At the end of a hectic and stressful day, most people enjoy sitting in a sauna and treating themselves to a short sweat session. This helps in relaxing the body and relieving any sore muscles that may be causing you discomfort. Most people, however, can’t gain access to a sauna in a public place every day. There may be time restrictions or a lack of facilities in your neighborhood. It is even possible that the intense heat of a traditional sauna feels too much for you to bear. In such situations, you need to look for an alternative that will solve all your problems.
This is where infrared saunas come into the picture. While regular saunas work by heating the air around you, that is not the case with infrared saunas. Instead, these types of saunas use electromagnetic radiation emitted by infrared lamps to heat just your body. This means your body will warm up before the air around it does, making it ideal for people who don’t sweat easily in regular saunas.
Regular saunas usually operate at a slightly higher temperature – between 150˚F and 180˚F – than infrared saunas, which stay within the 120˚F and 140˚F temperature range. Despite this, infrared saunas are more effective as most of the heat goes directly to your body. Additionally, since you’re not breathing in warm air, you can stay in the sauna for longer than you would be comfortable with in a traditional sauna.
If you are looking to buy an infrared sauna that fits two people, here are some of the best options in the market. Before carrying out a comparison between the three products, have a look at the basic features of each.
Product Details at a Glance
The three different infrared saunas that are going to be discussed are Sun Stream’s Evolve 15, Sunlighten’s Signature 2 and Clearlight’s Premier IS-2 sauna. All of these are infrared saunas that can accommodate two people at a time, and the variants being discussed are all made with basswood. However, there are other features in each of these that need to be looked at before making an informed decision. Keep reading to find out more details about each of these, along with the pros and cons of each model, which will be followed by a more thorough comparison.
Sun Stream Evolve 15
The first infrared sauna to be discussed is Sun Stream Evolve 15, a part of the company’s Evolve range. Built using basswood, this infrared sauna is both good to look at and sturdy in its composition. This means no there’s been plywood or formaldehyde used that would otherwise cheapen the entire product. The exterior of the sauna is covered with a specialized water-based lacquer that helps prevent any damage to the body of the sauna. In addition to this, the company has used a food-safe glue called Titebond in the product.
The infrared sauna utilizes nano carbon heaters to provide heat to your body. These have low electromagnetic field radiation so they aren’t harmful for the human body. The heaters provide heat from all around, allowing your body to heat up faster. In addition to this, the Evolve 15 comes with a host of other features like a Bluetooth receiver, audio cord, speakers, backrests, cup holders, as well as an aromatherapy unit.
Features
- Ultra-low EMF
- Nano carbon heaters
- Power: 120 V
- Aromatherapy unit
- High-power chromotherapy
- Bluetooth receiver
- Exterior Dimensions: 46.5 inches wide x 38 inches deep x 74 inches tall
- Interior Dimensions: 44 inches wide x 34 inches deep x 69 inches tall
Advantages
- The 360˚ heat feature means the heat waves hit you from all angles, warming up your body faster.
- The price is not bad when compared with a lot of the other infrared saunas.
Drawbacks
- Not ideal for fans of traditional saunas as infrared saunas heat up the body more than the air around you.
Sunlighten Signature 2
The second product to be discussed is Sunlighten Signature Infrared Saunas’ two person variant. Also built using basswood (there is also a cedar option available), this home sauna will give you all the benefits of an infrared sauna with almost no EMF radiation. This means you can use it without the fear of harming yourself. The sauna uses the company’s Solocarbon heaters, nine of which are placed within the infrared sauna to give you optimum heat while you use it.
With benefits ranging from detoxification and lowering of blood pressure, this sauna also gives you the option of removing the bench inside if you want to stretch or do some light yoga on the floor inside. While it does come with a programmable timer, the company offers a number of other add-ons like chromotherapy lighting, acoustic resonance therapy, and others.
Features
- Ultra low EMF
- Solocarbon heaters
- Nine heaters
- Removable bench
- Patented Magne-Seal assembly process
- Requires a 120V/20A outlet
- Weight: 471 lbs
- Exterior Dimensions: 51 inches wide x 46.1 inches deep x 77.5 inches tall
- Interior Dimensions: 45.9 inches wide x 40.0 inches deep x 70.1 inches tall
Advantages
- This infrared sauna is very easy to set up because of the company’s patented Magne-Seal assembly process.
- The price is comparatively reasonable. It isn’t the cheapest option in the market but it is also not the most expensive one.
Drawbacks
- This doesn’t have some of the premium features that are inbuilt in other models. You will have to pay extra for these.
Clearlight Premier IS-2
The last infrared sauna to be discussed is Clearlight’s Premier IS-2, which seats two people. While the discussion here will be limited to the basswood variant made from Canadian red basswood, this product is also available in a cedar option, but that is more expensive. This sauna is built beautifully to meet all your sauna needs while you sit at home. It is easy to put together because of specialized panels that snap together. The absence of this feature can be a problem for a lot of home saunas.
