How to Pick the Right Infrared Lamp for Your Bathroom
When you’re picking out an infrared heater, it’s tempting to just go for the biggest number on the box. But here’s the thing: bigger isn’t always better. If you overdo it, you’re just throwing money away on your electric bill. We stick with short-wave lamps because they don’t waste time trying to warm up the air. They heat you directly. It’s the only way to actually feel warm when you’re stepping out of a shower in a drafty, damp bathroom.
Finding Your Fit
If you’ve got a tiny powder room—anything under 4m²—a 400W to 600W lamp is plenty. Seriously. If you put something too powerful in a cramped space, you’ll end up overheating the room and burning out the lamp way faster than you should. For those medium-sized bathrooms (between 4m² and 8m²), 800W to 1200W is usually the sweet spot. It creates a nice, concentrated zone of heat. Just keep an eye on your ceilings. If they’re extra high, you’ll need a bit more punch because the heat fades the further it has to travel to reach you. Then you have the big master baths or wet rooms. If you’re over 8m², one lamp just won’t cut it. You’ll end up with “cold spots” where you’re shivering in one corner and roasting in another. Your best bet is a few lamps totaling around 1500W to 2000W, spread out across the room.
The Trade-off: Power vs. Lifespan
It’s a bit of a balancing act. Sure, a 1500W lamp gets things hot fast, but that extra power puts a lot more stress on the quartz glass and your electrical connections. You’ll want to make sure your wiring can actually handle that kind of draw. And please, resist the urge to put a massive lamp in a small room just to “warm it up faster.” You’ll either trip your circuit breaker or feel like you’re being baked in an oven. Stick to the size of your room. Your wallet will thank you, and your heater will last a lot longer.