Overview
The Glow is SaunaSpace's smallest product: a single incandescent heat lamp, mounted on a basswood panel with a stainless steel guard, that you point at your face, back or feet. It gives off warmth and visible red light, with most of its output in the near-infrared. It's the same FireLight bulb SaunaSpace uses in its full saunas, in a format that sits on a desk or a bedside table.
- Price: $695 list, $626 during the 10% sale at the end of September 2026. Payment over time is available.
- For Europe: order the Euro adapter option, which ships the 240 V bulb. The electrics are CE-certified.
- Reviews: 4.9 out of 5 from 463 reviews on the SaunaSpace site.
Specifications
| Bulb | 1 FireLight incandescent bulb, 250 W, 120 V or 240 V to match the plug |
| Power | 1 A at 240 V, 2 A at 120 V. Power cord 4.6 m, shielded |
| Glow size | 34.6 x 19.5 x 22.9 cm, 1.6 kg |
| Base | 28.6 x 25.4 x 2.6 cm, 0.5 kg |
| Materials | Raw basswood and stainless steel |
| In the box | Glow, bulb, base, shielded power cord, outlet tester |
| Approvals | Electrical parts UL-listed, CE-certified |
| Options | Soft case ($295 list), desk arm |
Background
SaunaSpace, a US company, builds near-infrared saunas around its own hand-blown incandescent bulbs, the FireLight bulbs. Most red-light products use LED panels at a few narrow wavelengths. SaunaSpace takes the opposite view: an incandescent bulb gives a broad spectrum from visible red into the infrared, with warmth, no LED flicker and, the company says, no EMF thanks to the shielding.
The Glow is the entry point to that range. A full FireLight sauna starts at $4,995.
What the science says
SaunaSpace lists 12 benefits on the page, from detox and weight loss to longevity and "enhanced cognition". Treat that list as marketing. The claims with the most research behind them are narrower:
- Warmth on sore muscles, the old use of heat lamps.
- Red and near-infrared light on skin (photobiomodulation), with studies on collagen and wound healing, mostly with defined doses from LED devices.
- Light and circadian rhythm: bright light in the morning helps set the body clock, and warm, dim light in the evening disturbs it less than blue light.
I found no endorsement of SaunaSpace by Andrew Huberman. In his episode on light, Using Light (Sunlight, Blue Light & Red Light) to Optimize Health, he names no brand. He discusses 670 nm red light: 1 to 3 minutes early in the day, a few times a week, which in studies from University College London offset part of the vision loss after 40. The Glow isn't a 670 nm device, and SaunaSpace publishes no light dose for it, so that protocol doesn't transfer directly.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- A real, simple heat lamp: switch on, feel the warmth at once.
- Well made from wood and steel, with a 240 V version for Europe.
- No flicker, and a warm light that suits an evening desk or bedside.
- Portable, with an optional travel case.
- Strong customer reviews.
Cons:
- Expensive for 1 incandescent bulb in a housing. Generic infrared heat lamps cost a fraction.
- No published dose: no irradiance or spectrum figures per distance, so it can't be matched to research protocols.
- Heat and power: 250 W gets hot, so keep a distance and don't use it unattended.
- Health claims run well ahead of the evidence.
- US import: shipping, VAT and customs to Germany come on top of the price.
Who it's for
People who want the warmth and red glow of a heat lamp as a daily ritual, in a good-looking object: at the desk during long screen days, on sore shoulders or a stiff lower back, or as evening light before bed. It's a comfort device first, not a clinical one.
Buying considerations
- Order: directly from SaunaSpace, with the Euro adapter option. Check shipping, VAT and customs at checkout.
- Trial: SaunaSpace offers a 100-day home trial across its handcrafted range. Confirm it covers international orders before buying.
- Alternatives: a standard infrared heat lamp with a guard gives the warmth for much less. LED red-light panels publish their wavelengths and doses, which matters if you want to follow a study protocol.
- Use: keep a safe distance from the hot bulb, don't stare into it, and start with short sessions.
Verdict
The Glow is a beautifully made heat lamp with a large markup and larger promises. The warmth and the evening light are real and pleasant. The long list of health benefits isn't backed by data for this device. Buy it if the object and the ritual appeal. For a measured red-light protocol, an LED panel with published figures is the better tool, and for Huberman's heat protocols, a hot Finnish sauna is the one his evidence supports.
Further Reading
