If you’ve come across red light therapy, you’ve undoubtedly encountered one particular brand in YouTube videos, podcasts, or blog articles.
JOOVV.
This company introduced consumer photobiomodulation panels for home use. They’re the biggest name in consumer red (and infrared) lighting.
The market’s grown tremendously since then, and tons of better options have emerged.
Despite what the influencers say, they’re not the only option. Compared to their competitors, for most people:
- Joovv is too expensive
- Joovv isn’t as powerful
- Joovv isn’t as feature-rich
- Joovv isn’t built as well
Although I’ve used the new JOOVV Generation 3.0 panels, in this post I’ll review the main reasons I chose to buy other panels instead. So that you can make your best decision.
Every Influencer Promotes JOOVV
Joovv makes THE hottest consumer red light therapy products. Their ads appear in the podcasts of virtually all famous biohackers.
Over the last few years, they’ve expanded into becoming nearly a household name. Thanks mostly to their endorsements.
The following influencers, doctors, biohackers, and professional athletes promote (or promoted) JOOVV:
- Dave Asprey
- Dr. Andrew Huberman
- Luke Storey
- Ben Greenfield
- Tim Gray
- Dr. Mark Hyman
- Dr. Mindy Pelz
- Mark Sisson
- Dr. Joseph Mercola
- Dr. Josh Axe
- Dr. Steven Gundry
- Dr. Paul Saladino
- Dr. Jay Wiles
- Kris Gethin
- Dr. Dom D’Agostino
- Dr. Axe
- Alex Fergus
- 49ers Football Team (George Kittle)
- Julianna Peña
- Dr. Sarah Ballantyne
- Sal Di Stefano (Mind Pump)
- Fred Warner
- Kyle Juszczyk
- Hailie Deegan
- Drew Brees
- Thomas DeLauer
- Mark Sisson
- Rob Wolff
- Kevin Love
- Sanne Wevers
- Elliott Williams
- Sloane Stephens
- Wellness Mama
- Ben Pakulski
- Dr. Michael Gervais
And this is just a short list of the folks that promote them.
So why don’t I?
Why I Wouldn’t Buy a JOOVV Red Light Panel
I’m a big advocate not just for the benefits of infrared and red light therapy, but all light.
I’ve avoided this brand for three main reasons:
- Poor value
- Biological stress
- Light spectrum
I’ll expand upon each.
Value
Joovv makes the most expensive consumer light therapy panels.
Years ago, they were the most expensive by a long shot. Nearly 30-50% more expensive than comparable brands.
Regularly occurring third-party tests found their products no more powerful (or better) than other brands
And in some cases, considerably less. Value-wise, Joovv is towards the back of the pack.
Biological stress
Biological stress is one of the primary negative side effects of powerful LEDs.
This technology works by rapidly turning on and off at an incredibly fast rate, unperceivable to the naked eye. That’s one way they save on the utility bill and electricity.
The other is a phenomenon called non-native electromagnetic fields (nn-EMFs).
This is a form of non-ionizing radiation that disrupts your body’s cellular communication.
Most red light panels have problems with both flicker and EMF radiation. Including JOOVV.
However, other companies have invested significantly into mitigating these.
Again, my post on healthy lighting explains why flicker is such an issue. The last thing you want from therapeutic use is to do more harm than good.
Light spectrum
JOOVV originally sold pure red lights. Research (and nature) suggested max benefits come from combining red and infrared light together.
As they began to get left behind, JOOVV’s “New Generation 3.0” models now come with a mix of true 660nm red light, and 850nm infrared light.
Each spectrum confers different benefits.
While combining both is best, I already built my own near-infrared 850nm sauna for ~$150.
Of course, you can also get affordable near-infrared saunas pre-made.
The best devices have dual (or even triple) LED chips which enable the user to use all the panels’ LEDs for red, infrared, or a mix. You get to choose.
JOOVV cannot do this.
They also don’t mention the “beam angle” of the light anywhere on their website.
Beam angle is one of the core factors that determines the therapeutic usefulness of the light Share on XFor the actual light technology, JOOVV is years behind their competition.
Other negatives
While less impactful than the above, several other factors dissuaded me from purchasing from this brand.
The big one you should consider is the warranty.
Product warranty positively correlates with build quality. Usually, the longer the warranty, the longer you can expect a product to last.
First, JOOV offers a paltry 1-2 year warranty. Some of their competitors back their products with a 5+ year warranty.
Plus, as many folks report, their customer service isn’t as good as some of their competition.
They market the JOOVV app heavily, mentioning it on almost every page of their website. Yet it doesn’t have any key features.
Things I Like About JOOVV
JOOVV panels appear to have several slight advantages.
These systems come with BlueTooth 5.0. While this adds significant electromagnetic radiation, you can wirelessly link multiple panels together.
Temperature-wise, they run slightly cooler than most of the alternatives.
Finally, this brand has secured the most safety certifications and medical device compatibility.
JOOVV Review Final Verdict: Red Light Therapy Devices Worth The Premium Price?
JOOVV commands a premium for the brand name and delivers a lower quality product.
JOOVV has mostly played catch up over the last six years, while their competitors have innovated and driven the market cost down Share on XOne of the first glaring red flags is the incredibly short 1-2-year warranty on their flagship panels. LEDs generally last 10,000 hours.
The JOOVV alternative I use every day is backed by a 5-year warranty.
It’s more powerful, with better support (free 1-1 call with owner), has more light spectrums, better features, and a whole lot more.
I always recommend first maximizing your natural light exposure, considering sun gazing, and if you want to take it a step further, buying one of these strongest or best light therapy devices for home use.
Are you a current or prospective JOOVV light therapy user? Drop a comment below and let me know!
JOOVV Red Light Panels
A premium red light panel brand promoted by some of the top biohackers, influencers, and athletes. While JOOVV is considered one of the safe and better manufactured lights in the market, there has been a fair share of consumer complaints as well.
Product Brand: JOOVV Red Light Panels
2.3
Pros
- Secured the most safety certifications
- Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for multiple panels at once
- Runs cooler than most alternatives
Cons
- Expensive
- Low light spectrum options
- Short warranty period - durability concerns
- Less innovation compared to competition
- Bad customer service
