A digital nail printer, if you haven’t seen the viral videos yet, prints images directly onto your nails for stunning nail art at the push of a button.

These machines became available in the United States a couple of years back and the internet has been going wild over them ever since. They’re like nail stamping kits but more foolproof and with better images.

They’re a fantastic investment for nail salons because they can print images faster than a nail artist working by hand ever could so you have quicker customer turnover. Plus, it’s definitely a unique experience your clients will leave and tell everyone about, giving you word-of-mouth and viral advertising.

Are Digital Nail Printers Worth It?

That’s really up to you, your budget, and how important it is to you to stay on top of trends.

For salons, they’re an investment now and a major time-saver later, leading to increased sales.

Most of these printers print a finger image in less than a minute, but even at a minute, that’s 10 minutes for a full manicure of nail art minus the setup and polish. Intricate nail art by hand can take 10 to 30 minutes per finger. The potential for quicker client turnover is high.

For personal use, if you can afford one, a nail art printer unlocks art that would otherwise be impossible for human hands. They aren’t cheap but when you consider that intricate salon nail art manicures can cost you $60 a pop before tip, depending on how often you get your nails done, one of these nail printers could pay for themselves in less than a year.

How Do Digital Nail Printers Work?

They’re basically a mini ink-jet printer that’s built for nails instead of paper. Most use regular ink-jet printer refills so you can shop around for a bargain instead of being forced to buy refills from the same company.

Keep in mind that if you’ve ever been near a printer, you know they are famously finicky so while you won’t be dealing with paper jams, as with any printer, there could be some hiccups.