10 Best Indoor Saunas for Home – 2024
Jules Walters • Updated: Jan 16, 2024
In this guide, I’ve reviewed my 10 best indoor saunas for home. Some are traditional steam saunas and some are infrared, so there’s something for everyone.
Before you get to those picks, here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the best sauna for you.
Indoor Saunas – 3 Important Factors
Size and space
Determine the amount of space available in your home for a sauna. Measure your chosen area to ensure the sauna will fit comfortably and allow for proper ventilation. And decide how many people you want it to fit at one time. Most – though not all – brands offer one, two and three-seater versions.
Type of sauna
Consider the type of sauna you prefer. There are traditional steam saunas, infrared saunas, and combination saunas available. Each type of sauna (link) offers different benefits and experiences. If you’re not a regular sauna user, I recommend you try before you buy at a local spa or gym. Each kind will deliver health benefits, so the style choice is really down to your personal preference.
Heating method
If you opt for a traditional sauna, consider the heating method. Electric heaters are common, but there are also wood-burning and gas heaters available. Infrared saunas use different heating elements, so consider the type of infrared technology being used.
Best 10 Indoor Saunas for Home: 3 Traditional Saunas & 7 Infrared Saunas (2024)
Here then is my top 10 pick of high-quality saunas for your home. I’ve chosen these with sizes, styles and price points to suit a variety of spaces, style choices and budgets.
You can click through to each brand’s product page from the images below. If the sale price for the sauna isn’t shown on the page, you can contact the retailer directly to ask for an up-to-date quote and stock availability.
Or, if what you’re really after is an outdoor sauna for your garden or backyard, I’ve researched an article on that too. You’ll find my top pick of outdoor saunas here.
JULES’ PICKS – Best 3 Traditional Indoor Saunas for Home (2024)
Rusticus traditional indoor saunas
The Rusticus is a robustly-engineered, traditional sauna range of cabins in rustic cedar. Hence the name. For not a whole lot more than the price of the 1-person version, if you have the space and budget, you can upgrade to the 4-person model illustrated here.
Product Pros
Product Cons
The Rusticus makers draw attention to the cabin’s fine wood finish and soft LED lighting. Added to that, the well-designed, two-level seating comfortably allows for up to four people to have a sauna session together. All-in, creating a calm, relaxing atmosphere.
SunRay Saunas – Baldwin 2-Person Traditional Indoor Sauna HL200SN
SunRay Sauna’s 2-person traditional indoor sauna is the no fuss, no frills option in my top 10 indoor sauna pick.
Product Pros
Product Cons
The 3-person version of this SunRay sauna, which gives an extra 10 inches of width, currently sells for just 5 to 10% more.
Almost Heaven – Madison Cedar 3-Person Indoor Electric Sauna
This traditional steam sauna is made from rustic cedar lumber and includes a red cedar accessory kit with back rest, leg lift, robe hook, drink shelf and magazine rack. (Allow at least 4 to 5 hrs for DIY assembly.)
Product Pros
Product Cons
Though designed as a 3-person sauna, Madison’s maker describes this one as built for introverts. There’s plenty of room for 2 – and 3 would be snug – but see it from the outside and you get their point.
JULES’ PICKS – Best 7 Infrared Indoor Saunas for Home (2024)
Sunlighten Saunas – Amplify II, 2-person sauna
Sunlighten claims the full range of potential health benefits for users of their high quality sauna cabins, from anti-aging to detox, improved skin, heart health and better sleep.
Product Pros
Product Cons
If Sunlighten’s excitement about its product doesn’t convince you, the company does underline its health claims for infrared saunas with the message of functional medicine advocate Dr Mark Hyman. They summarize him as saying that infrared saunas help with weight loss, balance blood sugar, improve detoxification; and improve brain function.
Creatrix Solutions: Portable Near Infrared Sauna Lamp and Tent
Creatrix claims regular use of its tent and lamp – key components of their Sauna Fix Near Infrared Sauna system – will bring multiple health benefits; and that it will boost the efficiency of your fitness and detox efforts.
Product Pros
Product Cons
The tent and lamp are practical too, as they’re super convenient to erect and to locate, then relocate to another space if needed, around or away from home.
Ensi™ 2-Person Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna
This is a generously proportioned indoor sauna for two. The manufacturer takes pride in its construction from 100% Canadian hemlock wood, and ultra-low EMF, carbon-fiber heaters.
Product Pros
Product Cons
A couple of customer reviews have commented on the finishing on the cabin wood components being less than perfect. So, if you want to avoid splinters, be prepared to check the pieces and do some light sanding before you assemble this one.
I recommend ordering a pair of the optional backrests for this sauna, and perhaps throw in the chromotherapy light too for good measure!
