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The outdoor sauna experience is a uniquely serene experience. Along with relaxing in a tranquil environment, the best home saunas for the outdoors saunas can provide physical health benefits like improved muscle recovery1, reduced inflammation2, and better cardiovascular health3.
From high-quality infrared saunas to compact barrel saunas, and everything in between, the team at Garage Gym Reviews has researched and tested over a dozen saunas to find the best outdoor sauna for fitness and recovery aficionados. Our team consists of certified personal trainers, CrossFit Level 1 trainers, lifting coaches, and lifelong athletes—meaning we have the experience and expertise to provide expert recommendations on top recovery tools, including saunas and cold plunge tubs.
We rated these outdoor saunas between 1 and 5 on aspects noted in our fitness equipment testing methodology to find their overall score:
- Delivery and setup
- Construction and durability
- Footprint
- Performance
- Features and extras
- Overall value
The 7 Best Outdoor Saunas
- Best Outdoor Sauna Overall: Redwood Outdoors Thermowood Cabin Outdoor Sauna
- Best Outdoor Infrared Sauna: Sun Home Luminar Outdoor Infrared Sauna
- Best Splurge Outdoor Sauna: Plunge Sauna
- Best Outdoor Barrel Sauna: Polar Monkeys Barrel Sauna
- Best Budget Outdoor Sauna: Sweat Tent
- Best 2-Person Outdoor Sauna: Redwood Outdoors Mini-Cube Sauna
- Best Outdoor Traditional Sauna: Almost Heaven Morgan Barrel Sauna
Best Outdoor Sauna Overall: Redwood Outdoors Thermowood Cabin Outdoor Sauna
Good for: Those wanting a durable outdoor sauna that provides high-end performance
Best Overall
Redwood Outdoors Sauna
Product Highlights
- Outdoor sauna kit
- Designed to stand up to the elements
- Traditional Scandinavian design
- Constructed from ultra-dry Thermowood timber
- Comes with a Harvia heater
- Includes bucket and ladle, backrest, sauna rocks, light fixture
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Ability to relax and recharge from your backyard
- Interlocking lumber for streamlined assembly
- Powerful electric heater
- 2-level seating
Cons
- Expensive price tag
- Short 1-year limited warranty
- Requires 240V for electric heater
- Some drilling required for assembly
Bottom Line
Redwood Outdoors is a brand that offers a dozen different outdoor saunas. The Thermowood Cabin is the ideal choice for anyone looking for a four-person sauna that will offer a straightforward assembly with interlocking ultra-dry timber. The sauna features 2-level seating, which is the traditional Scandinavian design so you can choose between low- and high-heat options. The Thermowood Cabin comes standard with a Harvia electric heater, bucket and ladle, backrest, sauna rocks, and an internal light fixture.
The Redwood Outdoors Thermowood Cabin Sauna is designed specifically to withstand the extremes of the outdoors. Whether it’s hot summers or cold winters, the Thermowood Cabin is built to last outside with its thermowood exterior, made from heat-treating Scandinavian softwood in kilns for multiple days. Treating the wood this way helps protect the wood from cracking or warping over time, and it’s resistant to rot and fungi. This is one of many reasons it’s our top-pick for best outdoor saunas.
This sauna is air tight when built, as seen in its top-tier performance. Lead reviewer of Garage Gym Reviews Everything Lindsay Scheele, ISSA-CPT, tested out the Redwood Outdoors sauna and was able to bring the temperature up to 190 degrees in just 35 minutes—impressive for a 4-person sauna. She adds, “It held its temperature and humidity easily, too.” She rates the performance a 5 out of 5.
A word of warning, however: The assembly for the Redwood Outdoors Thermowood Cabin is not for the faint of heart, earning it a mediocre 3 out of 5. While the pieces are designed for easy interlocking and the model requires minimal screws, the instructions were for an older model and proved unhelpful.
This led Lindsay and the team to troubleshoot amongst the 300 or so pieces to properly build the sauna. The screws were also flimsy, so the team purchased better screws as well. As with most outdoor saunas, the Redwood Outdoors sauna needed 220 volts, which is less common voltage and may require you to have an electrician build a new outlet for it. Lastly, you want a level floor, or else this sauna’s pieces may not fit properly.
