Ultimate Buying Guide: 10 Best Electric Nail Drills for Beginners in 2024

If you’re a nail technician, it’s important to have the best electric nail drill for your job.

To help you make the best decision when buying one we’ve compiled this ultimate guide with our top 10 favorite drills for beginners.

The best nail drill isn’t always the easiest one for beginners to use. If you’re also interested in doing your own manicures and pedicures at home, you should look for a reliable, easy-to-use version of the professional ones you find at salons. 

There are a few that we recommend below. We chose some of the best electric nail drills that can give you salon-quality manicures at home, no professionals necessary.

Top 10 Best Nail Drill For Beginners in 2024

How to Choose an Electric Nail Drill That’s Perfect for You

Before we dive into the best electric nail drills, let’s first discuss what factors you should consider when making your selection.

Here are some key things to keep in mind:

1. Power

One important factor to consider is the power of the nail drill. You want a drill that’s strong enough to handle a variety of tasks, from filing natural nails to removing acrylics. Look for a drill with a power rating of at least 20,000 RPM (rotations per minute) for best results.

2. Speed Control

Different nail treatments require different speeds, so it’s important to choose a nail drill with adjustable speed settings. This will allow you to customize the speed to suit the task at hand, whether it’s shaping, buffing, or removing gel polish.

3. Ergonomics

As a nail technician, you’ll likely be using your electric nail drill for extended periods of time. That’s why it’s crucial to choose a drill that’s comfortable to hold and easy to maneuver. Look for a drill with an ergonomic design and a lightweight construction.

4. Durability

 You’ll want a nail drill that can withstand frequent use and last for years to come. Look for a drill made from high-quality materials that are built to withstand the rigors of professional use.

5. Attachments and Accessories

Consider the attachments and accessories that come with the nail drill. Different bits and sanding bands can help you achieve different nail looks and perform various tasks. Make sure the drill you choose comes with a variety of attachments to suit your needs.

We’ll talk about this more in the succeeding section.  Now that you know what to look for, let’s dive into some of the best electric nail drills on the market.

What Do Electric Nail Drills Do?

For beginners, an electric nail file is another name for an electric nail drill. If you’re used to using a manual file, you’ll likely be surprised at how effective an electric drill is to use and how professionally tidy it keeps your nails.

Professional nail salons use electric nail drills to shape both natural and acrylic nails, although they’re more commonly used for acrylics.

Electric nail files have more uses than just shaping nails. They can also be used to:

• Remove lifted acrylic by filing down the regrown acrylic before you refill.
• Repair cracks in acrylic.
• Sand the nails to prepare them for a full set of artificial nails.
• Remove calluses and other rough spots from hands or feet.
• Shape, smooth, and buff the natural nail and fix cuticles.

Electric drills for nails, when powered, turn at high speeds to do all the filing for you. There’s no need to go back and forth as you would with a standard nail file because the spinning head does all the work.

They may take some time to get used to, but the best nail drill sets for beginners give you everything you need without having to learn like a professional.

Why Use One at Home Instead of Visiting the Salon?

The typical cost of a manicure at a mid-range salon ranges between $20 to $25—and that doesn’t even include the cost of polish or artificial nails. And, the manicure process at a salon is typically very involved and can take a good chunk of your day.

Add in a pedicure, and you’re likely going to spend at least an hour in the salon and close to $70, without even considering the time and cost for polish or an artificial set.

Pricing is probably a significant factor in your consideration for an electric nail drill. But, convenience should also be at the top of your list. Nails break often and unexpectedly.

The last thing you probably want to do is make a special trip to the salon to repair a nail—especially your acrylics—if you can do the same at home. Plus, an at-home electric file can help you maintain your nails consistently to keep them looking their best.

One thing that many people forget about when frequently visiting the salon is the hygiene factor. Are you sure that your salon professionals clean and sanitize their drills and bits properly after every use?

Non-hygienic salons put you at risk for severe bacterial infections if they don’t use single-use tools or spend time cleaning their multi-use tools.

When you use your electric nail filer at home, you can ensure its safety and cleanliness by taking care of that yourself.

