If you’re someone looking for the best infrared sauna but you’re appalled by the price tags, we may have tested a pop-up and portable option ideal for your recovery regime. And speaking of recovery, if you have a strategy that needs a tuneup, you may like knowing that infrared saunas are excellent for increasing blood circulation1 and may improve muscle recovery2 better than traditional saunas.
That’s why in this Serene Life Portable sauna review, I’ll provide the specifications and walk you through our two-week hands-on experience with the sauna from our expert product testers.
We’re Turning Up the Heat on Sauna Testing
While you may know the Garage Gym Reviews name from testing and reviewing the best squat racks and the best treadmills for a home gym, we’re also eager to experiment with all things recovery. After all, a hard workout deserves proper recovery, right?
For this SereneLife portable sauna review, ISSA-CPT and lead reviewer on Garage Gym Reviews Everything Lindsay Scheele used the lightweight and portable sauna in her home for two weeks so she could offer a full report in case you’re debating on buying one for your home.
Lindsay used our in-depth GGR fitness equipment testing methodology to score various factors on a scale of 1 to 5, which we do for every piece of equipment we test. For saunas, here are a few examples of the categories we score on:
- Heating performance: We verify the temperature range the manufacturer claims and test how long it takes to get up to temperature.
- Footprint: Not only do we look at the footprint, but the dimensions inside the sauna and how much room is allowed for seating.
- Seating: We consider what the brand says on how many people can fit inside the sauna compared to our actual experience.
The Serene Life Compact Sit-In Sauna is a portable in-home sauna that can be assembled and then disassembled for compact storage. The sauna can reach a maximum temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The sauna features easy zipper access and a foldable chair for seated use. Most reviews are positive, and customers found the sauna easy to set up.
What our tester says:
“This sauna can be a valuable addition for anyone who wants to sauna bathe alone, and the materials should hold up well if you take care of the sauna properly.”
A Quick Look at the SereneLife Portable Sauna
SereneLife is an affordable lifestyle and wellness brand offering everything from portable steam saunas and full-body heating pads to pet care and home goods. But for the purposes of this review, we’re diving into the SereneLife Portable Full-Size sauna, which is a pop-up sauna for anyone committed to reaping the benefits of infrared saunas with limited space.
If you’re not already familiar with infrared saunas, I’ll let you know that they run a little cooler than a traditional sauna heated with an electric heat source or wood-burning stove. But we’ll dive into exact temperature ranges a little later.
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Before You Buy
- This sauna’s design only allows for one person to be zipped up and sit in the sauna chair.
- SereneLife manufactures a few different portable saunas, but this one is a dry sauna heated with infrared heat.
- Our testers report the heating pad for your feet doesn’t add any value to the experience.
Is the SereneLife Portable Sauna Worth It?
The SereneLife one-person sauna may be worth it for anyone yearning for a sauna at home but can’t fathom spending thousands of dollars on home sauna costs. The SereneLife full-size infrared sauna offers a one-person sauna stall that’s as collapsible as a pop-up tent and is priced around $400 on Amazon. It’s actually our top pick for the best portable sauna on our best home sauna roundup list.
But the question is, do we think it’s worth your money? After our hands-on experience, we think it’s a valuable addition for folks willing to do the sauna alone, since this pop-up tent only has space for one person and one chair. We also found that the maximum temperature of 140 didn’t always hold strong, and often ranged from 125 to 135 degrees, which falls in the average infrared sauna temperature range (120 to 150 degrees) but is quite a bit cooler than a traditional sauna, which can soar all the way up to 200 degrees.
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In other words, if you’re looking for a mini sauna room that you can use all by yourself and you don’t mind the lower temperature range, this portable option might suit you well. GGR expert tester Lindsay says, “If this is your first sauna, I say go for it.”
Great for:
- Easy set up
- Small spaces
- Traveling and portability
Not recommended for:
- Lying down during sauna sessions
- Group sauna experience
- Going over 140 degrees
SereneLife Portable Sauna Specs
| Price | About $400 on Amazon |
| Footprint | 35.4” L x 35.4” W x 70.9” H |
| Weight | 29.8 lbs |
| Seating capacity | One person |
| Heat source | Infrared |
| Max temp | 140 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Materials | Oxford fabric, aluminum insulated film, metal alloy frame |
| Extras | Heated foot pad, foldable chair |
| Power requirements | 120 volt |
| Power cord length | 5.3’ |
| Warranty | N/A |
Using the SereneLife Portable Infrared Sauna
Lindsay unboxed and used the SereneLife Full-Size Portable Sauna in the GGR HQ facility for initial testing. After getting a handle on the tent set-up, break-down, and controls she brought the sauna back to her house for further research. After two weeks of regular sauna sessions lasting about 20 minutes in the SereneLife tent, Lindsay has an in-depth understanding of how this sauna operates.
RELATED: How Long Should You Stay In a Sauna?