All that said, once it’s fully assembled, you have an outdoor sauna made to last, with nice features such as WiFi control through your smart device, an electric heater, and a light fixture for late-night sauna sessions. Read more in our Redwood Outdoor Sauna review.
Type of sauna | Dry or steam |
Exterior dimensions | 78.75” L x 59” W x 96.75” H |
Weight | 800 lbs |
Number of people | 4 |
Material | Heat-treated thermowood |
Heating source | Harvia electric heater |
Features | Manual or WiFi heater control, Harvia sauna heater, light fixture |
Warranty | 1-year limited |
Best Outdoor Infrared Sauna: Sun Home Luminar Outdoor Infrared Sauna
Good for: People wanting a high-quality infrared sauna suited for the outdoors
Best Infrared Sauna
Sun Home Luminar Outdoor 5-Person Infrared Sauna
Product Highlights
- Outdoor full-spectrum infrared sauna
- Only need a screwdriver and included Allen wrench for assembly
- Grade-A carbonized all-season wood exterior to prevent warping and cracking
- Cedar interior
- Panoramic glass windows for view of outside
- Requires 240V outlet
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Sleek design
- Minimal tools for assembly
- Outdoor infrared sauna
- Full-spectrum infrared
- Grade-A carbonized wood
Cons
- Heavy
- Expensive
- More of a 4-person sauna
- Requires 240V outlet
Bottom Line
The Sun Home Luminar Outdoor Infrared Sauna has a sleek aesthetic to its design, while also being functional. One of the only infrared saunas that are able to be set up outdoors, this sauna has an exterior built from Grade-A carbonized wood to prevent warping, cracking, and shrinkage of the exterior. This sauna is a full-spectrum infrared sauna, providing near, mid, and far infrared heat in the sauna.
Even with their increased popularity, infrared saunas are rarely made for outdoor use. That’s not the case with our favorite infrared sauna, the Sun Home Luminar Outdoor Infrared Sauna. Made from carbonized Canadian cedar, this outdoor sauna is built to endure the outdoors.
This sauna is available in two different sizes, which can fit two or five people. However, it’s admittedly cramped, as GGR Everything lead reviewer Lindsay Scheele mentions in our Sun Home Sauna review. “They call it a five-person sauna,” she explains, “but after having five actual people in it, we think it’s more fair to say it’s a four-person sauna.” The sauna gets a 4 out of 5 for its footprint.
The sauna’s carbonized wood is heat-treated, making it more resistant to warping, as well as decay and insects. Lindsay gives the construction a 4.5 out of 5, with her only complaint being the curved design of the benches. “It makes it difficult to lay down on the benches comfortably,” she says.
RELATED: Infrared Sauna Benefits
Along with a solid construction, the sauna is heated by an abundance of infrared heaters: five far-infrared heaters and 10 full-spectrum heaters. The infrared red sauna got to 160 degrees within 10 minutes; while not as hot as dry saunas, it’s still an impressive temperature for infrared saunas, as well as an impressive rate of heating. Lindsay scores the performance a 5 out of 5, adding, “You can feel it warming up almost instantly.”
With the premium construction and performance comes a premium price. The two-person sauna is around $8,300, and the five-person variation is about $1,000 more. Still, with superior performance that’s backed by a decent warranty, it’ll be a solid pick for people whose budget works for the sauna.
Type of sauna | Infrared |
Exterior dimensions | 82” W x 51.5” D x 82.5” H (5-person sauna) |
Weight | 1,270 lbs |
Number of people | 5 |
Material | Carbonized red cedar wood |
Heating source | 5 far infrared heaters under the bench, 10 full spectrum heaters surrounding the cabin |
Features | Mobile-app enabled control system, Bluetooth surround sound system with premium built-in speakers, medical-grade chromotherapy LED lighting |
Warranty | 6-year limited warranty on carbon heaters, 1-year warranty on components |
Best Splurge Outdoor Sauna: Plunge Sauna
Good for: Anyone looking for a premium outdoor sauna with a modern design
Best Splurge Sauna
Plunge Sauna
Product Highlights
- Available in standard and XL sizes
- Traditional steam or dry sauna
- Can seat 5 people (7 in XL)
- Slanted wall provides ergonomic backrest
- Benches can fold up to open sauna for stretching or standing
- Incense cedar exterior with pine and hemlock interior
- Waterproof roof provides outdoor protection
- Requires 240V outlet
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Slanted wall for ergonomic backrest
- Foldable benches
- Can seat multiple people
- Good for indoor or outdoor use
- High top temperature
Cons
- Expensive
- Requires 240V outlet
Bottom Line
The Plunge Sauna is a versatile take on a traditional Finnish sauna. With a slanted back wall, the Plunge Sauna provides an ergonomic backrest to add comfort to your sauna session. Additionally, the benches fold up to allow more space for standing or stretching. The electric heater is able to let the sauna reach temperatures up to 230 degrees, according to the company.
