Navigating the World of Infrared Saunas: A Guide to Informed Choices

Not all infrared saunas are built to the same standard. Understanding warranties, heater types, and infrared spectrums lets you invest with clarity — and choose a protocol built to last.

Navigating the World of Infrared Saunas: A Guide to Informed Choices

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What Is The Best Infrared Sauna Before You Buy Clearlight® Saunas

00:00What is the best infrared sauna to buy? I've been asking this question myself for the last couple of years. I'm Johannes co-founder and co-CEO of Clearlight® Saunas International and we've been designing and building saunas now for over nine years. This video is going to help you to understand what a good infrared sauna is made of, what things to look for, and what questions to ask during the research, in order to really pick the best infrared sauna on the market. If you've liked the video make sure you like and subscribe, leave a comment below we'll get back to you, and also check out our other YouTube videos which are all there to really help you understand the topic around health wellness, infrared saunas, red light therapy. When you want to buy the best infrared sauna on the market you really have to start with research the company. This is truly important because you are investing in your health by buying an infrared sauna and you really want an ally in your corner that actually supports you along your health

01:00journey. So one of the most important things to look for in the best in the best infrared sauna possible is a warranty. The warranty consists of a few different things and you really want to understand their warranty policy in order to figure out what the best infrared sauna company is. Some companies claim to have a Limited* Lifetime Warranty which first sounds great, but then on a deeper look, you actually realise that it's only a 7 years warranty. Whereas other companies would say it's a True* Lifetime Warranty, meaning it's literally for the lifetime of the sauna, which means for 20 + years to come or however old this company is because that's essentially your proof of the warranty they're keeping up. So a sauna warranty typically consists of three different parts; the first one is obviously the cabin itself, the second one is the electrical components - which are a fair number because you've got heaters, you've got a sound system, you've got control panels and keypads in there, and the third one is labour. Those are the three things you really want to take a deep dive into when it

02:00comes to looking at the warranty of an infrared sauna. Typically you might find 2 years warranty or 5 years warranty or maybe a limited* lifetime warranty which only is 7 years or you might find a true* lifetime warranty without any consequences on either of these different sections. So if you look at the warranty of a sauna company typically you'll find that there is a warranty on parts, the cabin, and the labour, and if you think about it, a warranty is really there to support you for a lifetime of you owning and ideally using the product, which might be 2 years for you know a cheaper sauna, it might be 5 years for probably an average sauna, and it might be 7 years for a sauna that is a little bit more on the premium side, or it could be a lifetime warranty. You really have to go into these details and it's important for you to understand because a company might say will give you 10 years on the cabin but they might only say they give you 2 years on the parts and the labour, so what that means is if you if you've

03:00used your sauna maybe you know two times a month over the course of two and a half years and then you're in part of, you know, our in need actually of a heater or an electrical component and neither the part nor the labuor is actually part of the warranty, that means you have to pay on top of that. So you probably have to pay a technician or an electrician to come in and fix them and if you think about it that's not really the purpose of a warranty. The warranty is really there to give you the confidence in the product and it's a reflection of what the manufacturer thinks, how long this product and its components are going to last, if it's 2 years, well then it's probably very cheaply sourced materials that are being used. So the manufacturer doesn't actually have a lot of confidence that the sauna will last much longer but equally if you have a long warranty, it might be a lifetime or it might be 15 years or whatever that is, that is also a reflection of the sauna company's confidence in the quality and the durability of

04:00the infrared sauna. So keep that in mind that you really look beyond what it just says in terms of warranty, go deeper try to understand what is, the warranty on parts, what is the warranty on labour, and through that figure out whether the company is actually really on your side and supports you throughout the entire journey of you using the infrared sauna. Another important thing to look at when you choose the best infrared sauna is the returns policy the returns policy again is a reflection of the confidence of the company and understanding that sometimes a product may not be what the customer expects and this is never a great situation. It's annoying for the customer or you know for us essentially to come to the realisation that it's just not what we want, which is why we then need even more need support from the company to help us in making sure that

