The 7 Best Home Saunas, According to Fitness Editors and Experts

What to Consider

Type

There are two types of home saunas: Infrared and dry. The former uses infrared lamps to heat the body at a lower temperature (approximately 120°F to 150°F), so it tends to be more comfortable for prolonged use. A traditional dry sauna uses heated rocks or panels to produce higher temperatures (160°F to 200°F) through dry heat to raise the body’s core temperature and create a more intense sweat.

Material

Ideally, we recommend buying a home sauna with the most durable materials you can realistically afford. Giordano recommends cedar or hemlock wood saunas as two solid bets, as they heat evenly and consistently. Plus, they look great too. For the smaller, more compact options, and blankets, which your skin is in constant contact with, you are going to want materials that resist moisture and wipe off easily.

Size

Consider the size of your new sauna to make sure it’s large enough to accommodate the maximum number of users at once. However, even if more than one person uses it regularly, you might not need to buy a huge one. "How many people will really be using it at the same time?" says Dalleck.

Maintenance and Power Requirements

Beyond the initial investment, home saunas require routine maintenance and upkeep. Consider the long-term cost of things like cleaning and ventilation. You’ll also want to make sure that your home’s electrical system can handle the increased power load. While smaller models only require a standard 120V outlet, some of the larger and more premium models require dedicated 240V circuits and professional installation.

Features and Extras

While not totally necessary, many of today’s best home saunas offer extra features and add-ons. If you want to really turn your space into a hotel spa, look for saunas with built-in speakers, Bluetooth compatibility, red light options, chromotherapy, and even aromatherapy.

More Saunas That We're Testing

• The Original Plunge Sauna—being tested by Charles Thorp

Meet the Experts

• Lance Dalleck, PhD, is a Professor of Exercise and Sport Science and High-Altitude Exercise Physiology at Western Colorado University.
• Dr. Daniel Giordano, PT, DPT C.S.C.S., is the Chief Medical Officer at Bespoke Physical Therapy.

FAQs

How Often Should I Use a Home Sauna?

The more, the better! Dalleck says that there’s a clear relationship between how much you sauna and the benefits it provides. “Research shows people who use the sauna daily versus just 1-2 times can receive an additional 10-20% benefit," he says. "Similarly, sauna times of 10-20 minutes come with significantly more health benefits relative to less than 10 minutes.”

Which Is Better: An Infrared or Dry Home Sauna?

Both can provide significant health benefits. Giordano says that it ultimately depends on individual preferences and needs. Traditional dry saunas usually have higher temperatures, according to Giordano. Water is poured on the heated surfaces to produce steam and increase humidity, but the primary heat source is dry. Infrared saunas, on the other hand, provide more gentle heat and potential deeper tissue penetration. They use infrared lamps or panels to emit infrared light. Infrared light directly heats the body rather than heating the air around it.

Dalleck likes dry saunas because they tend to run hotter, and most of the available research has been done on dry saunas. He notes that infrared saunas are often more comfortable, but the primary driver behind all the above-mentioned health benefits would be improved core temperature. "So any sauna with a lower temperature [e.g., infrared saunas] would need a greater exposure time to begin to elicit the same benefits of the more traditional dry sauna," says Dalleck. If you’re unsure which type is best for you, Dalleck suggests finding a local gym, hotel, or even a friend with a sauna to get a sense of how well it might work for you.

Do Home Saunas Really Work?

Numerous long-term scientific studies say yes! Giordano points to one Finnish study, in particular, from researchers at the University of Eastern Finland, published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2015. It followed more than 2,000 middle-aged men over the course of about 20 years, concluding a list of incredible health benefits through regular sauna use.

These included lower blood pressure, decreased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and decreased risk of respiratory diseases (e.g., things like pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/COPD). Giordano specifically notes a reduced risk of fatal cardiovascular events (e.g., sudden cardiac death, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality), too. Most notably, the risk of these cardiovascular events decreased as the frequency and duration of sauna sessions increased (e.g., twice weekly for 20 minutes per session to four times weekly for 20 minutes per session).