We put our feet through an awful lot on a day to day basis. They take all our weight, for most hours of the day, and even the most comfortable shoes in the world don’t keep your feet pristine. But there aren’t many feelings that beat smooth, clean and healthy feeling feet; it’s self-care from, quite literally, the ground up.

At-home podiatry has come a fairly long way, and as a result there are now a large number of products out there solely designed at looking after your feet. One of the most common issues for most people’s feet is simply hard skin and it’s now also one of the easiest things to treat. Hard skin removers can help you give something back to your feet, so read on for a roundup of the best hard skin removers available to buy now, for you to add to your simple home spa treatments.

1. Scholl Velvet Smooth Electric Foot File

Scholl has established itself as one of the premier footcare brands in the world, and their Velvet Smooth Electric Foot File continues that tradition. Promising to strip away hard skin in just a few minutes, this foot file does its job to a professional standard. This is helped by the presence of diamond particles in the bed of the file, which file tough skin and buff feet all in the same instant.

The file comes with an ‘extra-coarse’ rated head, but these are replaceable and two other options; coarse and smooth; are also available. The heads are very straightforward to replace with a straightforward push and click system, but are held in place thanks to a safety system that locks the roller if too much pressure is applied. The file runs on 4 AA batteries, a set of which are included in the pack.

2. NYK1 Ultimate Foot File

No, you didn’t see one of these at your local Italian restaurant being used on a block of parmesan – the NYK1 Ultimate may look a little cheese-grater-y (at the brand’s own admission), but it is a stainless-steel foot file. Featuring hundreds of tiny sharpened grooves, which are carefully perforated to remain gentle as well as abrasive, the file is manufactured from a single sheet of strong and durable stainless-steel.

Promising instant results, especially when used straight after showering, the file removes calluses and makes skin softer, which in turn helps alleviate foot pain that might be caused by hard skin (especially on the balls of the feet). Thanks to a grippy handle, it’s very easy to use, and a slight curve to the cutting surface makes it easy to get around the often-awkward curves of feet.

3. Bompow Electronic Foot File

This electric foot file from Bompow is an impressive piece of equipment, with great functionality at a very reasonable price. It comes with two different interchangeable heads, one soft (black) and the other much coarser (white), to deal with differing degrees of hard skin, and replacements are available. It is also rechargeable via a USB cable that is supplied in the kit and should charge in around 4 hours.

It also features two different speeds, for tackling those really tricky bits, and can be used for 60 minutes at the regular speed and 40 minutes on the faster setting on a single charge. A shaped handle also helps with hard-to-reach areas, and an auto-shutoff feature stops the machine should you press too hard. It’s also available in two colours, either pink or blue.

4. MyCarbon Professional Hard Skin Remover

The Professional Hard Skin Remover by MyCarbon is an electric foot file with a host of features and functions that make it a great choice for home podiatry. Thanks to two adjustable speed settings and three different roller heads ranging from a ‘daily care’ option to an extra coarse head for the roughest of skin. Therefore, you have a huge amount of versatility in settings for your feet.

Rechargeable via a (supplied) proprietary cable, the unit fully charges in around 2 hours and, depending on the speed setting, can be used for between 30 and 90 minutes. An ergonomic shape also make sit easy to hold and get into all the crevices of your feet – a built-in LED light is also a great design feature for you to clearly see where you’re going. It’s also waterproof and is therefore easy to clean.

5. Wanap Premium Foot Rasp Set

Wanap’s Premium Foot Rasp set aims to cover all the bases by offering a professional-standard range of tools in a very budget friendly package. Not only does it come with a textured stainless-steel file, which is double-sided, but also has a foot razor for treating stubborn calluses, a stainless-steel rasp attachment and a comfort-shaped brush. Using all of these together, you can tackle anything your feet can throw at you (so to speak).

Comfortably handling both wet and dry feet, the razor and file are both washable. The file has a smooth and coarse side, for treating different levels of hard skin, and 10 extra blades are supplied for the razor in the kit. It also comes quite neatly boxed in gift packaging, so it might make an ideal gift.

6. Mayki Natural Lava Pumice Stone

Pumice stones are a natural byproduct of volcanic activity, and the porous rocks haver been used in skincare treatments for thousands of years. That doesn’t mean they’re all the same though, and Mayki’s twin pack of pumic stones sets a high standard. Shaped into ovals to neatly fit into the palm of your hand, there’s also a small string for storage and handling.

Pumice stones are also highly durably and have a very long lifespan as long as they’re looked after properly, which is a simple matter of rinsing and air-drying. The shape of the stone also makes it convenient for getting into the hard-to-reach areas of the feet.