Comparing Your Options: Things to Consider Before Purchasing an Electric Nail Drill

As discussed earlier, trying to find the best nail drill from a pool of many can be confusing. It’s important to know about common features of electric nail drills, so you know the basics and can also distinguish one set from another.

Here are some of the most important things to consider when comparing your options:

Price

When you’re buying a beginner electric nail drill set, you should make sure you’re not getting sucked into professional drill prices. There’s no need to spend hundreds of dollars, which some electric drills for nails go for if you only plan on using the drill for basic nail upkeep and shaping at home.

As you browse, keep an eye on prices. You may notice that some drills are priced way above others but seem to offer the same features and similar bits. The more you browse, the more familiar you’ll become with the price range you should stay in.

Most of the nail drills on our list fall within the $40 to $100 range, which is typically a good budget to consider for at-home electric nail files.

Type of Nails

Will you use your electric nail file for your natural nails, acrylics, or both? Your nail needs can influence the type of electric file set you should purchase. Electric nail drills come with different kinds of bits for different purposes, such as buffing and shaping.

They also have different power levels. Those with more power are usually more expensive, but they also can shape acrylic nails with ease.

Whether you’ll work with acrylic nails or your natural nails can also be a major factor in deciding the nail bits you’ll need. I’ll go in-depth with these in a moment, so take a second to consider what nails you’ll use.

Power

Look at the revolutions per minute (RPMs) of the models you are considering purchasing. You’ll likely notice many of the highest-rated files range between 20,000 and 30,000 RPMs. This power range is what you should shoot for if you’re going to frequently use your file for acrylic nails because it will give you the power needed to cut through them.

If you only need the electric drill for natural nails, you can save some money by purchasing a drill with less power, like 10,000 RPMs or less.

How many watts is a good nail drill?

You want something that’s easy to use and has a lot of power – if it was within your budget, an 18-volt cordless would be great for small jobs like manicures or pedicures. But what do those numbers mean in terms of watts?

A typical household appliance might have about 1500W while one with more oomph will usually go up to 2000W at least! Keep these things in mind when looking around because they play a huge part in how much work can get done as well as battery life expectancy.

Variety of Nail Tools

The number and type of nail tools an electric nail file comes with are one of the things that makes it most useful – or not. As a beginner user of an electric file, you don’t want to overwhelm yourself with several tools you won’t use.

Similarly, you want enough options to get the job done. The standard bit size you’ll see as you browse your options is a 3/32”. This is an important number to keep in the back of your mind because it comes in handy

if you ever want to replace your electric file, but not your bits. If you purchase another file that holds 3/32” bits, you can still use the tools that are in good shape with your new file.

Where things get a little more confusing for beginners is understanding the differences between the tools an electric drill file includes in its set.

Here are a few of the most important ones that even beginner sets should contain:

• Natural nail bit. This type of bit is made from a rubber-like material and shaped like a cylinder. It helps remove dead cuticles and buff your natural nail before adding artificial nails.
• Small and large barrel carbide bits. These can shape and thin the surface of, and shorten acrylic nails and help you cut for backfilling.
• Pedicure bit. The shape and material of pedicure bits are made to remove calluses and hard spots near the toenails.
• Under-nail cleaner bit. The unique, thin shape of this bit helps clean and shape under the nail.
• Basic manicure and pedicure attachments. Your beginner electric nail file set should include handy accessory tools that hook right into the bit attachment. Usually, drill sets include callus removers, polishing felt cones, and a nail tip polishing tool.

Frequency You’ll Use It

For home use, you most likely will only be using your electric nail drill for short periods of time, compared to the hours each day that professional manicurists use them. But, if you do plan to use your set several times per week, or even allow others to borrow it occasionally, your electric drill choice should reflect that.

The reason you see salons with high-end, expensive machines that cost hundreds of dollars is that they use them every day for a good portion of the day.

Cheaper, basic models may not stand up to the wear and tear you may give your new device if you’re going to be a frequent user.

Price doesn’t always reflect quality, depending on the product, but it does seem to play a major role in the quality of electric nail files.

