I Broke Up With My Nail Salon, Bc These At-Home Gel Nail Kits are So Easy (2024)

The best at-home gel nail kit doesn't need all the bells and whistles; it's just gotta do its job. Which is exactly why I love this one so much. For less than the price of one singular gel manicure (yup!), I get everything I need to do multiple sets of manis: a UV lamp; base coat, polish, and top coat; gel remover and nail wraps; and a cuticle stick and file to help shape and groom my nails.

All it takes is a simple three-step process to do my nails myself: Just swipe on a base coat, cure, two coats of polish, then cure, and finish it off with a layer of top coat and cure for another 30 seconds. Because it only takes 30 seconds, it's one of the fastest kits I tested. I did my entire manicure in less than 15 minutes. In all, I'd say this is just the simplest and easiest option, especially if you're brand-new to doing your gel nails at home.

• Shades: One in kit, four available separately
• Dry time: Two minutes total (cure each layer for 30 seconds)
• Lamp included? Yes

Glowing customer review: "The kit comes with everthing and was so easy. The most time consuming is prepping for clean nail beds. Its nice to do this at home and is a cheaper alternative. It does chip here and there maybe 2/10 nails in a week but this isnt the salon so… kinda expected and okay with it. I get a lot of compliments as well!!"

Ever since I started getting gel-X manicures—which add a tip made of gel to extend your nail a bit with a lil less damage than acrylics—I haven't been able to go back to my stubby nails. And now that I have all the tools to do it at home? Game. Changer. This is the kit nail techs actually use in the salon when they apply Apres gel nail extensions, so I was a bit intimidated that it would be difficult for a nail novice like me.

Shockingly, it was simple. I did my nails (the shimmery, pearl nails you see below) during an episode of House of the Dragon on a Friday night, and it was an easy step-by-step process. Obvi, because I'm adhering tips, there are far more steps with Apres gel-X than traditional gel manicures. But all of the steps are numbered and my kit came with a guide to do it myself that I followed to a T.

I could tell the kit was made for pros, though, because the LED light that comes with the kit can be a bit difficult to use on yourself. I fiddled around and made it work after a few tries, but might invest in the full Apres LED lamp at some point.

FYI: This set doesn't include any gel polish shades. But fwiw, the Apres gel nail polishes are my favorite and a Cosmo 2024 Holy Grail Award winner. They go on fully opaque with two coats max. So far, I've had my set on for a week and a half, and I've experienced zero peeling, chipping, or cracking (and I've actually worn Apres gels for over a month in the past).

• Shades: None in kit, but dozens available separately on their own and in sets
• Dry time: Three minutes (30 seconds to cure each layer)
• Lamp included? Yes

Glowing customer review: "So this is my first time doing my own nails and I love them. I’ve done lots of research and these are top of the line. A little long for me but I’ll order a shorter size."

Confession: The first time I tried out this gel nail kit, I used it on my toes (lol). So many gel nail kits, so little time and nails! But I was so impressed with this bb kit for my toes; my polish went on so even and didn't chip for over a month. I opted to test it on my fingernails the next time I had bare nails.

Truly, doing my nails with this kit could not be faster, since I don't have to mess with a gel base or top coat. I just swipe on two to three coats of the Le Mini Macaron polish, cure 'em under the lamp, and go on my merry way. And they look just as shiny and sleek as any other gel manis. With lighter shades, I do have to apply more coats (three to four) to make sure there are no streaks. But I only needed two coats of the bright-red shade on my toes and they looked as smooth as ever.

FYI: I also tested the true "mini" kit, which includes a teeny-tiny LED to use on one nail at a time. But I found this just took so much time and didn't work as well as the deluxe size, which I still find to be totally travel-friendly.

• Shades: Four in kit, 35 available separately
• Dry time: Two minutes (one minute per coat)
• Lamp included? Yes

Glowing customer review: "Aside from prep, it really does only take about 15 minutes to have a complete set of painted nails with this lamp. You really do have to take a lot of care doing the prep and apply very thin coats if you want them to last, but it beats spending a ton at the salon!"

The thing I hate most about gel nails is the tedious (and sometimes even painful and damaging) removal process. But Green Flash from Manucurist is unlike anything else I've tested. It's actually a clean, vegan gel that's 12-free (meaning it's free of 12 common chemicals found in other nail polishes). The system is fairly similar to regular gel: Apply your base coat, cure for a minute under an included LED lamp, then polish and cure for a minute; follow it with a top coat and final one-minute cure. And it looks just as shiny and smooth as all of my gel polishes.

The magic is in the removal: Just soak a cotton ball in the included remover, then place on your nails with the included clips for a minute or so. The polish basically just peels right off your nail, with way, way, way less damage than acet0ne-based removers and e-filing.

My one caveat is that it doesn't last nearly as long as other gel polishes. I'm very hard on my nails (hello, I type for like eight hours a day five days a week), and I noticed my first chip/peel five days in, whereas other gel kits last me up to 10 to 15 days. But! For a simple removal process and a cleaner polish, I don't mind having to redo my nails a bit more often.