Before I let you in on her experience, it’s worth mentioning that Linday originally planned to set up the sauna tent in her garage but quickly realized that the heating element was stalling out at around 85 degrees. Because her garage is not climate controlled, the delta between the garage temperature (essentially the outdoor temperature of a Missouri winter) and the desired heat setting was too far apart (and the tent itself is not made from ultra-insulated materials to retain heat against the elements).
Lindsay made a pivot to her plan and brought the sauna indoors. Inside, the heated sauna was able to reach the maximum temperature of 140 degrees. However, after several uses Lindsay noticed the temperature read out not being able to hold 140 degrees, which I’ll cover a bit later in this review.
Lindsay also thinks it’s worth mentioning she didn’t enjoy the foot warming pad that comes with the sauna tent. “I found this useless,” she says. “The temperature that the foot pad provides is less than the overall temp of the sauna. You’re already pretty warm and it didn’t feel like it added anything.”
Construction and Footprint
If you’re familiar with setting up a tent with alloy or aluminum tent poles, you’ll be pretty well prepared to set up this SereneLife portable sauna. On the exterior, you’ll find a black Oxford fabric, which is a cotton-based material blended with polyester and rayon for durability. The interior is lined with an aluminum insulated film.
And much like a traditional tent, you’ll enter and exit this portable sauna with zippers lining the exterior, forming a full-size door. Lindsay’s testing experience indicates that the materials will likely hold up with proper care, meaning you’re not thrashing around inside the tent or letting your cat use the sauna as a scratching post. For this reason, the construction and durability of this sauna tent earn a 4-out-of-5-star rating.
However, Lindsay gives this sauna a 2-star rating for aesthetics. “It’s not the ugliest thing I’ve seen but I wouldn’t call it cool or modern,” she says. “Let’s just say it’s not something I will proudly display for all my friends to see.”
But, if you’re looking for portability, who cares what it looks like? You can just break it down! You might like knowing that the materials used on this sauna don’t add a ton of bulk to the tent walls, so the footprint on the exterior (which is about a 35-inch square) is what you get on the inside, too.
Keep in mind it’s designed for solo sauna sessions in a seated position. Plus, the sauna comes with a folding chair. The tent is just under 6 feet tall and won’t be comfortable for all heights to stand up. When it comes to size and the comfort of a sauna session, this SereneLife sauna earns a middle-of-the-road score of 3 stars.
Heat and Performance
Regardless of whether you’re on a budget or not, the main concern is if a product will work as intended. For this affordable infrared home spa, that meant testing the temperature range, wired controller, and auto heat settings.
During Linday’s initial test, GGR HQ was about 70 degrees inside, so that was the starting temperature. She set it to the highest temperature of 140 degrees, which took about 30 minutes in total.
Lindsay notes that in her sauna testing experience, it took an average of five minutes to rise 10 degrees. “This is pretty typical whether they are portable or fancy high-end saunas,” says Lindsay.
However, after the initial test at HQ, she says the temperature has been fluctuating and not holding steady at 140 degrees. “It’s been ranging from 125 to 135 degrees and it has not held at 140 degrees for an entire 20-minute session since bringing it home,” says Lindsay. For this reason, the SereneLife sauna tent earns 4 out of 5 stars for temperature and heat performance.
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Although 125 to 135 degrees is still warm, Lindsay docked a point because she wishes it were just a little bit warmer. “I am thinking about a little DIY project to add another infrared light to get some extra heat in there,” she says.
While the temperature isn’t able to stay consistent, you will have a remote control to set and change the temperature. It’s not a phone app or anything high-tech, it’s hard-wired to the sauna tent and the foot warming pad. She says controls are super easy to use, it’s just a matter of if the temperature can reach the max.
Lindsay also stepped out of the tent to get a feel for what the area around the sauna feels like when it’s on. “You can feel the warmth around the outside of the tent, but nothing I would be too concerned about,” says Lindsay.
“Pets, kids, and other household members will be OK if they end up touching the tent while you’re in there. It mainly felt like a heated blanket that had been turned on,” she adds.
Seating and Comfort
When it comes to your seating arrangement, you’ll use the folding chair that comes with your tent purchase. Lindsay reports the chair is a pretty underwhelming cheap lawn chair, similar to the one she brings to watch her kid’s soccer games.
Seating earns a 3-out-of-5-star rating. Lindsay reports it was fine, but says, “I don’t know how comfortable and sturdy this would be for someone who is taller and larger.”
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Lindsay is 5 feet and 4 inches tall, so we had another (much taller) GGR expert product tester try the sauna tent and folding chair to gauge the difference. He reported feeling too big for the chair at 6 feet tall, which we think is important to include in this review in case you’re on the taller side.
SereneLife Sauna vs HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket
HigherDose Sauna Blanket
HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket
Product Highlights
- Portable sauna blanket
- Sleeping bag-style design
- Powered with far infrared rays
- Additional blanket inserts available
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Promotes circulation
- May aid muscle recovery
- Portable design
Cons
- Takes 10 minutes to preheat
- Costs extra for blanket inserts
- Designed for one person at a time
Bottom Line
The HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket offers a portable and affordable alternative to installing a sauna in your home. The sauna blanket uses far infrared technology to provide heat stimulation to your entire body while you’re inside the sauna blanket.