It may be best to spend an extra $20 or more to get a strong model that can withstand long-term wear and tear, or you may end up needing to purchase a new drill sooner than you hoped. 

Corded or Cordless

Another factor to consider with electric models is whether you want a corded or cordless drill. The frequency you’ll use your electric drill can also influence this choice.

Corded models are always plugged in, so you won’t need to worry about it quitting in the middle of your manicure.

Cordless electric files, on the other hand, have a time range that the battery will last for, which is usually between one to two hours. Then, they usually need another couple of hours to get back to full charge.

This isn’t typically an issue if you’ll only use your drill for a few minutes at a time to do quick touch-ups or a basic manicure. But, if you spend a lot of time on acrylics, a corded model may not give you enough time to perfect your nails.

Corded models are usually cheaper and lighter than cordless models. The batteries in cordless models can hike up the price and make the drill heavier, bulkier, and a bit less comfortable for extended use. 

Comfort

You may not think an electric nail drill would be uncomfortable, but it can be. Some drills – especially lower-end models – can vibrate a lot, which can be extremely uncomfortable for some people when they hold them for more than a few minutes.

There’s also the noise comfort level to think about. If you’ve been to a salon that uses electric nail drills, you know that they can be extremely loud. That’s somewhat because they have so much power.

Drills made for use mostly in homes usually aren’t nearly as loud, but again, cheaper models may be.

As I previously mentioned, cordless models can be heavy. That’s not to say that they’ll feel like your lifting a barbell when you hold them, but if you plan to use your drill frequently, you may notice weight more, and it could begin to feel uncomfortable to your hand, fingers, or wrist.

Be sure to check reviews on a drill before buying it, as customers are usually very honest if a drill’s vibration, weight, or noise was simply too much for them.

Electric Drill Brand

I recommend that you do plenty of research on an electric drill brand before you purchase it. Your internet search will likely show whether a brand is trustworthy and well-liked.

Here are a few things to look for to make sure you’re getting an electric nail file from a brand that deserves your business:

• Unbiased customer reviews. Can you find honest customer reviews from customers who purchased a product from the brand without incentive (such as a special discount)?
• If there are few to no legitimate customer reviews for the brand from a Google search or browsing its website, then it may not be a trustworthy choice.
• Secure website. Does the brand’s website have security elements, such as a secure checkout so that you can feel safe purchasing from it? The best companies go to great lengths to make sure their customers feel safe making a purchase with them. 
• Return/refund policy. No matter where you purchase your electric drill from, the brand should have a clear return or refund policy that can help you feel secure in your purchase.
• Some brands offer excellent warranties also, should your electric nail drill fail to function properly.
• Contact information. Is the company easy to contact? Does it have clear contact information, including an e-mail address, phone number, and address listed on its website?
• If not, it may be best to steer clear, because you’ll likely find it difficult to get a hold of someone if you experience any issues.  

How to Choose an Electric Nail File Right for You

Nail technicians need to choose the right nail machine for their needs.

When buying an electric nail machine, you should think about what features and benefits are good for what you’re looking for.

Knowing what you value is key in helping narrow down your options so make sure to consider all of your wants before making such an important decision like this!

These machines can last a long time if they have been taken care of properly; some models come with warranties that allow them to be fixed or replaced at no cost in case something goes wrong!

The Best Brands for Electric Nail Drills

The best nail drills for those who do nails on a regular basis are made by brands such as MelodySusie and Airsee. These manufacturers have been around long enough to build up their customer base with high-quality items that last, including electric drill kits.

The best brands on the market are easy-to-use and provide reliable power while being lightweight enough so they don’t cause strain when working long hours in a salon or at home.

Nail technicians will fall into one of two camps: those with their own drills who want something powerful but lightweight; and beginners looking for an affordable option without sacrificing quality.

For nailing pros wanting high performance, tools like KiaraSky allow them to easily adjust speeds depending on what type of job needs doing—whether delicate sculpting or heavy-duty drilling.

How to Use an Electric Nail Drill for At-Home

If you’re a DIY girl, one way to take your manicure and pedicure game up another notch is by using an electric nail drill. This professional tool will give you nails that look like those from the salon!

