Efile Pricing Factors | What to look for when buying a new efile?

While in the industry for almost 8 years now, I never shy away from spending money on buying and trying different equipment and tools!

And now… with a little more leisure to purposely buy and explore, I get to do so and relay some professional opinions to you!

$60 vs. $450?

People get confused and frustrated when they see an efile on Amazon, for example, cost $60, then scout out a professional brand and see the cost of an efile start at $300 and up to $450 in the price?

Why the huge discrepancy?

“Torque,” my friend, at least, that is one of the primary reasons. Another reason is motor technology, but we will get into technology in a little bit.

What is torque?

Let’s start with torque. Torque is a force measurement; you often experience this force as resistance when your e-file bit touches the nail surface.

If you notice your efile stop or slow down upon the bit touching the intended surface, your efile has low torque. This means that for your efile to continue spinning at (20-35,000 RPM), you must apply A LOT of pressure on that nail to continue working at high speed. A good quality efile will have both high torque and high RPM.

Torque has a weird measurement of pounds per foot; I get the impression that this measurement is variable, so companies cannot give a fixed measure per efile. The machine’s weight to the nail varies from nail tech to nail tech or service to service.

So, for now, you just have to take their word when they list “high torque” as one of the qualities of their efile… … And sure enough, the price tag may hint at this.

Power compsumption.

Now, in addition to torque and RPM, I’ve heard professionals say power consumption is also a factor. So you would want to ensure that your efile is at least 35 watts. This measurement is not often listed, but the manufacturer should have no problem getting back to you.

Now you’ve heard me mention RPM a lot, and all RPM means is ‘rotations per minute.‘ That means how many times is that attachment to your handpiece rotating per minute. Most of us always took that measurement as the end-all-be-all deciding factor when committing to an efile purchase. However, without high torque, rotations per minute mean very little.

Low torque slows down rotations or can lead to having to help the rotations, reducing your electric filing efficiency and making you prone to hand strain and damage in the long run.

Think of your efile as a newly hired employee. Your workload should feel lighter and quicker, and you should feel more efficient and rested. If you still feel overworked or in pain, you have not hired the right employee just yet, and in this case, not the right efile.

Remember, there is no task you cannot do by hand via tools and hand files on yourself and clients. If you can do those tasks efficiently and pain-free with these tools, why bother with an efile?

You do it because you want quick and efficient. Still, to obtain these, you must do your due diligence to find a suitable machine.

So… to have a powerful machine, we understand that we need a good amount of RPM, high torque, and vital power wattage.

And so… is that it?

While searching for an efile for myself, I came across “brushless” motor technology options. Obviously, it must mean something special because it is being outlined. But what exactly is that unique appeal many companies don’t say?

I did find one that really broke this down for us.

Medicool tells us that brushless motors provide better performance via magnets. They also produce more rotational force with less power. They have no brushes within your engine to wear down and thereby decrease the life expectancy of your efile.

Thanks, Medicool, that was super helpful!

Brand labels.

I think that one last factor contributing to price is definitely brand reputation. Let’s face it, frequently, we continue to buy our favorite goods from brand names that are familiar and have had a good experience with.

So, suppose I like the manufacturer of my hair shampoo, clothing, and gel nail supplies. In that case, it doesn’t matter if it’s on Amazon or if there’s a new competitor offering the same or similar item. I’m going to continue buying from my go-to. Because I know, like, and trust them.

Even if I’m paying a premium price, I will buy from my go-to, whom I’ve nurtured a relationship with or who has had my back when I’ve needed assistance.

In addition to brand relationship, the brand label is almost equally as important. Just like we buy designer labels because of that brand label, the same applies to our expensive nail goods purchases. Most people will buy the higher-priced brand because they have a reliability expectation. And by the same token, a brand may price itself on the higher-end because they want to be that top-shelf label. But none of this brand label talk matters if they don’t have everything we discussed regarding Torque, RPM, power, and motor technology.

This pricing factor is the last thing we’re talking about.

Ok, ok, one last thing I promise regarding price relates to the value of an efile purchase.

Battery-powered portable v. cordless units.

Battery-powered portable/cordless units tend to be more expensive than corded ones. So don’t think you’re paying for reliability when a portable unit is more costly than its corded counterpart.

You’re simply paying more for the convenience of that battery to take you cordless. So only buy cordless if not having a cord is detrimental to your scope of work. It is to me because when I’m recording, I need to be able to quickly move around without a cord impediment. Anything battery operated, batteries wear down, and so ultimately, you may end up strapped to the cord situation anyways.

Ok, now you’re probably wondering… ok Paola give us your recommendations. I just seriously cannot mouth off any suggestions because I think this is something you need to be comparing side by side.

And so, I did something ultra special for you instead. I created a free guide for you; it’s simply a chart of reputable professional efile companies I’ve been familiar with over the years.

And listen, I understand if you’re just starting out, and Amazon is your go-to for now; totally cool. But don’t forget what we talked about in regards to nurturing relationships. If you’re considering going pro, start getting a feel for a company you know will have your back in case you need maintenance on your unit. What better way to do that than to start trying their entry-level efiles? Later as the business grows, treat yourself to an upgrade.

Most of the companies I mention in this resource (except for the first one listed) offer affordable professional-grade efiles with a 1-year warranty. You can often even extend your warranty period.

These pro companies have in-house service departments at your disposal and are, most often than not, family-owned. This is something that most online re-sellers via eBay and Amazon cannot offer you. If an efile costs you $60, that’s probably because you’ll have to spend another $60 in 6 months to replace it…. maybe not, but again at that point, it’s a toss.

Don’t forget to download that resource in the description box below. And if this video helped you, do support this channel via thumbs-up.

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