GOOD GEAR RATING — 9/10 STARS

Summary: After three weeks of using the Bon Charge PEMF Mat Max, I can confidently say it’s become a permanent tool in our family’s wellness arsenal. Not only did it offer warm, grounding vibes that eased me into a state of calm on the most stressful of days, but it also offered respite from menstrual cramps and exercise-induced soreness and assisted in recovery from an intense viral illness.

PROS 

  • The Bon Charge PEMF Mat Max’s noninvasive technology helped me to address many physical and mental concerns in the comfort of my own home, from viral illness to daily stress.
  • The mat is portable so that it can accompany you on road trips. It offered me relief after a 10-plus-hour car ride.
  • This mat is suitable for use by the whole family. It can accommodate various body sizes and shapes, including my husband’s taller frame.

CONS 

  • As with lots of high-quality, effective wellness products, the price will be steep for many. But considering the relief and amount of use, I find it worth the investment. (If you are excited to get into the PEMF realm at a lower price point, Bon Charge has just released a PEMF Mini and Demi.)
  • Grooves and ridges in the design hold the semi-precious stones in place, however, this can make it challenging to clean. I recommend folding it and placing it in its bag for easy storage in a closet or under a bed between uses.
  • The cord’s location on the lower end of the mat made it tricky for me to find the best place to plug in. Luckily, Bon Charge provides a long cord that can be disconnected from the unit when not in use.

As a high-strung, anxious, and physically active woman, I’m constantly on a quest for noninvasive wellness tools to help heal, ground, and balance my chaotic inner energy. When I heard about the benefits of PEMF mats, my curiosity was piqued, and I knew I needed to give one a shot.

“PEMF, or Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields, are waves of magnetic energy that mimic the earth’s.”

PEMF, or Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields, are waves of magnetic energy that mimic the Earth’s. PEMF exposure works with the body’s natural magnetic fields, positively facilitating healing on a cellular level. The first use of PEMF on humans took place in 1977. Two years later, the FDA had already approved it. At first, its appeal was an ability to advance wound healing and bone formation. But as time passed, studies showed it could address much more, including help with osteoarthritis, muscle recovery, multiple sclerosis-related fatigue, and heart rate variability.

Since the discovery of its various benefits, PEMF-directed therapy has become available for at-home use — and health-conscious people seeking a safe, convenient, and more affordable way to use PEMF are turning to brands like Bon Charge for the experience. PEMF therapy addresses specific ailments but also caters to a host of other non-life-threatening concerns like sleep troubles, focus issues, and the improvement of stress, energy, and overall well-being. Although PEMF technology can be delivered in many directly applied forms, PEMF mats allow for an easily accessible therapy option for your entire body in one session.

What does a PEMF mat do?

Because varying PEMF wavelengths affect the body differently, most modern-day mats provide various wavelength — or frequency — settings measured in Hertz (cycles per second) to suit users’ needs. According to the Schumann resonance spectrum, a low-frequency range of 1–3 Hertz (Hz) helps with better sleep, while 8 Hz is just above Earth’s peak intensity. This frequency allows us to become more grounded and lowers stress levels. A pulse between 9–12 Hz provides a sense of calm and boosts creativity. Wavelengths in the 13–30 Hz range help with conscious thought and focused meditation.

“Bon Charge’s PEMF Mat Max includes near-infrared heat that raises body temperature and helps rejuvenate the skin, improve circulation, and offer pain relief. “

Although PEMF-only mats do exist, the best biomats offer complementary therapies that can be used in tandem with PEMF therapy. Common ones include near- and far-infrared, negative ion exposure, and red light therapy. Bon Charge’s PEMF Mat Max includes near-infrared heat that raises body temperature (think a heating pad) and helps rejuvenate the skin, improve circulation, and offer pain relief. In combination, far infrared — commonly used in infrared saunas — helps detoxify the body and boost metabolism. In addition, red light therapy has been proven to be great for the human complexion.

About Bon Charge, a brand that does it all

Wellness brand Bon Charge was founded in 2017 by Australian couple Katie and Andy Mant. The company’s flagship product was science-backed blue-light-blocking glasses that the Mants say significantly increased their sleep quality. But BLUBlox, as it was first named, quickly expanded its product line to include more circadian rhythm-friendly products. By 2021, BLUBox was offering a large variety of wellness boosters — everything from infrared sauna blankets to EMF protection devices and PEMF mats.

“Bon Charge uses lab-grade oscillating PEMF technology in its mats and claims to provide the lowest EMF on the market.”

In 2022, due to their success and product line expansion, the Mants rebranded the company, calling it Bon Charge. All Bon Charge products are rigorously lab-tested and also tested by the founders for at least six months before launch.

Thanks to the company’s comprehensive testing methods, I suspected that Bon Charge’s Infrared PEMF Mat Max would be the best option to assess the overall health benefits of a PEMF mat. And I was right! Bon Charge uses lab-grade oscillating PEMF technology in its mats and claims to provide the lowest EMF on the market. Plus with the Bon Charge mat, users can choose from a range of PEMF wavelengths to meet various needs. That is all coupled with the complementary benefits of near-infrared and red light therapies for restorative capabilities, and far-infrared for therapeutic heat.

Delivery and setup

My first thought upon receiving Bon Charge’s Infrared PEMF Mat Max was: Man, this thing is heavy. It must be well-made. 

Unsurprisingly, the full-body mat weighs 42 pounds because it’s layered with therapeutic technology, including a visible (and beautiful) layer made of semi-precious stones. Tourmaline, white and black onyx, and amethyst fill the channels of the high-density mesh you lay on. Each stone serves a purpose, from emitting far-infrared when heated to benefits like energy balance, harmony, and grounding. The precious stones also provide negative ion therapy, which counterbalances positive ion exposure, neutralizing cells to improve mood, reduce inflammation, and boost energy levels.

