Sun Home Equinox vs Luminar
The Equinox is Sun Home's indoor full-spectrum cabin on a 120 V circuit. The Luminar is its outdoor one: an aluminum shell over red cedar, more full-spectrum heaters, a 240 V circuit and a cover in the box. The question is where it lives.
The short version: the Equinox lives indoors — four or five far-infrared heaters and two full-spectrum heaters, in two- and three-person sizes, on a dedicated 120 V, 20 A circuit, at 541 or 620 lb. The Luminar lives outdoors — three or five far-infrared and six or ten full-spectrum heaters, in two- and five-person sizes, on a dedicated 240 V GFCI circuit, at 970 or 1,270 lb, with a fitted cover included. Choose by where it goes: a spare room with a 20 A circuit, or a garden with a pad and a 240 V run.
Side by side
| Equinox 2-Person | Equinox 3-Person | Luminar 2 | Luminar 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Indoors | Indoors | Outdoors, year-round | Outdoors, year-round |
| Heaters | 4 far-infrared + 2 full-spectrum | 5 far-infrared + 2 full-spectrum | 3 far-infrared + 6 full-spectrum | 5 far-infrared + 10 full-spectrum |
| Electrical | Dedicated 120 V, 20 A, standard breaker | Dedicated 120 V, 20 A, standard breaker | Dedicated 240 V GFCI, 20 A | Dedicated 240 V GFCI, 30 A |
| Outside (L × W × H) | 45.9 × 50.9 × 77.7 in | 45.9 × 62.3 × 77.7 in | 51.5 × 57 × 82.7 in | 51.75 × 82.25 × 84 in |
| Weight | 541 lb | 620 lb | 970 lb | 1,270 lb |
| Door opening | 28 in | 28 in | 24 in | 24 in |
| Cover | Not applicable | Not applicable | Fitted all-weather cover included | Fitted all-weather cover included |
| Cabinetry and heaters | 7 years | 7 years | Limited lifetime — up to 7 years, residential | Limited lifetime — up to 7 years, residential |
| Shorter-term cover | 3 years controls; 1 year glass doors and audio | 3 years controls; 1 year glass doors and audio | 3 years exterior cabin and controls; 1 year LED lighting, glass and audio | 3 years exterior cabin and controls; 1 year LED lighting, glass and audio |
Figures from Sun Home's Equinox and Luminar product pages and its warranty page, read on 2026-09-11.
Where it lives decides it
Sun Home says a level, dry indoor spot with 4 inches of wall clearance and 12 inches above the cabin suits the Equinox, and that a 7 × 6-foot room with an 8-foot ceiling fits either size. The Luminar is built for the garden: Sun Home says it operates below 25 °F, asks owners to clear snow from its base and roof — which is not built to carry more than a foot of it — and wants it at least five feet from other electrical devices. Cold air lengthens any outdoor cabin's warm-up; our cold climate page covers that trade.
The circuit
The Equinox runs on a dedicated 120 V, 20 A circuit with a standard breaker — Sun Home says GFCI and AFCI breakers trip during normal operation — plugged in directly, with no power strips or extension cords. The Luminar is the opposite on both counts: a dedicated 240 V circuit that must be GFCI-protected, 20 A for the Luminar 2 and 30 A for the Luminar 5, installed by a licensed electrician and run to wherever the cabin stands. That run is often the largest job in an outdoor install; see our outdoor sauna electrical guide.
Heat
Sun Home describes the Equinox as true full-spectrum infrared from four or five far-infrared heaters and two full-spectrum panels, with control of each heater's intensity. The Luminar leans further toward full spectrum: its glass-tube heaters, which give visible radiant heat, outnumber its flat carbon far-infrared panels two to one. Full-spectrum vs far-infrared explains what those heater types change. Sun Home sells an optional red light panel for the Luminar separately.
Weight and foundation
The Equinox needs a level, dry indoor floor and weighs 541 or 620 lb. A Luminar arrives palletized at the curb at 970 or 1,270 lb and stands on a pad you prepare; Sun Home says two or more people assemble its panels in about half a day. Our foundation guide covers the pad.
The warranty
Cover for cabinetry and heaters is the same length — seven years for the Equinox, and a limited lifetime on the Luminar that Sun Home's terms apply for up to seven years, residential only. The Luminar adds three years on its aluminum exterior cabin, and its general terms include parts, labor and shipping for the first 90 days; the Equinox section of the warranty page does not say how labor is handled. Weathering and weather events are excluded for the Luminar, which matters for a cabin that lives outside. Sauna and cold plunge warranties compared sets these against other makers.
Which to choose
- The Equinox, if you have an indoor room, a 20 A circuit is the easy job, and two or three seats is enough.
- The Luminar, if it is going in the garden, you can run a 240 V GFCI circuit and prepare a pad, and you want the included cover — or five seats.
Alternatives you can buy today
Neither sells through Amazon. The picks below split the same way: two indoor three-person full-spectrum cabins, and two outdoor cabins with aluminum shells like the Luminar's — a one-person full-spectrum cabin with a hemlock interior and Wi-Fi control, and a one-to-two-person cabin on 220 V. They are not Sun Home products. Our outdoor infrared saunas roundup compares more of the outdoor field.
Indoor and outdoor cabins on Amazon
Smartmak 3-Person Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna
Smartmak
#ad Price as of Sep 27, 2026. We earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How this is funded.