If you’re looking for the best that money can buy, our favorite premium pick is the Plunge Sauna, by the creators of The Cold Plunge. This outdoor sauna comes with a unique modern construction—a slanted back wall with fold-away benches that can be tucked away for hot yoga or stretching. Plus, a HUUM stone heater can get this sauna to temperatures approaching 230 degrees.
In addition to the modern design, the Plunge Sauna earns a 5 out of 5 for its construction. Our product tester, a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, rates it a 5 out of 5. The exterior is made from an aromatic incense cedar, which is resistant to mildew and insects. The interior also has a mildew- and stain-resistant hemlock wood, along with cedar benches.
The performance of the backyard sauna was a mixed bag in our testing, since it holds heat well but takes a long time to heat up. “I timed the sauna to get from 70 degrees to my set temp of 185 degrees, and it took just under an hour to reach that time,” our expert product tester explains. “However, it held that temperature fine and even kept that heat for another 30 minutes after turning it off.” Our tester rates the performance a 4 out of 5.
Along with the stone heater and fold-away benches, the sauna also comes with LED lighting and WiFi control through the Plunge app—which you may want to use more than the awkward control panel. Starting at about $11,000 for the standard size, it won’t work for everyone’s budget, though.
Read our Plunge Sauna review for more information.
Type of sauna | Dry or steam |
Exterior dimensions | 95” H x 68” W x 71” D (Standard), 95” H x 92” W x 71” D (XL) |
Weight | Not disclosed |
Number of people | 5 (standard), 7 (XL) |
Material | Aromatic incense cedar exterior and benches, hemlock interior |
Heating source | HUUM stone sauna heater |
Features | WiFi control, cedar phone holder, waterproof roof, flip-up benches, customizable airflow |
Warranty | 24 months |
Best Outdoor Barrel Sauna: Polar Monkeys Barrel Sauna
Good for: Those looking for a more uniform temperature throughout their sauna
Best Barrel Sauna
Polar Monkeys Barrel Sauna
Product Highlights
- Barrel sauna that can be used indoors and outdoors
- Heats up to 180 degrees
- Delayed heat function
- Holds up to four people
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Indoor/outdoor sauna
- Delayed start function
- Holds up to four people
Cons
- Expensive
- Takes more than a month to ship
Bottom Line
Polar Monkeys barrel sauna has a classic design with modern features, allowing you to schedule when you want it to turn on. It can be used indoors or outdoors and can hold up to four people.
Barrel saunas are uniquely designed to circulate air and heat more evenly, creating a more uniform temperature throughout the sauna. The Polar Monkeys Barrel Sauna reaches a temperature of 180 degrees—plus, it has a delayed start function of up to eight hours, making it our pick for the best outdoor barrel sauna.
While we haven’t had a chance to test out the Polar Monkeys Barrel Sauna, we have used quite a few of Polar Monkeys’ cold plunge tubs, as seen in our Polar Monkeys Cold Plunge review. Polar Monkeys has established a name for themselves in the recovery business, and their cold plunges are solid products, crafted with quality in mind.
The barrel sauna is built with rustic red cedar, which has been shown to be resistant to mildew and bugs and is great for outdoors. Another important factor is that this sauna is also suitable for indoor use.
At $5,790, the Polar Monkeys Barrel Sauna is a pricier sauna, even with its four-person capacity. Financing is available, however. The warranty is lackluster, too; a 1-year warranty is underwhelming at its price point, but you can purchase extended coverage.
