Gel Nail Kit Comparison: Lamps, Colors, Coats and Tools

What a starter kit needs

Gel polish does not dry on its own. It cures under a UV/LED lamp, and the layers sit in a fixed order, so a complete kit covers each step. Use this as a checklist against any box.

• A curing lamp. Beetles' page states that gel polish "needs to be cured under a UV/LED lamp". Look for the lamp's wattage and cure-time setting, which several makers here do not list.
• A base coat and a top coat. The makers' steps all run base coat, color in thin layers, then top coat, with a cure after each. OPI's kit holds a base and a no-wipe top coat but no colors.
• Gel colors. Palettes here range from 2 colors (Gelish) to 55 (Beetles). More colors is more to store, not necessarily more useful.
• Prep tools: a file or buffer to take the shine off the nail, a cuticle pusher, and a lint-free wipe or prep pad. OPI counts 100 prep pads, 10 cuticle pushers and 5 file/buffers; Beetles gives tool counts without naming them.
• Removal supplies: acetone-based remover, a wrap method (foil or plastic wrap with cotton), a pusher and a buffer, and cuticle oil. Most kits do not include these, so plan for them.

Lamp safety: what the sources say

The FDA's nail care page says "It is important to use nail products safely, following labeled directions and paying attention to any warning statements." Here is what the American Academy of Dermatology and the kit makers say about the curing step.

• The American Academy of Dermatology says gel manicures "can cause nail brittleness, peeling and cracking, and repeated use can increase the risk for skin cancer and premature skin aging on the hands."
• The same AAD page explains how to protect your hands from the lamp's UV light, including "dark, opaque gloves with the fingertips snipped off" put on before the polish is applied. Read its full advice before your first session.
• It also suggests considering traditional polish if you have recurring nail problems or are allergic to acetone, "as acetone is required to remove gel polish."
• Beetles' page says: "If you feel a burning sensation during curing, it is recommended to remove your hand from the lamp." Its caution lines say not to use the product with a history of allergic reactions to nail products, and to keep it out of reach of children.
• OPI's directions say to keep coats thin and "keep gel OFF skin", and to use dry hands when setting up the lamp's USB cable.

This is general information, not medical advice. See a board-certified dermatologist about any unusual nail or skin change.

Removing gel the way the makers and dermatologists say

Removal is where gel kits differ most, and the sources do not fully agree.

1. Do not pick it off. The American Academy of Dermatology says that picking or filing off gel polish can significantly damage nails.
2. Break the top seal. Beetles says to trim, file the top coat off the nail plate and then soak. Gelish says to buff with a 100/180 grit buffer to remove the shine.
3. Soak with acetone. Beetles says to soak nails in acetone remover for around 10 minutes. Gelish says to soak the cotton section of its foil wrap with remover and leave it for 10-15 minutes. The AAD source recommends 100% acetone on cotton cut to the size of each nail, wrapped in plastic food wrap for 10 minutes.
4. Protect your skin. The AAD page says to apply petroleum jelly to the cuticles and skin before the acetone and to wash with mild soap afterward.
5. Lift what is left gently. Beetles uses a cuticle pusher and Gelish an orangewood stick, but the AAD source cautions against using an orange stick, saying it can injure nails and cause white spots. Use a wet washcloth if you follow the AAD steps.
6. Finish with cuticle oil. Beetles and Gelish both end with oil on the cuticles.

What each gel nail kit's maker lists

Every value below is copied from the maker's page for that kit. Where the page does not say, the cell reads Not listed.

Specs read from each maker's own product page on November 8, 2026. "Not listed" means the source did not state it.

Lamp, colors, coats and tools as stated on each maker's own product page.

Product	Lamp in kit	Colors	Base and top coat	Prep and removal tools	Maker page
Beetles Color Enchantment Gel Nail Kit (80 pcs, 55 colors)	A "professional nail lamp"; wattage not listed	55 colors, 5 ml each	Base, no wipe top, matte top, glitter top	20 pcs nail tools (not itemized)	Maker page
Beetles Four Seasons Glow Gel Nail Kit (54 pcs, 32 colors)	A "professional nail lamp"; wattage not listed	32 colors	Base, no wipe top, matte top, glitter top	14 pcs nail tools (not itemized)	Maker page
Beetles Colorful Dreamscape Gel Nail Kit (31 pcs, 20 colors)	Not listed	20 colors	Not listed	"31pcs essentials" (not itemized)	Maker page
OPI GELement Gel Essentials Kit	LED gel lamp, automatic 60 second cure; wattage not listed	None (sold separately)	Base coat and no-wipe top coat	100 prep pads, 10 cuticle pushers, 5 file/buffers	Maker page
Gelish Complete Starter Kit	On The Go LED Curing Light; wattage not listed	2 colors, 15 mL each	Not listed	Not listed	Maker page
Modelones 20 Gel Polish Colors and Smart LED Nail Lamp Starter Kit	48W UV gooseneck LED nail lamp	20 colors, 7 ml each	Base, top, matte top, glitter top (7 ml each)	Not listed	Maker page

Wattage is shown only where a maker states it. Beetles, OPI and Gelish describe their lamps without a wattage.

Six kits and what each maker lists

1. Beetles Color Enchantment Gel Nail Kit (80 pcs, 55 colors)

   Best for: Beginners who want the widest color range in one box and are fine with a lamp whose wattage the maker does not state.