05:00the product a) makes it back safely to the warehouse or to the customer to the company and b) that I obviously get my money back if I'm not happy with that so make sure that you take a deep dive into the return policy, you understand it, and through that, you have confidence in the company. When it comes to looking at buying the best infrared sauna and infrared itself, obviously, has different wavelengths and we've already explored the concept that the different infrared spectrums have a different energy densities. We know that Near-Infrared has a shorter wavelength but generally, it's kind of more jam-packed with energy, with Far-infrared is a more gentle wavelength, that's why it also doesn't penetrate super deep in the body. The interesting bit about infrared is really that you can generate these types of infrared spectrums and literally any individual wavelength using sort of artificial materials or at least you artificially create them. When you looked at infrared applications - being an infrared

06:00sauna - or also being a red light therapy device, or even if you just compare different infrared sauna manufacturers you'll see that there's a lot of talk about the technology that is being used. You have to understand that the wavelength is the wavelength, but you can actually create wavelengths differently. So there's this whole discussion around what heater type is best when you looked at an infrared sauna and you have carbon heaters which nowadays most of the industry actually has shifted back to and you have ceramic heaters and you know 10 years ago or even 12 years ago ceramic heaters with a go-to like everyone thought ceramic is just a really really good material and it makes sense ceramic is you know it's a very heat resistant material and essentially if you put electricity in, the ceramic will get hot and you know with that a certain surface temperature is achieved and that then reflects or it emits these types of infrared and if you design a heater that way you can actually design the heater in a way so that

07:00it emits certain wavelength more or less the depending on your design. And the reason why ceramic heaters were used 10 to 12 years ago is that they can run very hot, so you can have an infrared sauna you go in there it needs a lot of electricity to go in in order to make these heaters hot basically and with that infrared is being emitted and it gets quite hot it's a really really good material to create a lot of intensity, but the wavelength is not ideal because it's very much geared towards middle infrared only and it doesn't really have the near-infrared component or the far infrared component. Carbon heaters themselves tend to be a lot bigger and you know we sort of see these carbon panels that kind of typically black or grey and I kind of put in these sideboards the backwards of an infrared sauna. Now if you heat those they have a much more even heat distribution because you literally pull electricity in because it's a bigger heater you'd

08:00sort of have heat literally all around the heater the surface temperature goes up and through that, you again have different infrared wavelength that you can actually design depending on the heater we use a mix of carbon and ceramic because both materials have you know really good features really good attributes and therefore we combine the two of them but they're also full spectrum heaters and they are typically made out of halogen bulbs. Halogen is great in order to really create a lot of heat and light you know you also sometimes see these in ceiling panels for lighting use, very different wavelengths, but again you can design these, and if you know a good manufacturer just really ask them like what materials do they use and what are the wavelengths that they use in our sauna we use a halogen for spectrum heater which emits approximately a third near mid and far Reds we've designed the heater specifically to really make sure that it's a full spectrum heater that has near, middle and far infrared and sort of even distribution to make sure that you really

09:00get the best out of all infrared spectrums. Other manufacturers might use LEDs or red light therapy or use as LEDs. LEDs are light-emitting diodes right so they're primarily used in order to create light now you could argue well near-infrared technically is light it's electromagnetic energy which is true and therefore especially for red light therapy or you know photobiomodulation, LEDs are great like they're really good because you can really nail it down to this 800 to 860 nanometers which is the wavelength that you actually want when it comes to red light therapy. But they're not really good at raising your core temperature because in a sauna the light should be of good quality but you need a lot of energy, you want the sauna to be hot or you want the heater to be actually of good quality so that your core temperature rises you get that cardiovascular response, you get a vasodilation and essentially your whole system is kind of geared up towards workout and as a consequence, we sweat. Our body needs to cool and really get that workout in,

