What Does Low EMF Mean in a Sauna?

“Low EMF” appears on almost every infrared sauna sold. There is no standard behind the phrase, no required test method, and no threshold it has to meet. On its own it is a marketing claim, not a specification.

What is actually being measured

Any electrical appliance produces electric and magnetic fields when current flows through it. A sauna emitter is a heating element carrying substantial current close to where you sit, which is why the question comes up in this category and not for, say, a lamp.

Manufacturers who take this seriously publish measured readings: the field strength, the units, the distance the measurement was taken from the emitter, and the method used. Those four things together let you compare two cabins. A label that says “Low EMF” gives you none of them.

What to ask for

• Measured field readings, in stated units.
• The distance the measurement was taken at — readings fall off sharply with distance, so a figure without one is meaningless.
• Where in the cabin it was measured: at the emitter face, at the bench, or at head height.
• Whether the measurement was taken by the manufacturer or by an independent laboratory.
• Whether both electric and magnetic fields were measured, since some manufacturers report only one.

How to weigh it

Regulatory bodies have not established that fields at the levels produced by domestic appliances cause harm, and we are not going to tell you otherwise. What we will say is this: a manufacturer willing to publish measured data with a stated method is demonstrating something about how they engineer and document their products generally. That is worth paying attention to regardless of how much weight you give the underlying question.

Do not let it crowd out the specifications that decide satisfaction

Emitter layout, interior dimensions, electrical requirement, and warranty terms all have a much larger effect on whether you are happy with a sauna in three years. If a cabin is being sold primarily on an EMF claim, ask what else it has.

The infrared sauna buying guide sets out the full specification list, including emitter layout and electrical requirements. Related: infrared versus traditional saunas.

Information provided by IMPERVITA is for educational and general wellness purposes and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Comparing cabins? See home saunas for how infrared and traditional heat differ, and what each needs from your home.