How the Emberhouse Scorecard Works

We score every product on the site using a four-category rubric. The point is to make it possible to compare saunas the way you'd compare cars — same axes, same disclosure, same evidence rules — rather than relying on whichever brand has the bigger ad spend.

How to read this page

The four categories

  • EMF Safety (30%) — Electromagnetic field reading at the bench, measured at the seated body position. Methodology disclosed per test.
  • Performance (25%) — Maximum temperature reached, time to temperature, evenness of heat across the cabin, plus comfort details (bench depth, glass clarity, controls, lighting).
  • Build Quality (25%) — Wood species and grade, joinery, glass thickness, hardware quality, and the actual warranty terms — not the marketing-grade ones.
  • Value (20%) — Spec-to-price ratio versus the category median (our internal benchmark, recalculated quarterly).

Each category gets a letter grade (A through F). The composite is a weighted average, expressed out of 100.

Per-category rubric thresholds

Each category is scored against an explicit rubric so grades aren't subjective.

EMF Safety

  • A · less than 1 mG at bench
  • B · less than 2 mG at bench
  • C · less than 3 mG at bench
  • D · less than 5 mG at bench
  • F · 5 mG or higher

"At bench" means the seated body position, approximately 18" from the heater wall, at chest height. See test protocols below.

Performance, Build Quality, Value

Detailed rubric thresholds for these three categories are being finalized as part of Phase 1 launch. Each will publish its threshold table before any Verified grade is assigned in that category. Until then, these categories use vendor-reported data and do not feed the composite.

Three tiers of evidence

Not all numbers carry the same weight. Every category shows one of three states:

  • Verified — A current third-party lab report on file, verified directly with the testing lab (authenticity, SKU coverage, configuration). Verified data feeds the composite.
  • Vendor-Reported — Vendor-supplied spec or test, not independently verified. Visible on the product page for reference; does not feed the composite.
  • Not Tested / N/A — No data on file, or the category doesn't apply (e.g., EMF on a non-electric accessory). Does not feed the composite.

Test protocols

EMF measurements — the only category with a published verification protocol at this time — follow these protocols:

  • Sensor: Tri-axis Gauss meter, accuracy ±2%, calibrated annually by an accredited service
  • Position: Seated body position, approximately 18" from the heater wall, at chest height (about 36" off the floor)
  • Orientation: Three axes (X, Y, Z) measured separately; peak reading reported
  • Conditions: Cabin at operating temperature for 20 minutes before measurement, ambient room 68–72°F
  • Lab disclosure: Each Verified test names the lab and includes a link to the test report

When the composite computes

A composite score publishes only when at least three of the four categories are Verified. If fewer than three categories are verified, the composite area says "Insufficient verified data" instead of a number. Individual category grades still show, but we won't compute a trust score from vendor-supplied claims.

Who pays for the tests

For our launch hero SKUs, Emberhouse commissions third-party tests directly. For others, we accept vendor-provided tests only when we can verify the report with the testing lab (sensor distance, orientation, ambient conditions, and named standard). Verification is per-SKU, not per-vendor — a Verified status on one product does not carry to other products from the same brand.

Each test report is on file. Customers can request a copy by emailing hello@emberhousesaunas.com.

Re-scoring cadence

We re-score every product quarterly. We also re-score on events:

  • A vendor changes a product spec
  • New lab data becomes available
  • A MAP (minimum advertised price — the floor below which the manufacturer doesn't permit advertised pricing) change

Owner: Emberhouse merchandising. Updates are timestamped in the product page metadata.

Contestation and corrections

If you have a product, a test result, or a measurement that contradicts what we've published, send it to hello@emberhousesaunas.com. Here's what we commit to:

  • Within 5 business days — we acknowledge receipt and tell you what we'll do next
  • Within 30 days — we resolve: either update the product page (with a public note of what changed and when) or explain why we're not changing it
  • If we got it wrong — we update the page, publish a correction note, and email anyone who had the affected product in their cart or order history

This is our public commitment, not an internal goal. Hold us to it.

"Pending" status

Phase 1 lab testing is rolling out across the catalog. Until verified data lands for a product, its scorecard shows individual category grades only — no composite — and the product is not eligible for the Emberhouse Certified collection. Products move from Pending to Verified as the labs return data.

Last updated 2026-05-15. We update this page when our rubrics or protocols change.