10:00red light therapy is very different you know you want to have that photobiomodulation, you want near-infrared and red light, two specific wavelengths together, with that your mitochondria, are being stimulated, but it's nothing to do with the sauna it's a fundamentally different metabolic process. Equally beautiful, and very healthy, but it does not give you that cardiovascular response nonetheless it's both the Infrared Spectrum and very different materials that have actually been chosen in order to create those wavelengths and it really comes down to what is the use case that you're after. I hope you've enjoyed this video, if you've enjoyed it make sure you give us a like and subscribe down below, and ask questions in the comment sections we'll obviously get back to you also make sure that you check out our YouTube channel we have a lot of other videos on this topic which we sincerely hope help you in understanding this topic a lot better and we look forward to seeing you again in our YouTube channel.

Transcript by Tealeaf 🌿  |  YouTube

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Transcript auto-generated by YouTube. Verbatim — duplicates intentionally preserved.

In the pursuit of wellness and longevity, the choice of an infrared sauna can be a significant investment. With various options available, understanding the nuances of infrared technology is essential for making an informed decision. This guide will illuminate key factors to consider when selecting an infrared sauna that aligns with your health goals.

As you embark on this journey, it is crucial to recognize that the right sauna (as explored in this deep dive) is not merely a purchase; it is a commitment to your well-being. From warranties to heater types, each aspect contributes to the overall experience and effectiveness of your sauna sessions. Here, we will explore the critical components that define a quality infrared sauna, empowering you to choose wisely.

20+ years for true lifetime warranty 2-5 years for average sauna warranty 800-860 nanometers for optimal red light therapy

Importance of Research

Before investing in an infrared sauna, it is vital to conduct thorough research on the manufacturer. This step ensures that you are aligning yourself with a company that values your health and wellness journey.

Understanding the company’s background, reputation, and commitment to quality can provide peace of mind. A reputable manufacturer will not only offer a product that meets your needs but will also serve as a supportive ally throughout your wellness journey.

"A warranty is really there to support you for a lifetime of owning and ideally using the product." — Johannes

Warranty Considerations

A comprehensive warranty is a cornerstone of your sauna investment. It is essential to differentiate between a Limited Lifetime Warranty and a True Lifetime Warranty. The latter typically extends for over 20 years, reflecting the manufacturer’s confidence in their product.

if it's 2 years, well then it's probably very cheaply sourced materials that are being used

When evaluating warranties, consider the coverage on the cabin, electrical components, and labor. A warranty that spans only 2 to 5 years may indicate inferior materials and craftsmanship. As noted, "A warranty is really there to support you for a lifetime of owning and ideally using the product." This assurance not only protects your investment but also enhances your overall experience.

Return Policy

The return policy of a sauna manufacturer is another critical factor to consider. A transparent and fair return policy signifies the company’s confidence in their product. If the sauna does not meet your expectations, a solid return policy ensures that you can navigate the process smoothly.

Understanding the terms of the return policy can alleviate potential concerns, allowing you to make your purchase with confidence. As the speaker emphasizes, "This is never a great situation... which is why we then need even more need support from the company to help us."

Heater Types and Infrared Spectrum

The type of heater used in an infrared sauna significantly influences its performance. Two common heater types are carbon and ceramic. While ceramic heaters were once the industry standard, carbon heaters have gained popularity due to their ability to provide more even heat distribution.

Additionally, understanding the different infrared spectrums is vital. Near-infrared, mid-infrared, and far-infrared each have unique energy densities. The speaker notes, "Different infrared spectrums have a different energy densities." A full spectrum heater, which combines these wavelengths, can enhance the overall effectiveness of your sauna sessions. This variety allows for a more comprehensive therapeutic experience.

Words Worth Hearing

"LEDs are great for red light therapy but not really good at raising your core temperature." — Johannes

Practical Takeaways

  1. Research the manufacturer thoroughly to ensure they align with your health goals.

  2. Prioritize a true lifetime warranty that covers all essential components.

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