Of course you want an even tan, a tan that is the same across different part of your body. The best tanning beds allow you to accomplish this. But this only happens if the UV lamps are placed in the right locations around the tanning bed. By the same token, the reflectors that are used inside must be located such that the ultra-violet rays reach all parts of the person's body in a uniform manner. For this reason, many people prefer a vertical tanning bed instead of a horizontal tanning bed because the entire body can be exposed and allow more uniform tanning. However, that definitely does not mean that a good horizontal tanning bed cannot provide a nice uniform tan.
The shape of the tanning bed, where the horizontal tanning bed are also known as clamshells, is also important. You should be able to lie down comfortably on the plastic or glass bed. The lid of the clamshell, which has ultraviolet lamps mounted inside, should close smoothly over the individual.
For vertical tanning beds, also known as tanning booths or stand ups, you are surrounded by ultraviolet lamps mounted in the casing of the booth. This promotes faster, and more even tanning, and allows far less chance that any particular part of the body is not getting sufficient tanning exposure.
If being enclosed in a clamsheel glass capsule leads you to claustrophobia, you may want to consider a portable tanning bed. With these units, the ultra-violet lights form a canopy over your head and can be easily moved or wheeled into different parts of the house, even to the back yard or your screened porch. The biggest problem with these units is that they don't provide an even tan unless you are conscious to keep turning and moving to ensure that your body gets maximum exposure in all areas. But in terms of convenience, especially if you do not have a dediated area to have a non-portable tanning unit, these can fit the bill nicely.
No matter what type of tanning bed yo use, be sure to check the intensity of the light. Tannning beds that use low-power ultra-violet lamps require you to stay under them for a longer time to bring about a good tan. However, on the bright side, these lower-powered lamps are far less likely to damage the skin when compared to higher power UV lamps.