DIY manicures remain popular, with regular polish, press-on nails and gel manicures offering endless opportunities. After all, our monthly budgets are getting smaller and our lives busier, so these at-home treatments mean we can still treat ourselves to a well-deserved pamper session. Plus, doing your own nails means you can switch up your colour of choice whenever the mood strikes.
Cost-effective and convenient, it can take time to hone your DIY manicure skills, but having the right products at hand can make things all the easier, which is why we’ve been hard at work testing the best gel nail kits the market has to offer.
While they can be an upfront investment, many kits come complete with everything you need to achieve a salon-worthy and long-lasting manicure, including lamps, top coats, polishes, buffers and files. And all of the kits included are TPO-free in line with the EU gel polish ban.
If you’re tempted to try your own at-home mani, keep reading for our pick of the best gel nail kits, all of which have our seal of approval.
How we tested
We’ve spent months testing a range of different nail kits to bring you a list of the very best ones to buy. Taking the expert advice, we focused our search on well-known, reputable brands stocked at some of our favourite, trustworthy beauty retailers. When selecting, we considered the following factors:
- Price: The appeal of an at-home gel nail kit is largely that it costs less per application than going to the salon, so we wanted to find the kits that wouldn’t break the bank.
- What’s included: Handy additions, including acetone, top coat, and lint-free remover wipes, can save you scouring the internet for everything you need, not to mention making it easier to know what you need without being an expert.
- Shades: Nobody wants to be limited to a single colour, so we sought out kits with a variety of hues.
- Ease of use: Creating a salon-worthy manicure needs to be achievable, so we aimed to include only the kits that were easy to use, including realistic removal requirements, varnish brushes that hug the cuticle for easy painting and minimal curing times.
- Lasting time: With usual wear and tear factored in, we rated how well each manicure fared when in contact with water, tapping away at our phones and opening cans, parcels and the like. Ideally, the kits would last a week minimum, if not two.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Lauren Cunningham is a beauty editor with years of experience. She’s covered everything from nail trends to the best white nail polish, and has even had her manicure done by celebrity nail tech Georgia Rae. Similarly, Louise Whitbread is a beauty editor and seasoned product tester, reviewing everything from cleansing balms to toners. After researching all the most popular gel nail kits and getting hands-on (pardon the pun) with all the equipment at home, these two writers have rounded up the best brands for your perusal.
The best gel nail kits for 2025 are:
- Best overall – 14 Day Manicure signature gel polish starter kit: £79, 14daymanicure.com
- Best budget buy – Phoenixy gel nail polish starter kit: £12.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best for beginners –Red Carpet manicure hema-free gel polish pro kit: £92.70, Sallybeauty.co.uk
14 Day Manicure signature gel polish starter kit
Best: Gel nail kit overall
Items included: LED digital lamp, four gel polishes, base coat, top coat, nail buffer, nail file, acetone remover, steel cuticle pusher
Time before reapplication: 14 days plus
Why we love it
- Long-lasting manicure
- Can choose your nail colours
- Easy to use
You may recognise 14 Day Manicure from social media – and it really is a product that lived up to its online hype. Included in the kit is, of course, the gel nail lamp, alongside four small polishes (you can choose the colours), a base and top coat, a nail file and buffer, cuticle pusher and acetone removal solution. You’ll certainly be set up for a good amount of time and can also easily purchase new polishes if you wish to grow your options as well.
What puts 14 Day Manicure above the rest is the fact you can choose the colours you’d like to receive. Plus it’s incredibly easy to use, thanks to the brand’s application guides. What’s more, the manicure lasted us the longest amount of time, stretching more than two weeks before we took it off with the included solution.
Buy now £79.00, 14daymanicure.com
Manucurist green flash kit 24
Best: Vegan gel nail kit
Items included: LED lamp, base coat, nail polish, top coat, remover, five nail clips
Time before reapplication: 10 days
Why we love it
- Kinder to skin
- Incredibly easy to remove
Take note
- Not as long-lasting as some other gels
If potential irritation is a real concern of yours, this Manucurist gel nail kit will be your best bet. The key selling point of the brand is that Manucurist has swapped harsh ingredients for more natural, planet-friendly alternatives. All of the products are plant-based and free from methacrylate monomers, an ingredient that can cause irritation. If you think this may lead to the colours not being as vibrant or tricky to apply, you’d be mistaken, as, at first glance, you’d never notice it isn’t ‘real’ gel polish.
Included in the kit is an LED lamp (you’ll have to provide your own plug), top and base coats, one colour of choice (we went for poppy red) and a removal solution and clips to help with the removal process. We did find it takes around double the time to cure as most of the other options included in this list – two minutes for each coat – and the lamp isn’t activated by movement, you will need to press the buttons, but the result was incredibly sleek and lasted us around 10 days. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to remove, thanks to the included solution that wipes it right off.
Buy now £75.00, Selfridges.com
Rio 14 day gel nails
Best: Gel nail kit to use your own polish
Items included: LED UV lamp, gel base and top coat, lint-free wipes, high shine finishing wipe
Time before reapplication: 7 days
Why we love it
- Works on any nail polish
- Easy to use
Take note
- Takes a little longer than other kit
Turing any polish into a long-lasting gel, this simple set includes a UV lamp (you’ll need to add your own plug), a two-in-one base and top coat and a finishing wipe. The main draw is that you can use any polish of your choosing, which is certainly incredibly useful for anyone who has quite a large nail polish collection.
In theory, it should work incredibly well, and it does, so long as you master the technique. We found it’s best to let the regular polish air dry before adding the gel top coat, which, of course, makes the whole process a little bit longer but is well worth it for the sleek, shiny result. We also managed to make our manicure last for around one week before chipping, which is a good deal longer than regular polish, although not quite as long-lasting as traditional gel.
