Out of the more than 20 saunas the team at Garage Gym Reviews has tested over the last few years, Sun Home Saunas has to be one of our favorite brands, with dependable products that often grace the top of our best home sauna and infrared sauna lists.
We’ve tested one of their latest additions—the Sun Home Pod 1-Person Red Light and Infrared Sauna—and it certainly doesn’t disappoint, with premium features and a modern look to maximize your sauna experience.
“I feel like I’m standing in a teleporter from Star Trek every time I use it,” says GGR Everything Lead Reviewer Lindsay Scheele, CPT, CNC. “I want to call out, ‘Beam me up Scotty!’ any time I use it.”
With additional extras like red light therapy, LED lights, and a high-end sound system, this is a nice sauna with a compact footprint. However, after testing the one-person sauna out, Lindsay had some things to say, good and bad. We’ll go over her thoughts to help determine if this compact futuristic sauna is right for you…and if it’s worth its premium price point.
Shining a (Red) Light on Fitness Recovery Products
We’ve tested about two dozen saunas, including traditional and infrared options, since dipping our toes in the recovery space two years ago. We’ve learned a lot since then on the health benefits of saunas, as well as the necessary features and construction that make a good model. Now, we give honest reviews to shine a light on the pros and cons of each recovery product we try out.
Our team of product testers also come from experienced backgrounds, including certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and competitive athletes. We can give you recommendations on fitness and muscle recovery tools because we’ve used them throughout our health and wellness careers.
For the Sun Home Pod Sauna, Lindsay tested it through several sauna sessions, heating this infrared sauna to its maximum temperature and seeing how it held, and rated several categories 1 through 5, including:
- Delivery and setup
- Construction
- Footprint
- Features and extras
A Quick Look at the Sun Home Pod Sauna
Like I mentioned before, Sun Home Saunas has been known for high-quality infrared and traditional saunas since their founding in 2019—particularly for their outdoor infrared sauna with an aerospace-grade aluminum exterior, the Sun Home Saunas Luminar. Along with saunas, they’ve created other recovery tools, like cold plunge tubs and infrared blankets.
RELATED: Sun Home Cold Plunge Pro Review
The Sun Home Pod Sauna has a cylindrical shape, designed for one person, and provides both far infrared and red light therapy. Many people like to lump these two lights together with their purported benefits, but these two types of heat therapy provide slightly different results.
Far-infrared rays are a longer wavelength and therefore penetrate into the body’s soft tissue as heat, boosting blood flow which can aid in muscle recovery1. Deep red light, on the other hand, only penetrates surface level tissue. Because of this, red light has been shown2 to potentially help reverse signs of aging (wrinkles and lines) by promoting collagen production. It may even help combat skin conditions like psoriasis, as seen in a 2018 study3.
The Sun Home Pod 1-Person Red and Infrared Sauna combines far infrared heat with red light therapy, through carbon heaters and a red light panel, respectively. Along with this, it has chromotherapy, killer speakers, and a sleek, compact design that won’t take up a ton of space in your home or garage gym.
Before You Buy
- When Lindsay initially tested out the Sun Home Pod, you could get the sauna with two different woods: hemlock or cedar wood. However, as of this writing it appears that only Canadian hemlock wood is available.
- The sauna has a pretty sharp-looking control panel, but some of the controls aren’t as intuitive as we’d like to see. Luckily, you can also work the Sun Home Pod from a mobile app—which also has several breathwork exercises.
- Financing is available through Affirm, which might help some feel a bit more comfortable with the pricing of the single-person sauna. Rates are as low as 0% APR, but you’ll have to see if you qualify first.
- Make sure you have a 120-volt outlet that accepts NEMA 5-20P plugs, which is a less common standard outlet used in the United States.
Sun Home Sauna Pod Video Review
Is the Sun Home Pod Sauna Worth It?
“I don’t say this very often, but I’m sold on the Sun Home Pod,” says Lindsay after testing the sauna out thoroughly. She highly recommends it, although it was slightly cheaper when she tested it out.
When first tested, it was available in Canadian hemlock or cedar wood, with the cedar sauna being a pricier option. “The hemlock is great value,” adds Lindsay, “since it doesn’t have a strong scent and it reduces your chances of getting mold or mildew after regular sauna use.”