Manicures

The key to having an excellent experience with your electric nail drill is not only choosing the best nail drill but also understanding how to use it properly. Here are a few tricks and tips to help you get the most from your electric nail drill for at-home manicures or pedicures.

Prepping Your Nails

Before you use your drill to do anything to your nails, you need to prepare your natural nails, and artificial nails if you’re using them, for optimal results.

First, clean underneath your fingernails. You can do this using the cleaning pick attached to most manual fingernail clippers, or use the cleaning bit if your machine comes with one.

Be careful when using the bit so that you don’t irritate the skin of your fingertips. Set the drill to its lowest speed and don’t push the bit into your skin too much.

Use a barrel bit to file your nail down to your desired size. If you’re going to use artificial nails, your natural nails should be kept as short as possible. You can also use the barrel bit to shape your nails.

If your drill came with a cone-shaped piece for cuticles, you can use that to gently file and shape them. If you’re not yet comfortable doing this yourself, use a cuticle stick to push back your cuticles by hand.

Lastly, buff your nails to smooth the surface and bring out their natural shine. Buffing can also help artificial nails adhere to your nails better. Be careful not to over-buff them, though, as it can lead to weakened nails.

Using the Machine

Before you start up your drill, do a quick practice run.

Read through the instructions and make yourself familiar with its settings and different bits and tools. Also, ensure that you sanitize properly all your bits before use, which I’ll get into deeper in a moment.

As a beginner, you should set your drill to the lowest speed setting until you become more comfortable with it. You should also spend a few minutes holding the drill to learn the proper hand position. The safest and easiest way to hold it is in the same way you’d hold a pencil.

You should treat your barrel bits like they have three separate sections. The bottom of it can shape your tips, the middle can smooth and shape the nail bed, and the tip of the barrel can be used near the cuticle area for shaping the bottom of the nail.

This technique helps you use the barrel evenly so you can get longer use from it.

Consistent Nail Care

You can use your electric file to perform routine maintenance on your nails as you become more familiar with the machine. Just be sure not to use it if your nails are weakened, cracked, or damaged, or if your skin around your nails is irritated.

Doing so can cause further irritation or infection. For quick touch-ups to your natural nails, like pushing back cuticles or buffing the surface, it’s best to use manual tools.

But, your electric nail drill can come in handy for weekly manicures and pedicures and keep artificial nails shaped correctly.

Keeping it Clean

One of the most important responsibilities you’ll have as an owner of an electric nail drill is keeping it clean and sanitized. Unfortunately, beginners – and even experts! – overlook this important step of safe electric drill use, which can lead to bacterial infections.

Even if you are the only person using the drill, you still need to prevent the spread of germs.

You can use a can of compressed air to help keep the nail dust off your bits and drill after use. The dust can build up over time in your drill, causing it to become noisy or function improperly. Unplug your machine and use a damp cloth also to wipe down the drill and bits.

Then, it’s time to clean and disinfect your bits. Metal bits can be scrubbed with soap and water and placed into a disinfectant solution that’s safe for metal. But, fabric, cloth, rubber, and sandpaper bits are porous, and you should consider them one-time-use-only tools.

Best Electric Nail Drills for Beginners

Below, we’ve outlined 10 of the best all-around products for those seeking their first electric nail drill.

1. PureNails 7-Piece Professional Manicure & Pedicure System

2. Makartt Nail Drill Electric Nail File JD700

3. Beurer Electric Manicure & Pedicure Kit MP62

4. MelodySusie Portable Electric Nail Drill

5. Cadrim Electric Nail Drill Machine

6. AIRSEE Rechargeable 30000RPM E File Machine

7. OVX Portable Electric Nail Drill Machine

8. Reno J Portable Efile

9. PEMOO Professional Electric Nail Drill

10. JEWHITENY Professional Nail Drill Machine

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best electric nail drill for your needs doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By considering factors like power, speed control, ergonomics, durability, and attachments, you can find a drill that suits your preferences and budget. 

Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, there’s an electric nail drill out there that can help you achieve beautiful, salon-quality nails. Happy drilling!

Do you have your favorite nail drill? We always love to hear from you. Share in the comments below.