Sauna Buyers Guide

An infrared sauna is a large investment that will stay with the buyer for years to come. Therefore, finding the best sauna for the best value is an important step. We recommend buyers carefully compare different models before making the final decision. Many customers have questions on how to compare saunas and what to look for before buying since it's hard to find any independent reviews about infrared saunas in the market.

As an infrared sauna seller, we've invested a lot of resources in researching infrared sauna manufactures and most of the sauna models. We've gone as far as visiting the factories in China and South Korea, as well as inspecting the assembly lines and product quality. Also, we have bought and inspected many models that are available for sale in the United States.

How to Compare Infrared Saunas

The list below highlights the most important factors to compare before buying a sauna.

Capacity and Dimension

Each model is designed to either fit one, two, three or more people. The most common size is for two people since this model can easily fit anywhere in the house. Make sure to compare the dimension of the sauna rather than the capacity. As a general tip, the minimum width for a 1-person sauna is 35" inches, 42" inches for a 2-person sauna and 63" inches for a 3-person sauna.

Watch out for: Some sauna resellers will advertise a 2-person or 3-person sauna at an unbelievable low price; however, the sauna dimension is far smaller then the recommended size.

Heating Surface Area

Power wattage itself is not sufficient to evaluate a sauna's performance. For example, most 2-person infrared saunas run between 1600-1700 watts. However, a 3,000 square inches heating surface area and a 4,000 square inches heating surface area will give you a completely different heating results. The larger the heating surface, the faster it heats up with more even heat distribution. It is a big plus if the sauna has floor heating panels, which keeps your feet warm.

Type of Heaters

There are a few types of infrared heaters.

Ceramic heaters are made out of ceramic tubes.
Pros: Low cost; small overall volume.
Cons: High surface temperature (over 300°); uneven heat distribution; hard to replace.
Mica heaters are made out of mica rocks.
Pros: Even heat distribution; low surface temperature.
Cons: Hard surface and easily cracked; Cracks are not visible to the human eye.
Carbon heaters are made from carbon fiber glass.
Pros: Even heat distribution; low surface temperature; flexible; used in most medical devices.
Cons: Unknown.

Material Selection

Almost all infrared sauna suppliers claim their saunas are made with 100% Hemlock Fir or Red Cedar. The truth is many saunas are only "covered up" by the claimed wood, while the insides are filled in with low quality wood. In addition, compare the thickness of the wall and the tempered glass because these are the key factors to insulation and heat up time.

Watch out for: Some sauna factories paint the outside of their saunas with different colors (e.g. dark brown, black) to cover up the lower wood quality. Only buy a colored sauna when it is important to match the overall decor and the wood quality is not a deciding factor.

Wall and Glass Thickness

Infrared saunas wall structure: Each panel is built by placing front and back wood panels over the body frame. The panels are connected using tongue and groove to hold them together. Water based glu and pressure is used to hold the front and back panels to the body frame. Thicker wood panels mean stronger walls. Thicker overall width of the wall provides better insulation. The same goes with glass; the thicker it is the better it'll insulate the sauna and overall quality.

Last but not least

Customer Service

Many customers reported that after buying a sauna from an online retailer, it was almost impossible to get any customer service and support. We've experienced similar problems on our research specially trying to order replacement parts. Problems usually arise from "online only" retailer who doesn't have a physical location. Before buying your sauna, make sure the customer service department is available and easy to reach.

Before You Buy

Prior to your final decision on purchasing a sauna, take the following into consideration.

Do you have any health or medical conditions that might prevent you from using infrared saunas?
Far infrared radiation (FIR) is considered harmless for humans. Infrared heaters are even used to heat premature babies in hospitals incubators. But some people with certain illnesses and conditions should not use an infrared sauna or use it with extra caution. Is it safe to use?
Decide where you will place your infrared sauna.
It's important to choose a low-humidity, dry and level place. Also, most saunas are for in-door uses (you'll need an out-door model for out-door use). Make sure that you have enough room for your infrared sauna before purchasing it.
Finally, buy the sauna.
After making sure everything is what you want and you're satisfied with the store (either online or offline), go ahead order the sauna and enjoy.