I use a 36w lamp and only do a few sets as i only do friends and family at the moment, i do mix the brands should i not do that? And in our experience which brand works best [emoji16][emoji16][emoji16]
Good quality professional brands should have a lamp that is compatible with their products and will cure them properly. The wattage of the lamp is only part of the requirement. (See the thread at the top of the Nail Forum explaining how lamps work). So if the lamp you are using isn't curing your gel polishes not only can it cause chipping, Lifting and bubbling, it could also cause allergies to develop as over exposure to under cured products is one of the main causes. Gel can appear cured at just 50% as the top will feel hard, but underneath could be soft. You are then exposing yourself and your clients to this under cured product when you remove it (filing or soaking).
Brands develop top coats and base coats that all work together with their gel polishes. They won't necessarily be compatible with another brand.
I use 3 brands but I use the matching base and top coats for whichever gel polish colour my clients choose. I also have the correct lamps. If you are only doing friends and families nails, you would probably be better off sticking to one brand, otherwise it will get very expensive for you having to buy complete systems in each brand.
If you are looking for a reasonably priced, excellent quality professional brand, I would highly recommend INK London. You can buy everything you need directly from them and they have a very supportive Facebook group.
The Gel Bottle are also really good, but I think they're quite expensive, especially if you're just starting out.