How to Choose a Sauna
📋 How to Choose a Sauna
Your complete buying guide for home infrared saunas.
Step 1: Determine Your Space
Before anything else, measure where you'll put your sauna. Consider:
- Indoor placement — Bedroom, basement, garage, or dedicated wellness room
- Outdoor placement — Patio, deck, or backyard (requires weatherproof model)
- Clearance — Allow 6-12 inches around the sauna for ventilation
- Flooring — Any hard, level surface works (tile, concrete, hardwood)
Step 2: Choose Your Size
1-Person Saunas Perfect for solo use. Compact footprint around 36" x 36". Ideal for apartments or small spaces.
2-Person Saunas Most popular choice. Comfortable for one person to stretch out, or cozy for two. Around 47" x 47".
3-4 Person Saunas Great for couples who want space, or families. More heater coverage and room to move.
💡 Pro Tip: Size up if you can. A 2-person sauna gives you room to lie down, stretch, and do yoga poses—much more comfortable than a cramped 1-person unit.
Step 3: Key Features to Look For
Heater Type
- Carbon panels: Even heat, energy efficient, most common
- Ceramic rods: Higher temp, more intense heat, less even
- Full-spectrum: Near + mid + far infrared for complete benefits (Peak Saunas)
Wood Quality
- Canadian Hemlock: Premium, low-resin, hypoallergenic
- Cedar: Aromatic, naturally antimicrobial
- Avoid: Pine, poplar, or mystery wood blends
Warranty
- Good: 5+ years on structure, 3+ years on heaters
- Better: Lifetime limited warranty (Peak Saunas)
- Red flag: 1-year or no warranty = run away
Step 4: Compare Brands
The home sauna market is full of overpriced and underdelivering options. See how the top brands stack up:
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