Clearlight® Infrared Sauna Review – Is The Sanctuary Full Spectrum Worth The Hype?

The Clearlight® Infrared Sauna has quite literally been the best purchase of 2023 and definitely the best addition to our space in terms of a practice that improves health and recovery.

The Clearlight Sauna range had been in our sights for many years and put simply we started to realise the value in having a personal infrared sauna at home when the weekly sauna spend started to creep into the $200/week mark.

We have always been huge proponents of hot and cold therapy and have been integrating heat therapy from saunas, infrared sauna and sauna blankets for at least 10 years now, with saunas making up the bulk time spent on recovery modalities.

The Clearlight Sanctuary Full Spectrum 3 person sauna honestly has the most unique aesthetic out of all saunas on the market. These saunas are quite obviously a curated design that has been improved over the years and you can tell that much thought has been placed into their design.

Having poured 100’s of litres of sweat across handfuls of different saunas, when you step foot into the Clearlight Sauna a few things stand out: the timber quality and scent is incredible and actually one of the main things I love about the sauna; and the quality of fittings like the tempered glass, control panel and heating panels.

After ordering the sauna, it took roughly a month for the sauna to go through the fulfilment process and then another week after that to be shipped. What is notable about Clearlight is that they provide free installation with each purchase which is done by a professional and takes them no time at all.

This is a huge plus when buying a Clearlight sauna, as I’ve seen a huge amount of sauna reviews for other sauna brands that offer no support for installation and leave the buyer with a bad taste in their mouth right from the start with a difficult setup process and poor customer service.

On using the Clearlight infrared sauna, another noticeable point for the 3 person sauna is the space – I can lay down with legs slightly elevated on the side panel and really relax in this sauna. For 2 people, this sauna is still very spacious and there is no doubt that it is a suitable size for 3 people to use at once.

The sauna goes all the way up to 75C and takes about 15 minutes to heat up to max temperature after turning it on. What is a key difference in these saunas compared to traditional saunas is that you take a lot longer for your body temperature to heat up and sweat but the after sweat that I feel from an infrared sauna is much more intense. We have spoken about the differences between infrared and traditional saunas in some of our other content and how an infrared sauna works is slightly different to a Finnish rock sauna.

There is nothing I love more than combining sauna with education, and the fact that the Clearlight Sauna has a quality audio system that is Bluetooth compatible, means I have found the ultimate habit stacking routine of putting on the latest Huberman podcast or streaming a doco on the Ipad for the 45 minute sweat session to distract me from the intense heat. 

What is worth noting is that these saunas are intended to be dry saunas, apart from the copious amounts of sweat that you produce in them, and are a little more sensitive to water than a rock sauna, due to the electrical components.

While we love practicing the heat and cold together and regularly promote contrast therapy, going between the Ice Barrel and the Sauna, the Infrared saunas are not quite as robust as a traditional sauna and cant handle too much moisture. In that way, when using the Clearlight Sauna, one thing I always make sure of is that I completely dry off after jumping in the pool or getting in the ice bath tub when doing contrast therapy.

With the timber used in the Clearlight Sanctuary being Western Red Cedar, there has been zero timber movement and warping so far and it is it is evident that the timber has no troubles absorbing the sweat without holding any odours. I have just been wiping the seat and base down after use with a natural lavender spray which works fine.

All-in-all, it is difficult to fault the Clearlight sauna, and I continue to enjoy using it on a daily basis. I had been hesitant on buying an infrared sauna for a long time, but one thing I have learnt is that when you financially commit to something, whether it be a new road bike, pair of training shoes, a course or a high value wellness product like an infrared sauna, it definitely encourages you to use it as much as possible.

Having the Clearlight Sauna at home has been a massive win for my health, managing pain, improving my sleep and recovering from training, a huge yes all round for this sauna.

How much does it cost to run a sauna?

The cost of running a sauna is actually quite cheap. The price of electricity obviously varies month to month, but the cost of running a Clearlight sauna sits at roughly around $0.25c/day for the one and two person models and about $0.5c/hour for the larger models.

This would equate to about $5/month if you were to use your sauna 5 times per week. Considering the cost of going to a recovery or wellness space to use an infrared sauna can be anywhere from $40-80/session, the benefit of having your own infrared sauna at home is that it saves you a significant amount of money in the long run if you are someone who engages in hot and cold therapy often.

Having your own infrared sauna at home not only offers convenience but also significant cost savings over time, especially for individuals who incorporate hot and cold therapy into their wellness routines frequently. Beyond the financial benefits, owning a Clearlight sauna ensures consistent access to therapeutic heat therapy whenever needed, promoting relaxation, detoxification, and overall well-being in the comfort of your own home.

Are Clearlight Saunas low EMF?

Yes, one of the main reasons we were drawn to buying the Clearlight Sanctuary Sauna is because of its low EMF levels. Clearlight Saunas actually prides themselves in offering one of the lowest EMF saunas on the market and over the last 10 years of operation have made this a continued effort to reduce the EMF levels emitted by their panels.

The TrueWave II heater technology in a Clearlight Sauna uses a metal conduit wiring, with several grounding wires to minimise EMF raditation. The Full Spectrum heaters produce a maximum of 7-8mG and at a distance of 10cm theses levels drop to 0. As EMF levels reduce with distance, from the seating proximity to the infrared panels in the Clearlight sauna, the EMF levels are technically zero.

As electromagnetic fields diminish significantly with distance, the seating proximity to the infrared panels in the Clearlight sauna effectively reduces EMF exposure to negligible levels. This technical achievement not only underscores Clearlight’s dedication to providing a safe and therapeutic sauna experience but also highlights their leadership in creating EMF-conscious products for health-conscious consumers.

Choosing a Clearlight sauna not only offers the benefits of infrared therapy but also provides peace of mind knowing that you are using a sauna designed with rigorous standards for EMF safety and minimal environmental impact.

Conclusion on Clearlight® Sauna Review

The Clearlight Sanctuary Full Spectrum sauna has honestly been the best purchase of the last decade, and despite the high price, this sauna out plays the rest of the infrared saunas on the market in quality, design, and warranty giving it an easy 4.9/5 rating in my eyes.

If the Clearlight Sauna were a tad more affordable, I dare say that no other infrared sauna brand would stand a chance, but there is also fair reason for the higher price point in comparison to its main Australian competitors Sunlighten and Foundspace.  

With a lifetime warranty on these saunas, deciding between Clearlight and most other brands really just depends on whether or not you have the budget for them. At a couple of thousand dollars more expensive, it is a significant jump in price but honestly worth it when you factor in the buying confidence of the lifetime warranty, second-to-none quality and design, and free installation and delivery.  

As always, we encourage you to do your research when buying any product, especially one for your health and wellness, and if you are wondering whether heat therapy is safe for you, always consult a medical professional for specific health advice.