Buying the Best Manicure Kit

What makes something the “best?” Unless you truly believe that every person you see wearing a t-shirt or holding a trophy reading “Best Dad” or “Best Actor” is unequivocally the best, the term is highly subjective and hard to qualify. Here, we will talk about what we feel represents having the “best” tools in your kit. While there will be some overlap between essential and best, and like everything else some subjectiveness, we feel strongly that there are some defining characteristics of manicure tools and accessories that move the proverbial needle over to that “best” category.

 

#1 – Steel

It's really pretty simple. If your manicure tool is not made with the best key component, steel, then it will never be the best.

The best steel for your manicure tool is High Carbon Stainless Steel (HCSS).

HCSS, also known as surgical steel, combines the best attributes of stainless steel (to stop rust and corrosion) with the hardness of carbon, making high carbon stainless steel the standard for the finest steel grooming tools. HCSS will last for decades, and likely will not need to be sharpened until 20 or 30 years down the road. The one “downside” of HCSS is that it costs about 5x more than the cheap steel used in most mass-produced tools, but most HCSS tools available on Zamberg.com are highly affordable.

Other steel compositions will never be the best. Stainless steel is soft and will not stay sharp or durable for very long. Carbon, and high carbon, steel is strong, but it will rust unless it is plated. The best manicure products will be made of high carbon stainless steel.

 

#2 – Precision

To be the best manicure tool, the tool must be precise. You might be thinking, “why would a well-known brand sell manicure tools that would not be precise?” The answer is cost. And, the way these manufacturers lower production cost is with lesser materials, and mass-production. These two elements separate the best manicure tools from nothing more than cheaply made and cheaply performing imitation tools.

The manufacturers offered on Zamberg.com do not mass-produce, and they use only the finest materials. What you read in the tool descriptions on our site is 100% verified by our expert staff. We know our brands personally, and work hard to always keep your trust. When a product we offer says it is hand-assembled, and/or hand-sharpened, you can take that to the bank. When one of our product descriptions details the use of precision elements from the Swiss clock industry, hand-installed rivets, and world-class engineering which keeps blades from touching and tools from slipping, you are reading about ways the best manufacturers of manicure tools guarantee precision. There is truly no substitute for precision in the finest tools.

 

#3 – Protective Cases

Even the best steel and precision engineering for your manicure tool will be somewhat worthless if your tool is tossed around or kept unprotected. And, even the so-called “protection” some manufacturers offer for their tools is not much better than no protection at all.

The do's and don'ts of manicure cases.

Do's

Leather is a natural cushioning material which protects well again nicks and scratches. Through its cushioning elements, leather protects well against abuse.

Leather pouches work well for individual tools, while leather rolls work great for manicure kits. Rolls will last forever, and only rolls will allow you to replace tools with different tools. Many other cases for manicure kits have pre-set loops which takes away the ability to interchange tools.

 

Don'ts

Stay away from cheap Asian-made vinyl or polyester cases. These materials will scratch fine manicure tools, and will not provide proper cushioning.

Also, stay away from cases with zippers. Zippers often break and malfunction. Instead, look for cases with magnets which last much longer and provide a better alternative if you decide against a roll.

 

#4 – Tools that you Need

The final element to the best manicure kit is really just making sure you have the actual tools you personally need. Everyone has different needs. Just a few examples are clipper sizes, whether or not to include scissors, jaw shapes and lengths, and how many glass implements to include. While we recommend glass nail files and glass manicure sticks, you might have a reason to go in another direction.

In a separate article, we talk about what tools we deem as “essential” to a manicure kit, and while it is not meant to be an exclusive list, it might give you some guidance on tool choices.

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