If you’re looking for something even more portable, what about the sauna blanket Lindsay tested for our HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket review? For about $100 more you can have the option to lie down on the floor, close your eyes, relax, and let the sauna blanket do the rest.
The one thing worth noting about the HigherDOSE blanket is that it’s not designed to be used on a mattress. It should be done on a heat-resistant surface like a yoga mat or carpeting. The HigherDOSE blanket may be a better option if you’re looking to turn up the spa-like relaxation factor but the SereneLife pop-up tent is a better option if you (or your family member who may use the sauna) have a hard time getting up and down from the floor.
| SereneLife Portable Sauna | HigherDOSE Sauna Blanket | |
| Price | About $400 on Amazon | $499 |
| Dimensions | 35.4” L x 35.4” W x 70.9” H | 71” L x 71” W (unfolded) |
| Voltage | 120 volts | 100-120 volts |
| Warranty | N/A | 1 year |
Customer Experience
You can purchase SereneLife products on Amazon for fast delivery, free returns, and financing options. Amazon offers a standard 30-day return window if you decide the pop-up sauna is not the right choice for your recovery toolbox. If that’s the case, navigate to the top right corner of your Amazon browser to find the “Returns and Orders” button.
RELATED: Benefits of Sauna After Workouts
SereneLife also has a company website where you can make purchases directly from the manufacturer, however our testers didn’t see a huge benefit to circumventing Amazon in this case. SereneLife only has a general injury form if you need to contact customer service, restocking fees may apply to returns, and neither purchasing method grants a warranty on this portable sauna.
Our experience indicates that Amazon gets the job done just as well, if not better. Plus, you may also like knowing financing options are available on Amazon.
Ordering and Assembling the SereneLife Portable Sauna
The SereneLife portable sauna earns 4 out of 5 stars when it comes to setup and installation. The ordering process is straightforward (thanks to Amazon) and arrived at GGR HQ in a well-packaged box free from any damage.
Once Lindsay pulled everything out of the box, it only took about 10 minutes to get the sauna standing up and ready for use. She notes the instructions that come packed with the sauna were helpful, but overall it was super easy and pretty similar to a pop-up tent on a much smaller scale. “One or two people is all you need,” says Linsday.
Customer Reviews
On Amazon, the SereneLife Portable Sauna has an average rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars based on over 2,000 customer reviews. There are a ton of happy customers and a handful of folks saying it’s not worth your money. Two out of the three reviews below even explain the same problem our tester had with the temperature not holding at 140 degrees.
Final Verdict of Our SereneLife Portable Sauna Review
The SereneLife portable sauna will not be everyone’s cup of tea for recovery and home gym investments. However, if you’re new to saunas and really eager to have one at home, this sauna tent could be an excellent option to get you started. Be aware that the temperature may fluctuate and not be able to hold steady at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much lower than a traditional Finnish sauna.
Our experts agree that saunas may aid recovery and help you relax. But, we don’t suggest purchasing saunas for weight loss or detox.
RELATED: Does the Sauna Burn Calories?
Full Rating
SereneLife Full Size Portable Sauna
The Serene Life Compact Sit-In Sauna is a portable in-home sauna that can be assembled and then disassembled for compact storage. The sauna can reach a maximum temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The sauna features easy zipper access and a foldable chair for seated use. There are limited reviews but they are positive and found the sauna easy to set up.
Product Brand: SereneLife
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 404.65
Product In-Stock: InStock
3.68
SereneLife Portable Sauna Review: FAQs
Do portable saunas really work?
Portable saunas can absolutely work with quality materials and insulation to keep the heat from escaping the tent. The SereneLife tent sauna is our top pick for best portable sauna.
How hot is the SereneLife sauna?
The SereneLife portable sauna states a maximum temperature of 140 degrees, however the Garage Gym Reviews hands-on testing experience indicates the temperature may actually fluctuate between 125 to 135 degrees after initial use.
Do portable saunas use a lot of electricity?
Electric saunas (even the most energy efficient and insulated ones) will certainly increase your utility bill if you use them daily and for long periods of time. That said, the SereneLife tent sauna is fairly well insulated to retain heat and requires a normal 120-volt outlet. Paying attention to your utility bill and comparing it to months without a sauna will help you gauge just how much energy you’re consuming.
References
- Jari A. Laukkanen, MD, PhD; Tanjaniina Laukkanen, MSc; and Setor K. Kunutsor, MD, PhD. Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. August 2018.
- Mero A, Tornberg J, Mäntykoski M, Puurtinen R. Effects of far-infrared sauna bathing on recovery from strength and endurance training sessions in men. Springerplus. 2015;4:321. Published 2015 Jul 7. doi:10.1186/s40064-015-1093-5
