SIDE BY SIDE
See prices, running costs, specifications and trade-offs side by side. Choose two to four products of the same type.
Installed infrared cabin
1-person indoor full-spectrum infrared cabin, mahogany (basswood also offered), 120V/15A plug-in
Price on requestNo published price, checkedOne-person full-spectrum cabin that plugs into a standard 120V outlet
Check price at Clearlight for Clearlight Sanctuary 1 Full review →Installed infrared cabin
3-person Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna
$8,999US price, checkedThree-person infrared cabin that needs a 240 V circuit and publishes few details
Check price at HigherDOSE for HigherDOSE Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna Full review →
Our one-person cabin pick
1-person installed far-infrared cabin, eucalyptus
$4,999US price, checkedOne-person far-infrared cabin that needs its own 120 V, 20 A circuit
Check price at Sunlighten for Sunlighten Signature I Full review →Scroll the table sideways to see every product.
| Criterion | Clearlight Sanctuary 1 | HigherDOSE Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna | Sunlighten Signature I |
|---|---|---|---|
| US price | Price on requestChecked Oct 13, 2026 · Price details in the review | $8,999Checked Oct 15, 2026 · Price details in the review | $4,999Checked Oct 13, 2026 · Price details in the review |
| Three-year ownership estimate | Not enough data Incomplete known subtotal. Not included: purchase price, installation, other annual costs, energy use. | $8,999 Incomplete known subtotal. Not included: installation, energy use. | $5,371.52 Incomplete known subtotal. Electricity assumption: $0.18/kWh. Not included: installation. |
| Choose if | A solo user with about 42.5 × 48.25 in of floor space who wants full-spectrum heaters running off a standard 120V, 15A outlet. | Two or three people who share sessions and can run a dedicated 240 V, 15 A circuit to the spot. | One person with a dedicated 120 V, 20 A circuit and about 38 × 40 in of indoor floor. |
| Main trade-off | There's no published price, labor is covered for 7 years rather than for life, and the 14.6A draw leaves little headroom on a 15A circuit. | You can't return it once it's opened, and the warranty terms, heater details and safety listing aren't published. | You can't return it once the boxes are opened, and the warranty doesn't pay for labor. |
| Key specifications |
|
|
|
| Exact variant | 1-person indoor full-spectrum infrared cabin, mahogany (basswood also offered), 120V/15A plug-in | 3-person Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna | 1-person installed far-infrared cabin, eucalyptus |
| Dimensions | Exterior 42.5 W × 48.25 D × 77 H in. Interior 37.5 W × 45.5 D × 72.5 H in. Bench 35.5 W × 21.75 D × 19 H in. It weighs 425 lb. If you build it into an enclosed space, Clearlight recommends leaving 4 in around the sauna. | HigherDOSE now lists the 3-person exterior as 61 W × 41 D × 76.5 H in. Its interior is listed as 57 in (the dimension is unlabeled), 36.25 in deep and 70 in high, at about 580 lb. The maker's current exterior dimensions differ from the 71 W × 48 D × 77 H in reported by Garage Gym Reviews, which may describe another version. Confirm the exact unit and installation clearances before measuring your room. | Outside: 37.8 W × 39.8 D × 77.7 H in, including 2 in feet. Inside: 32.2 W × 33.6 D × 70.3 H in. The door opening is 28 in, and the door swings outward to the right. The bench is 32.1 in wide and 20.2 in deep, 19.5 in off the floor. It weighs 428 lb. Sunlighten recommends 4 in of clearance from the walls and 12 in above the cabin. It says the cabin fits under a standard 8 ft ceiling and its panels fit through a standard 30 in doorway. |
| Installation | It plugs into a standard 120 V, 15 A household outlet with a NEMA 5-15P plug. The product page doesn't say it needs a dedicated circuit. Shipping is advertised as free. The sauna arrives by freight with lift-gate service at a scheduled delivery appointment, and someone 18 or older must sign for it. Clearlight says two people usually assemble it in about 1 to 1.5 hours with a screwdriver and the included Allen wrench. Its FAQ says 1 to 3 hours. Clearlight offers installation service in some areas but doesn't state a price. | It needs a dedicated 240 V, 15 A circuit. HigherDOSE rates it at 2,930 W with a NEMA 6-15P plug, so you'll need a matching NEMA 6-15 outlet. An upgraded cord is available on request. It ships separately, and you fit it yourself. The carrier leaves the sauna on a pallet, as far as it can get along the road or driveway. Delivery to a room of your choice costs extra, by quote from HigherDOSE's sauna sales team. Installation isn't included. No assembly time or manual is published, though the page embeds a "How to build" video. Garage Gym Reviews says its installers took about 7 hours. | It needs a dedicated 120 V, 20 A circuit and outlet. The outlet is a NEMA 5-20R, and the plug is a NEMA 5-20P. Sunlighten's FAQ says a power strip or converter voids the warranty. The warranty page also rules out extension cords and non-dedicated circuits. The same page requires at least 5 ft between the sauna and a cold plunge, shower or bathtub. The product page doesn't say whether you need an electrician or GFCI protection. It points you to the spec sheet for electrical details. Sunlighten's support page links an owner's manual, spec sheet, assembly guide and power box installation guide. Those PDFs couldn't be opened for this review. Freight delivery goes to a garage or flat, paved driveway. The carrier leaves the sauna there on a pallet and can't carry it up steps. It comes in two to three mattress-sized boxes of 130 lb each, and you need at least two people to unpack and carry in the panels. The Magne-Seal panels lock together without screws or nails. Sunlighten says two people take about 2 to 3 hours. |
