Comparison · Updated 22 August 2026

The best nail drill bits for UK nail techs

The bit does at least as much work as the machine. A good e-file with the wrong bit heats up, marks the plate and tires your hand out by lunchtime. Material decides the job: carbide cuts, diamond refines, ceramic sits between the two. Here are five bits and bit sets sold in the UK, and what each one is genuinely for.

By The Nail Tech Guide editorial team. Prices and stock checked on UK retailers on 22 August 2026, VAT included.

The short answer

Our top pick is the Glitterbels Tornado Bit at £15.00. It is a carbide bit with a smooth top that protects the cuticle area while you take bulk product off, which is the job most techs do most often, and it comes from a UK brand with a proper range behind it. For cuticle work and natural nail prep, the Navy Diamond E-File Bits at £7.00 each are the gentler and cheaper answer.

Our number one Glitterbels · Tornado Bit £15.00 inc. VAT

Check price at Glitterbels Read the full write-up

Product specifications are as published by the brands. Rankings are based on desk research: specifications published by the brands, prices and stock checked on UK retailers, and how the products compare on the criteria set out for each page.

The ranking

The 5 best nail drill bits in the UK, ranked

#1 Best for removals

Glitterbels

Tornado Bit

A carbide bit for taking acrylic and builder gel off quickly, with a smooth top that protects the cuticle area while you work. Glitterbels sells it in C, XC and 5XC cuts at £15.00 each, so you can match the aggression to how much product you are shifting. It is cut for right-handed use only.

Why it is here

Smooth top protects the cuticle area during removal, which is where most damage happens
Three cuts at the same price, so you can match it to the product you remove most
Carbide, so it shears product away instead of grinding at it
From a UK brand with a full bit range and its own e-file training

Watch out for: Right-handed use only, and Glitterbels does not list a left-handed version · The shank diameter is not stated on the product page · Dearer than the diamond bits here, though it does a different job

Price (inc. VAT): £15.00
Size: Carbide · C, XC and 5XC cuts
Level: Professional
Best for: Bulk removal of acrylic and builder gel
Price checked at: glitterbels.com

Check price at Glitterbels

#2 Best for cuticle work

Navy Professional

Diamond E-File Bits

Diamond-coated bits for natural nail prep and cuticle work, sold individually from £7.00 and usable in both forward and reverse, which matters if you are left-handed or work both hands from one side. Navy is explicit that they are for gentle exfoliation and cuticle refinement rather than product removal.

Why it is here

Cheapest bits here at £7.00, from a respected UK brand
Bi-directional, so they work for left and right-handed techs
Diamond grit is the gentler choice around the cuticle and on the natural plate
Navy also sells matching carbide bits from £12.00 for removal work

Watch out for: Not a removal bit. You still need a carbide for bulk product · The shank diameter is not stated on the product page · Navy’s carbide range was out of stock when we checked on 22 August 2026

Price (inc. VAT): From £7.00
Size: Diamond · bi-directional
Level: Professional
Best for: Cuticle work and natural nail prep
Price checked at: navyprofessional.com

Check price at Navy Professional

#3 Coolest running

Lucy Pastorelli

Ceramic White Medium E-File Bit

The only ceramic bit on this page, and the only one that states its shank: 3/32 inch, so it fits any standard machine. Ceramic sheds heat better than carbide, which makes it the comfortable choice for prep and surface work, and Lucy Pastorelli publishes a recommended speed setting on the product page, which almost nobody else does.

Why it is here

States a 3/32 inch shank, so compatibility is verifiable before you buy
Ceramic sheds heat better than carbide, so clients feel less of it
Suitable for both right and left-handed use
The brand publishes a recommended speed setting on the page

Watch out for: Medium grit ceramic is a prep and refining bit, not a fast bulk remover · The recommended speed is given for the brand’s own machine, so other e-files need adjusting · Salons Direct shows prices excluding VAT

Price (inc. VAT): £12.60
Size: Ceramic · medium grit · 3/32 in shank
Level: Professional
Best for: Prep and surface work with less heat
Price checked at: salonsdirect.com (£10.50 ex VAT)

Check price at Lucy Pastorelli

#4 Safest shape for cuticles

Nailchemy

Crystal Blunt Flame Bit (Medium)

A blunt-tipped diamond flame bit on a blue medium band, from a UK brand with an unusually well-organised bit range: crystal spear, flame, ball and blunt flame, all colour-banded by grit. The blunt tip is the safer shape for working under the cuticle, because there is no point to catch skin with.

Why it is here

Blunt tip is more forgiving than a pointed flame around the cuticle
Clear colour-banding by grit across the whole Nailchemy bit range
Sold alongside spear, ball and standard flame shapes in the same system
Russian manicure bit bundle available at £79.99 if you want the set

Watch out for: Diamond, so it refines rather than removes: not a bulk bit · Shank diameter not stated on the product page · Some shapes and grits in the range were out of stock when we checked

Price (inc. VAT): £10.99
Size: Diamond · medium grit (blue band)
Level: Professional
Best for: Under-cuticle work where a pointed bit feels risky
Price checked at: nailchemy.co.uk

Check price at Nailchemy

#5 Cheapest to try

Halo

Tapered Backfill Bit (Medium)

The cheapest bit here at £4.79, a tapered backfill shape in medium grit for cutting the smile line on a French infill. Halo also sells mandrels at £9.44 and £7.99 and sanding bands to go with them, which is the cheapest way to build a working bit kit from scratch.

