If you’ve been researching infrared saunas and trying to decide between Clearlight and Radiant Health, you are in good company. This is a conversation I have quite often. And now that Radiant has released their new Pause Sauna model, there’s even more to sort through. So I want to take my time here and walk you through it properly: what changed, what didn’t, how Clearlight and Radiant Health compare across every major category, and what I think actually matters when you’re making this investment.

I’ve been selling Clearlight saunas exclusively for over 15 years. I’ll be transparent about that upfront. But I also have a long history of respecting Radiant Health and their saunas, and I’m going to give this comparison the honest, fair shake it deserves.

Let’s dig in.

What Radiant Health Changed with the New Pause Sauna

Radiant made several upgrades with the Pause model, and I want to start by giving credit where it’s genuinely due.

They added ceiling insulation, which is a practical improvement, especially for anyone installing in a garage or basement where heat retention matters. I will say I’m still looking for details on the specific materials and testing behind it, because anytime new materials are introduced into a sauna environment, I want to know what they’re made of and how they perform. I’ll update this when I have more information.

They upgraded to Bluetooth audio syncing, which was a long time coming. The old flip-down car stereo situation was overdue for retirement, and I’m genuinely glad to see it go. They also appear to have improved their speakers overall, which elevates the experience.

A handful of accessories were added, like a sand timer (which I’ll admit I found kind of charming) and a cup holder. Practical, simple, nice to have.

And big news: Radiant entered the red light therapy space with their own RLT towers. More on those in a bit.

The Control Panel Decision I Can’t Get Past

Here’s where I have to be honest, because this is the change that has me most puzzled.

Radiant removed the interior control panel from the Pause Sauna entirely. The only physical control panel is now on the outside of the sauna. To operate it from inside—to check the temperature, adjust the timer, change anything—you need your phone and the Radiant Health app.

The app also only works on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, not 5G. That’s going to be a compatibility issue for a lot of people.

Here’s the practical problem with this: if you’ve ever brought your phone into a sauna, you know it gets hot fast and can shut itself off within 10 to 15 minutes. So exactly how you’re supposed to operate a sauna that requires your phone for the duration of a 30 to 45-minute session is something I’m still working out.

Beyond the logistics, there’s a bigger picture issue for me. A huge part of why people invest in an infrared sauna is to create a space to disconnect. To put the phone down, go inward, breathe, and let the nervous system settle. Requiring app-based operation from inside the sauna directly contradicts that experience.

I’ve already heard from a number of people that this is a dealbreaker. I understand why.

Clearlight saunas have control panels on both the inside and outside of every model. They’re positioned so you can reach them easily from the bench without getting up. You can adjust everything—temperature, timer, lighting, chromotherapy—without breaking your session or reaching for your phone. That’s intentional design, and it matters more than it might seem on paper.

Clearlight and Radiant Health: Company Mission and Why It Matters

I want to spend some real time here, because I think this piece gets overlooked when people are focused on specs.

In late 2025, Radiant Health was acquired by a private equity firm. The original owner, Randy, had built the company with a clear focus on quality and health. I’ve always liked and respected what Radiant stood for under his leadership.

Private equity acquisitions aren’t inherently bad. But they do shift priorities in ways that are worth understanding. Private equity firms are, by nature, focused on returns. That can mean cost-cutting, price increases, or product decisions driven more by margin than by user experience. I’m not saying that’s what’s happening at Radiant; I don’t have internal visibility there. But it’s a fair question to hold when you’re watching a $1,500 to $2,000 price hike land alongside a control panel removal.

The Clearlight Story, 30 Years In

Clearlight was founded by Dr. Raleigh Duncan 30 years ago and remains owner-operated today. The mission from day one has been consistent: build the safest and most effective infrared sauna available, support it with a rock-solid lifetime warranty, maintain headquarters in California, and ship from within the United States.

That hasn’t changed. Dr. Raleigh has brought on partners and built a full team over the years, but the core values have stayed intact. It’s one of the primary reasons I’ve worked exclusively with Clearlight for as long as I have.

When you’re spending several thousand dollars on something you plan to use daily for years, knowing who’s driving the company, and what they’re optimizing for, is relevant information.

