COSLUS C40 Electric Nail Drill Professional, Precise Speed Dial, Purple

Why it's worth it

The COSLUS C40 is a pen-shaped, 0.38-pound e-file that ships with 6 bits and 31 sanding bands. It handles gel, acrylic and dip powder removal plus cuticle work, and the speed dial is simple enough that a first-timer won't overshoot.

If you've never held an e-file, start here. The C40 weighs 0.38 pounds and is shaped like a fat marker, so it sits in your hand the way a pen does. That grip is what keeps a beginner's angle steady, and a steady angle is most of what separates a clean fill from a thin spot. The speed dial and direction switch are both on the barrel, within thumb reach.

The kit is genuinely complete. Six bits cover shaping, removal, cuticle work and polishing, and 31 sanding bands is a real supply rather than a token three. You can do gel, acrylic and dip powder out of the box, plus thick toenails and dead cuticle skin. Nothing else to buy on day one.

From our review of 7 nail drill kits

What we like

• +If you've never held an e-file, start here
• +The kit is genuinely complete
• +COSLUS specifies low noise and low heat from an upgraded motor with heat dissipation built in, and heat is the practical one
• +Among everything here this is easily the most widely bought machine, and that popularity has a practical upside beyond reassurance

What to know

• –The listing doesn't state a maximum RPM or a torque figure, which makes it hard to compare directly against the professional…
• –There's no foot pedal and no LED display, so speed changes happen by feel and by dial position rather than by number