Type of sauna | Dry |
Exterior dimensions | 72″ W x 59″ D x 75″ H |
Weight | Not disclosed |
Number of people | 4 |
Material | Rustic red cedar |
Heating source | Harvia electric heater |
Features | Delayed start function |
Warranty | 1 year |
Best Budget Outdoor Sauna: Sweat Tent
Good for: Sauna users wanting an affordable wood-burning sauna
Best Budget Sauna
Sweat Tent Outdoor Sauna
Product Highlights
- Outdoor sauna that can travel
- Made with weatherproof insulated Oxford 210D fabric
- Heated by wood-fired,stainless steel stove
- Can reach 200 degrees in any weather
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Affordable price
- Portable enough to travel with
- Carry bag
- Weatherproof insulated fabric
Cons
- 80 lbs of material makes it less portable than other options
- Not for indoor use
Bottom Line
The Sweat Tent Outdoor Sauna is a durable, heavy-duty tent that is both an affordable and portable option for outdoor saunas. With the ability to collapse into a carry bag, and weighing around 80 pounds total, it is easy to load into a car for traveling. With a weatherproof insulated exterior, the Sweat Tent can reach 200 degrees in any weather with its wood-fired stove.
If you’ve ever shopped for a sauna before, you may have noticed that they’re on the pricey side. Actually, they’re downright expensive, with most being thousands of dollars. You can go with a super cheap option like a sauna blanket or personal sauna tent, but you won’t be able to go outdoors with those. For our budget pick, we went with an affordable sauna that can give you a nice sauna experience in the outdoors—the Sweat Tent.
RELATED: HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket Review
For under $1,500, the Sweat Tent Outdoor Sauna performs as well as top-tier saunas, as the website claims it’ll reach 200 degrees in about 30 minutes. In GGR Everything’s Lindsay Scheele’s testing of the Sweat Tent, those numbers were consistent. She rates the performance a 5 out of 5, saying, “It was great; very easy to start a fire in the wood-burning stove and just add logs to it.”
Unlike most modern electric and infrared saunas, the Sweat Tent uses good ol’ fire and wood to create heat. Additionally, the Sweat Tent is a literal tent, made of nylon and able to fold out to its shape. The lightweight materials make it somewhat portable—although at 80 pounds, it isn’t the easiest to carry around.
The construction gets a 3 out of 5, as the lightweight materials won’t be as durable as other more expensive saunas. You can leave it outside in a permanent location, but the company still recommends packing it up during extreme weather.
Check out our Sweat Tent Outdoor Sauna review for an in-depth look at this budget-friendly sauna.
Type of sauna | Portable, dry, or steam |
Exterior dimensions | 72” L x 72” W x 84” H |
Weight | 30 lbs (tent), 50 lbs (stove) |
Number of people | 3 |
Material | Heat-resistant Oxford 210D nylon and TPU |
Heating source | Wood-fired stainless steel stove |
Features | Wooden thermometer, fire poker, gloves, sauna rocks, and holder |
Warranty | 1-year limited lifetime |
Best 2-Person Outdoor Sauna: Redwood Outdoors Mini-Cube Sauna
Good for: Compact outdoor spaces
Best 2-Person Sauna
Redwood Outdoors Thermowood Mini-Cube Sauna
Product Highlights
- 2-person outdoor sauna with compact design
- Exterior dimensions of 68.75” L x 50.75” W x 81” H
- Requires 110V for lighting and 240V for heater
- Choice of electric heater
- 800-lb weight
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Compact design
- Thermowood resistant to mildew and insects
- Choice of electric heater
Cons
- Requires 240V outlet
- Expensive, although it has good value
- Choosing a different heater raises the price
Bottom Line
The Thermowood Mini-Cube Sauna from Redwood Outdoors is a compact two-person outdoor sauna, made for tight spaces or urban backyards. The Thermowood used is heat-treated Scandinavian softwood made to be resistant to cracking, warping, mildew, and insects.
Although we haven’t had our hands on the Redwood Outdoors Mini-Cube Sauna yet, we’re big fans of the high level of performance that Redwood Outdoors has put out with the products we have tested, whether it’s their Thermowood Cabin or the Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge.
