Today, it’s quite possible to make a beautiful manicure using photopolymer varnish at home. To do this, you need to choose the right lamp for drying. There is a huge selection of models whose work is based on different principles. Before going to the store, you need to determine their main differences, consider the rating and customer reviews. How to choose a lamp for drying nails will be discussed later.
Varieties
Which lamp for drying nails is better? To answer this question, you need to consider which models are on sale today. The choice must be made in accordance with the type of polymer, the amount of work (lamps for home and salon use). The devices on sale differ in power, functionality and a host of other characteristics.
When choosing a lamp, you need to pay attention to its quality, as well as safety in use. It should not spoil nails, adversely affect health. Which lamp for drying nails is better to choose? The following types of devices:
- UV models. Such devices have UV letters in their markings. This is one of the first varieties of lamps that appeared on the market. Today, ultraviolet models are relatively inexpensive. They allow the polymerization of various varnishes.
- LED lamp. In the marking, such devices have the letters UV LED. These are efficient, secure devices. The curing process of the varnish is very fast. LED lighting elements at the same time consume a minimum amount of electricity.
- Gas-light models with a cold-spectrum cathode. They are labeled CCFL. This is an effective, practical equipment. They create a luminous flux using lamps filled with inert gas.
- Hybrid models. This is a combination of LED and CCFL lamps. This is expensive professional equipment. It favorably combines the functions of two devices.
To conclude which lamp for drying nails is better, you need to consider in detail the features of each type of equipment.
UV models
How to choose a UV lamp for drying nails? You need to know what features the presented variety of equipment has. An ultraviolet lamp is able to quickly polymerize gel paint, shellac, gel polish, bio gel and many other types of materials. It is not intended for modern formulations, the curing of which is possible only under the rays of LED.
Ultraviolet models are used to create a manicure using acrylic or gel. To harden the photopolymer, depending on its type, 2-4 minutes are required. The design includes fluorescent lamps emitting ultraviolet light. Their temperature reaches 50 º. The lamps contain mercury vapor, which requires careful handling of the device.
UV lamps have both positive and negative properties. You need to know about them before making a choice of a lamp for drying nails. The benefits include the following:
- The most inexpensive type of lamp, which is now considered the most affordable.
- A wide range of coatings capable of curing under the influence of UV rays.
- Simple and efficient in use, do not consume much energy.
- They can be used both by an experienced craftsman and at home.
Among the disadvantages of this type of equipment are the following:
- Hardening takes longer than when using other devices (at least 2 minutes).
- Lamp life is not long enough. It is only 10,000 hours.
- The number of inclusions is limited. If you use the lamp often, it will fail faster.
- The device heats up, and when applying varnish, its layer can burn.
- The light from an ultraviolet lamp is harmful to the retina, so you should not look at the light.
- If you break the lamp, mercury vapor can cause serious harm to the body. It is also worth noting that the device requires special disposal.
- The luminous flux of the lamp during operation decreases, so they are changed every 2-3 months. Otherwise, the varnish may dry poorly.
UF lamp specifications
When choosing a lamp for drying nails at home, you should pay attention to ultraviolet varieties in the first place. The spectrum of their radiation is wide. It ranges from 315 to 410 nm. This makes the presented variety of equipment universal.
Choosing the best lamp for drying nails, you need to pay attention to the power of the device. It ranges from 9 to 54 watts. The scope of the device depends on this indicator. The following types of devices are most often on sale:
- 9-18 watts These are small lamps that can work on mains or batteries. Such models do not have additional functions, but their cost is the most reasonable. Most often, this type of equipment is used for home use. At a time, with the help of such lamps, the varnish on 2-3 nails is polymerized.
- 36 watts This is the most common and universal type of equipment presented. Such lamps have large dimensions, allowing you to immediately hold 5 fingers. Most often, such devices are purchased for beauty salons. Inside the capsule has a mirror plate. They allow you to increase the temperature, accelerating the process of polymerization of varnish. The models of this group have a timer that allows you to control the drying time. It is better to choose a lamp with a removable bottom, which simplifies the procedure for replacing bulbs.
