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PlatinumLED BIOMAX 900 vs Hooga HG1500
In our view the BIOMAX 900 is the stronger panel where it counts most to us: its 90 mW/cm² is independently measured at a usable 6-inch distance, while the HG1500's higher 115 is a manufacturer claim no third party has confirmed, so we credit it more cautiously. The BIOMAX also adds five wavelengths the Hooga lacks. The HG1500 is the better sticker price and a lower cost per cm² of coverage, so if you accept its unverified headline it is a real value; we just weight the measured number more heavily.
Two full-body panels people cross-shop, and the split is the one our whole rubric is built on: verified output versus a bigger printed number. The BIOMAX 900 publishes an independent 6-inch measurement of about 90 mW/cm² (Light Therapy Insiders) and spans seven wavelengths from 480 to 1060 nm. The HG1500 states over 115 mW/cm² at 6 inches, but that figure is the manufacturer's own and we found no independent measurement of it; it runs the core 660/850 nm pair and costs several hundred dollars less. Neither holds an FDA 510(k) clearance: the BIOMAX is marketed as FDA-registered, and Hooga makes no FDA claim at all.
| $1,299 | Price | $899 |
| 90 mW/cm² | Irradiance @6in | 115 mW/cm² |
| $0.47 | Cost per cm² | $0.35 |
| 480/630/660/810/830/850/1060 nm | Wavelengths | 660/850 nm |
| 2,787 cm² (full body) | Coverage | 2,542 cm² (full body) |
| registered/listed only | FDA | none claimed |
Score breakdown
| 8.0 | Verified Irradiance30% | 6.0 |
| 10.0 | Wavelengths20% | 8.0 |
| 10.0 | EMF & Flicker15% | 10.0 |
| 4.5 | Value20% | 7.0 |
| 7.0 | Build & Coverage15% | 7.0 |
FAQ
- The Hooga claims a higher irradiance, so why does the BIOMAX score higher?
- Because we weight verification. The BIOMAX 900's roughly 90 mW/cm² at 6 inches is an independent reading from Light Therapy Insiders; the HG1500's 115 is the manufacturer's own figure, and we found no independent measurement of it. A confirmed-at-distance number outscores a higher number nobody outside the brand has checked.
- Is either one FDA cleared?
- No. We found no 510(k) clearance for either in the openFDA database. PlatinumLED markets the BIOMAX as FDA-registered, which is paperwork, not a clearance, and Hooga makes no FDA claim on the HG1500. Treat both as uncleared consumer panels.
- Which is the better value?
- On price and cost per cm² of coverage, the HG1500 is cheaper (about $0.35/cm² versus $0.47/cm²). On verified light per dollar, the BIOMAX's measured output and seven wavelengths are the safer spend. It depends on whether you would rather pay less or buy a number that has been checked.