| Materials | Mahogany or basswood. Clearlight calls it furniture-grade natural wood and notes that grain and color vary from cabin to cabin. | HigherDOSE describes the exterior as black mahogany and the interior as basswood. These are manufacturer descriptions, not independently verified species or emissions results. The finish and cabin-specific VOC testing remain unknown; the resource page's fabric test concerns the sauna blanket, not this cabin. | Eucalyptus, which Sunlighten says is sustainably sourced, with natural variation in tone and grain. Basswood was marked not available, and the Obsidian finish is sold on a separate page. It comes with a CELLIANT heater cover. Sunlighten says the glue is non-toxic, citing third-party testing by Franklin International. |
| Warranty | Clearlight says its residential Limited Lifetime Warranty covers the entire sauna for as long as you own it. That means the heaters, control panels and electrical components, wood cabin, audio and chromotherapy lighting. Parts and shipping are covered for life, but labor isn't. The warranty page says labor is covered for an initial period without giving its length. The Sanctuary owner's manual, which lists Sanctuary 1, sets labor at 7 years for indoor home use in the US and Canada. The manual counts coverage from the purchase date. It also says the warranty can't be transferred without written consent from Sauna Works, which issues it. Commercial use falls under a 5-year warranty. The warranty page says registration is automatic when the sauna ships. The manual instead asks you to register within 30 days of purchase. | The product page promises a limited 5-year residential warranty and a 1-year commercial warranty. HigherDOSE's warranty page has no sauna section, only one-year terms for nine other products. It doesn't publish what the 5 years covers, so heaters, controls, labor, parts shipping and transfer are all unclear. Ask for the written sauna warranty before you order. | Sunlighten's warranty page covers its mPulse, Signature and Amplify cabins under one set of terms. For home use, the cabinet and heaters get 7 years. The cabinet includes the bench, floor grates and heater cover frames. The controls (in-sauna tablet, control pad and power box) get 3 years. The glass door and audio get 1 year, and chromotherapy has a separate 1-year warranty. Commercial use gets 5 years on the cabinet and heaters and 1 year on everything else. It covers replacement parts only, not labor or technician costs. You pay the freight on parts shipped for service. It covers only the original buyer and ends if you sell the sauna. It's void on a power strip, extension cord, converter or non-dedicated circuit. It's also void within 5 ft of a shower, tub or cold plunge. Sunlighten's contraindications page adds that repairs attempted without consulting Sunlighten void it. Sunlighten says its saunas aren't designed for outdoor use. Outside, the separately sold sauna cover has to stay on at all times, even during sessions. The sauna must also be bought and put into use within a year of its manufacture date. The page shows no version or effective date. |
| Returns | Clearlight calls it a "30 Day Risk-Free Return Policy," but a return isn't free. You have 30 business days from receipt and need a return authorization (RMA). The sauna must be in new or like-new condition, with undamaged original packaging and all manuals. Clearlight deducts a 25% restocking charge and the original shipping charges. If the sauna shipped under a free or discounted shipping promotion, that means the actual freight cost. You also pay return shipping. Custom, private-label and non-standard models are non-refundable. Orders canceled before shipment are fully refunded. Concealed damage must be reported within 5 business days of delivery. | HigherDOSE's return policy gives Full Spectrum Saunas 30 days from delivery, but only if unopened and in the original packaging. Every approved return carries a 30% restocking fee, about $2,700 at the 3-person price. You also pay all return shipping. The 120-day money-back guarantee in the site banner doesn't cover saunas. The policy was last updated May 8, 2025. | You can return or exchange it within 30 days of delivery, but only in the original, unopened packaging. Opened saunas can't be returned. Charges can include a 3% administrative fee, a $499 restocking fee for Signature saunas, storage fees and return shipping. You can cancel before it ships, but the same fees can apply. You start a return by emailing your sales rep or customer care for an authorization, and Sunlighten schedules the pickup. It refunds to your original payment method after it inspects and restocks the sauna. Sunlighten reserves the right to refuse a return, exchange or cancellation. |
| Unresolved questions |
|
|
|
These comparisons use published specifications, not head-to-head tests. Prices and terms are dated. Unknown costs are not zero. Check the exact variant before you buy.