We Tried 9 At-Home Gel Manicure Kits — These 6 Deliver Salon-Quality Results

Best Overall

Morovan Nail Kit

View On Amazon $28 View On Walmart $50

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  3.5/5
• Drying Time
  5/5
• Overall Look
  5/5
• Ease of Removal
  5/5
• Quality
  5/5

For someone looking to dip their toes (and fingers) into doing their own gel manicures, this kit is an excellent place to start. The comprehensive set is equipped with all of the essentials you need to prep your nails and craft unique designs from the comfort of your home. With six bottles of regular gel polish and two bottles of temperature-changing ombre polish, you'll never get bored with your nails.

As if the eight polish colors weren't enough, the kit also comes with a selection of embellishments — like flower decals, holographic sequins, and a variety of rhinestones — to seriously upgrade your mani. The kit also includes an acid-free primer, a dehydrator (which prepares nails for gel), a base coat, a top coat, and eight manicure tools (think: nail clipper, buffer, cuticle pusher, and more).

If you've ever gotten a gel manicure, then you know that the gel polish needs to cure (aka set) underneath a UV light in order to harden. This kit comes with a professional-grade, 48-watt LED light that offers three timer settings at 5-, 30- and 60-seconds. The heat setting is automated at low, so you can't change it, but, fear not: The tester shares that the light emits moderate warmth, rather than piping hot light.

It's pretty incredible that the kit contains everything you could ever need to do a gel manicure, but with that said, it can be overwhelming for a first-timer. Thankfully, it comes with an easy-to-follow guide and has a pretty wide margin for error. The tester notes that, "Regardless of the mistakes I made, the gel came out pretty good."

LED Light: Yes | Nail polish included: 8 | Features: Decals, sequins and rhinestones

Best Value

Gellen Gel Nail Polish Kit

View On Amazon $40 View On Walmart $36

Our Ratings

• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Drying Time
  3/5
• Overall Look
  4/5
• Quality
  2/5

The comment section of this Amazon-favorite gel nail kit is filled with thousands of positive reviews, and according to our tester, it's for good reason. At an affordable price point, you get a powerful 72-watt LED curing light, a removable tray that allows you to do your toes with ease, manicure tools, design accessories, and 12 different polish colors.

The tester shares that she was pleased with the long term results. "The finish is extremely shiny and the color comes out beautifully," she says. Plus, even after a few weeks of wear, the gel polish didn't damage her natural nails.

One thing this kit doesn't include: Removal accessories. Thankfully, removal supplies aren't hard to come by — in fact, a trip to the drugstore should do the trick. Sally Hansen Global Ambassador and nail pro Madeline Poole previously told InStyle, "You only need pure acetone to effectively and quickly break down the gel polish."

LED Light: Yes | Nail polish included: 12 | Features: Powerful curing light

Best for Beginners

Sally Hansen Salon Pro Gel Starter Kit

View On Amazon $46 View On Ulta $60 View On Walmart $30

Our Ratings

• Drying Time
  5/5
• Overall Look
  4.5/5
• Quality
  1/5

A household name, Sally Hansen is a trusted source when it comes to all things nails, so it's no wonder that the brand's at-home gel nail kit is ideal for someone trying to learn the basics. "This kit is perfect for beginners because it involves only three steps and is so simple to follow," our tester shares.

The kit contains an LED lamp, one polish color, both top and base coats, and nail care essentials like a file and buffer to help shape nails. What makes this kit unique is how fast it works. "The drying time was very quick and it wasn't sticky after the suggested curing time [of 30 seconds]," the tester adds. "It dried hard, smooth and streak-free." Plus, according to the brand, the kit lasts for up to 10 gel manicures, which is a pretty good value for $60 total (and significantly cheaper than visiting the salon where gel manicures can cost upwards of $40 each.)

That said, this kit covers the basics and nothing more. While a minimalist might love the fact that there's only one shade, the tester notes that she wishes there were more colors available with the kit. However, you can shop all 21 of the gel polish shades, which are sold separately, at Sally Hansen. After all, variety is key when it comes to nail polish.

LED Light: Yes | Nail Polish Included: 1 | Features: Nail care accessories, LED lamp

Best Polish

Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish

View On Amazon $12 View On Ulta $13 View On Riteaid.com $13

If you're hesitant to use an LED light, skip the curing step and try this swipe-and-go option. The application is the same as a traditional nail polish: All you have to do is paint on two coats of an Essie gel shade (there are plenty to choose from) and top it with the gel topcoat. Because there are only two pieces in this set, it's a great option if you want to avoid cluttering your beauty space.

Aside from being a quick and convenient way to get a gel mani at home, the results speak for themselves. "My nails look like they got professionally done," our tester says. "Even after 2+ weeks, there is very minimal chipping."

The praise for this kit doesn't stop at the simple application and longevity either. The removal process also couldn't be easier. The polish comes off with regular acetone polish remover you can find at the drugstore. The tester says, "I loved that I didn't need to go to a manicurist for removal and that taking off the gel took the same amount of time as regular polish." Some gel polish has the tendency to make nails weaker, but after removal the tester mentioned that her nails were still in tip-top shape.

It's worth noting that because there's no curing process involved, the final result isn't as hard as a typical gel manicure. The reviewer didn't seem to mind, though, given that the polish stayed intact without it.

LED Light: No | Nail Polish Included: 1 | Features: Top coat included

Best for Damaged Nails

Zoya Gelie-Cure Foundation Pro Kit

View On Zoya.com

Our Ratings

• Drying Time
  2/5
• Overall Look
  4/5
• Quality
  1/5

If you suffer from brittle, cracked nails, try this kit that helps restore them during wear. The tester shares that after removing the polish, her nails were "totally healthy and moisturized."

Each kit comes with everything you need for a damage-free, clear gel manicure, including the brand's patented nail rescue serum and reparative base coat, clear gel polish (a plethora of color options is sold separately), clear shine polish, polish remover, a nail file, a cuticle pusher, soak-off nail foils, cotton balls, and a travel-size LED light. Best of all, the kit doesn't skimp on quality. "The base polish dries quickly and the clear gel easily spreads across each nail," the tester says. "Plus, the light is easy to set up — just be aware that you need your own charging block."

As with all things, there is one downside — it takes a while for the gel to harden. "The multiple layers of polish make the manicure feel wet and tacky even after drying under the LED light for the recommended 60 seconds," the tester admits. "I had to do multiple rounds under the curing light to get my nails to harden."

LED Light: Yes | Nail Polish Included: 0 | Features: Nail-strengthening serum and base coat