The sauna has a lot of premium features that are missing in some cheaper infrared saunas, for example a music system that is integrated into the sauna itself, and a chromotherapy lighting display. All the controls on this product are controlled digitally for greater ease of use.
Features
- Low EMF radiation
- True Wave Carbon/Ceramic Heating Technology
- Complete digital controls
- MP3/Aux/Bluetooth Audio Inputs
- Chromotherapy Lighting System
- Requires a 120V/14.5 outlet
- Weight: 385 lbs
- Exterior Dimensions: 50 inches wide x 44 inches deep x 76 inches tall
- Interior Dimensions: 47 inches wide x 39 inches deep x 68.5 inches tall
Advantages
- The integrated music system is a great touch if you are one of those people who like to put on some music when they are relaxing.
- The glass panels placed in the sauna are made of heat-resistant tempered glass so they are very safe to use.
Drawbacks
- This is the most expensive option out of all the infrared saunas discussed in this list. While there may be discounts available at different times, you will have to assess whether it meets your budget.
Comparison of the Products
Now that you have an idea about the features offered by each of the infrared saunas being discussed, it is time to delve deeper and compare these saunas using different parameters.
Electrical Requirement
The electrical requirement of the infrared sauna is the first major factor to consider, especially if you are renting your home or live in an apartment. A 20-amp circuit is the basic requirement of most saunas, whether they are meant for two people or more. There are others that require higher voltage, which means they have to either be placed in the garage or an electrician needs to be brought in to sort out the issue.
Of the three saunas on this list, the first two require a 120V/20A outlet, while the Clearlight variants requires a 120V/14.5 outlet. It is advisable that you check which one suits your house more before you buy it.
Type of Heater Used
Infrared saunas use heating sources that are different from traditional saunas. The heaters are usually either made of carbon or ceramic, each having their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, regular carbon heaters are known to provide longwave infrared heat of superior quality but the amount produced isn’t much. Ceramic heaters have the opposite problem – a lot of heat is emitted but the wavelength is usually shorter.
The Sun Stream Evolve 15 uses nano carbon heaters that are able to emit heat that is absorbed by the human body readily because of its own carbon content. This sauna is designed in a way that heat wraps around the human body, making you warm from all angles. While the Sunlighten Signature 2 also uses carbon heater developed with the company’s Solocarbon technology, it doesn’t have this wrapping effect. Finally, the Clearlight Premier IS-2 uses heaters that have a combination of both carbon and ceramic.
EMF Radiation
EMF radiation translates to electromagnetic field radiation. In large amounts, this radiation can be very harmful for human beings. Infrared saunas, however, use this radiation within acceptable limits that don’t adversely affect the health of the user. The Clearlight variant has a low EMF radiation level, which means that you can use it without worrying about burns or similar problems. The other two saunas – the Evolve 15 and the Sunlighten variant – are marketed in the ultra low EMF radiation category. This means that the dangers associated with radiation are minimized in these infrared saunas.
Pricing
The prices of all three saunas are pretty much in the same category but when you are paying so much money, every additional couple of hundred dollars can hurt you. In this regard, the Evolve 15 is the cheapest option available to you, while maintaining its exclusive features. This is followed by the Sunlighten Signature 2, and the most expensive option is Clearlight’s Premier IS-2. While the Sunlighten version doesn’t have as many features as the first and the third, they can be added for some extra money. This may not make sense to everyone as the Evolve 15 gives you many of those features at a cheaper rate.
Special Features
Each of the infrared saunas discussed here has its own share of special features. The Clearlight infrared sauna has full digital controls and comes equipped with an integrated music system. You also get a chromotherapy lighting display with this model. The Sunlighten version comes with a removable bench and a programmable timer, but it is missing some of the more premium features like chromotherapy lighting, which are present in the other models.
The Sun Stream Evolve 15 comes with an audio cord, Bluetooth receiver, speakers, an aromatherapy unit, as well as chromotherapy. In addition to this, the 360˚ reach of heaters provides superior body coverage.
Final Verdict
All the infrared saunas mentioned in the list are well designed and built in a sturdy manner. They have some common features but the decision that you make should depend on your personal needs. For example, keeping the price point in mind, you may not be able to fit the Clearlight variant in your budget, in such a case, the Evolve 15 may seem like the best option. There are also features that make the Sun Stream Evolve 15 the best pick out of all of these. Not only does it come with all the premium features associated with the more expensive infrared saunas, it also has the most effective heating mechanism. The Evolve 15’s heaters – with their 360˚ coverage – are able to wrap the infrared heat around your body in a more complete manner. This means your body will start to sweat much faster than it would if you were using a regular sauna. The specialized heating mechanism also helps in reducing the time that it takes to preheat the sauna when you get in. Overall, if you are looking for an effective infrared sauna that gives you the best features at a reasonable price (reasonable in terms of sauna prices), the Sun Stream’s Evolve 15 is one of the best options in the market. You may also like the Certified Saunas as well if EMF is a concern to you.