• Shades: One in kit, 14 available separately
• Dry time: Three minutes for each layer under the LED lamp
• Lamp included? Yes

Glowing customer review: "I was dubious when I purchased this product from the Manucurist site. But I’m a convert. On me, regular polish chips in half a day. I type a lot and work in my garden, so my hands aren’t for decorative purposes. A good, in-salon gel mani will last five to seven days depending on the shade. I can’t stand having ratty-looking polish, so I end up having to spend about 30-40 minutes removing the gel with acetone, which is stinky and seemed to weaken my nails. The Manucurist Green Flash gel lasts about five days and is super easy to remove. That’s what sold me. I end up removing a salon gel mani within a week anyway, so it doesn’t bother me that a less-toxic gel polish has to be changed in five days."

TBH, my roommate was actually the person to inspire my at-home gel manicure journey, since she picked up this kit and had been doing her nails in the living room. As she sprawled it about our space, I realized she had legit everything I could possibly need to do my nails: 12 gel nail polish shades, a UV lamp, two top coats (matte and shiny), a base coat, and all the nail-grooming tools you could ever use.

Truly, if you're a newbie, this packs it all together for less than $20. And it works just as well as other options, IMO. I noticed the polish wasn't as high in quality as others I've tested (needed lotsa coats to get opaque), but honestly, if you just want all the tools, this is a great price for those alone.

• Shades: 12 in kit, hundreds available separately
• Dry time: Four minutes (60 to 90 seconds per coat)
• Lamp included? Yes

Glowing customer review: "I don't normally write reviews, but I couldn't pass this opportunity up to promote this product. I was in need of gel polish and a drying lamp. I found this set at a great price. The big surprise is that the box came with 12 nail polishes, a top coat, matte top coat, accessories and more. Great purchase!"

All of the fancy-schmancy celeb nail artists swear by Gelcare for their luxe tools and polishes. So obviously, I had to see if it works for us plebeians, too. I can attest: This set made me feel very bougie, since everything comes in sleek packaging. And it all works v well too (I especially love the Gelcare top coat, which seriously amps up the gloss and extends my nail polish's wear).

It comes with a lot: a Gelcare lamp, base coat, top coat, cuticle oil, cuticle softener, touch-up pads, removal pads and remover, a cuticle nipper, a file and buffer block, and a gel removal tool. Like, you'll have everything. The brand also offers hella instructional videos and tutorials to help you.

• Shades: None in the kit, but dozens available separately
• Dry time: Five minutes (one minute for every coat, then three minutes after top coat)
• Lamp included? Yes

Glowing customer review: "Really easy to use & budget-friendly. I got a strengthening gel to go under the polish and it has stayed on 2 weeks!"

Hey, if you just don't have time to do the whole LED/UV lamp thing, just throw on a few coats of Essie Gel Couture. This polish makes my nails look so shiny and smooth (truly, it fills in all the ridges and makes my nails look so healthy), without requiring the usual fuss of gel polish. Obvi, it doesn't last as long as curing your nails under a UV lamp would, but it still gets me about five to seven days without chipping, which is eons longer than regular polish. And removing it? A breeze, since there's no picking or scraping required.

It's not a goopy, thick, hard-to-spread polish either. The wide brush covers my entire nail, so it only takes 30 seconds to coat my nail in polish and prevents streaks. Just a few swipes of polish followed by a top coat, and I'm good to go.

• Shades: One in kit, 35 available separately
• Dry time: 10 minutes (five per coat)
• Lamp included? No (but not needed)

Glowing customer review: "I've been searching for a good regular nail polish in between press-ons and gel manicures, and this is perfect. It is long-lasting—six days and no chips."

Assess what's included.

I've included a slew of different sets above that vary in how much they include. If you want a gel nail kit that includes legit every single thing you could possibly need, go for a full set with the lamp, polishes, base and top coat, and grooming tools. But if you've already got a lil at-home manicure set-up (or a separate manicure set), then you maybe can go with a simpler one that just includes the lamp and some polishes.

Determine if you want tips or not.

If you like long nails (or want your nails to last for over a month), opt for a gel nail kit that comes with gel extensions, like Apres. Sure, this takes a bit more time and ~attention~ than a standard gel nail set, but it's the best option for extending your nails a bit, both in length and longevity.

Consider the polishes.

The most important facet of doing gel nails, at home or at the salon, is using a high-quality polish. Specifically, look for one that isn't goopy or too thick, doesn't look streaky on your nails, and only requires a few coats (more can make it thicker, thus prone to peeling and chipping). I noted my thoughts on all of the included polishes above, but feel free to mix and match polishes across multiple kits. I use and love the Apres gel polishes and the Le Mini Macaron polishes across all of my UV lamps. Similarly, a good base and top coat are also vital. Most of the kits above include them (except Le Mini Macaron, which has a three-in-one polish instead).