Sunlighten vs Clearlight sauna: heaters, EMF, power and price

Sunlighten vs Clearlight: the short answer

Choose Sunlighten if you want a price on the page and can give the cabin its own 20 A circuit. Four of its five reviewed cabins show a US price, $4,999 to $8,599 on sale when checked on October 23, 2026^{2, 4, 6, 8}. Sunlighten also makes the only three-person cabins here, and the only ones with red light built in^{5, 7, 9}.

Choose Clearlight if you need a one-seater for a standard 15 A outlet, or want parts covered for as long as you own the cabin^{24, 26}. A Clearlight cabin can also go back after you’ve opened it, if it’s like new and in its undamaged original packaging, for a 25% restocking charge plus shipping²⁷. The catch is the price. Clearlight shows none for either Sanctuary, so you’ll have to ask for a quote^{24, 25}.

The Signature I is the saunas guide’s pick for one person. It’s 37.8 in wide and needs a dedicated 120 V, 20 A circuit¹. If you can’t add that circuit, the guide points to the Sanctuary 1, which Clearlight says plugs into a standard 120 V, 15 A outlet²⁴.

The seven cabins side by side

Every figure here is the maker’s own, not a measurement. The rows run by headcount, so the one-person cabins sit together, then the two- and three-person ones.

Sunlighten’s prices are sale prices on its US store, checked October 23, 2026^{2, 4, 6, 8}. The mPulse Aspire and both Sanctuary models show no price at all^{9, 24, 25}.

These links go to each brand’s own store and earn us no commission.

Heaters and spectrum: what each brand puts in the cabin

Sunlighten builds every cabin here around far-infrared heaters. The Signature I lists eight of them and nothing else¹. The Amplify II and Amplify III add three full-spectrum heaters to five or seven far-infrared ones^{3, 5}. The mPulse Aspire pairs five far-infrared heaters with four mid-infrared ones^{9, 10}. Sunlighten gives no per-heater wattage for the Signature I, Amplify II, Amplify III or Aspire^{1, 3, 5, 10}.

Clearlight builds both Sanctuary models the same way. Two 500 W True Wave full-spectrum heaters sit on the front wall, and True Wave far-infrared heaters cover the back and side walls, the calves and the floor^{24, 25}. Clearlight doesn’t state how many far-infrared heaters there are or their wattage^{24, 25}. It says the Sanctuary 2’s heaters combine ceramic and carbon²⁵.

Of these seven, only two Sunlighten cabins come with red light built in. The Amplify RED III adds five near-infrared and red LED panels for $1,600 more than the Amplify III, and Sunlighten doesn’t publish their wavelength or output^6–8. The Aspire has three such panels, which Sunlighten says peak at 650 nm and 880 nm and deliver 1 to 3 mW/cm² to the skin¹². Clearlight offers a red light therapy upgrade for the Sanctuary 1²⁴. Its FAQ says adding a full-spectrum door heater or red light therapy tower may raise a cabin’s circuit, typically from 15 A to 20 A or from 20 A to 30 A, and names no models²⁸.

Top temperatures are the makers’ own figures. Sunlighten lists up to 170°F for the Signature I and the three Amplify cabins, and gives no top temperature for the Aspire^{1, 7, 12, 18, 19}. Clearlight’s Sanctuary manual sets the Sanctuary 2’s maximum at 175°F²⁹. Its FAQ says its cabins typically reach 115 to 125°F even when set to 150°F, and another answer says 115 to 130°F. Neither answer names a model²⁸.

EMF and ELF claims: how each brand states them

Both brands sell their heaters as low EMF, and both link reports by the same lab, Vitatech Electromagnetics^{15, 16, 30, 31}. The two reports measured different things, so read what each one covers.

Sunlighten’s safety page says its heater panels measure 0.5 mG, less than 1 mG. It gives no measuring distance, test date, model list or ELF figure¹⁵. The page links Vitatech report VTE-3200, measured on November 5, 2020 in Sunlighten’s Lenexa, Kansas warehouse¹⁶. It records maximum magnetic fields of 0.11 to 0.86 mG RMS in five models: an Amplify II at 0.11 mG RMS, the mPulse Believe and Conquer, the Signature IV and the Solo¹⁶. It didn’t test the Signature I, Amplify III, Amplify RED III or mPulse Aspire¹⁶. Sunlighten doesn’t say whether today’s Amplify II matches the one tested^{3, 16}.

