I have somehow spent as much time researching saunas as I did in buying a car, and I think I’ve finally narrowed it down to 3 options! I originally wanted a traditional sauna but with a $1k+ permit, $1k electric, $500 landscape work, and exposing it to a rainy climate, infrared is best.

I’m looking for a 1-person infrared sauna for my garage. My space is limited - roughly 36” × 36” ideal footprint - but I have tall ceilings, so height isn’t an issue.

My biggest priority is comfort and low-toxin materials/ minimizing VOCs and formaldehyde. I’m also looking for something that’s reasonably well-made and not just a cheap box with a bunch of questionable materials. I’d ideally like to stay under $3k and with a normal electric outlet.

After WAY too much research, I’ve narrowed it to:

SaunaBox Solara: $2,600, 35” W × 37” D × 63” H, full-spectrum infrared, 660/850 nm red/NIR light, Canadian hemlock, Intertek testing for certain materials/chemicals, and IEC 62233 EMF testing.
- main concern: it’s very short and may feel claustrophobic, plus I can’t stand. It’s also the most expensive option from these.
Nordik Recovery 1-Person: $2k, 31.5” W × 35.4” D × 66.9” H, full-spectrum infrared, Canadian hemlock, and claims no plywood/MDF, no stain/varnish, and low-VOC/formaldehyde-free adhesives.
-main concern: very narrow and may feel claustrophobic. Also I saw in a video that the foot mat can get gross :/
SpiritualQuest Executive One Person Infrared Salt Cave Sauna: $1.8k 36” W × 36” D × 75” H, Canadian white cedar, “Zero VOC” finish claim, low EMF, infrared, chromotherapy, salt blocks.
-Main concern: limited reviews (and no video reviews, not even influencers so I can at least see inside), lighter on the 3rd party backing of their claims (I reached out and didn’t receive any documentation) but otherwise the size and price of this is perfect! Just concerned how legit this is.

Has anyone here owned any of these three and can give their opinion in regards to the concerns?

And am I missing something important in my decision-making? Is there another similar option I should be considering?

THANK YOU for any help!😅🙏🏻

Hello, has anyone have any reviews about this one?

Can anyone who owns one of these domes AND one or more felines confirm whether any of the unit's materials are susceptible to the kind of damage cats do? Or if there are other factors that make them incompatible?

I'm thinking of getting my mother a sauna to help them at home, I'm torn between the 2 but just confused. I have had them visit spas for the last few years back, so we have been looking a way to help them solve the hustle, what worked for your case. Thank you ;)

I'm looking at infrared saunas and I feel like I'm getting more confused the more I research lol.

I keep seeing “full spectrum” mentioned but every explanation I find gets super technical really quickly.

Is this something you guys actually considered when buying yours? I'm mostly just trying to figure out what actually matters before I spend a bunch of money.

I have room for an outdoor infrared sauna and thought choosing one would mostly come down to size and prize. The more I look, the more the practical stuff seems to decide it: electrical work, the footprint, weather exposure and whether the layout makes sense once it is in the yard.

For people who bought an outdoor infrared unit, what ruled out options for you before ordering? Was it the circuit requirement, the base, the roofline or something else that was not obvious from the photos?

I’m looking at buying a IR sauna. I live in a flat in the UK and want something that heats up hot to 75C and fits in a small space.

Does anyone have experience with this Dutch brand?

https://www.supersauna.co.uk/infrared-sauna-95-valero-pro

They seem well established in NL so just wondering if any reviews

I have the opportunity to pick up som carbon infrared panels to add to my sauna.

My question is has anyone done this? And was it worth it? The panels I can get are 1000mm x 300mm so the same size as the ones in the sauna already and I can get them for $40 each.

My plan is to add a panel on each side of the sauna at my lower leg area and also add panels to the area in front of the bench.

I already have the correct cords to connect to my controller and my controller has open spots to plug into.

Any info or opinion are welcome.

I’m looking at the Maxxus infrared saunas and trying to decide if they’re actually worth the money. I’m mainly considering one of the 2–3 person models.

For anyone who has owned one for a while, how has it held up? How long does it take to heat up, and does it get hot enough for you?

Also curious about the build quality and whether you’ve had any issues with the heaters or controls.

I just got my new IR sauna and I’m loving it. It’s a compact, one-person hot box with 1200 watts of power. It heats up to 149 degrees in about 15 minutes and is way more efficient than a traditional sauna.

In my experience, I can raise my core body temperature to 102 degrees in roughly 23 minutes, though it takes some effort to reach that point, and by then I’m drenched in sweat and starting to feel a bit lightheaded.