Since then, only the hemlock option is available for sale, but the price is comparable to the previous cedar option—around $7,799, marked down from its suggested retail price of $8,499. It has a comparable price to some of Redwood Outdoors’ six-to-eight-person outdoor saunas. Suffice it to say, this is one of the priciest single-person saunas we’ve tested.
Sure, there are a lot of features that help justify the price, but it’ll still be outside of some people’s budgets. For people needing a cheaper single-person option, the SaunaBox SmartSteam Kit Pro is under $500. Infrared sauna blankets are less expensive, too.
Also, larger families and households may want to choose a larger sauna to accommodate more people at once. For those reasons, we rate the value a 4 out of 5.
Great for:
- Those wanting the benefits of infrared and red light therapy
- People needing a compact sauna
- Anyone looking for plenty of extras in their recovery equipment
Not recommended for:
- Anyone on a budget
- Larger families or households
- Those wanting a sauna that goes above 149 degrees
Sun Home Pod Sauna Specs
| Cost | $8,499 |
| Exterior dimensions | 40.1” diameter x 77.5” H |
| Interior dimensions | 35.4” diameter x 72” H |
| Seating capacity | 1 person |
| Temperature range | 0-149 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Product weight | 385 lbs |
| Wood type | Canadian hemlock |
| Power requirements | 120V (outlets must accept NEMA 5-20P plug) |
| Features | Red light panel, LED lighting, chromotherapy lighting, Bluetooth speakers, control panel, mobile app |
| Warranty | 1-year residential limited warranty (with options to extend warranty) |
Using the Sun Home Pod Sauna
Certified personal trainer and GGR lead reviewer Lindsay Scheele tested out the Sun Home Pod through several sauna sessions and overall enjoyed the experience. With tons of features and solid performance, there wasn’t much to dislike about it. “I’m fighting with a couple of our other testers over who can take it home for extended testing,” she jokes.
Infrared saunas tend to reach temperatures higher than steam saunas but lower than traditional dry saunas. That said, the max temperature of the Sun Home Pod reaches 149 degrees Fahrenheit, which is lower than the best infrared saunas that we’ve tested, which can reach temperatures of 160 to 170 degrees.
Once you set your temperature, the sauna has a 90-minute timer. “It takes about 35 minutes to heat up to its max temperature,” says Lindsay, “so you have close to an hour to use the sauna once it’s ready.” That gives people plenty of time to soak up the benefits of both infrared and red light therapy—especially considering that even seasoned veterans of sauna bathing rarely go beyond 20 minutes.
RELATED: How Long Should You Stay In A Sauna?
It holds its temperature well and reaches its temperature reasonably well, too, so Lindsay rates its performance a 4.5 out of 5, docking a half-point simply because it doesn’t reach as high of temperatures as other infrared saunas.
Construction
The build of the Sun Home Pod is high-quality and durable, earning it a 5 out of 5 for its construction. Along with using premium Canadian hemlock wood, the sauna has an eco-stained black exterior, using non-toxic water-based paint. It’s a tight construction, and even has some soundproofing qualities when you close the door and begin your session.
While some of Sun Home’s saunas use full-spectrum heaters (like the Equinox 2-Person Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna), the Sun Home Pod’s sauna heaters are far-infrared only. Additionally, the heaters are low-EMF and use EMF-shielding to prevent excessive electromagnetic fields from being dispersed. “It should give off as many EMF waves as any other household appliance—so not much,” adds Lindsay.
Currently, the Pod Sauna is only offered in Canadian hemlock, but beforehand you could choose it in cedar as well. If the option becomes available again, it’s important to note that cedar will have a strong scent to it; if you’re not a fan of strong aromas, the hemlock wood may be the safer bet. “Hemlock is also naturally microbial,” adds Lindsay, “so it can help reduce mold and bacteria buildup.” But still, clean your saunas, people.
Footprint
At interior dimensions of a 35.4-inch diameter and a height of 72 inches, this is a true one-person sauna. The outside diameter is only a few inches more at 40.1 inches, making it a very compact solution if you’re tight on space.
It doesn’t get a perfect score, however—only a 4.5 out of 5—because Lindsay noticed when she leaned forward that her head was pretty close to the glass door. At 5 feet, 4 inches tall, Lindsay notes that taller people may bonk their heads if they were to lean forward like she does. She also adds, “The walls are straight up and down, so you can’t lean back while seated. I would have loved a little bit of a lean so I could recline slightly.”
Features
The Sun Home Pod Sauna comes chock-full of features and extras to make your home sauna experience a high-quality one, leading Lindsay to rate the features a 5 out of 5.