Sunlighten’s product pages say less. The Amplify II page describes a “low EMF design” with no figure³. The Amplify RED III page calls its heating and light technology third-party verified for ultra-low EMF and VOCs⁷. No Amplify RED was in the 2020 report, so its red light panels have no published reading¹⁶.

Clearlight says its True Wave heaters “cancel out both EMF and ELF” and lists the Sanctuary 2 as low EMF/ELF²⁵. Its FAQ says the heaters measure less than 1 mG directly on the heater, and names no test standard or lab for that figure²⁸. Clearlight’s assembly page links a September 2016 Vitatech report for Sauna Works^{30, 31}. It tested one 600 W, 240 V Clearlight heater, not a Sanctuary cabin, and found fields fell to 0.0 mG at 3 to 4 feet³¹. Within a few inches of the heater, though, its readings went above 1 mG, up to about 8 mG RMS³¹. The full-spectrum heaters in both Sanctuary models are rated 500 W^{24, 25}.

So the two brands’ figures can’t be lined up. Sunlighten gives a number with no distance, Clearlight a number taken directly on the heater, and each lab report covers other models or a single heater. None of these figures is evidence of a health effect. If EMF matters to you, ask either maker for a reading of the exact cabin and the distance it was taken at.

Safety listings are thin on both sides. Sunlighten says its saunas are ETL-certified and points to the Intertek directory, but gives no listing number¹⁵. Clearlight’s FAQ lists ETL and CE certification, and its site shows Intertek and CE logos, with no listing number^{24, 28}. Ask for the file number before you order.

Power and install: plug-in cabins, different circuits

Each cabin here plugs into a wall outlet rather than being wired in^{1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 24, 25}. What differs is the circuit behind that outlet, and that’s where the brands split.

Every Sunlighten here needs a dedicated 20 A circuit. The Signature I, Amplify II and mPulse Aspire run on 120 V with a NEMA 5-20 outlet^{1, 3, 10}. The Amplify RED III needs 240 V and a NEMA 6-20R outlet⁷. For the Amplify III, the product page says 120 V and the spec sheet says 240 V, so get Sunlighten’s answer in writing before you book an electrician^{5, 19}. Sunlighten’s warranty is void on a power strip, extension cord, converter or shared circuit¹³.

Clearlight’s Sanctuary 1 plugs into a standard 120 V, 15 A outlet, and the Sanctuary 2 into a 120 V, 20 A outlet^{24, 25}. Clearlight doesn’t say either one needs a dedicated circuit^{24, 25}. Their ratings sit close to those limits, though: 14.6 A on a 15 A outlet and 18.83 A on a 20 A one^{24, 25}. Clearlight’s Sanctuary manual calls for a grounded 3-wire socket, advises against extension cords and strongly recommends a GFCI in potentially wet locations²⁹.

Neither brand prices the electrical work. Sunlighten’s Amplify pages tell you to book an electrician if you don’t have the outlet^{3, 7}. Clearlight offers an installation service in some areas, at no stated price³⁰.

Delivery and assembly differ too. Sunlighten’s carrier leaves a pallet in your garage or on a flat, paved driveway and won’t take it up steps¹. Two people assemble a Signature I or an Amplify in about 2 to 3 hours, and an Aspire in about 1 to 2^{1, 3, 9}. Clearlight ships by liftgate freight at a scheduled appointment^{24, 27}. It says two people usually assemble a Sanctuary in about 1 to 1.5 hours with a screwdriver and the included Allen wrench³⁰. Its FAQ says 1 to 3 hours²⁸. Sunlighten warns that the magnets used to assemble its saunas can interfere with pacemakers¹⁷.

Sunlighten vs Clearlight price: what each one costs

Sunlighten prints a price for four of its five reviewed cabins. All four were sale prices on its US store when checked on October 23, 2026, and each page also prints a higher regular price^{2, 4, 6, 8}. Sunlighten’s pages say the sauna sale ends October 31^{1, 3, 5, 7}. Freight to the contiguous US is free^{1, 3, 5, 7}. The steps up the Amplify line cost $1,000 and then $1,600^{4, 6, 8}.

Clearlight’s price is unknown. Its Sanctuary 1 and Sanctuary 2 pages show a “Get Pricing” quote button and no price^{24, 25}. On October 13 they also carried a “Save $600” Early Black Friday Sale banner and free shipping^{24, 25}. A saving off a price you can’t see doesn’t tell you what you’d pay, so there’s no Clearlight price to compare yet. Sunlighten’s mPulse Aspire is quote only too, with a “Get pricing” form⁹.