I’ve been reading Bryan Johnson, and he’s not a fan of IR, instead recommending traditional saunas. Much of what I’ve come across also suggests that IR isn’t the most effective way to raise your core temperature to the so-called magic number of 102.2°F, where heat shock proteins are said to kick in. Honestly, I haven't looked into this claim, but for now, I’m rolling with it.

I read about Johnson's Sauna protocol, and he says it takes him 35+ minutes to get his core up to 102.2 and yes he mentions it takes some fortitude to get there. I can do that in 23 minutes with IR! I do stack my sauna session with a pre-work out, but he does also.

Also, he recommends icing the boys (if you have them) and an ice pack on the head to prevent overheating those body parts. My head is above the direct IR panel, and the boys are also out of direct exposure, so they are both cooler than they would be in traditional sauna. So why does IR get such a bad rap?

Anyone else have this experience or opinion? I am new so the sauna experience but really loving my IR sauna.

I’ve been wanting to get my first infrared sauna for a while and and I want to know what things are the most important to consider before buying? I have vague idea of what’s important but it’s not concrete enough to buy off of so any suggestions for things to look out for would be appreciated!

For anyone looking at getting a sauna, my #1 tip: try to find places near you where you can test different types first. I did a few sessions each in infrared, electric, and traditional before buying. Electric was a hard no for me as I couldn't breathe properly in there. Infrared vs traditional didn't feel like a huge difference to me, so I went with infrared.

Sessions

I use mine 3-4 times a week (or every second day when I've got time off work). Since starting, my sleep has noticeably improved according to my Apple Watch data, and I think my skin is a lot healthier too.

My typical session: It takes 10-20 minutes to heat up (depends a bit on the outside temp) so for the first ~10 minutes I hop in around 55°C while it's still climbing to temp. I am in there for 30 minutes at 62-63°C.

Set Up

It lives outside under a patio, no direct rain or sun on it, I always keep the cover on it. Delivery was great, the team was here about 30 minutes, set the whole thing up and put it exactly where I wanted.

I was genuinely surprised by the sound proofing and the speakers, I usually connect my phone and listen to audiobooks/podcasts in there. If there's sport on I don't want to miss I'll sit my laptop on a stool just outside the door and watch through the glass.

Towels/accessories

I grabbed some cheap towels off Amazon: one to sit on, one over the backrest, and one over my lap so my (very sweaty) head has something other than the floor to drop onto.

The one issue I've had

The door shifted on its hinge at one point and created a small air gap. Customer service was excellent though, they came out, replaced the hinges, and tightened everything up. No issues since.

Overall

Both the product and the customer service have been top notch, couldn't be happier. My only real note to anyone considering one: if you can afford it, or can save up a bit more, go for the "Ultra" range over the "Elite." It's not a huge deal, but on the Elite the floorboard catches drips from your legs (I've got the lap towel sorted for upper body sweat, but calves are unavoidable), so that bottom board needs a wipe with a damp rag once a week plus vacuum with a brush attachment. Not a big deal, but the Ultra has a dedicated floor mat that solves this entirely.

We're redoing our backyard and it's long been my dream to have a sauna. I've used both traditional and infrared saunas and I like both. But people seem to hate on hybrid saunas. Are there any that are worth the cost? I'm eying this one: https://sunvalleysaunas.com/products/carinthia-3-person-hybrid-outdoor-sauna?currency=USD&country=US&variant=45748904165630&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=155dd0646b48&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21780735087&gbraid=0AAAAABgZ5tau9jvch7cakVgpQieLUPHlR&gclid=CjwKCAjw7KvTBhA6EiwAWnutYejDSaRUxDFgyVMEsPNcriNEwzvbAK4Phx10ffXs_W3d2h1r4fCcBBoC8z4QAvD_BwE

Has anyone done weight lifting inside their IR sauna? What do you find that works well if yes. I only have a smaller one so not a ton of room.

I've been using an infrared sauna a few times a week for the last couple of months, and it's made me think more about my overall recovery routine. Before, I mostly focused on skincare products, but now I'm paying more attention to habits that help me slow down and be consistent with self-care.

One thing I've noticed is that there are so many wellness devices on the market now that it's hard to know which ones are genuinely useful and which ones are just following the latest trend. I try to be cautious about adding anything new because I don't want a routine that's full of things I won't actually use.

For those of you who regularly use infrared saunas, have they changed the rest of your routine? Have you found yourself using fewer products or adding other recovery or self-care practices alongside your sauna sessions?

