Carex Health Brands Sunlite Bright Light Therapy Lamp Review: Easy to Use But Unremarkable

In Short
Product Name: Carex Health Brands Sunlite Bright Light Therapy Lamp
Latest Review Date: 18 August 2019
Price Guideline: $$$
The Carex Health Brands Sunlite is a good enough SAD light but offers nothing truly exceptional.
MY RATING: 76%

Editor’s Note

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Features
- 10,000 lux of light – 10,000 lux is the recommended light intensity level to treat SAD effectively
- Pop in and out aluminium foot for stability
- 99.3% UV-filtered for safety
- Generously sized lens produces a large field of illumination
- Quick-change bulbs for “no tool” maintenance
- Wraparound metal grill effectively dissipates heat
Product Information
- LUX Strength – 10 000 LUX at 10”
- Color – Silver
- Package Dimensions (h x w x d) – 14.75″ x 9″ x 2.13″
- Package Weight – 3.75 lbs.
In The Box
- Carex Health Brands Sunlite
- Instruction booklet
So How Does the Carex Sunlite Work?
The Carex Health Brands Sunlite is another easy to use SAD Light. It is really a case of plugging it in, positioning it and then turning it on. The product box recommends 30 minutes usage time at 10 in. (10,000 lux), 60 minutes at 14 in. (5,000 lux), and 120 minutes at 20 in (2,500 lux).
For table use there is a neat flip out stand on the back of the unit that easily supports the device. It has two 36 watt fluorescent bulbs inside. These are 4000K color temperature, which is considered full spectrum.
If this is the first time you have tried light therapy then test out your sensitivity first. Use it for ten minutes to begin with and gradually increase your usage time if you experience no ill effects.
Remember the best time to get your dose of light therapy is in the morning, so once you are accustomed to it use it every morning and you should soon start feeling better.
The Good
The Sunlite is incredibly easy to use. It is simply a case of finding somewhere to position it and then switching it on. There is no timer or adjustable light intensity, just an on/off button. The light will take about ten seconds to warm up and then you can sit back and bathe in the light.
Although the Sunlite is fairly large, it is very light in weight, weighing in at only 3.25lbs, so it can easily be moved around.

The light area is quite sizeable which means you can easily sit in the field of light and move around without worrying about moving out of the light.
The light also has a nice tone to it – with the bulbs being around the 4000K color temperature mark it is clear and bright and serves as great light to read by, which is handy if you want to read whilst you get your dose of light therapy.
Despite this SAD Light feeling a bit plasticky at first glance it is actually quite nicely made. It is well balanced and bottom heavy and it can take some considerable knocks without falling over.
The Bad
The Sunlite is marketed as travel size and it is travel size if you want to have room to travel with nothing else! It is around the size of a box of cereal and probably isn’t something you would take away with you as it is too large.
A common feature with SAD lights that use fluorescent bulbs is that they get hot and the Sunlite is no exception. After only a few minutes it gets hot to the touch. One user recorded a temperature of 135 degrees on top of the unit! If you have children remember not to leave them unattended around it.
Linked into this is the fact the unit has no carry handle. The easiest way to move it around is by gripping one of the metal vent screens by the top of the device, however this is of course very hot after it has been used, so you could end up with a lightly toasted hand! The unit would have benefitted greatly from a carrying handle of some kind.
Another gripe is the on/off switch is difficult to use. You might find yourself frequently having to push it twice to get it to stay on and pushing it quite hard at that.
The power switch really is quite an annoyance, it is on the bottom corner of the light and you need to have a good hold of it whilst turning it on and off. Now when turning it on this is not such an annoyance, however trying to hold the unit and turn it off is an issue because, as mentioned above, it gets very hot!
The Beautiful
Aside from the aforementioned lack of a carry handle, this is quite sturdily constructed and unexceptional looking. It will fit into most decors without much of a fuss.

And Does It Work?
Yes it does. One user said since using it it was the first winter they didn’t feel like giving up with another saying it truly does work and they have more energy and a lift in their mood.
SAD charity SADA have released figures showing that light therapy is effective in up to 85% of diagnosed cases of Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is backed up by study after study that show light therapy makes a difference to those suffering with SAD:
- University of North Carolina study
- University of British Columbia study
- Harvard Health Publication
- Overview of numerous studies
In short – the chances are it will make a difference for you!
✔ Pros
✘Cons
- Very easy to use
- Very light and easy to move around
- Nice tone to light
- Robust and well designed
- Large area of light
- Too large to truly be a travel light
- Gets very hot
- No carry handle
- On/off switch infuriatingly difficult to use!
Conclusion
My Verdict
My Rating - 76%
76%
Good but not amazing
There is nothing terrible about this SAD light, but also nothing exceptional. It is fairly reasonably priced and for someone with moderate to mild SAD it might be worth a look.
But really there is nothing that marks its out and there are other options that are cheaper and probably better that this.
Other Options
If you want a SAD light with a reasonable area of light then check out the Verilux Liberty 10,000 which offers much more variation of light.
If you want a portable SAD light then try the Circadian Optics Luxy which is cheaper and easier to move around
If you are looking for a top range SAD Light then look no further than the Sunlite’s big brothers, also made by Carex Health Brands – the Day-Light Classic and Day-Light Sky – both of which are top class and provided light from above – the optimum way to receive light therapy or the Circadian Optics Lampu which is all around top quality.
Don’t forget you can also check out our SAD Light Reviews Index for all of my SAD Light Reviews on one page or read my SAD Light Buyers’ Guide to pick the best SAD Light for you.

Hi, thanks for giving a very thorough review of the Sunlite Bright Light therapy lamp. The reason I’m looking to buy a SAD light is because I do shift work, starting at 3am and I saw a documentary of someone who sat in front of one eating their breakfast when they got up. The said it heped them feel more awake, alert and ready for the early start.
I am looking for something a bit smaller and more portable and so far the Circadian Optics Lumos looks like the best option. Thanks again for the heads up!
Hi Simon,
Thanks for your comment. SAD Lights definitely do work – I can vouch for them, they do help you feel more alert and awake and help banish the winter blues.
Good choice on the Circadian Optics Lumos – I love it, it is a great light, ultra portable and well priced.
Best of luck!
How problematic is the Carex 10,000 lux SunLite to ones eyes. Individual is 88 years old and has some eye issues consistent with that age .
It should not cause any issues. You never stare into the light, just facing it with your eyes open is sufficient, the light therapy enters via the eyes, so all you need to do is ensure the light box is in your line of vision. If you do have any concerns it might be best to speak to your doctor first.
We have the 10,000 lux SunLite from Carex. How close and for how long should one sit by it.? Am confused as to the instructions, ie: 10,000 for 30 min. at 10 inches away.It then says 5,000 Lux for 60 min. at 14 inches. Are these 2 different light machines/strenghts ,or you just sit further away for a longer period of time?
Hi Carol, thank you for your comment. The instructions are just for one light machine – the Carex Sunlite – if you sit 10 inches away from it you get the full 10,000 lux of light (the recommended amount) and only need to sit next to it for 30 minutes to get your dose of light therapy for the day. If you sit 14 inches away you only get 5,000 lux of light as you are further away, thus you need to sit next to it for longer to get recommended dosage of light therapy.
It all depends how much spare time you have I guess!