Ask Clearlight for a written quote for the exact model and wood, with shipping, before you compare it with a Sunlighten. Check the date too, since Sunlighten’s prices are sale prices.

Warranty and returns: where the two brands differ most

Clearlight’s warranty runs longer. It covers the whole Sanctuary, with parts and shipping, for as long as you own it²⁶. Labor is covered for 7 years of indoor home use in the US and Canada, per the Sanctuary owner’s manual²⁹. Clearlight’s warranty page says only that labor is covered for an initial period^{26, 29}. The manual says the warranty can’t be transferred without written consent²⁹.

Sunlighten covers the cabinet and heaters for 7 years of home use, the controls for 3 and the glass door and audio for 1¹³. It pays for replacement parts only. There’s no labor cover, and you pay freight on parts¹³. Coverage ends if you sell the sauna, and it’s void within 5 ft of a shower, tub or cold plunge¹³.

Outdoors, the terms tighten on both sides. Sunlighten says its saunas aren’t designed for outdoor use¹³. Clearlight covers a Sanctuary 2 outdoors only if you bought its water-resistant cover with the sauna and kept it on, and its manual’s outdoor terms give the cabin and labor 5 years²⁹.

Clearlight lets you send back an opened cabin, at a cost. It takes back a sauna in new or like-new condition within 30 business days, with a return authorization²⁷. It deducts a 25% restocking charge and the original shipping, which on a free-shipping order means the actual freight cost, and you pay return shipping²⁷. Sunlighten takes back only an unopened sauna, within 30 days of delivery¹⁴. Its fees can include a 3% administrative fee, a $499 restocking fee, storage and return shipping¹⁴.

Running cost: what the makers estimate

Neither brand publishes an average power draw, so running costs are estimates. Sunlighten’s Signature I page puts it at 15 to 35 cents an hour, while its owner’s manual says $0.20 to $0.50 an hour^{1, 20}. Sunlighten’s Amplify, Amplify RED and mPulse manuals give the same $0.20 to $0.50 an hour^21–23. Clearlight’s FAQ estimates 20 to 25 cents a session for its saunas in general, without naming a cabin or an electricity rate²⁸.

At the rated draw, yearly energy has an upper limit. The Signature I comes to about 690 kWh, or about $124 a year at $0.18 per kWh, at Sunlighten’s suggested 40-minute daily session plus a 45-minute preheat¹. At that daily use, Sunlighten’s own hourly figures work out to $77 to $179 a year (product page) or $102 to $255 (manual)^{1, 20}. The mPulse Aspire comes to about 591 kWh, or $106 a year at the same rate, at an average of about 45 minutes a day from Sunlighten’s suggested sessions plus preheat^{10, 12}.

For the Amplify cabins, a 45-minute preheat plus a 40-minute session would use about 3.2 kWh in the Amplify II and 4.6 kWh in the Amplify III at their spec-sheet ratings, and 4.9 kWh in the Amplify RED III at its rated draw^{7, 18, 19}. Those are ceilings, since the heaters cycle once the cabin is hot.

Clearlight rates the Sanctuary 1 at 1,740 W and the Sanctuary 2 at 2,260 W, but gives no daily use, so their yearly energy isn’t estimated^{24, 25}. Neither brand lists a filter, lamp or other required replacement part^{1, 24}. Our three-year sauna cost page covers what a home sauna costs to run.

Which Sunlighten or Clearlight suits you

Each suits a different need, and this isn’t a ranking. Start with how many people will sit in it, then check the outlet you can give it. For other brands, see our infrared cabin comparison, and our sauna evidence review covers what studies of saunas found.