The two-person sauna kit is ideal for couples or people living in the city who need a compact solution for an urban backyard. With a footprint just over 5 feet by 4 feet, we think Redwood Outdoors meets the mark here, providing enough room for two users without taking up too much space.
The Mini-Cube Sauna has a nice design, with rounded corners that are reminiscent of some barrel saunas. With heat-treated thermowood, it’s resistant to mildew and bugs. It’s able to retain its shape better, too, since the thermowood is dried of any moisture or resin that could cause cracking, swelling, or warping down the road. You have the option to add shingles to the roof for more protection as well.
You have your pick of a Finnish Harvia heater or HUUM stone heater, although the price will increase if you select something other than the base heater. The main drawback is the 1-year warranty, which is short for a sauna that starts at $5,000. Still, for a compact and sleek design for your backyard, this is an excellent choice.
Type of sauna | Dry |
Exterior dimensions | 68 ¾” L x 50 ¾” W x 81” H |
Weight | 800 lbs |
Number of people | 2 |
Material | Scandinavian thermowood |
Heating source | Harvia heater |
Features | Compact design, WiFi control options |
Warranty | 1-year limited |
Best Outdoor Traditional Sauna: Almost Heaven Morgan Barrel Sauna
Good for: Users wanting a traditional sauna experience outdoors
Best Traditional Sauna
Almost Heaven Morgan 4-Person Barrel Sauna
Product Highlights
- Barrel-shaped sauna that circulates heat more evenly
- Able to seat up to 4 people
- Red cedar construction
- Outdoor or indoor use
- 220V outlet required
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Affordable 4-person sauna
- Barrel shape helps circulate heat evenly
- Harvia heater gets above 200 degrees
- Indoor or outdoor use
Cons
- Instruction manual isn’t specific to this model
- Requires 220V outlet
Bottom Line
The Almost Heaven Morgan 4-Person Barrel Sauna is a barrel-shaped sauna to help circulate heat throughout the sauna evenly. This helps keep the temperature more uniform no matter how close or far you are from the Harvia heater. A more affordable option, this barrel sauna is suitable for both outdoor and indoor use, as well as steam or dry heat.
When we talk about traditional saunas, we’re not necessarily talking about the shape of the sauna, but rather the method of heating. Traditional saunas are dry saunas that use electric or wood-burning heaters to produce heat, usually with sauna stones included, too. The Almost Heaven Morgan Barrel Sauna provides a traditional sauna experience while using a barrel shape to distribute heat evenly throughout.
The electric sauna will require 220 volts, which may require electrical installation—as many outdoor saunas will. The Harvia heater from Finland does an excellent job warming up the sauna, as it can get to 200 degrees.
RELATED: How to Use a Sauna
Sean Rigsby, USA Weightlifting Junior National Team Coach, has it at his gym and is impressed with how quickly it can get warm, giving the sauna a 5 out of 5 for performance. He explains, “I’ll usually turn it on about half an hour before my athletes are ready to use it, and it’ll be around 190 degrees by the time they hop in.” The Morgan barrel sauna can fit four people pretty comfortably, although a six-person sauna is available for larger parties.
Because it’s a traditional-style sauna that’s competitively priced at $4,000, there isn’t much in terms of sauna accessories. You get a bucket and ladle, a thermometer, and some lighting. Another thing Sean notes is that the instruction manual provided wasn’t specific to the Morgan, leading to a bit of guesswork in the assembly of the sauna. Still, for a traditional sauna experience fit for all climates, the Morgan barrel sauna is a great pick.
Type of sauna | Dry or steam |
Exterior dimensions | 72” W X 72” D X 78” H |
Weight | 685 lbs |
Number of people | 4 |
Material | Red cedar |
Heating source | Harvia electric heater |
Features | Bucket with ladle, 40 lbs of sauna stones, thermometer, light fixture |
Warranty | Limited lifetime warranty on sauna room, 5 years on heater |
How We Picked and Tested Outdoor Saunas
We’ve tested over a dozen saunas since prioritizing muscle recovery tools, saunas, and cold plunges. For each of these saunas, we performed multiple tests, measuring the top temperatures for each, as well as the time it takes for the sauna to warm up.
