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Last updated on August 14, 2024
CategoriesBeautyTagsnails, small appliances
Our Review Process
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Our Picks For The Top Nail Dryers
View All Recommendations
Our Recommendations
- 1. JEWHITENY Energy Efficient Infrared Nail Dryer
- 2. GreenLife Large LCD Screen Adjustable Nail Dryer
- 3. MelodySusie Compact Gel Nail Polish UV LED Lamp
- 4. Sunrich Professional Ultra-Fast Gel Nail Polish UV Light
- 5. SUNUV Quick Drying Gel Polish UV Light
- 6. OVLUX SUN5 Smart Sensor Energy Saving Nail Dryer
- 7. Easkep Portable Gel Nail Polish UV Light
- 8. Gelish Harmony Easy Clean Nail Dryer Lamp Light
- 9. LKE High Power User-Friendly Nail Lamp Dryer
- 10. SUNUV Safe Home Nail Dryer
- 11. Fixget Advanced Curing Salon Nail Lamp Dryer
Product Overview
Key Takeaway
The Best Overall
You won't need to worry about turning this gel nail polish UV light on or off, as it comes with an automatic sensor. Simply place your hand under the lamp and it turns on. Remove your hand and the lamp turns off. The unit uses a total of 18 UV/LED lights beads at 54 watts to set your gel polish and leave you with a stunning set of nails.
Overall Take
High QualityYou'll find a 30-, 60- and 90-second timing button on this nail dryer.
The Best Value
Available in white or pink, this nail dryer is easy to use. It features a large LCD screen, so you can keep track of how much time you have remaining. It's also small enough to be set up just about anywhere. You can even take it to a friend's house and have a spa day.
Overall Take
Affordable OptionWhen shopping on a budget, this low cost nail dryer is the way to go.
Best for Gel Nails
If you consider yourself a beginner, you'll love this gel nail polish UV light. It has just one button and sets up in seconds. It's also portable, which means you'll be able to use it at home, at the office or in a hotel room when traveling.
Overall Take
Compact and SimpleSince this gel nail polish UV light is so lightweight, you can easily pack it in a beauty bag and head to a friend's house for a spa day.
Best Pro Model
Thanks to this gel nail polish UV light's larger size, you'll be able to fit both hands or feet inside at once. There's a handle for portability and four timers, so you can get your nails just right. Of course, the 120 watts of power also speeds up drying times, which makes the unit an excellent choice for busy individuals.
Overall Take
Oversized ModelYou can get this gel nail polish UV light in either white, pink or orange.
Buying Guide
Having well-manicured nails all the time would be every woman’s dream. However, it’s so time-consuming to paint nails and you need your nails to dry in a flash. The best way to do that is to invest in the best nail dryer. Discover the time you’ll save when you start using a nail dryer on your freshly painted nails.
LED vs. UV Nail Dryers
There are two main types of nail dryers, LED nail dryers that are used for gel manicures and UV nail dryers that are mainly for shellac polish but will also work on gel polish. Both dryers emit UVA rays that will cure or dry your nail polish. The LED nail dryers are lined with tiny LED bulbs along the top of the dryer and as the light waves hit the photoinitiators in the gel, they dry really fast. The UV nail dryers feature fluorescent tube lighting which emits wider wavelengths and takes a bit longer to cure the gel. Although the UV nail dryers can dry the gel polish, it will take roughly 5-7 minutes to dry it rather than 3-5 minutes under the LED nail dryer. Therefore, the time saved from an LED dryer is quite significant, making it the best nail dryer for gel manicures. In the end, the type of dryer you choose depends on the kind of polish you prefer to use.
Why Buy a Nail Dryer?
There are a few reasons you might want to buy that nail dryer you’ve been eyeing: less drying time; efficiency if you are a professional nail artist; you can dry shellac at home; the finish is much nicer than air-dried nails; your manicure will last significantly longer and you will have much less smudging. In addition, they are super easy to use. Most nail dryers have timers you can set with sensing technology. With the right nail dryer, you will certainly find enough time to get the finished, professional nails that you want in your everyday life without an expensive salon visit.
What to Look For
- Look for a nail dryer that’s sturdy and built to last.
- Find a lightweight nail dryer for easy portability.
- Check the electric usage on it if you are concerned about it increasing your utility bill upon frequent use.
- Read the manufacturer’s warnings and suggestions to ensure you get the right type of polish for that particular dryer.
- You’ll want a curved smaller opening to protect your eyes from the UV rays.
- Choose a dryer with several timer settings and opt for a sensor timer so you don’t have to push any buttons with wet nails.
Nail Dryer Rankings
1. JEWHITENY Energy Efficient Infrared Nail Dryer
Product details
2. GreenLife Large LCD Screen Adjustable Nail Dryer
Product details
3. MelodySusie Compact Gel Nail Polish UV LED Lamp
Product details
4. Sunrich Professional Ultra-Fast Gel Nail Polish UV Light
Product details
5. SUNUV Quick Drying Gel Polish UV Light
Product details
6. OVLUX SUN5 Smart Sensor Energy Saving Nail Dryer
Product details
7. Easkep Portable Gel Nail Polish UV Light
Product details
8. Gelish Harmony Easy Clean Nail Dryer Lamp Light
Product details
9. LKE High Power User-Friendly Nail Lamp Dryer
Product details
10. SUNUV Safe Home Nail Dryer
Product details
11. Fixget Advanced Curing Salon Nail Lamp Dryer
Product details
More to Explore
Wherever there is exposure to UV rays, there is cause for pause and reason for research. After multiple studies, it was found entirely safe to use UV and LED nail lamps even regularly. The levels of UV emitted are so low, it does not pose a cancer risk.
The amount of UV rays emitted from nail dryers is the same as sitting in the sunlight for 1-3 minutes and even if repeated every day (which you most likely are not doing your nails every day) it would take significantly more than that to cause cancer.
The back of the hand is much more resistant to UV rays than the human back and is considered to be the most UV-resistant body part.
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