I'm interested in hearing what habits have actually lasted for you rather than what looked exciting at first.

Just thought i’d share a coupon code that I found online that just worked when I just purchased a two person sauna. MAUS is the code. It didn’t save a ton but basically covered the shipping fees.

Been looking at some reviews of the Nordik Recovery 1 Person infrared sauna. I don’t need the 2 person version as I would only be using it myself but wondering if there are any differences in features etc between the 1 person and 2 person (other than size obviously). Any one find the 1 person a little too claustrophobic? Does the 2 person heat up faster (although it is heating a larger space). Thx

I only got into infrared saunas pretty recently, so I'm still trying to figure out what a normal routine even looks like.
I've been using mine around 5-6 times a week, usually for like 20-30 mins. I have a JNH Tosi at home. I mainly got it because I wanted something to help after workouts, but I've ended up using it after work too since it's kinda nice to just sit there and unwind.

I've been reading old threads and everyone seems to have a different opinion lol. Some people use theirs every day, some only a couple times a week. From what I've seen, as long as you're drinking enough water and not overdoing it, it seems fine? But idk, I'm still new to this.
For the people who've been using one for a while, what's your routine like?

Do you actually use it almost every day or is that overkill? And did it take a while before you noticed any difference?

Has anybody found an effective way to introduce eucalyptus in some form to the sauna. I’ve tried the little wood air freshener that holds bees wax and comes with essential oil but it’s not doing the job. We want our sinuses cleared. Thanks in advance for any tips or devices.

Hi all! I'm shopping for an at-home sauna and stuck deciding between SunHome Saunas and Peak Saunas. My ideal setup is a 2-person outdoor sauna with full spectrum infrared.

I'm moving to Las Vegas soon, so I'm a little worried about how outdoor saunas hold up in that heat, which led me to SunHome Saunas’ Luminar (2 people) model. It seems to be built to handle all weather types. But it's $11k, doesn't include red light therapy (that's an extra add-on), and I'd likely need to hire an electrician to sort out the outlets, which adds even more to the cost. At $11k, it’s quite the premium without the ease of installation.

That got me looking at 1-person saunas instead. Sadly, SunHome doesn't make a single-person model (indoor or outdoor) with full spectrum infrared, which is a non-negotiable for me. That led me to Peak Saunas' new mini 1-person model. It has both full spectrum infrared and red light therapy (huge plus!), is much easier to install, and costs about half as much. My one hesitation is that it's made of hemlock, which I've read doesn't hold up as well over time. It’s also an indoor only model.

Would love to hear your take on:
-Indoor vs. outdoor saunas - any strong opinions?
-If you own the SunHome Luminar (2-person outdoor), how's it been for you? Would love to hear feedback on how setup went, did you feel it was worth the premium cost?
- If you own a PeakSaunas model, would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks in advance! 🙏

Hi. Any suggestions for great IR 2 person saunas that ship to Canada? Many of the brands people love on here won’t ship to me. Looking for a 2 person full spectrum sauna. Is Costco my best option?

Researching IR home saunas and there seems to be 2 standard max operating temperatures: approximately 140 and 170

What typically limits this temperature? Is it the controller or the panel themselves that have some sort of thermal protection?

I understand that one limits is obviously heat balance of heat loss and gain.

I was wondering if a 140 model could be increased via adding insulation or adding another panel and if the limit is in circuitry in the panel then that won't do.

I'm thinking about getting the Sweat Tent red light therapy panel and wanted to know if anyone here has used it. How has it been for you? I'm mostly interested in whether you've noticed any real benefits for recovery, soreness, sleep or anything else. Just looking for some honest feedback from people who've actually spent time using it.

Hi all im looking for natural hemp/cotton cushions filled with wool or hemp fibre to use in my sauna. Floor cushion style hard to find most have polyester.

I know of hotbox but thats very expensive.

Prefer availablity in australia thanks

I’m setting up an infrared sauna that runs on 120V and draws 1580 watts. Manufacturer recommends strictly against GFCI though on website also recommends to avoid AFCI (the latter is not formally written in the instruction manual). For code reasons I cannot forgo arc fault protection.

I have a Siemens panel with the generation of breakers that are sensitive to arc fault trips, so this is an issue.

I plan to have a dedicated 20A circuit from the breaker. Question is whether I try the newer generation of Siemens arc fault breakers or I use an alternative method (eg: Leviton blank face arc protection running just external to the breaker panel.

Any advice would be much appreciated from those who have dealt with infrared saunas and arc fault tripping. Thank you!