• One person on a dedicated 20 A circuit: the Sunlighten Signature I. It’s $4,999 on sale and 37.8 in wide, with eight far-infrared heaters on 120 V^{1, 2}. It’s the saunas guide’s pick for one person. The catch: it needs its own 20 A circuit, it lists far-infrared heaters only, and an opened cabin can’t be returned^{1, 14}.
• One person who wants red light built in: the Sunlighten mPulse Aspire. It pairs five far-infrared and four mid-infrared heaters with three near-infrared and red LED panels, on a dedicated 120 V, 20 A circuit^{9, 10}. The catch: Sunlighten shows no price, only a Get pricing form, and an opened cabin can’t be returned^{9, 14}.
• One person with no spare 20 A circuit: the Clearlight Sanctuary 1. Clearlight says it plugs into a standard 120 V, 15 A outlet, and it adds two 500 W full-spectrum heaters to its far-infrared ones²⁴. The catch: it’s sold by quote only, and its 14.6 A draw leaves that outlet little room for anything else²⁴. A return costs a 25% restocking charge plus shipping²⁷.
• Two people with a dedicated 20 A circuit: the Sunlighten Amplify II. It’s $5,999 on sale, with five far-infrared and three full-spectrum heaters on 120 V^{3, 4}. The catch: Sunlighten’s product page and spec sheet disagree on power, 1,880 W against 2,270 W, and an opened cabin can’t be returned^{3, 14, 18}.
• Two people who put the warranty first: the Clearlight Sanctuary 2. Clearlight covers parts and shipping for as long as you own it, with labor for 7 years indoors, and it plugs into a 120 V, 20 A outlet^{25, 26, 29}. The catch: there’s no published price, and its 18.83 A draw nearly fills that outlet²⁵.
• Three people sharing sessions: the Sunlighten Amplify III. It’s $6,999 on sale, with a 56.7 in bench, seven far-infrared heaters and three full-spectrum ones^{5, 6}. The catch: the product page says 120 V and the spec sheet 240 V, so get Sunlighten’s answer in writing before you book an electrician^{5, 19}.
• Three people who want red light on a 240 V circuit: the Sunlighten Amplify RED III. It’s $8,599 on sale, $1,600 more than the Amplify III, and adds five near-infrared and red LED panels^6–8. It needs a dedicated 240 V, 20 A circuit⁷. The catch: Sunlighten doesn’t publish the red light’s wavelength or output, and it was pre-order only on October 16^{7, 8}.

Sources

1. Signature I - Eucalyptus Sunlighten · manufacturer
2. Signature I - Eucalyptus store listing (variant price and availability) Sunlighten · manufacturer · price read from the store’s product data
3. Amplify II - Eucalyptus - Black Edition Sunlighten · manufacturer
4. Amplify II - Eucalyptus - Black Edition store listing (variant price and availability) Sunlighten · manufacturer · price read from the store’s product data
5. Amplify III - Eucalyptus - Black Edition Sunlighten · manufacturer
6. Amplify III - Eucalyptus - Black Edition store listing (variant price and availability) Sunlighten · manufacturer · price read from the store’s product data
7. Amplify RED III - Eucalyptus Sunlighten · manufacturer
8. Amplify RED III - Eucalyptus store listing (price, regular price and availability) Sunlighten · manufacturer · price read from the store’s product data
9. mPulse Aspire 1-person infrared sauna Sunlighten · manufacturer
10. mPulse Aspire spec sheet (Doc# 09142026, PDF) Sunlighten · manufacturer
11. mPulse Aspire US assembly guide (01152026, PDF) Sunlighten · manufacturer
12. mPulse Aspire support (FAQs, heat-up and LED panel answers) Sunlighten · manufacturer
13. Sunlighten warranty (US and Canada) Sunlighten · manufacturer
14. Sunlighten returns and cancellation policy Sunlighten · manufacturer
15. Sunlighten sauna safety (EMF, ETL, materials and air quality) Sunlighten · manufacturer
16. Sauna EMI test VTE-3200 by Vitatech Electromagnetics (PDF) Sunlighten · manufacturer
17. Contraindications Sunlighten · manufacturer
18. Amplify II spec sheet (PDF, Doc# 09142026) Sunlighten · manufacturer
19. Amplify III spec sheet (PDF, Doc# 09142026) Sunlighten · manufacturer
20. Signature owner's manual (PDF) Sunlighten · manufacturer
21. Amplify owner's manual (PDF) Sunlighten · manufacturer
22. Amplify RED owner's manual (PDF, 08-2026) Sunlighten · manufacturer
23. mPulse Intelligent Sauna owner's manual (PDF) Sunlighten · manufacturer
24. Sanctuary 1 Infrared Sauna Clearlight · manufacturer
25. Clearlight Sanctuary 2 official product page Clearlight · manufacturer
26. Clearlight Sauna Limited Lifetime Warranty Clearlight · manufacturer
27. Sauna Shipping & Return Policy Clearlight · manufacturer
28. Clearlight FAQ Clearlight · manufacturer
29. Clearlight Sanctuary owner's manual (PDF, covers Sanctuary 1, 2, 3, Y, Retreat and C; undated) Clearlight · manufacturer
30. Easy Assembly Instructions & Manuals Clearlight · manufacturer
31. Clearlight Infrared Sauna Heater AC ELF EMF Testing and Mitigation Analysis Report (Vitatech, 2016; PDF linked from the assembly page) Clearlight · manufacturer
32. Sunlighten shipping and delivery Sunlighten · manufacturer