- 45-54 watts These are the overall and most expensive lamps of the presented group. They are used in beauty salons, allowing you to perform both manicure and pedicure. At the same time, they can handle 10 fingers. The speed of the procedure increases markedly.
LED lamp
The LED lamp for drying nails allows you to almost instantly polymerize most existing materials for manicure. This is a practical, popular equipment, convenient for operation. The LED lamp for drying nails works on LEDs, converting electricity to ultraviolet radiation. Moreover, the heating of such a lamp is minimal. Light products from well-known manufacturers are practically ripple-free. This is a safer type of equipment compared to ultraviolet lamps.
The spectrum emitted by the presented dryers is somewhat limited. It is only 390-405 nm. Therefore, the presented type of dryers is not suitable for all varieties of materials. Some of the photopolymers are simply not able to freeze under the influence of an LED lamp. This category includes solid gels, which are used for nail extension. Therefore, when buying varnish, you need to look for a mark in the LED marking. Such compositions are intended for drying using an LED lamp.
The dimensions and power of the presented variety of polymerization devices differ. There are models for home and professional use. The cost of LED lamps is relatively high, but it pays off during operation. Such lighting devices consume a minimum amount of electricity, do not require special care during application.
Among the advantages of LED lamps are the following:
- The absence of harmful substances in the device, so they are environmentally friendly.
- Wear is not affected by the number of times the device is turned on or off.
- The light emitted by such a lamp is safe for the eyes, nails and skin of the hands.
- Polymerization of coatings takes 10-60 seconds.
- The polymerization takes place without heating, which eliminates the risk of thermal burns.
- Long service life is about 100,000 hours.
- High efficiency with scanty energy consumption.
- No need to change luminous elements often.
The disadvantages of the LED variety of devices is:
- High price. The price of such lamps is 2-3 times higher than that of luminescent varieties of devices.
- Not every varnish is suitable for polymerization using the presented device.
- Repair is expensive, so it’s easier to buy a new lamp.
CCFL lamp
Considering which lamps for drying nails are best used for home and professional use, you need to consider another variety of devices. These are CCFL devices. The lamps of these devices are a flask containing inert gas, as well as a small amount of mercury vapor. They create a flicker-free glow that is safe for sight.
On sale are devices with 1-3 lamps. This allows you to evenly distribute the light flux. The more lamps, the more uniformly the polymerization occurs. Moreover, the radiation spectrum of the presented variety of devices is wide. It is 315-410 nm. This makes the device universal. The lamp hardens almost all known photopolymer type nail coatings. Polymerization time depends on the color of the varnish. Translucent varieties harden faster.
The advantages of the presented variety of lamps are as follows:
- Fast polymerization, which takes only 30-60 seconds.
- It is applied to all polymer varnishes, except for the compositions hardening by means of LED devices.
- The service life is quite long, is 60,000 hours.
- Low power consumption.
- Safety for the health of eyes, nails and skin.
- The lamp does not heat up during operation, which eliminates the possibility of a thermal burn.
- The number of inclusions does not accelerate equipment wear.
The disadvantage of the presented variety of devices is the following:
- High cost when compared with ultraviolet varieties.
- 10-30% more CCFL lamps consume more electricity.
- Complex and expensive repairs.
Hybrid varieties
Considering the recommendations of experts, how to choose a good lamp for drying nails, it is worth noting hybrid devices. They are labeled LED + CCFL in the marking. This is a new generation of equipment for the polymerization of nail polishes, which is the most popular and universal.
Hybrid lamps consume minimal amounts of electricity. Moreover, they are used both for salon and home use. Equipment of this type is quite expensive, but when operating such lamps in professional activities, they quickly pay off.
