Portable Infrared Saunas are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason, they provide an enormous amount of healing benefits, both for the body and for the mind. However, people that are aware of the dangers of EMF radiation often wonder, is a portable infrared sauna safe? This is a very valid question and one I want to take a serious look at. In this enormous guide, I’m going to answer all the questions you have ever had about infrared Saunas, as well as recommend what I think are the 5 absolute best low EMF portable infrared saunas on the market.
First, we’re just going to talk briefly about what these saunas are, then we’ll talk about the 5 best ones on the market. After that, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of portable infrared saunas, and answer just about any question you could have.
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A sauna is a room or a container intended to raise the body temperature to provide all types of health benefits, such as:
Stress Relief
Deep relaxation
Relaxation of muscles
Relief from aches and pains
Release toxins
Burn calories
Improved sleep
Boost immune system
We’ll cover the benefits of Sauna’s in more depth down below, but suffice it to say that have tons of health benefits. Suffice it to say there are tons of benefits that make them extremely popular.
There are two primary differences between your average sauna and a portable infrared sauna. The first one is obviously that they are portable, making them easy to pack up, move around, or even take with you. They have a very small footprint and are typically just large enough for you to sit inside with a folding chair.
The second is how they heat the body. Again, we’ll cover this in much more death down below our product reviews, but your typical sauna raises the body temperature through hot steam raising the temperature of the air around you. Infrared saunas (usually utilizing far infrared), on the other hand, raise the body temperature through infrared light, providing many additional health benefits, as well as working faster and more efficiently.
Low EMF Portable Infrared Sauna Buyers Guide
Before we get to the best 5 low EMF saunas, let’s talk a little bit about what I think you should be looking for. These will also be many of the categories I’ll focus on in my reviews.
Since this is focused on the EMF radiation danger that can be common with infrared saunas, the first thing I’ll talk about in each review, and the thing I prioritize most, is the EMF safety of the sauna.
EMF Radiation – There are many ways that these saunas can reduce the EMF radiation from these devices (and we’ll talk about how you can measure this radiation yourself later on), but it is important that this is a primary factor for the maker.
Price – Next we’ll talk about the price of the saunas, for the most part, all of these will be quite affordable, but I’ll also give you my opinion on what kind of value you are getting.
Features – Then we’ll talk about all the different available features for the sauna. This can be a really important factor, as many of these saunas are rich with features such as variable heat settings, timing options, etc.
Comfort – Since you’ll be in these saunas for quite a long time, it’s important to find one that fits you well and is relatively comfortable for the duration. Most have one port for your head, and two more for your arms, the design of these you’ll come to find out really matters for the comfort of the sauna.
Accessories – For pretty much all of these portable infrared saunas, you will need a folding chair, as well as a foot pad. Many of these come with it, but not all of them. This is something we’ll look for as well, and let you know if the sauna comes with them.
Ok, now that we’ve talked about some of the things you should be on the lookout for, let’s take a look at my recommendations for the 5 absolute best low EMF infrared saunas.
5 Best Portable Infrared Saunas
Ok, now let’s actually talk about the best low EMF portable infrared saunas you can get for your money. Just as a reminder, I’m taking many factors into consideration when giving my recommendation, but because of the amount of EMF radiation these saunas can emit, I’m weighing the EMF danger of the saunas much higher than the other factors such as price and features, but I’ll talk about this in the individual reviews a bit.
1. Durherm Low EMF Negative Ion Portable Indoor Sauna with Chair and Heated Footpad Review
Check the current price here. I ranked the Durherm number one for a few reasons, but the primary reason is that this sauna is almost EMF radiation free. Although it is relatively expensive in comparison to most, it is also extremely high quality and made with the intention of providing the user with a safe, EMR free sauna experience, with all the comfort and features of a very high-quality infrared sauna.
Now let’s talk a little bit about the features, and why I think this is the absolute best Low EMF portable infrared sauna on the market.
Low EMF – There is no other portable sauna on the market that will produce as little EMF radiation as the Durherm, in fact, it is almost miraculous how low the radiation is. They claim that the electromagnetic radiation levels are between 200 and 600 times lower than any other far infrared sauna on the market, and it’s absolutely true.
