In this HigherDOSE sauna blanket review I’ll show you my temperature and EMF testing results, my time till sweat test, other details that matter, and a must know before buying in the Where to Buy section.
Editor’s Quick Take
Overall this a great sauna blanket, there are more affordable options and there’s no crystal infrared heat (with accompanying negative ions) like some brands have, but for the low EMFs all around, grounding, quick heat up and overly generous return policy I really like the HigherDose.
I tested the EMFs, the heat up time, how long it took me to start sweating and the grounding and found really low EMFs, 15-20 minute heat up, and that it lowered my body static voltage charge (grounding) when I had a friend test me with a volt meter.
The blanket isn’t very heavy (relatively and compared to others) and you can get a good sweat session using it.
For most everyone except me the size will likely work easily, I’m 6 5” and to keep the heat in around my shoulders I need to use a towel, but I think if I were 6 2” or under I wouldn’t need it.
Really can’t go wrong with the 120 day return policy either.
Quick Links to Testing & Top Sections
Quick Fact Sheet
| Price | $899 (blanket only; bundles/inserts cost more) |
| Returns | 120 day |
| Warranty | 1 year limited |
| Temperature | 147.9 F (highest I measured) |
| EMFs | Very low (by my tests) |
| Grounding | Reduces body voltage (by my tests) |
| Material | High temp polyurethane |
| Voltage | 100-120V (US/Canada); 220V (UK/EU) |
| Size | 75″ long (fits ~6 2″ tall, my estimate) |
Pros & Cons
Best return policy at 120 days
Uses a zipper for easy open/close
Tested low EMF & VOC
Grounding
Heats up relatively quickly
Higher price, $200-$400 more than competition
Crystal therapy is limited if at all through the polyurethane outer membrane
Time remaining doesn’t show on controller
Quick Fact Sheet
| Price | $699 (blanket only; bundles/inserts cost more) |
| Returns | 120 day |
| Warranty | 1 year limited |
| Temperature | 156.5 F (highest I measured) |
| EMFs | Very low (by my tests) |
| Grounding | Reduces body voltage (by my tests) |
| Material | High temp polyurethane |
| Voltage | 100-120V (US/Canada); 220V (UK/EU) |
| Size | 70″ long (fits ~6 2″ tall, my estimate) |
Pros & Cons
Best return policy at 120 days
Uses a zipper for easy open/close
Tested low EMF & VOC
Grounding
Heats up relatively quickly
Higher price, $200-$400 more than competition
Crystal therapy is limited if at all through the polyurethane outer membrane
Time remaining doesn’t show on controller
Temperature Testing
I tested out the temperature of the Higherdose sauna blanket with an infrared thermometer gun since to me the temperature is probably the most important thing when it comes to a sauna.
That and how fast it will heat up.
Infrared Thermometer Test
For testing the temperature I checked it two ways.
Pretty funny, I’m not sure why I didn’t think of this first, but first I did a full round of using the temperature gun on it, opening the blanket up wide for each time interval test.
Then I realized why don’t I just shine the infrared temperature gun in from the top each time instead of losing heat by opening it up wide – so here’s those results.
After 20 minutes reaching around 145.7 F wasn’t a bad result, pretty good temperature to start at if you let it preheat for 20 minutes before hopping in.
| Time | Temperature |
|---|---|
| 5 min | 101.3 F |
| 10 min | 137.1 F |
| 20 min | 145.7 F |
| 30 min | 154.5 F |
| 40 min | 156.5 F |
Those numbers in the table are kind of the “average” at those time stamps, once I have the video posted you will see that the temperature reading is jumping around wildly as the laser touches different points inside the blanket.
I did my best to screenshot kind of a “representative” point in the temperature readings at each time.
What the table does give us though is a fairly accurate look at how quickly the blanket heats up, useful to know for how early we should turn it on to preheat.
Reported values
Now a quick look at what’s reported for temperatures.
| Previously reported on HigherDose website | Up to 158 F |
| Currently reported on HigherDose website | Up to 175 F |
You’ll see the 158 F number on some websites still because this is what used to be reported on the HigherDose page, now they show 175 F.
I think these numbers refer to the internal elements or some kind of ideal condition because what I tested didn’t get to that number.
The very highest number I got a reading for was 156.5 F after around 40 minutes of heating up as you saw above.
How it Felt
You can see me here taking a session in the HigherDose sauna blanket in my apartment, you need about as much space as you would for a yoga mat – you can see in the photo I have a double wide and extra long yoga mat there.