The most obvious feature is the addition of red light therapy to the infrared sauna. Along with the far-infrared heaters, there is a red light panel that can be operated independently. Lindsay has been using red light therapy devices for close to a year now, and has noticed the benefits to her skin, stress relief, and overall health, so she was excited to see this addition to the Sun Home Pod. The sauna even comes with special red light goggles, which is a nice touch—and a good idea to wear.
RELATED: Red Light Therapy Benefits
The chromotherapy lighting is a nice touch, especially for people wanting to run the full spectrum of light therapy. Recent reviews4 show promise with certain colors aiding in wound-healing or even treating some psychiatric diseases. Lindsay couldn’t find a way to stop the chromotherapy lighting from rotating through its seven different colors, but Sun Home Saunas has assured us you can also set it to a solid color.
“It was like a rave in the sauna,” recalls Lindsay jokingly in her full review, “especially if you play the right song on the quality speakers built into the sauna.”
If there is any issue with the features, Lindsay remarks, “The control panel wasn’t as intuitive as I’d like it to be. Icons and directions weren’t very clear, so I had to play around with it a bit to figure it out.” (This lack of a user-friendly interface may have been why Lindsay couldn’t find controls to set the chromotherapy to set colors instead of the rotating disco lights.) Otherwise, the features and extras are solid and really elevate your experience with the sauna.
Sun Home Pod Sauna vs Heavenly Heat 2-Person Red Light Therapy Infrared Sauna
The Heavenly Heat 2-Person Red Light Therapy Infrared Sauna combines a sauna, red light therapy, and grounding into one. It’s not cheap, but it uses premium materials and provides more benefits than your average sauna.
Combining infrared with red light therapy in a sauna isn’t as common of a tool as you may think. While they’re on the rise, there still aren’t many infrared saunas on the market with built-in red light therapy. One such competitor though is from Heavenly Heat—the 2-Person Red Light Therapy Infrared Sauna.
The red light panel on the Heavenly Heat sauna is large compared to the one in the Sun Home Pod, probably to accommodate the two-person capacity. The sauna also reaches a higher maximum temperature of 165 degrees—although in testing it took longer to warm up than the company claimed.
While the 2-person model from Heavenly Heat is comparable in price to the Sun Home Pod, it has larger dimensions, can fit more people, and comes with a longer warranty. Still, the Sun Home Pod has a compact footprint for those needing it; plus, it has premium features that the Heavenly Heat sauna lacks, notably built-in speakers.
The Heavenly Heat sauna might be the better pick for people wanting a bit more space in their sauna, but the Sun Home Pod is great for people who want to have a single-person experience with premium features and lighting.
| Sun Home Pod Sauna | Heavenly Heat 2-Person Red Light Therapy Infrared Sauna | |
| Cost | $8,499 | $8,900 |
| Exterior dimensions | 40.1” diameter x 77.5” H | 47.2” W x 41.3” D x 75” H |
| Interior dimensions | 35.4” diameter x 72” H | 43” W x 37.7” D x 71” H |
| Seating capacity | 1 person | 2 people |
| Temperature range | 0-149 degrees Fahrenheit | Up to 165 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Product weight | 385 lbs | 340 lbs |
| Wood type | Canadian hemlock | Canadian hemlock |
| Power requirements | 120V (outlets must accept NEMA 5-20P plug) | 120V |
| Features | Red light panel, LED lighting, chromotherapy lighting, Bluetooth speakers, control panel, mobile app, EMF shielding | Red light panel, EMF shielding, eco-friendly construction |
| Warranty | 1-year residential limited warranty (with options to extend warranty) | 10 years on cabin, 6 years on electrical and heaters |
Customer Experience
The Sun Home Pod Sauna earns a 3 out of 5 for its warranty and other policies, mostly because the policies meet market standards at best. The warranty is the most lackluster, with a 1-year limited warranty for residential use. You have the option to extend the warranty for up to 4 years, but it’ll cost extra—over $1,000.
Sun Home Saunas offers 30-day returns on their saunas, but only on packaged and unused products. Sun Home Saunas takes a 25% restocking fee and doesn’t cover shipping costs. They don’t accept returns on any uncrated or assembled saunas or cold plunge tubs due to health and safety concerns.
There are quite a few ways to contact the company, however: through email, phone, a contact form, or a live chat. They claim they’ll respond within an hour during their support and sales hours.