One user did a complete test of a typical portable infrared sauna and compared it with the Durherm and the results were spectacular. They used the Trifield meter for their measurements. In the first sauna they tried, they were getting readings all over the sauna anywhere from 30 – 200 mG (milliGauss), which is far higher than the recommended max of 3mG for safe levels of EMF radiation.
After testing the Durherm, they didn’t get readings above 3mG anywhere they tested it, completely proving the company’s claim that the sauna produces almost no EMF radiation whatsoever.
Tourmaline Panels – If you read my post on the best low EMF heating pads, you probably have a better understanding of the amazing benefits of tourmaline. It’s a rare, semi-precious stone that has amazing healing and detoxification benefits, as well as emitting negative ions that help balance the body. Tourmaline is used in all types of relaxation techniques, massages, therapies and much more; and has been used for hundreds of years because of these benefits.
Unit Size – The Durherm is a nice large size, making it a comfortable fit for anyone.
Accessories – Like any good quality portable sauna, the Durherm comes with a nice foldable chair to go inside, as well as a high quality far infrared integrated footpad. It also comes with 2 nice, plush, washable neck collars that you can swap in and out for added comfort and cleanliness. It also comes with a nice handheld temperature and timer controller that slips into a convenient little pocket so you can control everything.
Price – This is NOT the least expensive sauna on the market, in fact for portable saunas it is on the higher end of the scale. However, just know that you get what you pay for. The Durherm not only is the lowest EMF sauna on the market, but also features negative ion, Tourmaline panels, tons of features, and more. So although it is a bit more expensive, it is absolutely worth it in my opinion.
Customer Satisfaction – The reviews for the Durherm are excellent, and it seems like just about everyone is satisfied with its comfort, quality, low EMF radiation, and reliability.
Although the price is quite high, it seems like most people agree that it is worth the investment up front to get something that is both extremely high quality, and very safe.
Final Thoughts
Although this is a relatively expensive unit, if you’re worried about EMF radiation like you should be, this will absolutely be worth it to you. Farther down in this article I’ll talk a little bit about how you can measure the EMF radiation of these saunas for yourself, and I think you’ll find that this one makes it worth the money.
Where can I buy the Durherm Low EMF portable infrared Sauna?
The best and least expensive place to buy it is right here on Amazon.
Check the current price here. The Radiant sauna BSA6315 is my next pick because it is a really great value for the money. The EMF Radiation is not nearly as low has the Durherm, but it does take steps to have lower EMF radiation overall that we’ll talk about.
I think the BSA6315 is a nice intersection between quality and price. You get most of the features and quality of other premium saunas, but for a bit lower price.
Now let’s talk about some of the features I really like about this Sauna.
EMF Radiation – The BSA6315 uses 3 or 4 low EMF radiation carbon panels to produce the infrared light, and so the EMF radiation will be less than many other saunas. However, you will still be able to measure EMF radiation from this, it will just be relatively low in comparison to most. It is also very energy efficient, meaning it uses much less electricity than most to produce the same level of relaxing heat, saving you money and reducing the radiation even more.
Accessories – Of all the portable infrared saunas I review here, this one comes with the nicest foldable chair by far. It is a comfortable wide seat that works well for extended sessions. The unit also comes with a nice remote that has all the heat and timer settings you would expect with a nice sauna.
It also comes with a really nice infrared footpad as well that provides a nice amount of comfortable heat to your feet.
Air Ionizer – The Radiant Sauna comes with a clean air ionizer that consistently applies negative ions to the air for a cleaner, fresher experience the whole time you’re in the cabin.
Heat Settings – There are a total of 5 heat settings that you can choose from providing infrared heat all the way up to 150° Fahrenheit. For most users, this seems to give them all the options they are looking for.
Easy Setup – The setup for the Radiant sauna is super quick, and only takes about 1 minute. The unit folds up very small and is easy to store, but when you’re ready to use it, it pops right up and you can be relaxing and comfortable in a very short time.
Price – This is a very affordable unit overall, although there are cheaper saunas on the market, this is about as inexpensive as you can get a quality portable infrared sauna for. Most people that have reviewed this product seem to agree that it is well worth the moderate price.
Customer Thoughts – The customer reviews on Amazon were incredibly positive, with almost everyone agreeing this is an incredible sauna overall. People loved the chair that it comes with, although some people reported they wished it was just a tad bit taller. Others loved how quickly they began sweating and getting the detoxification and muscle relaxation results they were hoping for.