I was using the towel insert which comes as an optional accessory, and I do recommend it just to make things easy because it is necessary to use some kind of liner/clothes because direct contact with the heating elements will be too hot to be directly on the skin.
You can of course swap out the insert for a sweatshirt and sweatpants, or even just line the inside with towels.
I have quite a bit of sauna experience over the years and personally I like the sauna hot, normally I will stay in a sauna till it gets to the point of being uncomfortable and then try and stay a few minutes longer before getting out.
For me it took longer than it might in a traditional sauna to get to that point of being uncomfortable, normally that takes around 15 minutes in a hot sauna and I try to stay to the 20 minute mark, in the HigherDose sauna blanket I was in there more like 20-25 minutes before things started getting a bit uncomfortable.
It is overall a different experience, having the insert or towels absorbing sweat along the way and feeling the weight of the blanket on you – it’s not the same as sitting in a traditional sauna – but you can still get a sweat if you’re craving one.
How it Heats
After a few uses the infrared elements are a bit more visible, like with my blanket you can see their outline in the photo here.
Nothing wrong with this, you don’t feel them poking or anything , especially when using a towel insert.
Most sauna blankets use infrared elements like these, some others will instead heat crystals to provide the infrared heat in a more even fashion.
For example the Heat Healer sauna blanket uses crystals and it provides a much more even heat distribution across the surface of the blanket.
I think using just plain infrared elements like HigherDose gets the sauna blanket to heat up more quickly, the crystals may take longer but they actually emit a different wavelength of infrared.
For example heated amethyst emits infrared wavelengths as close as it gets to the wavelength emitted by the human body – therefore the heated crystals can have a much more soothing effect much like the touch of a mother’s hand on ones’ forehead, when compared to carbon fiber heating elements.
You might want to see the side by side temperature, sweat, and EMF testing between these two sauna blankets on my Heat Healer vs Higher Dose sauna blanket comparison page.
Sweat Test
This test was pretty simple, just, how long did it take until I felt myself starting to sweat while using the Higherdose sauna blanket.
To me it’s kind of the most relevant test because I want to sweat when I’m using a sauna, it’s for detox after all.
The Higherdose sauna blanket time till I started to sweat using it was 12 minutes.
This isn’t bad considering even in a traditional sauna usually it takes me up to 10 minutes before I start to sweat, and then it’s the subsequent 10 to 15 minutes where you really get the benefits.
EMF Testing
With the EMF testing I tried various locations all over the sauna blanket, and checked with the blanket turned off to find a baseline, and then again with it turned on to see if there was a noticeable difference.
I also tested the controller itself (which is expected to give off EMF’s as a functioning electronic).
HigherDose has also had independent testing done of the sauna blanket EMFs but I wanted to test for myself.
The results were really good.
There’s two kinds of EMFs, magnetic and electrical to consider.
Magnetic EMF Testing
Blanket EMFs
You can see in the image collage below the readings I took in various spots on the blanket.
The top row shows readings when the blanket was off, 0.2, 0.2, and 0.2 on the meter (milliGauss).
The bottom row shows readings with the blanket turned on and I got 0.2, 0.1, and 0.1 (milliGauss).
The reading in the bottom left was inside the blanket instead of on the outside just to check.
Some of the readings I got with the blanket turned on were even lower than with it shut off.
The readings when it was turned off may have just been from EMFs around the house, or wiring in the floor for example.
The HigherDose not showing any increase over baseline EMFs when turned on is pretty impressive.
Controller EMFs
Next I tested the controller for EMFs.
The closer I brought the meter towards the controller the higher the reading would go (of course).
The controller definitely gave off some EMFs, but nothing which was concerning.
I got 9.5 mG measured at the distance I held the TriField meter, closer I went the higher the reading of course.
The controller plugs into the blanket in the corner by the feet, so you can leave it on the floor well away from the blanket while you’re using it.
Electrical EMF Testing
Electrical EMF testing write up is coming as soon as I film it, I missed doing it the first time around but it was not significant when I did a quick spot check.
I’ll update this section with photos of the testing once I have the footage shot.
Grounding
This is something commonly stated by brands and commonly overlooked as well.
With the HigherDose I had my friend check me with his volt meter while I was sitting on the blanket and actually my body voltage went down with the blanket turned on.
What is grounding? It’s linking to the literal ground of the Earth, this dispels static electricity charge, which can build up on anyone.
The main thing with a sauna blanket is I wouldn’t want the sauna blanket to increase my body’s voltage.