Ordering and Assembling the Sun Home Pod Sauna
The Sun Home Pod Sauna can be ordered directly from the Sun Home Saunas website, and financing options are available through Affirm (although you’ll need to qualify for their lowest rates).
For assembling the Pod, Sun Home Saunas provides a QR code that takes you directly to the instruction manual. “The code makes it easy to pull up directions whenever you need them,” adds Lindsay.
However, setting up the sauna had a few hardships, albeit minor ones. “We had a hard time locking panels into place, at least the way that the instructions said to,” explains Lindsay. “Basically, we skipped a step, locked the panels together, and then put it all on the bottom center piece.”
Although that part of the assembly was awkward, Lindsay still feels two people will be able to build and set up this sauna within just a couple hours, so she rates the delivery and setup a 4 out of 5.
One thing to note is that while the sauna (and red light panel) only use 120 volts of power, the plug will require NEMA 5-20P outlets. While many households will have these outlets and be able to accept these plugs, because it is less common than your standard outlet, it’d be wise to consult an electrician before ordering the Sun Home Pod, so that you won’t be surprised by any extra electrical expenses.
Customer Reviews
As of this writing, reviews from customers are limited to say the least. There is only one written customer review on Sun Home Saunas’ website, and because Sun Home Saunas doesn’t sell through any online retailers like Amazon, I didn’t find any reviews elsewhere.
The single review is 5 stars and claims that the heat has helped with typical pains from aging. Still, we’d like to see what more customers think, so we’ll update this as reviews start to come in for the Sun Home Pod.
Final Verdict of Our Sun Home Pod Sauna Review
The Sun Home Pod Sauna is certainly an experience. More than just a single-person infrared sauna, it provides tons of premium features to heighten the quality of each sauna session. With fairly soundproof walls, premium speakers, and red light therapy, it can help you unwind and maximize health benefits. “It’s like your own personal oasis,” adds Lindsay Scheele, CPT, CNC.
While it won’t be the best sauna for everyone due to its premium price, it’s a great option for those needing a compact sauna with nice, high-quality features.
- The Canadian hemlock has less of an odor than some woods, like cedar, and has antimicrobial properties, minimizing bacterial growth or mold.
- If the control panel isn’t as intuitive as you’d like, you can connect through the mobile app to control the sauna.
- Taller athletes will probably still fit in this one-person sauna, but there will be less wiggle room to get comfy.
- A 120V, NEMA 5-20P plug and outlet is required for powering up the infrared heaters.
Full Rating
Sun Home Pod Sauna
The Sun Home Pod 1-Person Red Light & Infrared Sauna is a stylish, space-efficient sauna that merges red light therapy with infrared heat. Although it’s a pricier one-person sauna, it’s a great pick for solo users looking to reap the benefits of heat recovery and light chromotherapy.
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 8499
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.38
Sun Home Pod Sauna: FAQs
How often should I clean my sauna?
Saunas should be cleaned thoroughly at least once a month, but daily use may require more frequent cleanings—once every one or two weeks. Also, it’s a good idea to wipe down the sauna after each use to prevent bacterial growth or mildew.
Do portable saunas really work?
Yes, portable saunas can reach high temperatures using either steam or infrared rays, giving you the same benefits as full-size saunas, although these portable saunas often don’t reach as high of temperatures as regular saunas.
Who makes the best home sauna?
With options for traditional or infrared and indoor or outdoor saunas, we like Sun Home Saunas for most people. They supply saunas for a variety of needs, with varying footprints and seating capacities to aid both small spaces and large households.
References
- Mero, A., Tornberg, J., Mäntykoski, M., & Puurtinen, R. (2015). Effects of far-infrared sauna bathing on recovery from strength and endurance training sessions in men. SpringerPlus, 4, 321. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-015-1093-5
- Huang, A., Nguyen, J., Ho, D., & Jagdeo, J. (2020). Light emitting diode phototherapy for skin aging. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 19(4), 359–364. https://doi.org/10.36849/jdd.2020.4711
- Zhang, P., & Wu, M. X. (2018). A clinical review of phototherapy for psoriasis. Lasers in medical science, 33(1), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2360-1
- Azeemi, S. T. Y., Rafiq, H. M., Ismail, I., Kazmi, S. R., & Azeemi, A. (2019). The mechanistic basis of chromotherapy: Current knowledge and future perspectives. Complementary therapies in medicine, 46, 217–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.08.025
