How to pick the right infrared lamp for your bathroom
Nobody likes that shock of cold air when you step out of a hot shower. But here’s the thing: if you pick the wrong wattage for your heater, you’re either going to be shivering in a cold spot or throwing money away on a power bill. We use short-wave infrared lamps. Unlike a space heater that tries to warm up all the air in the room, these go straight for the target. They heat you and the objects around you instantly. It feels like stepping into a patch of sunlight on a winter day.
Getting the power right
It really comes down to how much space you’re dealing with. If you’ve got a tiny powder room (under 4m²), a single 250W to 400W lamp usually does the trick. You’ll feel that warmth almost immediately. But for those big master baths (8m² to 12m²), you’ll want a few lamps working together—somewhere between 600W and 1200W total. Just be careful not to go overboard. If you cram too much power into a tiny room, you risk overheating the fixture. On the flip side, if the lamp is too weak, it has to stay on longer. That wears out the filament faster and costs you more in the long run.
A few things to keep in mind
We build these with quartz glass and halogen gas. It sounds technical, but it basically just means the lamps last longer and can be switched on and off quickly without burning out. Pro tip: hook them up to a timer or a motion sensor. That way, they aren’t running while the room is empty. One thing people often forget is the light. High-wattage lamps can be blinding—not exactly the vibe you want when you’re trying to relax in the bath. We offer coated tubes that filter out that harsh white glare but keep all the heat. It costs a little more, but it saves you from squinting every time you flip the switch.
Where to put them
Placement is everything. Infrared heat doesn’t drift or float around like air from a vent; it travels in a straight line. Put the lamps directly above where you’ll actually be standing. Mount them high enough so the heat spreads out across the floor, but not so close that you feel like you’re standing under a heat gun. When you get the spacing right, the whole room feels cozy and balanced.