OPI LED Lamp - review

I know I'm a sucker for all things new for nails. I'm also a perfectionist and when I'm into something... I'm IN. The hefty price tag didn't deter me. Made in the USA, cures 5 fingers, sturdy design- the lamp had my name on it....
To find out more, click below:
For the longest time LED lamps didn't really interest me. I worked with Shellac and the CND lamp since Shellac came out in April 2010 and I had the timing figured out to a second. When one hand was curing, I was applying the color to the other hand...

What would be the benefit of a faster cure?
Well.... for sure the fact that the LED bulbs don't weaken as fast as UV bulbs is a big plus.. but to me, that was not a good enough reason to spend $600 on a lamp. I think when LCN first came out with LED lamp the price was $1200 USD? Actually considering this, $600 is a steal LOL.
Then I spoke with a distributor of Artistic Color Gloss and she told me that the LED in fact cuts her timing considerably.
Then I realised that in fact, some brands apply quicker. ACD was one of them. The products are thinner and somehow they glide on faster.
OPI GelColors (because the colors are 100% gel) don't start out thin (runny) and end up thickening up after few uses. Well, they haven't- yet.

So how much faster does the LED cure?

I don't buy "you can do a manicure in 1/2 time". First of all, a good manicure is not all about painting. You still have to remove polish/gel polish, shape the nails, detail the cuticles, I also buff the dry skin around the nails with an e-file (no, not a "drill") if needed. And it's needed more then it's not. I don't see many hand models in my salon.
Even if I didn't have to cure the product it takes me about 8-10 minutes to paint the nails. The dark colors, or clients with very stiff hands take longer (about 10 min). I don't see how I can cut my time by 15 minutes then. Applying and curing Shellac takes me about 16 minutes.
I estimate then that LED cuts my time by 6-8 minutes. I'm happy.

Going back to the lamp....

The lamp is made very well, it's super sturdy, has a very handy handle. The bulbs are positioned in a shape of a letter C. The lamp has a ledge inside (I will take a picture soon). When touched, the lamp lights up.
I wish that the lamp would have a motion sensor like the Harmony lamp has.
I found that the clients are little confused at the beginning. They are usually not placing the hand far enough to touch the ledge. After few tries they do get it though.

The lamp has a set of "feet" that you can pull out from the bottom so you can use the lamp for the feet as well. Well... I tried it and knowing very well where the ledge was I STILL managed to stub my big toe and mess my polish up.
I will continue using Harmony 6G LED lamp (with a motion sensor) for the feet.

My manicure set up:
I work at a desk with 2 UV lamps (1 CND UV, 1 generic UV). I cure Shellac in the CND lamp. I cure classic gels in both UV lamps and I cure NSI Polish Pro in both lamps as well.
I keep my OPI LED lamp on a side table and after I apply base coat (to both hands) I pull the LED lamp out, place on the table in the middle and cure the base coat. When the first hand is curing I shake the gel-polish.

My pedicure set up:
For Shellac/Polish Pro I use LE Smart Cure lamp. For OPI I use Harmony G6 lamp.

Overall, I'm happy with the OPI lamp.
If you are reading this..... would you mind to share if you are using OPI LED lamp? If so, how much time are you actually saving?