Why it is here

Cheapest bit here at £4.79
Purpose-shaped for cutting a smile line on a backfill
Halo sells matching mandrels and sanding bands, so a full kit stays cheap
A bit wallet at £6.99 and a storage box at £7.95 complete the set

Watch out for: The material is not stated on the product page: carbide, ceramic and diamond are all possible · Single-purpose shape, so it will not cover general removals · Pure Nails shows prices excluding VAT, and free delivery starts at £65 ex VAT

Price (inc. VAT): £4.79
Size: Tapered backfill · medium grit
Level: Professional
Best for: French infills and backfills on a budget
Price checked at: purenails.co.uk (£3.99 ex VAT)

Check price at Halo

At a glance

Nail drill bits side by side

Nail drill bits compared · Nail Tech Guide, prices inc. VAT checked 22 August 2026
Rank	Product	Key strengths	Price	Level
#1	Glitterbels · Tornado Bit	Smooth top protects the cuticle area during removal, which is where most damage happens · Three cuts at the same price, so you can match it to the product you remove most	£15.00	Professional
#2	Navy Professional · Diamond E-File Bits	Cheapest bits here at £7.00, from a respected UK brand · Bi-directional, so they work for left and right-handed techs	From £7.00	Professional
#3	Lucy Pastorelli · Ceramic White Medium E-File Bit	States a 3/32 inch shank, so compatibility is verifiable before you buy · Ceramic sheds heat better than carbide, so clients feel less of it	£12.60	Professional
#4	Nailchemy · Crystal Blunt Flame Bit (Medium)	Blunt tip is more forgiving than a pointed flame around the cuticle · Clear colour-banding by grit across the whole Nailchemy bit range	£10.99	Professional
#5	Halo · Tapered Backfill Bit (Medium)	Cheapest bit here at £4.79 · Purpose-shaped for cutting a smile line on a backfill	£4.79	Professional

#1 Glitterbels · Tornado Bit

Key strengths: Smooth top protects the cuticle area during removal, which is where most damage happens · Three cuts at the same price, so you can match it to the product you remove most
Price: £15.00
Level: Professional

#2 Navy Professional · Diamond E-File Bits

Key strengths: Cheapest bits here at £7.00, from a respected UK brand · Bi-directional, so they work for left and right-handed techs
Price: From £7.00
Level: Professional

#3 Lucy Pastorelli · Ceramic White Medium E-File Bit

Key strengths: States a 3/32 inch shank, so compatibility is verifiable before you buy · Ceramic sheds heat better than carbide, so clients feel less of it
Price: £12.60
Level: Professional

#4 Nailchemy · Crystal Blunt Flame Bit (Medium)

Key strengths: Blunt tip is more forgiving than a pointed flame around the cuticle · Clear colour-banding by grit across the whole Nailchemy bit range
Price: £10.99
Level: Professional

#5 Halo · Tapered Backfill Bit (Medium)

Key strengths: Cheapest bit here at £4.79 · Purpose-shaped for cutting a smile line on a backfill
Price: £4.79
Level: Professional

Take away

The short version

Carbide removes bulk product, diamond refines and works near skin, ceramic sits in between.
Grit is usually shown by a coloured band: red fine, blue medium, green coarse, black extra coarse.
Check the shank is 3/32 inch (2.35 mm), the nail industry standard.
A blunt bit does not stop working, it starts heating. That is the moment to replace it.

Who it is for

This page is for you if…

Nail techs replacing worn bits or building a first set.
Anyone whose clients complain about heat during removals.
Techs adding Russian manicure or cuticle work to their menu.

Buying guide

How to choose between nail drill bits

Material decides the job

Tungsten carbide has cut flutes and shears product away fast, which makes it the removal and backfill bit. Diamond is coated in abrasive grit, works more gently and is the safe choice around the cuticle and on the natural nail. Ceramic dissipates heat better than carbide and is more forgiving on surface work. Silicone is only for polishing. You need at least one carbide and one diamond to get through a day.

The colour band is a convention, not a standard

Red for fine, blue for medium, green for coarse and black for extra coarse is widely used across UK brands, and yellow appears for extra fine. It is a convention rather than an enforced standard, and brands do occasionally contradict each other. Where the description of the job and the colour band disagree, trust the description.

Heat is a bit problem before it is a machine problem

If a client is flinching, the usual causes are too much speed, too much pressure, or a bit clogged with cured product. A clogged bit stops cutting and starts rubbing, and rubbing is heat. Brush bits out with a brass brush after every client, follow your disinfection protocol, and retire anything that no longer bites the way it did new.

FAQ

Nail drill bits: questions we get asked

Which bit should I use to remove builder gel?

A carbide barrel or tornado bit in a medium to coarse grit. It shears the product off rather than grinding at it, which keeps the heat down as long as you keep the speed moderate and let the bit do the work.

Why do some bits say right-handed use only?

Carbide flutes are cut at an angle, so a bit designed for one direction of rotation will skate rather than cut if you run it the other way. Several UK brands sell left-handed versions; if yours does not, check before you order.

How do I clean and sterilise my bits?

Brush the dust out with a brass brush, then follow your usual disinfection protocol before sterilising. Carbide, diamond and ceramic bits from the brands here are all sold as sterilisable, but check the individual product page because the wording varies.

How long does a bit last?

No brand publishes a figure, because it depends entirely on how often and how hard you use it. The signal is consistent though: when a bit stops cutting the way it did on day one, you start pressing harder, and pressing harder is what burns your client.

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Our #1 · £15.00 Glitterbels · Tornado Bit View