RELATED: DIY Cold Plunge Ideas
After researching top sauna brands and companies, we chose several to try out and gave them ratings from 1 to 5 based on the following criteria:
- Delivery and setup: We looked for how easily we could construct the sauna and noted any snags we hit along the way.
- Construction: We looked at the type of wood the sauna uses and made sure that the building had no air leaks. For outdoor saunas, the wood used should be resistant to insects and mildew.
- Footprint: Even compact saunas can be big, so we looked for the sauna to be used efficiently, providing good capacity for the amount of space the sauna takes up.
- Performance: What is the sauna’s maximum temperature, and how quickly does it get there? We also noted the type of heater used for the sauna.
- Features and extras: This is any sort of convenience feature or add-on to the sauna, ranging from a thermometer to chromotherapy LED lighting.
- Value: The price has to make sense for the build, capacity, and performance of the sauna. This score compares how the sauna stacks up to other saunas in a similar price range, and determines if you’re actually getting your money’s worth.
After scoring these saunas, we took the top saunas we researched and tested—that were suited for the outdoors—and compiled the final list before you.
Benefits of Outdoor Saunas
Indoor saunas may share quite a few benefits to outdoor saunas, but even so, outdoor saunas can provide some unique benefits. Here’s a few of those benefits.
The Space
Sometimes you just don’t have the space in your home for an indoor sauna. Everyone has a different living situation, but most homeowners can usually find adequate space for a large backyard sauna before they can find the space inside their own home. An outdoor sauna can open up a substantial amount of room in your home.
The Scenery
I get it; you could have a really nice-looking garage or room in your house. Still, there’s something a bit more relaxing about being able to sit in a sauna and see trees, bushes, and other greenery through its windows and doors. There’s no health or wellness benefit to being outdoors while sauna-bathing, but I imagine the scenery will be a stress reliever to most people.
The Recovery
Although not unique to outdoor saunas, the heat therapy of saunas has been shown to do wonders for a user’s recovery. A small study from 20231 suggested that athletes who sauna-bathed showed less muscle soreness and greater perceived muscle recovery. Another study from 20182 showed regular sauna use could increase the amount of anti-inflammatory proteins in the body.
Saunas can also stress the cardiovascular system, increasing blood flow and heart rate. However, a 2019 study4 measured resting heart rates after a workout and then after a sauna session post-workout. Resting heart rates were lower after the sauna session than they were post-workout.
The Heat
The majority of outdoor saunas will be traditional dry saunas, as some infrared heaters (but not all) can be more fragile and may not survive harsher weather extremes. This means most outdoor saunas can get hot—close to or even over 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sauna expert and assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Carolina Panthers Thomas Barbeau, CSCS, SCCC, says that a warmer heat will get you the most benefits from a sauna. “A lot of the research shows that the best temperature to reap the most benefits from a sauna is above 176 degrees for a 20-minute session,” he explains. “Temperatures at or above 200 degrees would require only a 15-minute session.”
The hotter temperatures of traditional saunas may help improve brain health. One 2017 study5 showed that heat stress and exercise can increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein in the nervous system shown to help with memory function as well as anxiety and depression.
What to Look for in Outdoor Saunas
Want an outdoor sauna that’ll last through the hottest summers and coldest winters? Here are the things to consider when shopping for an outdoor sauna.
Materials
One of the most important things to check for an outdoor sauna is the type of wood being used. In addition to being sturdy, the wood needs to be able to withstand the harsher elements of the outdoors. A common wood for outdoor saunas is red cedar, which has been shown to be more resistant to mildew and insects.
Also look for heat-treated wood, as this process helps dry out the wood, making it less prone to warping, cracking, and swelling from any moisture from the interior or exterior of the sauna.
Sauna Type
Most outdoor saunas are traditional dry saunas with the option to become steam saunas (if you add enough moisture to the sauna stones and room). These dry saunas can approach 200 degrees, although warming up to that temperature may take time.
Infrared saunas are far less common for the outdoors, mostly because the components of infrared heaters can be fragile. Infrared saunas can heat up in minutes, although the maximum temperature isn’t as high—usually between 150 and 160 degrees. If an infrared sauna is suited for the outdoors, keep in mind that it’s probably more expensive, too, to provide adequate protection for the infrared heaters.