7. Folai Foot Files Kit

Folai’s Foot File kit (try saying that 5 times really quickly) is a versatile dual-action solution for hard foot skin. The main file is a stainless-steel sheet, not unlike a cheese grater in appearance, with several hundred grooves to carefully cut away dead skin. The sheet is also slightly curved to follow the contours of the foot and allow you to reach the more awkward areas.

It also comes with regular coarse sandpaper-esque files, for smoothing and buffing after using the metal rasp. Folai even include a free gift, a cuticle trimmer, to help you complete your overall footcare treatment. This way, once you’ve dealt with your hard, dry skin, you can give your nails and cuticles a little love and attention too.

Which Hard Skin Remover to Go for?

Best quality & features – the MyCarbon Professional is definitely the product with the best mix of quality and features. The rechargeable unit makes removing hard skin nigh-on effortless, stripping away rough patches in mere minutes to leave your feet smooth and healthy thanks to diamond particles in the file. The ergonomic handle means that its easy to use, and replaceable roller heads prolong the unit’s life – 3 different options are also available for the replacement heads, from smooth to extra-coarse. The built-in light is also a great inclusion, meaning that for the price, it’s an excellent choice for what comes in the pack.

On a budget – Wanap’s Premium Foot Rasp Set is the definite choice for those looking to up their footcare routine without overstretching their budget. While it would be easy to pick the outright cheapest product for a budget, this set by Wanap offers a lot of versatility for a fraction more. A double-sided file, razor (with spare blades), rasp and brush for the cost of a couple of fancy coffees is an absolute bargain.

For fans of natural treatments – Look no further than the Mayki Natural Lava Pumice Stone set for the best natural touch in your foot skincare routine. Use of pumice stone dates back as far as the Ancient Egyptian civilisation, so there’s absolutely a historical precedent for their effectiveness. And, as a completely natural byproduct of actual volcanoes, they leave no waste behind, except whatever you’ve scrubbed off your feet.

Heavy-duty hard skin removal – Scholl’s Velvet Smooth Electric Foot File is the option when all other files have failed. For the most stubborn patches of dry or hard skin, trust the reputed skincare brand and their high-quality electric file with the option to use extra-coarse files with diamond particulates. Not much else comes close when you’ve been struggling with hard skin for a while.

Hard Skin Remover Buying Guide

When you’re taking care of your feet, you want to make sure you’ve got the right tools for the job. After all, it’s important to make sure that you’ve got the right implement to take care of you. Therefor it’s vital to understand the difference between all the different products out there so that you can start thinking about how to start giving back to your feet.

Our buying guide sums up all the need-to-knows when it comes to hard skin removers, clearing up to confusion about rasps, files and everything in-between.

Electric or manual?

This comes down to preference, but there can be a big difference. By and large, electric foot files are a bit tougher than their manual counterparts and in some cases are the best choice when it comes to getting rid of the most stubborn hard skin. With electric options, you can fiddle about with different roller heads, and in some cases different speeds, to take care of whatever hard skin problems you have.

However, if your hard skin problems are more of a nuisance than a major problem, or you just prefer to be a little more hands-on, then there are plenty of manual options. Just be aware that some are based around stainless-steel blades, which can be very sharp. So, if you’re not 100% confident in using that around your feet, you may be better off with an electric file.

Au natural

Skincare and nature are very closely related, and there’s a big push for cosmetic brands to prove their ‘green’ credentials nowadays. While natural and plastic-free toiletries, from soaps to deodorants and shampoos, are all the rage, it can be a little more difficult to find ecologically friendly alternatives to cosmetic tools. Foot files fall into different places on this spectrum – obviously, single-use files should be avoided, but you do have a wide selection in terms of rechargeable electric options, or manual ones with varying degrees of plastic packaging.

Portability

Manual or electric are both portable systems, and you quite easily carry them discreetly wherever you go. Naturally, manual systems require no power and so are, on one hand, the most portable option. But, unless you’re going camping or somewhere off-the-grid, you have to ask yourself whether that’s a consideration you need to make. Rechargeable options are quite common nowadays, and most don’t take too long to charge, but have the trade-off of needing a charger to carry around as well. Battery-powered electric files are another option again, but batteries can equally be a pain to carry around.

Hard skin on the feet is a horrible feeling, but as this list and buying guide have proven, it really doesn’t have to be that way. It’s easier than ever to get your feet feeling soft, refreshed and relaxed at home for a fraction of the price of professional podiatry. Now you’ve got the knowledge of what’s out there and what will suit you – you need never fear sandals again!