Last Updated: Jun 12, 2023 @ 10:45 am.

What is the best gel nail kit with UV light? We asked our parent readers for their favorites. Then we did another five hours of research, comparing quality and ease of use. Here are the kits we think are best, as judged by our readers.

FYI: We've been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. We don't take money or freebies from the brands we review. Our work is 100% reader-supported!


Finding the Best Gel Nail Kits: Our Hands-On Tests

Gel nail kits are a great place to start for beginners—or even more advanced gel nail enthusiasts.

To narrow down the vast universe of these kits, we started with reader favorites. We gathered this advice from our parent readers, looking at real-world experiences. 

Then we tried out several kits ourselves, seeing which ones were truly easiest to use . . . and which might be better for advanced users.

Here are the best bets:

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Best Budget-Friendly

Game changer
Yes, nail kits can be pricey—but we loved the bang for the buck here. And the UV nail lamp worked well. Also great: the thickness is just right.
$18.99

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Best For Beginners

Easy-to-follow instructions
Easy to use, this set is an excellent starter kit for those who are gel nail curious. We loved the nail lamp and colors are on trend.

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Best For Color Variety

Super easy to use
Amazing 32 colors with this kit—and the clear instructions make it a great choice for beginners.

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Best Starter Kit

Lamp is excellent
If you need to build your home manicure kit from scratch, this would be our pick. Easy to use with lots of tools and colors.

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About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York TimesWall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Best Gel Nail Kit with UV light

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!

Best Gel Nail Kit with UV light

Baby Bargains: Your Baby Registry Cheat Sheet

BabyBargains.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and its related sites. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.