Great sign, I really like this about the HigherDose, almost like being barefoot in the grass and getting that voltage dispelling grounding you can get from being directly connected to the Earth.
How to Use the Controller
Timer
The timer on the controller will run one hour, no adjustments.
So if you turn it off and then back on quickly, it’s reset to run for one hour.
How to use it
Only a dial and one single button, very easy to use.
On/off button sets the timer to run “on” for 60 minutes, and the dial lets you choose 1-8 for which heat level you want.
I always run it at 8, but if you’re easing into the whole sauna thing you can start much lower.
Who it Fits
Who it fits, mostly everyone, but, if you’re 6 ft 2” or taller I think you’ll be right on edge and may need to use a towel around your shoulders to help keep the heat in.
For example, I’m 6 5” and I can’t get the top flap closed so I need to use a towel to keep in the heat.
HigherDose reports the interior circumference to be 65”, but when I unfolded the blanket and measured straight across (which should be equal to the interior circumference) I measured 68.5” as shown below.
This is pretty typical for sauna blanket sizing, the only different one is the Heat Healer which is slightly longer at 75”, but if you’re at that height range, 6 2” or more (I’m 6 5”) you might want to consider the length.
You can see how I fit, at 6 5″, into the Heat Healer on my Heat Healer sauna blanket review page.
You don’t need too much room to store or use it either, works fine in my apartment between the kitchen and living room, one storage tip if you’re not using the backpack is to just slide it under the couch when you’re not using it.
Materials
HigherDose’s sauna blanket is made from polyurethane leather and the interior components include the infrared elements, a charcoal layer, a clay layer (to better distribute heat), crystal layer, a magnetic strip and a grounding layer.
Important to most people is that these types of fake leather products don’t have an off-gassing smell, and one thing I like about the HigherDose in particular on this is they’ve had independent testing done of the VOC (volatile organic compound) output of the blanket.
Most brands haven’t done this and it gives peace of mind that you aren’t inhaling anything unhealthy when using the blanket.
You can see their testing document here on their website, HigherDose sauna blanket PU artificial leather test document.
Above is me cleaning the sauna blanket after use, quite easy, just using a mild cleaner and a damp towel.
Regarding the other layers and materials HigherDose used in constructing their sauna blanket, it’s likely they do have a grounding layer built in based on the voltage testing I did while sitting on the sauna blanket.
The crystal layer we can’t know for sure if it’s in there or not, but it likely won’t output any negative ions because the crystals are sealed inside the blanket’s impermeable polyurethane layer – meanwhile on their website they do state that you get negative ions in the product description so pay attention to this if this was a selling feature for you.
I’m not sure if the clay layer mentioned which is to distribute heat more evenly is doing very much because when using the thermometer gun the temperature would flicker all over the place up and down 5 degrees or more at a time.
That being said, once you’re inside the blanket using it you don’t notice any hot spots or anything like that so whatever is in there it’s working well enough.
If you want to compare what other sauna blankets are made from you can see the sauna blanket materials compared on our main sauna blankets page.
Accessories
With the sauna blanket there’s really only a couple different accessories for it.
These are the carrying bag and the towel insert.
While the towel insert isn’t necessary, I do like it because it’s thick, and because it’s in a bag shape, so I don’t need socks or something to keep my feet from sticking out directly against the inside of the sauna blanket against the heating elements.
You can see my towel insert pictured below and my carrying bag, these look to have slight design updates from the ones I have.
The carrying bag is certainly convenient for transport and just storage too, and it is unusually large, kind of like a paddle board backpack, to make sure it fits in there easily.
I like the bag, I’ve dimensioned it for you above in case you have a large bag at home you may be able to use instead.
Neither the bag or towel insert accessories are inexpensive for what they are, but they both do the trick.
HigherDose also sells some small cleaner bottles but if you have any kind of just mild, like vinegar based cleaner spray at home that does a great job really.
Warranty
The warranty on the HigherDose sauna blanket is one year, fairly standard.
It doesn’t apply to any wear and tear or damages, only to manufacturer defects.
This is a fairly standard warranty when it comes to sauna blankets, with the exception of Heat Healer that offers a much better 3 year warranty.
Returns
The return policy on the HigherDose sauna blanket is one area where it really stands out from the others with a 120-day return policy.
The exception is on the accessories, like the bag and insert, which if unopened also have a 120 day return policy, but once opened only defective products will be considered for exchange.
Also be careful because you don’t get the same return policy if buying through Amazon.
If you want the 120 day return policy make sure to buy from HigherDose direct, like via our link here:
All the other sauna blankets offer a standard 30 day return policy.