Electrical Compatibility
Most outdoor saunas will use a 30-amp heater, meaning it’ll require 220 or 240 volts, a far less common voltage than the American standard of 110 or 120 volts. If this is your first outdoor sauna, there’s a good chance you’ll have to call an electrician to install the new outlet for a sauna, which will add to the overall cost of the sauna—it cost us about $1,600 at GGR to get one installed at our warehouse.
If you don’t have an outlet suited for an outdoor sauna, make sure to factor the electrical installation into your budget.
Features and Amenities
Any extras to a sauna are a plus, but they can vary in outdoor saunas. Most saunas have some sort of lighting for evening sauna sessions. Others have the added convenience of being operable from your smart device. Still, others keep it to basics, with a basic thermometer and bucket and ladle to operate the heat of the sauna.
Cost
Even if you’re getting good value, saunas are expensive, especially if they’re built to withstand outdoor weather conditions. Make sure the sauna and installation costs fit your budget, and that the home sauna cost is worth the features and performance it brings.
Best Outdoor Sauna: FAQs
Is it worth getting an outdoor sauna?
An outdoor sauna can be a great way to add to your recovery and relaxation and experience plenty of potential health benefits. While an outdoor sauna can save space on the interior of your home, there may be added installation costs, such as installing a 240-volt outlet or building a level foundation for the sauna.
While it may be worth it for some to go through these extra costs and opt for a pricier sauna made for outdoors, it may not be feasible for everyone’s budget.
What is the best type of sauna to buy?
Saunas can vary drastically from budget-friendly sauna tents and blankets to grandiose eight-person sauna cabins. The best sauna to buy should fit your budget and needs and have good value. Here are our top picks for the best home saunas:
-Best Overall Home Sauna: Sun Home Luminar Outdoor 2-Person Infrared Sauna
-Best Outdoor Home Sauna: Redwood Outdoors Thermowood Cabin Outdoor Sauna
-Best Affordable Home Sauna: Sweat Tent Outdoor Sauna
-Best 2-Person Sauna for Home: Sunlighten Amplify II Infrared Sauna
-Best Infrared Sauna for Home: Sun Home Equinox 2-Person Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna
-Best Traditional Sauna for Home: Plunge Sauna
-Best Dry Sauna for Home: Polar Monkeys Barrel Sauna
-Best Indoor Sauna: HigherDOSE Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna
-Best Portable Home Sauna: SereneLife Full Size Portable Sauna
-Best Sauna Blanket: HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket
What’s better, an infrared or steam sauna?
While infrared saunas and steam saunas provide similar benefits of muscle recovery and reduced inflammation, infrared saunas can get much hotter much quicker than steam saunas. An infrared sauna can go up to 160 degrees compared to the steam sauna’s top temperature of 120 degrees (due to the humidity, although the perceived temperature will still be plenty hot). Additionally, infrared saunas need less maintenance than steam rooms due to the 100% humidity and moisture of the sauna.
Still, steam saunas have added humidity, which can help relieve skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. It can also provide sinus and allergy relief due to the moisture in the air. Both have pros and cons, and which type is best for you will depend on your needs and goals.
RELATED: Wet Sauna Vs Dry Sauna
References
- Ahokas, E. K., Ihalainen, J. K., Hanstock, H. G., Savolainen, E., & Kyröläinen, H. (2023). A post-exercise infrared sauna session improves recovery of neuromuscular performance and muscle soreness after resistance exercise training. Biology of sport, 40(3), 681–689. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2023.119289.
- Żychowska, Małgorzata, Nowak-Zaleska, Alicja, Chruściński, Grzegorz, Zaleski, Ryszard, Mieszkowski, Jan, Niespodziński, Bartłomiej, Tymański, Roman, Kochanowicz, Andrzej. Association of High Cardiovascular Fitness and the Rate of Adaptation to Heat Stress. BioMed Research International 2314-6133 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1685368.
- Ketelhut, S., Ketelhut, R.G. The blood pressure and heart rate during sauna bath correspond to cardiac responses during submaximal dynamic exercise. Complementary Therapies in Medicine Volume 44, 218-222 (2019). ISSN 0965-2299, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.05.002.
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Further reading
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