Eleven elements across 2,100 W means each one is modest: good for even coverage, less good if you were expecting the aggressive radiant punch of a few high-output panels.
| Capacity | 3 person |
|---|---|
| Power draw | 2,100 W |
| Heating elements | 11 |
| Wood | Canadian hemlock |
| Spectrum | Full-spectrum with red light |
| Extras | Wi-Fi control, speaker |
| EMF, as published | Not published |
What works
- Element count is published, which lets you reason about distribution
- 2,100 W keeps it inside a standard 20 A circuit
- Wi-Fi preheat is genuinely useful on a cabin with a long warm-up
What doesn't
- Spreading 2,100 W over 11 elements limits peak radiant intensity
- No EMF figure
- Some listed features are novelties we would not pay for and cannot assess
Skip it ifyou are upgrading specifically for stronger radiant intensity. More elements is not more power — the 2,100 W total is the number that matters.
Duthss 3-Person Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna
Duthss
#ad Price as of Sep 27, 2026. We earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How this is funded.
Full spectrum at this size means a 220 V circuit, and the listing says so instead of burying it. That single line is worth more than the whole feature list.
| Capacity | 3 person |
|---|---|
| Power draw | 3,600 W |
| Voltage | 220 V |
| Interior | 60" W × 41" D × 75" H |
| Heaters | 4 carbon panels plus 4 red-light tubes |
| Wood | Hemlock |
| Extras | Foot heating, insulated glass |
What works
- Publishes interior dimensions, not just the outside box
- Foot heating addresses the most common complaint about infrared cabins
- The 220 V requirement is stated openly rather than discovered on delivery day
What doesn't
- 220 V means an electrician, a permit in most jurisdictions and a real install cost
- No EMF figure published
- 3,600 W is expensive to run — check the arithmetic before you commit
Skip it ifyou are not prepared to add a 220 V circuit. Budget the electrical work before the cabin, because on this unit the wiring is not optional.
Gollense 1-Person Outdoor Infrared Sauna, Black Aluminum Shell, Hemlock
Gollense
#ad Price as of Sep 27, 2026. We earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How this is funded.
A one-person outdoor cabin with an aluminum-clad exterior over Canadian hemlock, seven carbon panels and two full-spectrum tubes, and Wi-Fi app control.
| Heaters | 7 far-infrared carbon panels + 2 full-spectrum tubes |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Up to 149 °F |
| Size | 39.4 × 39.4 × 88.6 in |
| Build | Canadian hemlock; aluminum-clad exterior and roof |
| Controls | Wi-Fi app and in-cabin screen |
What works
- Aluminum shell for the weather
- Full-spectrum tubes
- Pre-heat from the app
What doesn't
- Electrical requirements not stated in the listing
- Weight not stated
- One seat
Skip it ifyou need room for two. See the Duthss 1–2 person outdoor cabin.
Duthss 1–2 Person Outdoor Infrared Sauna, Aluminum Shell, Hemlock Interior, 2,700 W
Duthss
#ad Price as of Sep 27, 2026. We earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. How this is funded.
A black aluminum shell over a hemlock interior, with red light tubes and foot heating — the closest thing here to a premium outdoor cabin, if you can give it 220 V.
| Outside | 47.2 W × 41.3 D × 84.6 H in |
|---|---|
| Weight | 570 lb |
| Power | 2,700 W at 220 V |
| Temperature range | 68–140 °F; up to 122 °F in about 10 minutes, per the listing |
| Heating | Infrared panels on the back and sides, two front red light tubes, foot heating |
| Build | Black aluminum exterior, Canadian hemlock interior, full glass door |
| Control | Wi-Fi app, LCD panel, Bluetooth speakers |
| Support, per the listing | 2 years heating system; 5 years wood structure |
What works
- Aluminum exterior rather than exposed wood
- Red light tubes and foot heating
- Wi-Fi app to start the preheat
What doesn't
- Needs a 220 V supply
- Sized for one to two, so tight for two
- 570 lb to place
Skip it ifyour only outdoor supply is a standard 120 V outlet.
Our honest position
This is a location decision more than a product one. The Equinox is Sun Home's indoor cabin on the easy circuit; the Luminar is the outdoor cabin with the heavier install. We earn nothing from either; our Equinox review, Luminar review and Luminar 2 vs Luminar 5 go further, and is an outdoor sauna worth it covers the bigger question.
Questions people actually ask
What is the difference between the Sun Home Equinox and Luminar?
Can the Sun Home Equinox go outdoors?
Which needs more electrical work, the Equinox or the Luminar?
Do the Equinox and Luminar have the same warranty?
Sources
- Sun Home Saunas — Equinox 2-Person product page — checked Sep 11, 2026
- Sun Home Saunas — Equinox 3-Person product page — checked Sep 11, 2026
- Sun Home Saunas — Luminar 2-Person product page — checked Sep 11, 2026
- Sun Home Saunas — Luminar 5-Person product page — checked Sep 11, 2026
- Sun Home Saunas — warranty information — checked Sep 11, 2026
- Amazon.com — outdoor infrared sauna listings, for the alternatives — checked Sep 11, 2026
Read next
Every pick on this page comes from published specifications, not from hardware we own. Read how we pick — including what spec-led ranking cannot tell you.