Clearlight and Radiant Health: The Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Interior Size and Bench Depth

Let’s talk dimensions, because they matter more than people expect.

The Radiant Pause one-person sauna is 36″ x 36″. The Clearlight Premier one-person model is 40″ wide by 44″ deep. That’s an eight-inch difference in legroom. If you’ve ever paid extra for more legroom on an airplane, you already understand why eight inches matters. For those wondering whether the size difference will actually affect them, I always recommend taping off the dimensions on the floor at home, sitting in the space, and seeing how it feels. Nobody can answer that question but you.

The two-person comparison follows a similar pattern: Radiant at 48″ x 39.5″, Clearlight at 50″ wide by 44″ deep. A meaningful difference in depth, again.

Bench depth is another one people overlook until they’re actually sitting in the sauna. Radiant benches run 17 inches on the one-person, 19 inches on the two-person, and 20 inches on their larger models. All Clearlight Premier benches are 22 inches deep. If you like to sit sideways, stretch your legs out, or simply want to feel fully supported rather than perched, those extra inches add up over the course of a daily session.

Heating Systems: Carbon-Only vs. Carbon + Ceramic

This is the piece I consider most important, and it’s worth taking the time to understand.

Radiant saunas use carbon-only heaters, which is the standard for most infrared sauna brands on the market. Their heaters also extend up the walls past shoulder height, all the way up toward the ceiling, and your head rests against or near those heaters when you’re sitting inside.

I’ve never been able to find credible medical or scientific evidence supporting the idea that heating the head or the airspace above the body is beneficial. Infrared light energy works by traveling in a straight line, entering the skin and muscle tissue, and heating the body from within—primarily the core, arms, and legs. Heating the air above you doesn’t add therapeutic value, and putting your head near heaters isn’t something any medical professional I’m aware of has recommended.

Clearlight intentionally cuts their wall heaters off at the shoulder and neck level. Your head stays cool, your brain stays protected, and you don’t need a sauna hat. (And honestly, a hat designed to trap heat around your head while your body is trying to detox has always struck me as counterproductive. Let the crown of your head breathe.)

Clearlight is also the only sauna company with a patented combination of carbon and ceramic heaters for far infrared. Ceramic is an exceptional heat conductor; it’s why Dr. Raleigh developed and patented this system. The result is more consistent, effective infrared delivery throughout the session.

One more thing on heaters: Radiant includes a bench heater. I’ve been watching this feature for a few years, hoping they’d remove it in the Pause update. They didn’t, though they did add a button to turn it off, which is something. My concern here is twofold. First, I’m not aware of any credible health research recommending direct heat to that area of the body. Second—and this is particularly important for men—there is meaningful scientific literature on the negative effects of heat exposure on sperm health and testosterone. I’d encourage everyone, not just men, to look into this before deciding how they feel about it. I’m a wellness educator, not a medical professional, and I’ll always encourage you to do your own research and draw your own conclusions.

Heated Floors

Both Clearlight and Radiant offer in-floor heating. I mention this because it’s one of the most frequently asked questions I get about Clearlight specifically, and the answer has always been yes, they have heated floors. Clearlight saunas have solid hardwood floors with in-floor heating, similar to radiant floor heating in a home. Radiant Health uses tile floors, which I don’t find problematic, though I usually suggest putting a towel down since tile can get slippery when you’re sweating.

Lighting

Radiant’s Pause Sauna has overhead ceiling lights and exterior lights over the door, but both come on together; you can’t control them independently. The chromotherapy lights also function together with the standard lighting, not separately. Based on what I’ve seen, the interior lighting runs on the bright side, which may not be ideal for people who want a lower, more ambient experience during their session.

Clearlight’s lighting setup is more intentional. There’s a reading lamp with a shade mounted on the back wall, exterior lights over the door with their own control panel button, and chromotherapy lights on a completely separate function. You can mix and match based on what you want for that particular session. Everything is controllable from the bench. Clearlight’s warranty covers all electrical and lighting for the lifetime of the sauna.

Radiant’s electrical and lighting warranty is five years.

Sound Systems

Radiant’s Bluetooth upgrade is a genuine improvement, and I want to say that clearly. The move away from their old audio system was necessary, and the new setup is a meaningful step up.

