Last Updated: May 9, 2023 @ 11:05 am.

What is the best acrylic nail kit? To find out, we tried out a dozen kits from top brands. Which was best for beginners? For travel? Here are the ones we think are best.

FYI: We've been reviewing and rating products for the home and families since 1994. We don't take money or freebies from the brands we review. Our work is 100% reader-supported!


Finding The Best Acrylic Nail Kits: Our Tests

Are you acrylic nail curious? Want your short, stubby fingernails to look longer and more elegant plus be more durable?

Acrylic nails may be the answer. Made of powder and liquid monomer, acrylic nails are applied using tips or nail forms. Then the nails are shaped and polished. 

Whether you are a novice or an acrylic nail enthusiasts, acrylic nail kits offer good bang for the buck—you get all the supplies needed (base and top coats) as well as specialty powders like glitter and more.

To find the best bets, we tried out several brands here at the home office.

As always, we looked for kits that are easy to use. Some include a lamp to cure nails, while others lack this feature (we assume more advanced nail enthusiasts already have a lamp).

Here are the best bets:

Best for Beginners

Most inclusive kit we tried
Wow! We were amazed at this kit's depth and completeness—and the colors are pretty. Super ease to use for those starting out. Bonus: packaging is nice enough to make this set a great gift.

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Best Without A Lamp

Loved the rhinestone powders
The acrylic in this kit sets up slowly—that's perfect for beginners. If you don't need a lamp, this kit offers great bang for the buck.

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Best For Travel

Easy to use, no lamp needed
This simple kit is great for practice—and since it just includes the basics, you can take it on road trips. The pink color is our favorite. Nice bang for the buck.

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Best For Practice

Everything one needs
Super easy on the pocketbook, this kit is great for practice if you are starting out. Good quality overall.

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About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York TimesWall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!

Baby Bargains: Your Baby Registry Cheat Sheet

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