Final Thoughts
Overall I gave this my second rating because I think it is probably the best portable infrared sauna on the market for the money. It didn’t receive my highest rating because it does produce a noticeably larger amount of EMF radiation than the Durham, which just goes unrivaled in this respect.
Where Can I Buy The Radiant sauna BSA6315?
The best place to buy it that I know of is right here on Amazon.
3. SereneLife Portable Infrared Home Spa Review
Check current price here. I wanted to review this one next because it is one of, if not the, best reviewed portable infrared saunas on the market. In my opinion, this is primarily because of the low price, but it also has some great features as well for the money.
Let’s talk about some of the reasons this spa is so popular.
EMF Radiation – As I said, this is not the lowest EMF sauna on the market, however, it produces FAR less than your average sauna. Like the radiant sauna, the SereneLife uses 3 low EMF carbon panels for the infrared heat that do work quite well. The panels are also very energy efficient so they heat up quickly and use less electricity than most.
Accessories – Like the other saunas I reviewed, the SereneLife portable sauna does come with a fold-up chair, as well as an infrared mat for your feet. It also comes with a nice remote that allows you to set a timer up to 60 minutes, and set the temperature up to 140° Fahrenheit or just about anywhere in between.
Cabin Size – The cabin size of the SereneLife is a bit smaller than most, which makes for a very lightweight and sleek design, but can make it feel a bit more cramped than some other saunas.
Setup – The setup is very quick and simple, if you take a look at the Amazon page for the SereneLife there is a nice video showing how the unit works, as well as how you can set it up and take it down in just a few seconds.
Customer Reviews – This is absolutely one of the best-reviewed saunas on the market. Customers were extremely satisfied with how nice the unit was and how well it worked, especially for the money. It provided all of the relaxation and healing benefits you would expect to form a portable infrared sauna.
Price – The SerenLife home spa is one of the lowest cost saunas on the market, and is a fantastic value.
Final Thoughts
This is not the lowest EMF sauna on the market, but it does take it into account which I appreciate it. It packs a ton of value for the money that makes it worth at least trying. However, If I were to pick this sauna up, I would certainly check out my section on measuring the EMF radiation from saunas so you can measure this and evaluate for yourself.
All in all, though, this is a great entry level sauna that is certainly worth the money.
4. Loozys Rejuvenator Portable Infrared Home Sauna Spa Review
Check current price here. I wanted to review this sauna because it is just a quality unit. It does not have the lowest radiation, in fact, it will be a bit higher than the previous three. However, it is nice enough of an infrared spa that it is worth taking a look at.
Accessories – The Loozy home sauna comes with a fairly nice foldable chair, as well as a nice infrared footpad a handy remote. Just like the last sauna we reviewed, the remote lets you set both the temperature of the spa as well as set a timer to have it automatically turn off so you can focus on relaxing.
Setup – The Loozy is really easy to set up and take down. Although I’m not a huge fan of the look and design, the reviews are really positive.
Comfort – Reviews really favored the comfort of the unit. It has a fairly large cabin size that should work for just about anyone.
Price – The Loozy is very reasonably priced, and falls on the low end of the scale when it comes to portable infrared saunas.
Health Benefits – The Loozy provides all the health benefits you would expect from a portable infrared sauna, such as detoxification, relief from aches and pains, increased circulation, and significant relaxation.
5. Idealsauna Infrared FAR IR Negative Ion Portable Indoor Personal Sauna Review
Check current price here. The last one I want to take a look at is the IdealSauna Infrared home spa, which is actually a pretty nice unit for the money. It is a low-priced unit with most of the features and accessories that you’ve come to expect through this review. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights.
Accessories – Just like the others, the ideal sauna comes with a chair, a heating pad for your feet, and a nice remote. The remote however only goes up to 30 minutes, which I found odd, as many people like to have spa sessions much longer than 30 minutes.
Low EMF – This is certainly not the lowest EMF unit in this review, but it does sport nice carbon infrared panels with negative ion output that will reduce the EMF radiation a bit. Some reviewers measured readings around 10-13 mG, which is more than you would want, but much much less than some saunas not in this review.
Heat Up Time – The manufacturer says it takes about 5 minutes to reach desired heat, which compared to some of the others is actually fairly slow, so you may want to keep that in mind.
