How to pick the right infrared heater for your bathroom
Nobody likes stepping out of a hot shower only to find their mirror looks like a steamed-up sauna. It’s annoying. That’s where short-wave infrared lamps come in. They do two things: they kill the fog on your mirror and warm up the room fast. But here’s the thing—you can’t just grab any random heater and hope for the best. Your bathroom size and how much steam you produce change everything. Picking your power If you’ve got a tiny powder room, keep it simple. A 200W to 400W lamp is plenty. It’ll keep the mirror clear without turning the room into an oven. But if you’re dealing with a big master bath? Those small lamps won’t stand a chance. You’ll want something in the 600W to 1000W range. More power means the moisture vanishes faster, which is exactly what you want when you’re in a rush to get ready. Don’t overdo it It’s tempting to just go for the most powerful lamp available, but that’s actually a mistake. Imagine putting a 1000W beast in a tiny bathroom. You’ll hit your target temperature in seconds, but then the thermostat will kick off. Then it’ll kick back on. Over and over. This “short-cycling” is a nightmare for your equipment and wears out the relays way too fast. The goal is to find the lowest wattage that keeps the mirror warm enough to stop the dew from forming. Simple as that. A few warnings on installation High-power lamps get hot. Really hot. If you’re building these into a mirror frame, double-check what your materials are made of. If you use plastic housings with a 1000W tube, you’re probably going to see some warping. It’s not pretty. Stick with aluminum heat sinks or make sure there’s plenty of ventilation so the fixture doesn’t just burn itself out. Oh, and check your circuit breaker. A high-wattage lamp pulls a lot of current the moment it starts up, and you don’t want to be standing in a dark bathroom because you tripped the power.