Buy now £34.99, Amazon.co.uk
Red Carpet manicure hema-free gel polish pro kit
Best: Gel nail kit for beginners
Items included: LED light, base coat, top coat, gel polish, nail oil, remover foils, nail wipes, orangewood sticks, buffing stick, buffing tab, emery board
Time before reapplication: 14 days
Why we love it
- Great for beginners
- Long-lasting
- Easy to remove
Take note
- Need to buy more colours
When we first opened this kit, we were pretty surprised at how small the LED lamp is. While this was great for storing it, as it fits nicely in our bathroom cabinet (and it’s still pretty powerful), it does mean you’ll have to cure your thumbs separately, making the whole process a little bit longer. You’ll have to source your own plug to get it to power up, as only a USB cable is provided. Within the kit, you’ll receive one coloured polish, a top and base coat, a nail primer and cuticle oil and some tools to help shape and buff. What impressed us the most was the inclusion of a gel nail polish remover and removal pads, making the whole process pretty seamless from start to end. We’ve dubbed this option as perfect for beginners, as it really does have everything you need to get started.
It’s straightforward and easy to use, and we did find that the result looked pretty professional, too (especially considering our tester is still very much a beginner). It also lasted a good two weeks before we started to notice any peeling or chipping.
Buy now £92.70, Sallybeauty.co.uk
Bluesky starter kit
Best: Gel nail kit for a speedy manicure
Items included: An LED/UV lamp, top and base coat, a 20 pack of cleanser wipes, a nail file and buffer
Time before reapplication: 10 days
Why we love it
- Very fast
Take note
- Rather small
This compact kit contains all the essentials for a fuss-free gel manicure at home. It comes in a neatly packaged box containing an LED/UV lamp, top and base coats, a 20-pack of cleanser wipes, a nail file and buffer and three full-size gel polishes (bright red, glossy black and dusty pink). Our favourite part of this kit was its speediness, requiring only 30 seconds of curing under the lamp for the base coat, then 60 seconds per coat of paint, and finally 60 seconds once you’ve applied the top coat.
The instruction booklet is clear and easy to follow, and the cleanser wipes do a great job of tidying up the cuticles before you put your hand under the lamp, which meant the end result was a lot neater. This is ideal if you want to invest in a gel nail kit without spending a huge amount, and we think the price is quite reasonable, as the three colours it comes with are full-size. Just be careful to ensure you only apply a very thin layer – the first time we used this kit, we made the mistake of applying a layer that was too thick, which meant keeping it tidy was tricky.
You can’t, however, fit all five nails under the lamp comfortably, so make sure you’re careful not to touch freshly applied gel polish, which would ruin your handiwork. We opted for the pillar box red, which resulted in a beautiful glossy finish that lasted a full 10 days.
Buy now £59.99, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions on the best gel nail kits, answered
What is the best gel nail kit?
Of course, with concerns over gel nail kits being in the spotlight, we took our role of testing each product very seriously. Looking at finish, lasting time and ease of application, the 14 Day Manicure kit came out on top and was without a doubt the best for those wanting to get the most out of their manicure.
Are gel nail kits safe?
Gel manicures have come under fire of late, with people claiming the products can trigger allergic reactions. The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) issued a warning, adding emphasis on at-home kits being “riskier because of the lack of experience the public has with these products”.
To help clear up any confusion, Dr Yuliya Krasnaya, specialist dermatologist at Evolution Aesthetics Clinic, told The Independent: “UV lamps emit ultraviolet radiation, and extended exposure can present risks to the skin, such as the possibility of skin damage and an elevated risk of skin cancer. To err on the side of caution, I recommend applying a broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen, limiting exposure time and air drying your nails to protect your hands from UV rays.”
Regarding the more recent allergy concerns, Dr Krasnaya added: “Though uncommon, skin irritations or allergies can arise from chemicals in gel nail products or UV light exposure during manicures. Sensitivity to the base coat, colour gel, or topcoat components may cause redness or itching”. So, she recommends shopping from reputable, trustworthy brands to try and reduce potential concerns as much as possible.
How to remove gel polish at home
Luckily, most of these kits come complete with removal solutions that can be soaked onto a cotton pad and left on your nails for a couple of minutes – simply wrap each finger in tin foil to keep the pads in contact with your nail. If that isn’t available, though, you can go to your closest chemist and pick up a bottle of acetone that will do the same job. If you’re still struggling to get the polish off, you can also gently buff the product away while reapplying the removal solution.
How to fix gel nails that have lifted at home
The golden rule for any gel manicure is to not pick your nails, even if they’re starting to peel and chip. Now that you have an at-home kit, you can quickly remove them and start again, ensuring your nails are nice and healthy. However, if it’s only one pesky peel and you’re in a time crunch, the experts suggest simply filing it back and applying a similar colour of regular polish on top until you have time to sort it out properly.
Are gel nail kits worth it?
With the average salon set of gel nails costing anywhere between £25 (if you’re lucky) and £50, investing in an at-home gel nail kit will undoubtedly save you money further down the line. From experience, doing your gel nails personally can take longer than your manicurist’s swift 45-minute in-and-out service, and we’ve found ourselves attending to our nails for nigh on two hours previously. That said, once you’re in the swing of the routine – you’ve taught yourself the dos and don’ts of cuticle care, nail prep, etc – we’d argue you can get your speed up to around one hour. The main pro? You can tend to your paws in the comfort of your own home in your jammies or comfies.
To keep your nails looking and feeling healthy in between manicures, these are the best cuticle oils to try