A large heavy package with shipping labels has been delivered and is sitting on a tiled floor inside a house.
An infrared pemf mat by bon charge unpacked and displayed next to its box in a home environment.
Packaging was minimal, and the mat came enclosed in a carrying case.

Upon delivery, I managed to shimmy the shipping box into my home myself. I did require some help from a family member to slide out the product, but from there, the setup was a piece of cake.

The mat came out of its box folded inside a cloth-carrying case with two handles. I used a QR code to access the manual, learn the frequency settings, and operate the timer. All I had to do was unzip the case in my desired location, unfold the mat, attach the power cord, which was also inside the box, and click it into the mat. No assembly required.

My first use

The first time I used the mat, I unfolded it in a quiet room away from my family. Because Bon Charge recommends as much skin contact as possible, especially for red light therapy, I stripped down to a sports bra and shorts. I set the timer for a 30-minute session on a wavelength setting of 9 Hz — said to be calming — and lay down on my back.

A black and red therapy mat with a controller placed on top of it, resting on a tiled floor next to a dog.
Woman resting on a workout mat indoors.
The mat comes ready to use. You just have to attach the cord, plug it in, and turn it on.
An infrared sauna mat with glowing red lights turned on.
Not all lights will illuminate when in use.

As I splayed out on the mat, aware of all the gems and stones on my back, my internal energy was uneasy, almost antsy. Meditation is not my thing, and I was also still recovering from a week-long virus that had left me drained with a looming cough. I still felt aches and pains from being in bed so much that week. 

“I felt the mat’s texture on my bare skin — different from what I would consider cozy or comfortable, but not bad.”

I felt the mat’s texture on my bare skin — different from what I would consider cozy or comfortable, but not bad. Finally, as the mat started to heat up, I felt tension ease. Less than five minutes into the session, I dozed off and did not wake up until a family member using a speakerphone in the other room woke me. (I learned then to shut the door during my sessions!) I was already feeling renewed.

During use, I was concerned that not all the red lights on the mat were illuminated. So I jumped on the website FAQs to clarify that “Not all the LEDs on the PEMF Mat will illuminate as some of these are Near Infrared LEDs, which are invisible to the human eye but are registered to us as heat.” Noted.

How I incorporated my Bon Charge mat into my daily routine

After that first sesh, I used the mat almost daily for three weeks to see if its claims rang true. I tried different frequencies and heat levels. I laid on it, sat on it, did yoga, and draped it over a couch to sit on it while I worked.

At one point, I even packed the mat and hauled it on a weeklong family vacation. After enduring a 10-hour drive, it was a blessing to relieve the aches from sitting all day on the mat. Also, while there was no hot tub to ease our muscular aches and pains at the end of a cold day of intense hiking, the PEMF mat offered the whole family warmth and relief — including my parents, who are in their late 60s and early 70s.

A focused woman reviewing papers at a table.
A person sitting cross-legged on a massage chair using a laptop, with a room decorated with wall art and string lights in the background.
My mat was a great place to quiz my daughters on spelling and vocabulary, cool down after a workout, or reap benefits while working from home.

I had two preferred ways of using the PEMF Mat Max. One was to drape it over my home office couch and sit on it while I watched a show at night or worked during the day. The other was to lay on it after a workout for my cool down after a workout. I also discovered that this mat is excellent for easing period cramps. Lying on it on my stomach relieved my cramps almost instantly.

While I can’t say for sure if it increased my energy, it certainly grounded and calmed my inner chaos, allowing me to focus on tasks while working and soothing my irritation when I was in a rotten mood. Sometimes, when I was still on it, I felt what I’d imagine were pulses of energy, like a shock that doesn’t hurt or startle you. It was nice to feel the product actually working on me.

A woman lying on a red light therapy mat while wearing athletic shorts and a sports bra, with a smartphone beside her.
A person performing a downward-facing dog yoga pose on a mat with red light therapy.
This mat is excellent for easing period cramps, or to cool down after a workout.

Final thoughts

The Bon Charge Infrared PEMF mat is genuinely excellent for all types and offers a multitude of health benefits. It is now a permanent fixture in my wellness routine.

A note on the price: $1,275 certainly isn’t inexpensive, but it is reasonable compared to many other PEMF mats on the market. It also represents a savings as compared to sustained out-of-home PEMF therapies. It’s large enough to accommodate diversely shaped bodies, and I found that sharing the mat amongst family members was a joy.

“I love that there are no restrictions on how often or how long you can use it.”

I even let my daughters (8 and 10) try it, but before doing so, I did my research and decided to limit their time until l could get more intel. I love that for adults, there are no restrictions on how often or how long you can use it — although Bon Charge recommends using at least three times a week for best results. This has been no problem to keep up with since I’ve quickly found ways to integrate it into my day.

Despite coming to me from overseas, the Bon Charge Infrared PEMF mat shipped free and comes with a plug-in cord, remote, and a storage and carrying bag (in other words, everything you need to get started using it right away). Plus Bon Charge offers a risk-free trial and a one-year manufacturer warranty, so if your opinion differs from mine, you’re free to send it back.

I now use the mat daily. Even if I’m not in need of physical recovery, it’s a touchpoint for much-needed grounding in my life. In the realm of health and wellness, and among the many products I’ve tested, the Bon Charge Infrared Mat is the most versatile yet. I am thankful for the discovery.

This story is in partnership with our friends at Bon Charge

Randi Donahue is a freelance writer with a master’s in journalism from Emerson College in Boston. Now based in Florida, she has two daughters and considers herself hyper-conscience when it comes to household consumption, researching every item with intense scrutiny before purchasing. You can see more of her work at www.randidonahue.com.