This home sauna buying guide starts with one plain answer. Pick a traditional sauna if you want the classic hot room with steam. Pick an infrared cabin if you want a smaller unit that is cooler and easier to wire. Either one can be a good buy if it is safe, fits your home and matches your power supply.
What the two types actually are
A traditional sauna heats the air. An electric heater warms a pile of stones, and the room fills with hot, dry air. You can pour water on the stones to make steam. The Finnish word for that mix of heat and steam is löyly. Electric sauna stoves date back to 1938, when Metos Ltd in Vaasa introduced one. Before that, saunas were heated with wood fires.
An infrared cabin uses infrared heaters. They give off radiant heat that the skin absorbs. The cabin air stays cooler. Wikipedia lists the usual air temperature at 40 to 60 degrees Celsius (104 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit) in an infrared sauna, against 70 to 90 degrees Celsius (158 to 194 degrees Fahrenheit) in a traditional one. Wikipedia also says wood-fired Finnish saunas averaged around 75 to 100 degrees Celsius.
One word of caution on names. Finnish sauna organizations say infrared is not a sauna. That is a matter of definition, not a ruling on which is better. It does mean sellers use the word loosely, so read what the product really does.
Sources: Wikipedia, "Sauna" and "Infrared sauna" (versions archived by the Internet Archive in August 2024).
Wiring: check this before you fall in love with a cabin
Wiring is where most buyers get surprised. A heater is a big electrical load. Amps equal watts divided by volts. A 1,500 watt load on a 120 volt outlet draws 12.5 amps. A 6,000 watt heater on 240 volts draws 25 amps. Larger loads need thicker wire and a bigger breaker.
Full-size traditional rooms tend to use bigger heaters, so they are often the heavier load. Heater makers list the breaker and wire size each model needs in their manuals. Whether a ground fault breaker is needed or allowed depends on your local code and on the maker's manual. Ask a licensed electrician and your building department, and do not guess.
Read the label on any product you are eyeing. Find the volts, the amps and the watts. Then ask whether your panel has room for it, how far the run is from the panel, and whether a permit is needed where you live. A low price means little if the wiring job costs more than the sauna.
Note: the amp figures above are plain arithmetic, amps equal watts divided by volts, not a quote from a source.
Heat-up time and running cost
A modern electric stove in a traditional sauna usually takes about 15 to 30 minutes to heat up, according to Wikipedia. Sellers of infrared cabins often claim shorter warm-up times, but the figures differ from maker to maker. Ask for the number in writing and note the room temperature it was measured in.
Running cost is simple math you can do yourself. Take the heater power in kilowatts and multiply by the hours it runs. A 6 kilowatt heater that runs for one hour uses 6 kilowatt-hours. Multiply that by the price per kilowatt-hour on your electric bill. Remember that a heater cycles on and off once the room is hot, so real use is lower than full power for the whole session. Do the same sum for a 1.5 kilowatt cabin. Smaller loads cost less per hour, but compare per session, not just per hour.
Sources: Wikipedia, "Sauna" (version archived August 2024).
Wood, build and safety distances
Ask what the walls and benches are made of. Look for solid boards rather than thin veneer. Ask where the wood is from, how thick it is and how the joints are made. Wood in a sauna is exposed to heat and damp for years, so build quality shows up late. A seller that cannot answer these questions is a poor sign.
Heat near wood is also a fire matter. Every heater has a minimum distance to walls, benches and the ceiling, and some need a heat shield. The numbers differ by model, so read the manual for your own unit and follow it. Do not set objects on a heater. Check that the heater is fastened as the maker says. Make sure the door opens outward and can never be locked from the outside or jammed shut, so no one can be trapped.
Finally, think about who will use it. Hot rooms are not for everyone. If you have a health condition, talk to your own doctor before buying. This guide does not claim any health effect for either type.
UL marks and a short checklist
Look for a safety mark from a recognized testing lab on the heater, the controls and the cabin. Check the product, its packaging or its online listing. A mark means a lab tested the product against a safety standard. It is not a promise of quality, and it does not replace correct wiring. A listing that shows no mark at all is a reason to ask questions.
Use this list before you pay. Is it the type you want, hot air and steam or a cooler infrared cabin? Do the volts and amps match what your home can supply? Who does the wiring, and is a permit needed? What is the stated heat-up time, and who measured it? What is the wood, and is it solid? Are the clearances and door rules in the manual? Is there a safety mark you can find on the product? Is there a clear warranty and return window?
The best buy is the one that passes this list for your home. Price comes last.
Note: this checklist is the editors' own buying advice, not a quote from a source.