   Beetles lists 55 colors at 5 ml each, one base coat, one no wipe top coat, a matte top coat, a glitter top coat, "a professional nail lamp" and 20 pcs of nail tools. Its directions cure base, color and top coat for 60 seconds each. The page gives no lamp wattage and does not itemize the 20 tools, so check the box contents before relying on a specific file or pusher.

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2. Beetles Four Seasons Glow Gel Nail Kit (54 pcs, 32 colors)

   Best for: Shoppers who want a mid-size palette and a lamp included at a lower piece count.

   The maker's page lists 32 bottles of color, one base coat, one no wipe top coat, a matte top coat, a glitter top coat, a lamp and 14 pcs of nail tools. It carries the same 60-second cure steps and the same four-step removal directions as the larger Beetles kit. As with the others from this brand, the lamp wattage and the tool list are not given.

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3. Beetles Colorful Dreamscape Gel Nail Kit (31 pcs, 20 colors)

   Best for: Anyone testing whether they like gel at home before buying a big palette.

   The page describes 20 colors and "31pcs essentials". It does not list the lamp, the base coat or the top coat in the kit, even though its application steps use both, so treat what is in the box as unconfirmed until you read the product listing closely. It is the smallest Beetles option here.

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4. OPI GELement Gel Essentials Kit

   Best for: Buyers who already have gel colors, or want to choose their own shades, and want the prep supplies and lamp in one box.

   OPI's page says the kit holds a base coat, a no-wipe top coat, an LED gel lamp, 100 prep pads, 10 cuticle pushers and 5 file/buffers. Colors are not included: the page says "All you need to add are your favorite GELement nail shades (sold separately". The lamp is described as designed to cure four nails at once, with the thumb cured separately and an automatic 60 second cure setting. Wattage is not listed, and removal is a separate GELement Gel Removal Kit. The Amazon listing is named differently, so the link is a search.

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5. Gelish Complete Starter Kit

   Best for: Readers who want a salon-brand system and a portable lamp, and will accept just two colors.

   Gelish's page says the kit has "Enough product for 18+ manicures" and includes a MINI Basix Kit, two 15 mL colors (Good Gossip and Gossip Girl) and an On The Go LED Curing Light. The page's directions call for a 5 second cure of the foundation base in an 18G LED light, so check that the portable light matches those times. The page does not itemize what the MINI Basix Kit contains or the lamp wattage. Its removal steps use a foil wrap and an orangewood stick.

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6. Modelones 20 Gel Polish Colors and Smart LED Nail Lamp Starter Kit

   Best for: Shoppers who want a stated lamp wattage with their colors.

   Modelones lists 20 gel polishes at 7 ml, a base coat, a top coat, a matte top coat, a glitter top coat and a "48W UV Gooseneck LED Nail Lamp". Its how-to cures the base coat for 30 seconds and the top coat for 60 seconds. The page does not list prep or removal tools, so budget for a file, buffer, pusher and remover separately. No exact Amazon listing matched, so the link is a search.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a UV lamp for a gel polish starter kit?

Yes. Gel polish cures under UV/LED light, and Beetles' page says the product "needs to be cured under a UV/LED lamp". Without one the gel stays tacky, so choose a kit that includes a lamp or buy one separately.

Is the lamp wattage listed for these kits?

Only Modelones states one, 48W. Beetles, OPI and Gelish describe the lamp but give no wattage on their pages, so the table marks it as not listed rather than guessing.

Can I use any gel polish with the lamp in a kit?

The makers do not say. Gelish gives cure times for its own 18G LED light, and OPI's lamp has a fixed 60 second setting, so match cure times to the polish brand's directions and check with the maker if unsure.

How do I take gel polish off at home?

Follow the maker's steps: buff the shine off, soak in acetone with a wrap for the time they give (10 to 15 minutes), and avoid picking. The American Academy of Dermatology page also recommends protecting the skin with petroleum jelly.

How we chose

This guide is desk research. We read each maker's product page, saved it, and copied the lamp, color count, coat and tool details from it into the table, leaving "Not listed" wherever a maker's page was silent. We did not test, cure or remove any of these kits, so nothing here says how well a lamp cures or how long a manicure lasts.

Gellen, Makartt, Mylee, Kiss and Sally Hansen were considered but dropped because their maker pages could not be read or did not describe a kit, and Aimeili's page had no kit listing. Modelones' poly gel kits were left out because they are extension gel, not gel polish. Amazon listings were checked at time of writing, on November 8, 2026. An exact link is used only where the title matches the maker's kit; otherwise the link is a search. Prices change and are left out.

Sources

• Beetles: Color Enchantment 80Pcs kit
• Beetles: Four Seasons Glow 54 Pcs kit
• Beetles: Colorful Dreamscape 31Pcs kit
• OPI: GELement Gel Essentials Kit
• Gelish: Complete Starter Kit
• Modelones: 20 Gel Polish Colors and Smart LED Nail Lamp Kit
• American Academy of Dermatology: Gel manicures
• American Academy of Dermatology: Removing gel polish
• FDA: Nail Care Products

Related guides

• Nail gift sets: Polish, gel and manicure kits packaged as gifts.
• Home acrylic nail kits: The acrylic route, if you want something other than gel.
• At-home manicure kits: Polish, gel and press-on kits compared for minimal nails.
• Gel polish for weak nails: Individual gel polishes, if you have a lamp already.
• How to remove acrylic nails at home: A removal guide for the acrylic side.