopt UV+LED dual light source technique, Curing speed is 3 x faster than UV lamp and Non-blackening your fingers or toes.
- 【Dry All Kinds of Nail Gel】Light beads includes 2 kinds of wavelength 365nm and 405nm, Available for led gels, UV gels, hard Gels,nail builder gel, sculpture gel, gem glue and other gel use.
Find more top rated professional nail equipment here: