SaunaBox Pulse PRO vs MiHIGH Sauna Blanket (2026): sit up or lie down?
The MiHIGH is cheaper and we are not going to pretend otherwise. It is $349 against the Pulse PRO's $749, a $400 gap. What the extra buys is a different product category: an upright tent you sit in with your arms free, medical-grade 660–850 nm red light built into the wall, an OEKO-TEX certified cover and independently tested PFAS-free fabric. The MiHIGH is far infrared only, publishes no fabric certification, and you lie inside it. If you want the cheapest way to sweat at home, buy the blanket. If you want red light and a seated session, the blanket cannot do it at any price.
These are both called portable infrared saunas, and they are not the same kind of object. One is furniture. The other is bedding.
How do the Pulse PRO and the MiHIGH blanket compare?
| Specification | MiHIGH Sauna Blanket | SaunaBox Pulse PRO | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $349 |
$749 listed down from $900 |
MiHIGH is $400 less. This row is theirs |
| Format | Lie-down blanket | Upright tent, seated | The core difference. Everything else follows from it |
| Red light therapy | None | 660–850 nm, 320 LEDs | Medical-grade panel integrated into the Pulse PRO tent |
| Infrared type | Far infrared only | ThermoCell far infrared + red light | Both deliver far infrared heat |
| Max temperature | 167 °F | ~160 °F varies by room |
A blanket heats a smaller volume against the skin |
| Heater power | 650 W | 1600 W, 110 V | The tent heats far more air, so it draws more |
| Fabric certification | Not published | OEKO-TEX certified cover | Tested against a named standard for harmful substances |
| PFAS testing | Not published | Independently tested PFAS-free | Relevant when the fabric is against your skin |
| EMF | "Low EMF", no standard named | "Ultra-low EMF", no standard named | Neither names a test standard. This row separates nobody |
| Arms free | No | Yes | You can read or hold a phone in the Pulse PRO |
| Size / fit | 5.9 ft long, users to 6.4 ft | 36 x 36 in footprint | Different constraints: body length vs floor space |
| Storage | Rolls up | Folds flat, carrying case | The blanket packs smaller. No contest |
| Assembly | Unroll and plug in | 15 minutes, no tools | The blanket has effectively none |
| What is included | Blanket only | Tent, 6 panels, red light panel, stool, floor mat, case | Per the Pulse PRO product page |
| Warranty | 12 months | Not published | SaunaBox does not state a period on the product page |
| HSA / FSA route | Not published | TrueMed at checkout | Via Letter of Medical Necessity under IRS Section 213(d) |
The honest starting point: the blanket is cheaper
$349 against $749. That is a $400 gap on a wellness purchase, and no amount of specification detail makes it disappear. If the budget is the constraint, the MiHIGH is a legitimate answer and you should buy it without guilt.
What follows is the case for the other $400, and it rests on two things a blanket structurally cannot do.
Red light therapy. The Pulse PRO has a medical-grade panel built into the tent wall, running 660 nm to 850 nm across 320 LEDs. The MiHIGH is far infrared only. This is not a matter of one being better specified; the feature is absent.
Sitting up. In a blanket your arms are inside the wrap and you are lying down. In the Pulse PRO you sit on a stool with your arms out, so you can read, work or hold a phone. Over a twenty-minute session that is the difference between an appointment and something you do while doing something else.
Why the blanket runs hotter on paper
MiHIGH lists 167 °F against the Pulse PRO's approximate 160 °F, and that is real, but it is a consequence of geometry rather than power. A blanket wraps a small volume directly against your skin, so it reaches a high surface temperature on 650 W. The Pulse PRO heats a 36 by 36 inch tent of air around you, which needs 1600 W to get to a comparable place. Neither number tells you which session feels better; they are measuring different situations.
The certifications are the quiet difference
The Pulse PRO publishes an OEKO-TEX certified cover and independently tested PFAS-free fabric. MiHIGH describes its blanket as low EMF and specifies PU leather with a waterproof interior, but names no fabric certification and no PFAS testing.
This matters more for a blanket than for almost any other product in the category, because the material is pressed against bare skin at 167 °F for half an hour. That is not an accusation that the MiHIGH fabric is unsafe. It is the same point this site makes about every unpublished spec: you cannot verify it, so you cannot compare it.
On EMF, neither of us can claim much
MiHIGH says low EMF. SaunaBox says ultra-low EMF. Neither publishes the test standard behind the phrase. That row is a wash and we are not going to dress it up as a win.
Where the MiHIGH genuinely wins
- $400 cheaper. $349 against $749. The single biggest factor for most buyers.
- Storage. It rolls up and goes under a bed. The Pulse PRO folds flat but is still a tent frame in a case.
- No assembly. Unroll it and plug it in. Fifteen minutes is not long, but zero is shorter.
- Published warranty. Twelve months, stated plainly. SaunaBox does not publish a period for the Pulse PRO, and that is a gap on our side.
- Slightly hotter. 167 °F against roughly 160 °F.
Where the Pulse PRO wins
- Red light therapy included. 660–850 nm, 320 medical-grade LEDs. The blanket has none.
- You sit up with your arms free. Read, work, use a phone.
- OEKO-TEX certified cover. A named standard, not an adjective.
- Independently tested PFAS-free. Published, and verifiable.
- It is a kit, not an item. Tent, six ThermoCell panels, red light panel, Bluetooth controller, wooden stool, SweatLock floor mat and a carrying case.
- An HSA / FSA route. TrueMed at checkout via a Letter of Medical Necessity, if you qualify.
Which one should you buy?
Buy the MiHIGH blanket if $349 is the number that works, if you live somewhere with no floor space to give up, or if you genuinely only want heat and would never use red light. It does that job and it does it for $400 less.
Buy the SaunaBox Pulse PRO if you want red light therapy in the same session, if lying inside a wrap sounds claustrophobic, or if certified fabric matters to you at the temperature this stuff runs. You are not buying a nicer blanket. You are buying a different format with a therapy the blanket does not include.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, the SaunaBox Pulse PRO or the MiHIGH sauna blanket?
The MiHIGH blanket is cheaper at $349. The SaunaBox Pulse PRO is $749, listed down from $900. The MiHIGH costs $400 less, and if budget is the deciding factor it wins that row outright.
What is the actual difference between a sauna blanket and a portable sauna tent?
Posture. A blanket is a lie-down wrap that encloses your body with your head outside it. The Pulse PRO is an upright tent with a stool, so you sit in it as you would a cabin sauna, and you can read or use a phone. They are different experiences, not different sizes of the same thing.
Does the MiHIGH blanket include red light therapy?
No. The MiHIGH blanket is far infrared only. The SaunaBox Pulse PRO has a medical-grade red light panel built into the tent running 660 nm to 850 nm across 320 LEDs. If red light is part of what you want, the blanket does not offer it at any price.
How hot does each one get?
The MiHIGH blanket lists a maximum of 167 °F. The SaunaBox Pulse PRO reaches approximately 160 °F, which varies with the room. The blanket runs slightly hotter on paper because it is heating a much smaller enclosed volume directly against your skin.
What certifications does each product publish?
The SaunaBox Pulse PRO publishes an OEKO-TEX certified cover and independently tested PFAS-free fabric. MiHIGH describes its blanket as low EMF but does not name an EMF test standard, a fabric certification or PFAS testing in its published specifications.
Which is easier to store?
The blanket, clearly. It rolls up and slides under a bed. The Pulse PRO folds flat and comes with a carrying case, but it is still a 36 by 36 inch tent frame. If storage space is the binding constraint, the blanket wins.
Can you use a phone or read during a session?
In the Pulse PRO, yes, because you are sitting upright with your arms free. In a blanket your arms are enclosed, which is the trade for the tighter heat.
What warranty does each carry?
MiHIGH publishes a 12-month warranty. SaunaBox does not state a warranty period on the Pulse PRO product page, so this page does not quote one. Contact SaunaBox for current warranty terms before ordering.
Is the SaunaBox Pulse PRO HSA or FSA eligible?
It can be. Eligibility runs through a Letter of Medical Necessity issued by a licensed practitioner under the IRS Section 213(d) medical expense pathway, which SaunaBox facilitates through TrueMed at checkout. Whether you qualify is determined by the practitioner and the terms of your plan.
Red light, seated, 15 minutes to set up
The Pulse PRO is an upright tent with medical-grade 660–850 nm red light built in, an OEKO-TEX certified cover and independently tested PFAS-free fabric. If you want more than heat, a blanket cannot get you there.
Shop the Pulse PROSources
- SaunaBox Pulse PRO product page, saunabox.com. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- MiHIGH infrared sauna blanket published specifications. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- 26 U.S. Code § 213(d)(1)(A), medical expense definition, law.cornell.edu.
Specifications and prices change without notice. This comparison quotes each manufacturer's published figures at the date of retrieval and marks unpublished specifications as such rather than estimating them. Always consult a healthcare professional before adding sauna use to your routine. This is not a medical device and is not intended to be used as one.