How many watts should a nail lamp be?

For home use with regular gel polish, 36 48 watts is the sweet spot. This wattage cures most gel polishes in 30 60 seconds and works with all mainstream brands. Lamps under 24 watts may not fully cure thicker gel coats, leading to peeling or soft spots. Professional nail techs often use 54W or higher for faster curing and compatibility with all gel types, but this is overkill for home manicures.