Hybrid lamps combine all the advantages of LED and gas-light equipment varieties. They dry layers of any density, and polymerize almost any composition. The curing rate is 30 to 60 seconds.
The advantages of hybrid varieties of lamps are:
- They are used to dry all modern photopolymer coatings.
- Quick drying.
- Long equipment life of 80,000 hours.
- The number of starts and stops does not affect wear.
- There are no harmful materials in the equipment, no special disposal is needed.
- Radiation is safe for nails, skin of hands and retina.
- The temperature does not increase during the operation of the equipment.
- Profitability of work.
The negative qualities of hybrid lamps are the high cost, the complexity of the repair.
Expert Advice
How to choose a lamp for drying nails? This will help expert advice. They recommend that before making a purchase, consider what purpose the lamp is for, how often it will be used. It is advisable to study customer reviews of the most popular models before going to the store. This will avoid future disappointments. For home and salon use, they acquire completely different models. Their functionality and cost are markedly different.
How to choose a lamp for drying nails? Experts say that LED varieties of equipment are more suitable for salon applications. It is necessary to calculate the payback period. For home use, ultraviolet types of devices are more suitable.
Before buying, you need to familiarize yourself with the set of functions of the device. For example, a model may include a timer, an automatic shutdown function, which saves energy. It is convenient if the device has a retractable tray, a hinged lid, a removable lower part. This facilitates access to the operating elements of the device.
It is important to pay attention to whether warranty service is provided for a particular model. Specialists recommend purchasing such devices only in a specialized store with a good reputation.
Rating of the best lamps for polymerization
Considering tips on how to choose a lamp for drying nails, it is worth noting that experts recommend paying attention to the rating of the equipment presented. It is based on feedback from customers and professionals who have chosen the 8 best models:
- CND UV Lamp 36W - the best lamp for gel polish and shellac for salon use. The device has a timer and a fan. The approximate cost of the model is 12 thousand rubles.
- JessNail 36W is the best low-cost UV lamp. Designed for drying gel polish. The cost is 1.8 thousand rubles.
- OPILED Light is the most powerful professional-style LED lamp. The price of equipment is 18 thousand rubles.
- LED + CCFL Diamond - a hybrid lamp for drying gel polish. It can be used at home or in beauty salons. The approximate cost is 4.5 thousand rubles.
- The RuNail 36W Ru 911 is an inexpensive professional type lamp with a timer. The price is 2.4 thousand rubles.
- Planet Nails Big Heart is a model for home use of the LED type. The price is 2.2 thousand rubles.
- Mini Nail Dryer LED UV Lamp is the lightest, most compact LED type lamp for gel polish. The price of the model is 500 rubles.
- Aliexpress 36W - a budget, but at the same time a good ultraviolet lamp for gel polish. The cost is 900 rubles.
Professional Model Reviews
Before buying, it is worth considering reviews of lamps for drying nails. One of the best professional models is the CND UV Lamp 36W. According to customer reviews, this is a comfortable, high-quality nail dryer, which provides many useful functions. There are 4 timers, a retractable tray, a panel for counting the time before turning off the device, the ability to program the operating time. There is also a fan, lamp power indicator. According to reviews, this is a powerful dryer, the lamp life in which with continuous use is more than a year.
Another professional quality model is OPILED Light. According to reviews, this is the best option for a status beauty salon. A high-quality mirror coating enhances the efficiency, and powerful lamps almost instantly polymerize different varnishes. The model has a timer and touch sensors. The disadvantage is the need to purchase an adapter to the Euro outlet.
Reviews about inexpensive models
When considering tips on how to choose a lamp for drying nails, you should pay attention to reviews on inexpensive models. One simple appliance for home use is the Mini Nail Dryer LED UV Lamp. It has a timer, the drying result is quite acceptable.
Another interesting budget model is Aliexpress 36W. It does not have additional functions, but the quality of drying is quite acceptable.