Best Nail Drill of 2024

If you like to do your nails at home, or you’ve recently started to experiment with gel or acrylic, then you definitely know that filing is one of the most essential steps to achieve a flawless manicure. But it could also be one of the most time-consuming steps if you are using a regular nail file. That’s why professional nail salons use electric nail drills (or files) for various services, like acrylic or gel removal, filling, shaping the nails, tidying up the cuticle area and removing calluses or rough skin around the nails.

Creating the perfect manicure and maintaining it used to be something that could only be done in professional nail salons. Nowadays, you don’t have to be a nail technician to be able to achieve a gorgeous manicure, you can do it with the right tools in the comfort of your own home. However, if you are not trained to use such a tool, there are a few things you should know before buying an electric nail drill and we are going to dive into this subject so you would have all the information you need.

What are nail drills and what are they used for?

Nail drills are electric files that are used in professional salons when working with artificial nails, but they can be used for cuticle maintenance and on the natural nail as well. The nail drill is a machine that consists of a handpiece and a base. The handpiece could be attached to the base with a cord, or you can even find some cordless drills. The handpiece’s head can rotate up to 45,000 rpm and you can control the speed from either a knob or a foot pedal. There are also a variety of drill bits that are used for different purposes and are made out of different materials, like carbide, diamond or silicone.

The nail drill has many benefits if it is used properly, and it consists of so much more than just filing:

• it cuts down the filing time and could save you up to 30 minutes

• you can use it to clean and maintain cuticles

• it removes calluses and other rough spots

• on the long term, it saves you from cramping (traditional filing could be exhausting)

• it can shape, smooth, file and buff the nails

• you have more control and precision than if you were using a regular hand file

Today, you can find good quality nail drills online and you don’t have to be a certified nail technician to buy them. However, you should be careful if you are new to nail tools, as you don’t want to damage your natural nails. We’ve talked about the pros of having such a tool at home, but we thought you should also know about safety before diving in deeper.

1. Use a dust mask when you’re drilling

Breathing in the small particles of sanded product is potentially harmful to your health, so make sure you wear a mask to avoid inhaling the dust.

2. Start at lower speeds and never use the maximum speed

Not even nail technicians need the highest speeds to be able to provide good results. Start at the lowest speed and work your way up gradually if you feel like you need more power, so you don’t risk damaging your natural nail by digging in too hard.

3. Keep the drill moving continuously

Don’t stay in one spot for long because friction causes heat and that could hurt and damage your nail underneath the product. Try to move the drill continuously and keep a light touch between the drill bit and the nail.

4. Ventilation

It’s best to have a ventilated table or at least to install and use your drill in a ventilated area, as the dust can quickly pile up and get into your airways. If you don’t want to invest in a ventilated table yet, put a towel underneath and try to get rid of the dust as soon as you finish drilling.

5. Learn about bits

Different products call for different bits. If you are new to electric drills, try to learn as much as you can about the purpose of various bits, so you would get the best results and stay safe from potentially damaging your nails.

6. Follow the instructions

If you are a beginner, always read the manufacturer’s instructions or the user’s manual that you are provided with when you buy an electric nail drill. Many manufacturers offer free education on how to use their products and there are plenty of free courses and tutorials online.

7. Tie your hair back

Well, this one is obvious, but you would be surprised how many people forget to tie their hair only to regret it later. Why? Because in the worst-case scenario, it can get caught on the drill bit, while the best-case scenario is that you can end up with lots of dust in your hair.

Let’s get down to business. What do you need to consider before purchasing an electric nail drill?

1. Power

The most effective nail drills are those that feature at least 30,000 rpm (rotations per minute). Even though you shouldn’t put your drill at the maximum speed, and we stand by that, the drills that you find online are not the professional drills that you can usually find salons. The drills that have less power (lower than 30,000 rpm) tend to get stuck on the nail and even stop completely, as they are not the best quality-drills, so search for the ones that feature a higher power to make sure yours would not get stuck when you need it to work.

2. Price

The salon-professional drills could be very expensive, but there’s absolutely no need to spend hundreds of dollars for an at-home nail drill. You will see there are similar products that can have exactly the same specs, but the pricing could be off by even $100. Don’t shop by brand or price, because the most expensive is not necessarily the most efficient. Usually, a price range below or up to $100 is enough for an at-home nail drill.

3. Use

If you’re a fan of acrylic nails and you want to know how to care for them, your needs may be different from someone who buys a nail drill for nail prep and cuticle care. Search for the right bits and machines, depending on the type of work you need to do.

4. Bits

Almost every nail drill comes with a few bits and replacements. There are many types of bits out there and you certainly don’t need them all at once and some are definitely not meant to go on your natural nail. Search for the ones specifically made for natural nail care, some carbide bits for acrylic filing and shaping and some for calluses. Most nail drills already have some basic manicure bits that you can use out of the box, and there are even basic kits you can use until you develop a taste in terms of what you like.

5. Frequency of use

Maybe you won’t use your nail drill every day if you are purchasing it for at-home use. Still, if you plan to use it often or you are a nail technician offering services at home, you should choose your electric drill according to the purpose. There is a reason why nail salons have expensive machines, and that’s because they use them every day, so they have to be good quality, reliable and long-lasting.

6. With or without a cord? That is the question.

Modern battery technology allows us to slowly get rid of messy cables and turn to a cordless and untangled life. You can now find cordless nail drills on the market and the difference in price is not substantial, so what should you choose? It depends on the frequency of use. There are cordless drills that can work several hours before they need to be recharged. On the other hand, cordless models tend to be heavier since all technology must fit into the handpiece, basically. Take that into consideration as well, because it can be tiring to work with a heavy tool for a long time.

Now that you know the basics and what to look for before buying such a tool for yourself, let’s dive in and show you our list of the best nail drills that are suitable for at-home use.