You can see all of the sauna blanket return policy details compared here.
Certifications
HigherDose includes a formal FCC Part 15 compliance statement on their warranty page under the infrared sauna blanket section.
FCC Part 15 is the standard US certification for how much RF/electrical interference a consumer device is permitted to emit and how it has to behave around other electronics.
Basically just the very basic standard for any electronic device in the home.
Otherwise they did their VOC compound testing and EMF testing which I linked to in those sections above, those aren’t certifications but they are third party testing.
Main Differences to Other Sauna Blankets
We can list off a few key point differences for the HigherDose versus other sauna blankets:
- Premium Price compared to others, it is a few hundred dollars more than the next sauna blanket
- No timing control on controller (just single button on/off which runs 1 hour, other controllers allow time control)
- 120 Day return policy window (big one, other brands offer 30 days)
- More testing than other brands with the EMF and VOC 3rd party testing, not all brands have done this (HeatHealer is another that has done this)
See how HigherDose compares to the HeatHealer sauna blanket on our head to head testing comparison page.
Final Considerations
If you already know you want a sauna blanket but you’re more price conscious, you can get a solid option from other brands for quite a bit less than HigherDOSE.
Where HigherDOSE really stands out is for people who aren’t 100% sure yet: the 120-day return policy gives you a lot more time to figure out if you’ll actually use it or if it’s going back.
If you’re specifically wanting crystal therapy and negative ions, the only blanket that really delivers that in a noticeable, physical way is Heat Healer – it has visible jade and tourmaline stones.
Whatever crystal content is in the HigherDOSE blanket is inside the layers and doesn’t get past the non-permeable polyurethane outer shell in any tactile way.
On the practical side, HigherDOSE is one of the easier blankets to live with and move around.
If you grab the backpack accessory, the weight is totally manageable to carry, and the controller is the simplest of the bunch: on/off for the timer and a straightforward heat dial.
HigherDOSE is likely the right fit for you if you don’t mind paying a bit more, you’re not completely sure you’ll keep it and want the option to return it without rushing, and you like the extra low-EMF and grounding testing they’ve done (plus my own EMF tests on this page that back it up).
Where to Buy
If you want the full 120-day money-back guarantee and 1-year warranty from HigherDOSE, I recommend buying straight from the brand:
- HigherDOSE official store (US/Canada/global) –
Infrared Sauna Blanket product page (this is where you’ll see current pricing, bundles and any sales):
HigherDose is also sold on Amazon, but they only offer a 45 day satisfaction guarantee for purchases made there, so if you want the full advantage of 120 day returns you should purchase via the button above on the HigherDose website directly.
Frequently asked Questions
If you’re EMF-conscious and want a simple blanket from a big wellness brand with a 120-day money-back guarantee and 1-year warranty, then yes, it’s one of the better “premium” choices. HigherDOSE publishes its own EMF/VOC testing and positions this blanket as low-EMF with grounding layers, and in my testing it produced a strong, cabin-style sweat without weird hot spots.There are good performing, lower priced sauna blankets but if you want low EMF + long trial + big brand backing, this one makes sense.
HigherDose mainly reports the benefits of their sauna blanket as relaxation, glowing skin, detox support, calorie burning, increased circulation and muscle recovery – from the infrared heat. Effectively everything which you get from a normal sauna. It is a wellness device and anyone with health conditions (heart, blood pressure, pregnancy, etc.) should check with their doctor first.
In my testing with a laser temperature gun the hottest surface temperature I recorded was 147.9 F after about 40 minutes of letting it warm up. Currently HigherDose reports on their website temperatures of up to 175 F, and other people online are reporting 158 F which was the number reported previously on HigherDose’s website. Those numbers must be at the elements or in ideal conditions because I never recorded that – but it is still hot enough to feel hot, like a sauna should.
For most people 20 to 40 minutes per session is plenty, it also depends if you get into the blanket immediately or let it warm up to temperature first. On HigherDose’s website they suggest beginners start with 20 to 30 minutes. Treat it like a normal sauna, if you’re feeling light-headed or unwell get out and hydrate, tolerance will typically build up over time.
Very simple: lay it flat on any surface (floor, bed, couch), plug in and turn on to desired temperature set point, allow 15-20 minutes to heat up (my recommendation, 25 min if you want it hot, hot), make sure to either use towels, a sauna blanket insert or long sleeves and pants (you don’t want direct contact with the heating elements), get in and close the blanket around your shoulders to keep the heat in, then enjoy your sauna session.
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