Let me state what are some of the key factors what I look at when evaluating a red light bed. And evaluate red light pads too. Not that all of what I use to evaluate red light beds will be useful to evaluate the pads, but quite a bit does come handy. I am listing the evaluation factors below, and these will be clearer as you read around my site. My page on know before you buy page goes a lot more into the details.

The Factors

• Power
• Irradiance
• Dosage
• Session lengths
• Burn types (fast versus slow)
• Beds with or without top canopy (and the effects of those)
• Bed shapes - flat or concave, and what works when
• Price vs. benefit (diminishing returns of excessive cost and power)
• How I run super-low pricing for new beds
• Discounts if you are interested in used beds, demo beds, beds with minor dents or scratches etc. - this usually takes a lot of price off

A key point to note: 99% of the benefits come after the session - your body needs to release the waste from the mitochondria boost. Make sure you're doing that, or the whole session is wasted. Whole body vibration is the way to go. Some of the red light beds some with whole body vibration plate units built in and for the rest, you might want to keep a vibration plate machine handy for post-session use.

Now, let me head over to explain the key calculation that lets you connect session length, dosage and power levels. You do not need this calculation as anyway for each red light unit I have listed and have tested myself, I have done it for you and provided on this website. But still, if you feel interested to run your own tests and calculations, you will be able to use this. And for those who did not know before, now you know!

Learn how each red light unit is different before you purchase.

Trifecta Light The Trifecta Light red light bed is getting a lot of attention lately. It’s a popular choice for those who aren't set on buying something entirely made in the USA and find the NovoTHOR out of their budget. People who like the concave design tend to lean toward this one. In terms of intensity, I'd call it a mid-range burn. It ramps up power slower than the OvationULT but isn't as slow-paced as the Lightstim. Click to read more.

NovoTHOR NovoTHOR is a fully USA-made red light unit. And it is by far the most expensive one. The power and quality of this machine are awesome. The feeling of a`session on this bed is an addictive one that practically no other bed can deliver. Patients love being on this bed, and spas/clinics often treat this brand as their ultimate upgrade. Trifecta Light of late has given it competition. In summary, is a Royal Grand Bed! Click to read more.

Lightstim LightStim beds offer a slower LED therapy experience, typically requiring two sessions of 20-30 mins each for full-body treatment (or, one session of 60 minutes). While newer models have reduced session times, many users still prefer longer, more relaxing sessions. Despite competition, LightStim remains a clinic favorite. Brand-new beds are pricey, but discounted trade show models are often available. Click to read more.

OvationULT This bed features a zero-gravity design for enhanced comfort and deeper red and infrared light penetration. Unlike concave beds, it keeps the light panel close to the body, maximizing absorption. Irradiance of 69 mW/cm² - much higher than competitors. It delivers results in just 10 minutes. A good choice for busy clinics/spas. Click to read more.

Theraight 360 Theralight is a well-established brand in the USA and do well for themselves. It is made in the USA, and is a concave bed. In terms of power, it is a good strong bed. However, this bed misses the 660 nm wavelength, thereby making the deeper penetration relatively less effective. It is one of the FDA-registered beds. Often available for resale. Click to read more.

Prism Light Pod The Prism Light Pod has 17,000 diodes. It provides a genuine 360o body coverage, and generates 630nm, 660nm and 850nm. This is also registered by the FDA, awaiting clearance. Overall, it is a good bed - one of my top 6 choices among the red light beds available today. It is a canopy bed with a top-cover that provides medium burn rate. Click to read more.

Envy Capsule by Lightwave This is a strong bed with 24,000 light capsules. First red light bed to provide full encapsulation. Good-quality bed - nearly as good as NovoTHOR and OvationULT. The catch though is their specified session length is too much compared to what a normal human body can take from a fast burn bed operating at such high power. Click to read more.

Celluma Red Light Beds Celluma, back in 2017-18, had a great market of its own. Many liked Celluma. Today, for Celluma, I get a is a lot of buyback requests. And since these units are good, I sell based upon my buyback request queue. There's no manufacturer price as these are used units. So I put a price tag on it using the formula I have explained here. Click to read more.