Price – The price is certainly on the low-end for portable infrared spa’s, but is actually a pretty fair price for this unit in my opinion.
Cabin Size – The cabin size is mid-range, it is not the smallest, but not nearly as large or as comfortable as the Durherm.
Where Can I Buy The IdealSauna Infrared Sauna?
You can see the listing and current price right here.
Ok, now that we’ve talked about the top 5 low EMF portable infrared spas, let’s get into the details about how these spas work, the benefits they provide, why you should want a low EMF sauna, and how to measure it for yourself.
Let’s start by talking about infrared light.
What Exactly Is Infrared Light?
Infrared light is invisible light, that is on the exact opposite end of the spectrum from ultraviolet light. Although it is invisible to the eye, it can certainly be felt. The most common source of infrared light that you will encounter is sunlight. Although you don’t see the light rays them self, you will certainly feel them on your skin.
Infrared light also is only a form of indirect heat, meaning that it will not heat anything except the object that absorbs it. This is why it is not used to heat rooms but is used in things like infrared saunas. Since it does not heat the air around it, but only the final object, it is extremely efficient at heating the body. This allows heating to happen faster, and significantly more evenly as opposed to typical heating sources.
What Is The Difference Between Near and Far Infrared Light?
The technical difference is essentially what it sounds like. Far infrared light is the farthest end of the spectrum, and near-infrared light is the portion of infrared closest to the visible range. Take a look at this image to get a visual for this. The “NIR” is the near infrared light and the “FIR” is the far infrared light.
Near-infrared light, like the sun emits, is very positive for the body, and is great at raising your body temperature, helping to relieve pain and stiffness, improve blood flow, and improve your skin.
Far infrared light is what you will see more commonly in portable infrared saunas however as it is more likely to produce the sweating we think of with Saunas. Far infrared light is also more common for things like low EMF heating pads.
Far infrared lightwaves are more varied and usually are associated with benefits like detoxification, feelings of euphoria, weight loss, and much more, which is why portable infrared saunas can be so incredible.
Health Benefits of Infrared Saunas
Infrared saunas provide a ton of incredible health benefits, so let’s take a second and talk about some of the amazing benefits you can expect.
Stress Relief
One of the most commonly reported benefits of infrared spas is stress relief. They are so simple to use, they are not stressful at all to set up or get inside. Once you’ve started, because they are so portable, you can easily watch tv or read a magazine while bathing in the healing infrared light. The warmth you’ll feel on your body and on your feet will really help you melt away your stress. Once you sit down inside any of these low EMF saunas, you’ll feel increased circulation, a significant relaxation of your muscles, and overall just a super relaxed feeling.
Remove Toxins
Since far infrared heat warms the body, without warming the air, it allows the body to produce a nice healthy sweat. This sweat has tons of health benefits including weight loss, but it also helps remove toxins from the body. Although sweat is primarily used to cool the body, the deep nature of sweat inside a sauna has been known to help reduce heavy metal levels in the body, removing things like nickel, mercury, zinc, copper and more.
Many doctors will even suggest saunas for people that need to detoxify their bodies, however, be sure to talk with your doctor if you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or have any other health concerns.
Sooth Muscles and Joints
One of the best reasons to consider getting an infrared sauna is its amazing power at relieving pain from muscles and joints. Sore after a tough workout? Jump in the sauna. Have arthritis in your knee? Jump in the sauna. Having some pain in your back? Jump in the sauna.
What happens is, as your body absorbs the heat from the infrared light, your blood vessels begin to dilate and dramatically increases circulation. This helps speed up the healing process of the muscles and gives a wonderful relaxed feeling. It can also help to rid your body of the lactic acid that builds up during a tough workout.
Clearer Skin
Saunas have long been used for their amazing power at cleansing and refreshing the skin. The type of deep sweating you get from far infrared heating cleanses away dead skin cells and promotes the growth of new ones. It also helps to get bacteria off the skin.
Boost Immune System
Saunas have been shown to dramatically reduce the chance of contracting things like colds and flu. The reason that this happens is the heat from the sauna promotes the production of white blood cells that fight viruses and bacteria and keep the body healthy.
Is An Infrared Sauna Better Than A Steam Sauna?
Many people think so, including me. One of the best reasons to get a portable infrared sauna is the fact that you can take it with you, or move it to any room. You can set it up in the living room and watch TV with your family while getting the healing and health benefits and relaxation without missing out.
