We Tested The Sun Home Saunas Luminar Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna — Our Honest Review

Longevity experts, athletes, and well-being enthusiasts (us included) have been touting the benefits of infrared saunas for years (e.g., pain relief1, enhanced muscle recovery2, improved skin health3, and improved cardiovascular function). And these health-boosting treatments are no longer reserved for spa appointments or wellness centers.

The ultimate longevity enhancer? Having a sauna at home allows you to reap the benefits daily. We tested the Sun Home Saunas Luminar™ Outdoor 5-Person Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna to see if this premium option is worth the investment.

The Sun Home Saunas Luminar™ Outdoor Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna is available in a 2-person or 5-person design. We tested the 5-person option, which costs $9,799.

It’s built from durable grade-A carbonized red cedar wood, with thick double pane glass throughout the unit for optimal insulation. The double-pane glass front gives the sauna a chic aesthetic and allows you to see the scenery around you while you soak up the benefits of its full-spectrum infrared technology.

The Luminar delivers wavelengths of near, mid, and far infrared heat through full-spectrum and far infrared heaters which are placed throughout the sauna. 

What sets this sauna apart from many others on the market is that it uses the brand’s patented EMF shield blocking technology to block all EMFs (frequencies below 300 hertz) and ELFs (extremely low frequency fields between 3 to 30 hertz).

In other words: You’re getting the lowest and safest electromagnetic field exposure possible.

Our tester, Phil Glorioso, set up the sauna outside his home and has been using it for about five months.

All Sun Home Saunas are typically delivered within ten days from the shipment date. You’ll receive a phone call from the brand’s freight partner to confirm the drop-off date and delivery time, and the driver will transport the sauna from the vehicle to where you plan to assemble it.

The sauna arrives on a pallet and the brand says it takes about 90 to 120 minutes to assemble, but our tester says assembly took about two and a half hours.

Delivery & installation were seamless

Like we said, our tester had no issues with delivery or installation. The entire process took about 2.5 hours.

Glorioso says the pieces are very well designed and fit together easily—but you’ll want an extra set of hands, as the pieces are fairly heavy.

Installation tip: The brand recommends leaving 4 to 6 inches around the sauna and 20 to 24 inches above the roof.

The design is beautiful

This thing is a work of art. You can tell just from looking at the Luminar that the wood is extremely high quality on the interior and exterior.

We also love the built-in LED panels on the inside and outside, which really come in handy if you’re using the sauna at night (what a vibe, right?).

Our tester says the curved design of the bench is comfortable to sit back on, and the design is quite spacious when it's just him inside. However, we'll note that this would be better as a 3- or 4-person sauna. Five people would feel very cramped.

It’s easy to operate (& the app makes it even easier)

We thought a sauna with so many features might be complicated to operate, but Glorioso says the Luminar is actually very intuitive. He particularly appreciates that you can use the corresponding app to turn the sauna on from inside your home, so it’s all ready to go when you get outside.

Of course, there's also a control panel inside the unit that you can use to adjust the temperature and lighting.

It heats up very quickly, but doesn’t feel uncomfortable

There are 3 infrared heaters and 6 full-spectrum heaters strategically placed throughout the sauna, allowing the entire unit to heat up quickly.

Glorioso says it only takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the Luminar to heat up to his desired temperature (140 degrees Fahrenheit) once he starts it on the app. 

The benefits are noticeable (& science-backed) 

Our tester is a former football player who lives a very active lifestyle. Prior to testing the Luminar, he struggled with shoulder pain from years of playing sports.

Glorioso has felt a significant improvement in his shoulder pain since he started using the Luminar sauna. He notes that his body feels noticeably better overall after each session.

Research backs this, too, with multiple studies showing that infrared saunas can help with pain relief1 and enhanced muscle recovery2.

Maintenance is simple

Prior to testing the Sun Home Saunas Luminar, Glorioso had a jacuzzi in his yard—so he really appreciates how much less maintenance this sauna takes. The durable wood is anti-bacterial and self-cleansing, and the sauna comes with a tarp cover for extra protection from the elements.

Glorioso actually keeps the cover on at all times and loves that the Velcro design allows him to open up only the front while keeping the rest protected.

All you’ll really need to do to maintain the Luminar’s interior is wipe down the interior with a disinfectant spray. It’s naturally protected from dust and dirt since the unit is inclosed. 

It’s low-EMF

The potential adverse effects of EMFs are still being studied, but (out of caution!) we like knowing that Sun Home’s blocking technology minimizes our EMF exposure as much as possible. 

It has a ton of extra features

Aside from the health benefits he’s felt since starting to use the Luminar, Glorioso’s favorite features are the medical-grade chromotherapy and the sauna’s Bluetooth capabilities.

For starters we'd change the name to 4-person sauna, just to keep things a little more comfortable.

But truth be told we had to hound Glorioso to come up with a con for the Luminar. It’s well-built, durable, easy to use, and offers research-backed health benefits.

One minor note Glorioso had is that the door does not have a stopper or anything preventing it from blowing open in the event of very heavy wind. He ended up a silicone stopper to his door, just as a precaution.

There are more portable, less expensive ways to integrate infrared technology into your routine. Infrared sauna blankets offer similar benefits to full infrared saunas, and there are a few budget-friendly at-home saunas available on the market.

But to be blunt: Neither of those options will have quite the same benefits as a well-constructed sauna.

The quality of the Luminar is leaps and bounds beyond low-cost options. Not only are the features and design significantly better, but you will have this sauna for much longer than a budget option would last.

And, while I do swear by my sauna blanket sessions for a solid detox and quicker recovery, there are obviously much more significant benefits to be had from a fully enclosed infrared sauna vs. an infrared sauna blanket. Every time I book a session at a local studio I dream about the day when I'll have one in my own home.

The verdict: Sun Home Saunas Luminar Infrared Sauna is a worthwhile investment for anyone who has the money in their budget.