Helios Red Light Bed Helios is one of the two main models owned by Solbasium. It handles red and infrared light spectrums, covering the 633 nm, 660 nm, 810 nm, 830 nm, and 940 nm. Most beds have two wavelengths only (one red and one infrared), at most three, not five. Further, Helios has a good red:infrared ratio at 75:25. Click to read more.

Neolight Bed by Neoscience Like the new Trifecta Light bed, the Neolight is also a new bed, that came out in 2023. It is also equipped with modern diodes of good strength and penetration. However, these beds are meant for slower burn sessions, not faster. The beds are starting to generate some interest among potential buyers now, as it is finding its way into the competition. It appears to be a good bed overall.

ReGen Pod Q8 Beds This is also another relatively new entrant, and is finding traction among buyers. It is a powerful machine and is at the same price league as Lightstim. Being a modern machine, it connects to the wifi, and can perform remote update of therapy protocols. Equipped with program upgraders, diagnostics and session customizations. I am yet to complete my full review of this machine, hoping to do that soon.

Mito Red Light Beds Weighing in at a hefty 800 pounds, the Mito Red Light bed is a heavy unit - more than twice as heavy as the 320-pound Prism. It runs on a 30-amp outlet, so forget about using a standard 15- or 20-amp plug. Electrical interference with other devices is a menace. The bed features 41,600 diodes and delivers a full session in just 10 minutes. It is FDA-registered though not yet cleared.

Dr. Barolet's study of optical penetration depth of wavelengths

Light (optical) spectrum, red light, infrared light and wavelengths - a visual introduction

We measure heat at 4 different distances from the red light at 1/32^th, 1/8^th 1/4^th and 1 inch using our laser thermometer, and compare across concave, zero gravity, and flat red light beds.

Don't mistake circuit board heat for actual red light therapy! If the temperature you're feeling comes from the electronic circuitry underneath, not the light itself, you're basically just getting a pricey heating pad instead of a real red light unit with its benefits. And if that's what you're after, save yourself the trouble. Amazon has them for 15 bucks.

Sarcastically speaking, need recommendations for those? I've got a few (that I don't want you to buy - they are not red light units at all)!

Top sales pitch videos for each red light bet - for and against

I've broken these beds down into grades based on these real-world parameters. And then I have broken further down to sub-grades too. The primary factors that I have looked into are thickness of covers over LED light diodes, depth of penetration, how closely the canopy touches the body (if there is any canopy at all), design type (flat, zero-gravity, concave), heat generated in the clinic/spa room, noise, smelling (off-gassing - imports from China often suffer from this), warranties and customer service.

What I have also noticed is that, most people go for a grade-2 bed and even lower (grade-3), which are mostly re-brands from a few big manufacturers, and mostly based in China. And then their experiences turn out to be unsatisfactory.

If you have questions about the ranking and performance of any brand or model, simply ask me. Call me if you want (1-888-547-5296).

Grade-A:
A1: Trifecta, NovoTHOR, Lightstim, OvationULT. This is the best category, with the best irradiance, lowest latent heat and best-quality circuit boards.
A2: Theralight, Prism.

Grade-B:
B1: Lightwave Envy, Celluma, Regen Pod Q8.
B2: Helios, NeoScience.

Grade-C: MITO and a lot more. Most red light beds falling under this grade - give or take about 90% - are merely rebranded versions from the same two manufacturers based in China. IF I have not discussed a brand on my website that you are looking for, talk to me once unless you are sure that it does not fall under Grade-C. I have help you figure out during our discussion.

How to Choose: Zero Gravity, Flat, or Concave?

Concave beds work for some, but others find them uncomfortable, especially for longer sessions. Some of the new designs are zero gravity, adjusting to the body’s natural shape.

• Concave - These beds can push the shoulders in, especially if you have a wide frame. Also, if the patient is in pain, this might be difficult to use depending upon the type, place and intensity of the pain.
• Flat - Try lying on the floor for 20 minutes to see if it works for you, if this is meant for yourself.
• Zero Gravity - Feels more natural due to comfortable pose. Most beds using this tend to have canopy and shorter session times (most are just 10 minutes).

If you have questions about any of the specifics, or want to discuss with me and understand where your red light unit falls because I didn't list it here, I shall be happy to chat by phone (1-888-547-5296), text, or email to help you figure it out—without the headache.