Why we publish the rubric
Most review sites give you a number and hope you trust it. We think you deserve to see the math. Every score on InfraredTested comes from the rubric on this page — five categories, ten points each, summed to fifty and divided by five for a final score out of ten.
What we don't do: we don't operate a physical lab. We don't own calibrated integrating spheres. We don't claim to independently verify every irradiance figure on a manufacturer datasheet. What we do is compile, verify, and cross-reference the public record — FDA clearances, CPSC recall filings, manufacturer specs, third-party test reports when they exist, Amazon and Trustpilot review distributions, and sentiment from r/redlighttherapy, r/Biohackers, and r/infraredsauna.
If the data is thin, we say so and we dock the score. If a brand publishes third-party EMF numbers, they get credit for it. If a sister product line had a recall, we note it. We round to the first decimal and we don't round up.
The five categories
1. Spec quality /10
Does the product deliver the specs that matter for its category? We read manufacturer datasheets, FDA 510(k) summaries where applicable, and any third-party testing a brand has published.
- Masks: LED count, wavelength coverage (633nm red + 830/850nm NIR is the minimum serious spec), irradiance (>30 mW/cm² is good), FDA clearance, battery life.
- Panels: total power output (watts), measured irradiance at 6" (>100 mW/cm² is strong), number of wavelengths, coverage area, dollars per watt.
- Sauna blankets: maximum temperature (>160°F is the floor for a useful session), heat-up time, layering materials (charcoal, clay, and crystals each add points), far-infrared wavelength range.
Sources: manufacturer datasheets, FDA 510(k) database, patent filings, brand-published third-party test reports.
2. Community sentiment /10
The average experience of real buyers, weighted across platforms.
| Average star rating | Points |
|---|---|
| 4.8+ | 10 |
| 4.5 – 4.7 | 8 |
| 4.2 – 4.4 | 6 |
| 4.0 – 4.1 | 4 |
| Below 4.0 | 2 |
We temper Amazon averages with Trustpilot where available, and we read Reddit threads (r/redlighttherapy, r/Biohackers, r/infraredsauna) to catch patterns the star rating misses — customer service horror stories, durability complaints, known defects. A 4.5 on Amazon with a thread full of RMA nightmares on Reddit gets docked a band.
Sources: Amazon, Trustpilot, Reddit (weighted by subreddit quality), BBB, retailer review sections.
3. Safety record /10
Recall history, regulatory clearances, and whether the brand publishes third-party EMF or thermal safety data.
| Status | Points |
|---|---|
| FDA-cleared + published third-party EMF/safety data + no recall history | 10 |
| FDA-cleared OR published safety data + no recalls | 8 |
| No recalls but no public safety data | 6 |
| Recall history (resolved) | 4 |
| Active recall or current safety concern | 0–2 |
Sources: FDA 510(k) database, CPSC recalls database, Health Canada advisories, brand-published EMF reports.
4. Value /10
How much real capability you get per dollar — not just sticker price.
- Masks: dollars per LED, modulated by wavelength quality. Sub-$200 with 200+ LEDs and proper red+NIR is excellent value.
- Panels: dollars per watt. Under $3/W is excellent; $3–$5 is good; $5–$10 is average; over $10 is poor (Joovv territory at roughly $21/W).
- Blankets: price per feature — size, layering materials, and warranty length all factor in.
Sources: retailer listings, historical price trackers, spec sheets.
5. Build & warranty /10
| Profile | Points |
|---|---|
| Lifetime warranty + 90+ day return + premium materials + excellent service reputation | 10 |
| 3+ year warranty + 60+ day return + solid materials | 8 |
| 1–2 year warranty + 30 day return | 6 |
| 1 year warranty + 14 day return | 4 |
| No warranty or documented poor service | 0–2 |
Sources: brand warranty pages, retailer return policies, Trustpilot service complaints, Reddit CS threads.
How the final score works: we assign whole-number scores (0–10) for each of the five categories, sum them out of 50, then divide by 5. Final scores are reported to one decimal place. We don't round up. A product that earns 43/50 displays as 8.6, not 9.
Worked example: HigherDose Infrared Sauna Blanket V4
The V4 is a $699 far-infrared sauna blanket with a 175°F maximum temperature, 8–10 minute heat-up (the fastest in its class), a layered amethyst / tourmaline / charcoal / clay interior, and independently reported EMF of 2.1 mG. Here's how it scores:
1. Spec quality — 9/10
Hits the 160°F+ floor with headroom, fastest heat-up in the category, and the full layer stack (charcoal + clay + crystals) all present. Loses a point because HigherDose doesn't publish a discrete FIR wavelength range the way medical-grade FIR manufacturers do.
2. Community sentiment — 8/10
Amazon average sits at 4.6 across thousands of reviews; Reddit sentiment on r/infraredsauna is net positive with the usual complaints about zipper longevity. 4.5–4.7 band = 8 points.
3. Safety record — 10/10
HigherDose publishes third-party EMF test results (2.1 mG at use distance — lowest in the category), there are no CPSC recalls against the V4, and the brand has been selling infrared products long enough that any systemic issue would have surfaced. Published third-party data + no recalls = 10.
4. Value — 6/10
$699 is premium. You get the best layer stack and the best EMF numbers for the money, but budget competitors deliver a working blanket for under $300. 6 reflects "premium, earned, but not an obvious bargain."
5. Build & warranty — 8/10
120-day return window (above the 90-day threshold), 1-year warranty, solid materials. The 1-year warranty keeps this from a 10; the 120-day return pulls it above a 6.
Final — 41/50
8.2 / 10
9 + 8 + 10 + 6 + 8 = 41. 41 ÷ 5 = 8.2.
Limitations
We want to be explicit about what this rubric can and cannot tell you.
- We haven't physically tested every product. Irradiance, EMF, and heat-up figures are drawn from manufacturer datasheets and, where available, third-party reports the brand commissioned. We're not the lab verifying those numbers from scratch.
- Manufacturer claims can be optimistic. Panel irradiance in particular is often measured at zero distance rather than the 6" therapeutic distance. We try to note this where it matters.
- Community sentiment can be gamed. Incentivized reviews and review farms are a real problem on Amazon. We weight Trustpilot and Reddit specifically because they're harder to game, but no public rating system is clean.
- Category 2 is the noisiest. A new product with 200 reviews at 4.5 stars is a different animal from a 5-year product with 12,000 reviews at 4.5 stars. We lean on the longer track record when we can, and we dock thin-data products.
- The rubric favors data transparency. A brand that publishes EMF tests beats one that doesn't, even if the underlying product is similar. We think that's the right incentive, but it means brands with great engineering and bad marketing can underscore.
If you think we got a score wrong, email [email protected] with the evidence and we'll review it.