The next great thing about infrared saunas compared to larger steam saunas is the price. In fact, most portable infrared saunas are around one-tenth of the price of a typical steam sauna.
There is also the power usage. The carbon infrared panels used in portable saunas are very energy efficient and don’t use very much electricity. Steam saunas are typically much more expensive to use.
The humidity in steam saunas also can tend to bother some people and make them feel a bit claustrophobic due to the high heat. Infrared saunas give you all the benefits of warming the body, but your arms and head can be outside to keep you comfortable and relaxed.
Although there are some benefits of a traditional steam sauna, overall portable infrared saunas simply give you more flexibility, portability, and efficiency.
Ok, now that we’ve talked about these things a bit, let’s talk about why getting a low EMF sauna is so important.
Why Is It Important To Buy A Low EMF Infrared Sauna?
If you haven’t had a chance to read many of the posts in the knowledge section of EMF Academy, I’d encourage you to take a look, as it will provide a ton of information about the dangers of EMF radiation. Since I’ve written about this topic exhaustively, I won’t go into too much detail here, instead, I’ll direct you to a few other posts that can tell you about the dangers of EMF radiation:
Suffice it to say, exposure to EMF radiation is significantly dangerous. Although we mostly think of the most dangerous culprits like cell phones, routers, smart meters, tablets, microwaves etc, many people don’t know that infrared saunas can actually produce a significant amount of EMF radiation. This radiation combined with the heat and reflective nature of the sauna itself has been shown to have amplifying effects.
So it is extremely important in my opinion to try and find an infrared sauna that has the least amount of EMF radiation possible, like the Durherm.
How Can I Reduce Exposure To EMF Radiation From Saunas?
The best thing you can do first of all is to get a low EMF radiation sauna. Primarily try to find one where the exposure from any portion is less than or equal to 3mG. If you are not able to get a low EMF sauna, then try to limit your use to once a day for 30 minutes or less, as the exposure dangers can be cumulative.
The next thing you can do is lower your exposure to EMF radiation in general, here are some of the basics of EMF radiation protection.
EMF Protection Basics
Start by reducing your exposure on a daily basis. The following articles will all give you a fantastic foundation on how to lower EMF radiation in your home.
If you don’t have time to read through those articles (it’s ok, I totally understand) here are a few of my favorite tips for EMF protection:
Turn your mobile phone off at night, or if you must use it for an alarm (I’d suggest a simple mechanical alarm clock) then at least put it in airplane mode.
When using your cell phone, try to use speakerphone or headphones, try to not put your cell phone right up to your head.
If you can follow some or all of these steps, your overall exposure to EMF radiation will be reduced SIGNIFICANTLY, and you can worry a little bit less about the radiation from your portable infrared sauna.
How Can You Measure EMF Radiation From A Sauna
You need to start out by getting a quality EMF meter. My go to, and the EMF meter I love the most by far is the TriField TF2 (read my review). It is super easy to use, incredibly accurate, and measures every kind of EMF radiation, which you’ll realize is really important. If you need to start with a lower cost version I also like the Meterk (read my review).
Having a good EMF Meter is just a good idea in general, as it allows you to make so many positive changes in your home to reduce radiation. Also, without an EMF meter, it’s hard to know if you’re actually reducing radiation, or what kind of radiation something is emitting.
To test the radiation of your sauna, start by first getting a measurement with the sauna off and unplugged. This will allow you to establish a nice baseline. Then, turn your sauna on and turn the temperature up a bit. After you’ve let it warm up for approximately 5 minutes, take your first measurement inside the unit right about where you would sit. Then, take measurements around the outside. This will give you a good idea of how much EMF radiation is being emitted at different places.
Final Thoughts On Low EMF Portable Infrared Saunas
Ok, now that we’ve completely exhausted this topic, let’s sum up. First of all, it is worth putting out a small amount more money to get a quality sauna, that is going to have less EMF radiation.
Next, getting a sauna is absolutely worth it, and has all kinds of amazing physical and mental benefits.
I really hope you enjoyed this enormous guide on low EMF saunas, if you did, please consider sharing!
I created and currently manage EMF Academy, one of the premier sources for EMF safety knowledge. I am so passionate about spreading this crucial information. If you need anything, just shoot me an email at [email protected] and I'll do everything I can to help.