That said, Clearlight’s Nakamichi sound system is in a different category. If you’ve ever heard Nakamichi audio, you know—it’s rich, clear, and loud in the best way. And like everything else on a Clearlight sauna, it’s covered under the lifetime warranty. Radiant’s speaker warranty is one year.

Warranties Side by Side

This is straightforward, so I’ll keep it brief.

Radiant Health Pause Sauna: lifetime warranty on heaters, five years on electrical, one year on speakers.

Clearlight: lifetime warranty on the entire sauna, for as long as you own it.

A warranty tells you a lot about how much a company believes in what they’ve built. A lifetime warranty on everything is a company saying we stand behind this completely for the long haul. That’s not common in this industry, and it’s not something I take for granted.

Red Light Therapy: A Real Comparison

I’m glad Radiant has entered the red light therapy space. Truly. It’s a sign the industry is catching up to something Clearlight has offered for years, and it validates what I’ve been telling people about combining infrared and red light therapy for a long time.

Radiant’s panel operates in the 600–800nm wavelength range, which is solid. It comes with a three-year warranty. My practical concern is with the integration. The panel mounts to a stand, but it doesn’t fit cleanly inside the sauna cabin. The cord runs under the bench and out the back wall. Getting it positioned for balanced, centered coverage is awkward, and given the already-tighter interior dimensions, it can feel like a lot to navigate.

Clearlight’s red light panel was designed specifically for use inside the sauna. It mounts directly to the center of the glass door, so you’re sitting squarely in front of it. The cord plugs into a floor outlet on the hinge side. No cords running across the floor, no tripping hazards, no awkward angles. You can also adjust the height for sitting or standing. It has a five-year warranty. The design is intentional in a way that makes a real difference to the daily experience.

My personal routine: I do red light for 10 to 15 minutes at the start of my sauna session while my body warms up. Once I’m sweating, I turn it off and sink into the heat. It’s been part of my healing practice for years, and it’s something I feel strongly about, which is exactly why the integration piece matters to me.

The Price Increase

The Pause Sauna comes with a $1,500 to $2,000 price hike over Radiant’s previous models. My honest read is that the upgrades don’t fully justify that jump. Bluetooth and a few accessories are welcome additions, but the control panel decision creates a user experience problem, and the price increase likely reflects shipping and tariff costs from Canada as much as it does product improvements—plus, potentially, some new ownership financial priorities.

For context: Clearlight pricing always includes free shipping, tax, and the lifetime warranty. No hidden fees. The price you see is the price you pay, out the door.

My Honest Bottom Line on Clearlight and Radiant Health

I’ve always respected Radiant Health, and I still do. Their saunas are well-built, non-toxic, and carry a better warranty than most brands in this space. If someone calls me and a Radiant sauna is genuinely the right fit for them, I’ll tell them that.

But when I look at the full picture—heating technology, interior size, user experience, red light integration, warranty coverage, company ownership, and overall mission—Clearlight and Radiant Health are not in the same category. Clearlight is the more complete, more intentional, more thoroughly supported product. That’s not a sales pitch. It’s what 15 years of working in this space has shown me.

Whatever you decide, I want you to feel informed and confident about it. This is a real investment in your health and your home. You deserve to know exactly what you’re buying.

If you have questions about Clearlight, about Radiant, about any of this, I’m always happy to talk it through. Reach out to me here.

Resources & Links

• Take a peek at my Jen Recommends list to see more of my favorite products.
• Grab my FREE Home Wellness Checklist here for more tips.
• Learn more or shop for your own Clearlight Sauna.
• Subscribe to the newsletter for wellness tools, special deals, and more
• Listen and Subscribe to the Homes That Heal podcast
• Get the Homes That Heal sauna series playlist here
• Read my “Ask Jen” Blog posts, where I answer your questions about infrared saunas

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services. The statements and views expressed are not medical advice and are not meant to replace the advice of your medical doctor. This podcast, including Jen Heller and her guests, disclaims any responsibility and any adverse effects you may experience from the specific use of the information contained herein. The opinions of guests are their own and this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for the statements made by guests. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you think you have a medical condition, consult your licensed physician.