Maxxus – LifeSauna 2-Person Infrared Sauna
Maxxus says its LifeSauna model is constructed with the environment in mind, using reforested Canadian hemlock hardwood.
In addition, the sauna walls are double-paneled, to maximize heat retention and reduce energy use.
Product Pros
Product Cons
Vital Saunas | Premier 2-Person Sauna – Hemlock
Vital Health Saunas is so confident in their craftsmanship and quality of this product, they offer a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser on the cabinet, heaters and controls
Product Pros
Product Cons
Higher Dose – Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna (2/3-Person)
Higher Dose claim this higher-end sauna, with its low-EMF carbon heaters, is literally the hottest on the market.
Product Pros
Product Cons
Sunray Saunas – Sierra 2-Person Cedar Infrared Sauna
This model is packed with good features.
Included are interior and exterior control pads, movable ergonomic backrests, 7-color chromatherapy mood lighting, a Bluetooth speaker system and air purification.
Product Pros
Product Cons
The Sierra’s maker claims it has the most spacious interior of any 2-person sauna on the market, with 6 inches more leg room than comparable models.
Final Thoughts on Best Indoor Saunas for Home in 2024
Quality sauna brands stand out from the rest based on several factors. Rely on the ones that prioritize quality, safety, comfort, value and overall user satisfaction to find the best home saunas.
Construction and quality
Top brands prioritize the construction and maintenance of their home saunas using high-quality materials that are durable and built for the long run. They often use solid wood, like cedar or hemlock, for the sauna’s walls and benches, ensuring a sturdy and stable structure.
Heating system
A high-quality indoor sauna will have an efficient heating system.
Brands often incorporate advanced heating elements, such as carbon fiber or ceramic heaters, which evenly distribute heat throughout the sauna to provide a comfortable and consistent sauna experience.
Temperature control
The best brands offer precise temperature control options, allowing users to set the sauna’s temperature according to their preferences. This essential feature ensures a personalized and comfortable experience every time.
Safety features
Top sauna brands prioritize a safe user experience by including features like overheat protection, automatic shut-off systems, or low-level EMF (electromagnetic field) and ELF (extremely low-frequency) emissions.
Design and aesthetics
The best indoor sauna brands pay attention to the design and aesthetics of their products. They will stock various sizes and designs to suit different spaces and personal preferences, ensuring their saunas blend well with their surrounds.
Warranty and customer support
Reputable brands will provide a warranty period for their saunas. They should provide reliable customer support too.
User-friendly features
Top brands recognize the importance of user-friendliness.
High-end infrared saunas may include features such as digital control panels, LED lighting, Bluetooth speakers, or even smartphone app integration, making the sauna experience more convenient and enjoyable. Bear in mind these features will sometimes be optional extras, and therefore cost a bit more than the headline price.
The best traditional saunas will typically go without the gadgetry; distinguishing themselves instead with the beautiful quality of their materials, production, fittings – and finish.
Energy efficiency
The best indoor sauna brands prioritize energy efficiency by designing saunas that consume minimal electricity; saving on operating costs, while also reducing the environmental impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an indoor sauna cost?
Indoor sauna costs vary widely, depending on style and taste, but the typical range for a prefabricated, self-assembly model for 2 to 4 people is between 2 and 10-thousand US dollars. Bespoke saunas, made to personal specifications can cost much more.
How different are indoor and outdoor saunas?
Apart from the obvious differences between the two sauna types (of cabin location and varying degrees of privacy), the significant ones are materials and ventilation.
Indoor saunas are often made of lighter woods, such as pine and aspen. Outdoor saunas are typically built with materials that are both treated and naturally better at withstanding the elements. These more robust woods include, a range of cedars, hemlocks –and Douglas Fir.
Outdoor saunas also benefit from natural ventilation. Indoor saunas, on the other hand, are likely to need artificial ventilation to ensure adequate air circulation, and to prevent moisture accumulation and mold growth. Both types, though, need at least monthly manual cleaning of the insides when in use.
Are there any sauna woods that are best avoided?
Hard woods, such as oak, teak, and mahogany, have a tendency to overheat. This can easily lead to flesh burns when they’re exposed to high temperatures. So, they are definitely not recommended, either for interior walls or benches. Also: woods that produce a lot of sap, and that includes maple and walnut, are best avoided.
Are there any clinically-proven health benefits from taking regular saunas?
There’s been a lot of research into the effects of saunas on human health. Not all have come to robust, well-founded conclusions. One of the more significant, though, is a research study conducted by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Jyväskylä. It showed that frequent sauna bathing can lower the risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in middle-aged and older people.
The Finnish study found the mortality rate from cardiovascular disease (CVD) among people taking a sauna 4 to 7 times a week was 73 percent lower than those using a sauna just once a week.