When you’re picking out infrared heating for your bathroom, the instinct is usually to just grab the most powerful lamp on the shelf. But that’s not really how it works. Bathrooms are tricky. You’ve got cold tiles and vents pulling air out, which means the heat disappears almost as fast as you create it. That’s why we stick with shortwave lamps. Instead of trying to warm up a room full of humid air—which is basically a losing battle—these lamps heat you directly. It feels like stepping into a patch of sunlight on a cold morning. Finding your number If you’re dealing with a tiny powder room (under 4m²), a 400W to 600W lamp does the trick. Don’t go overboard here. If you put too much power in a small space, you’ll bake yourself and probably trip a breaker if your wiring is a bit dated. For a medium-sized bathroom (4-8m²), aim for 800W to 1200W. Now, if you’ve got a massive master bath or a walk-in shower (over 8m²), one lamp won’t cut it. You’ll end up with “cold spots”—those annoying patches where you’re still shivering. Your best bet is to spread a few 1000W units across the ceiling so the warmth is everywhere. The “wet” factor Since this is a bathroom, moisture is the enemy. These units use quartz glass and sealed connectors to keep the water out. We also use special coatings that push the heat straight down toward the floor, right where you need it. Just a heads-up: check your “zones.” If the lamp is going inside the shower (Zone 1), it needs a much tighter seal than something sitting further back in the room (Zone 2). The electrical catch Here’s the thing about high-wattage lamps: they’re instant. You flip a switch, and you’re warm. But they pull a lot of juice. If you try to run three 1200W lamps on a single 15A circuit, you’re playing a dangerous game with your electrical panel. It’s much smarter to balance the load across different phases or just upgrade your wiring. It’s a small price to pay to avoid a flicker or a blown fuse mid-shower. And whatever you do, don’t undersize. If you put a weak lamp in a room full of cold tiles, you get “ghost heating.” The lamp is running, but the tiles are sucking the heat away faster than the lamp can pump it out. You’ll be wasting electricity and still feeling a chill. Stick to the wattage-per-square-meter guide. Your skin—and your electric bill—will thank you.