The Best Home Saunas (2024): A Heated Approach to Recovery

The Sun Home Luminar Outdoor Sauna is built to last year-round, through different seasons and different weather conditions, making it our pick for the best overall home sauna. This infrared sauna has a sleek but functional design for the outdoors and has grade-A carbonized wood on the exterior, preventing the wood from warping, shrinking, or cracking.

“Overall I enjoyed this sauna a lot,” says Linday Scheele, lead product reviewer for Garage Gym Reviews Everything. “I would for sure take this home with me.”

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This is a full spectrum infrared sauna, providing near, mid, and far infrared heat at the same time from carefully-placed heating panels. Along with this, the Luminar boasts mobile-app control capabilities, Bluetooth premium surround sound, and LED lighting.

“You can feel it heating up in seconds,” Lindsay says, which was more than enough for it to earn a 5 out of 5 for its performance.

As is the case with many outdoor saunas, the Sun Home Luminar will require 240 volts for power. Also, this is pricey, costing over $7,000 for the 2-person home sauna. Still, assembly is minimal, as the website says you’ll only need the included Allen wrench to attach glass to the frame, and a screwdriver (not included) to attach the door handle, making it a solid choice for an outdoor sauna, with minimal hassle.

The charred, carbonized wood exterior and cedar interior give the sauna a sharp look, along with the large dura-glass exterior, which provides a nice panoramic view of the outside while in use.

Read our in-depth Sun Home Sauna review.

If you’re looking for the best outdoor sauna featuring a traditional design and ultimate durability, look no further than the Redwood Outdoors Thermowood Cabin Outdoor Sauna. We like its relatively compact design for a four-person sauna and its durability for the outdoors. It’s easy enough to hop in after some outdoor training.

The sauna is made of Thermowood, created by heat treating Scandinavian softwood to temperatures between 180 and 230 degrees in kilns for days at a time. This helps reduce the risk of wood swelling, cracking, or warping over time. Thermowood is also resistant to rot and fungi, and can provide increased longevity and insulation to your sauna.

Our lead reviewer Lindsay Scheele of Garage Gym Reviews Everything was impressed with how well the sauna performed, getting up to 190 degrees within 35 minutes. “It kept the temperature at the level and humidity that we wanted without issue,” Lindsay says, rating the performance of this home sauna a 5 out of 5.

If you want to adjust the temperature, there are two knobs for manual control, or you can control it through WiFi, either through the wall pad or your smartphone or tablet. You can also move from the lower to upper bench, where hot air rises, and vice versa.

The assembly is where the team ran into some issues. While the sauna is designed with interlocking pieces for easy assembly, the instructions were for an older model and not helpful. “This ultimately resulted in us having to troubleshoot,” Lindsay recalls, “as we were going with somewhere around 300 different pieces to work with.”

The screws provided were on the cheaper side as well, so our team had to purchase higher-quality screws to ensure the base was secure and solid. Make sure this is built on very level ground, or else pieces may not fit properly, including the sauna door.

Additionally, the electric heater will require 220 volts, which is a less common voltage; we had to get ours installed by an electrician. However, if you can afford the $6,800 price tag plus any electrical installation, you’ll have a sauna designed to last years to come outdoors.

Learn more in our full Redwood Outdoors Sauna review.

If you need something small and portable, the SaunaBox is an ideal choice. It offers a compact footprint with enough room for one person to sit comfortably. It’s also easy to set up anywhere like a little pop-up tent. 

The SaunaBox is a bit different from the other saunas we’ve tested because it’s a steam sauna versus a dry sauna. It can heat up to 130 degrees with nearly 100% humidity, which is emitted into the SaunaBox through a plastic hose from the SmartSteam chamber. To get the steam flowing, you’ll pour water into the SmartSteam chamber and set the heat setting from 1 to 7. The chamber also allows you to set the length of your sauna session. 

Anthony O’Reilly, a certified personal trainer and GGR performance editor, says the SaunaBox took a little longer to heat up than the advertised 15 minutes, but once it got hot it stayed hot. We gave it a 4.5 out of 5 on temperature. Anthony’s 6 feet, 3 inches tall and said he felt comfortable inside the pop-up sauna, though it requires you to bring your own chair.

While the maximum temperature is 130 degrees, the humidity will likely make your sessions feel hotter than that. Plus, steam saunas have the potential to increase your heart rate and internal temperature¹ more than dry saunas. 

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With water vapor heating the SaunaBox, you may like knowing that it’s constructed from antimicrobial materials to help prevent the build up of mold and bacteria. It’s also BPA-free and does not contain microplastics. 

The brand recommends to wipe down the tent wall and leave the door flap open to help dry out the SaunaBox between uses. You’ll also receive an absorbent floor mat that is machine washable so you can wash after every use. 

Our favorite two-person sauna goes to the Sunlighten Amplify II Infrared Sauna. This full-spectrum infrared sauna also comes as a single-person or three-person sauna, with a similar structure and features. Although we have not tested out the Sunlighten sauna yet, we like several of its features.

For one, this indoor sauna is customizable in the type of wood used: eucalyptus or basswood. Each has its pros and cons, but eucalyptus is heavier and more durable, while basswood is hypoallergenic.

Additionally, this indoor sauna is compatible with 120-volt outlets, meaning you won’t have to get any electrical work done for your sauna to run properly. The sauna uses full-spectrum infrared heat across two heaters and far-infrared heat in four heaters, used to help heat the body from within and safely raise your heart rate. Extra features include chromotherapy lighting, a built-in sound system, and an LED control panel to adjust temperature and timers.

Due to the customization and choice of wood for the sauna, you’ll have to request a quote from Sunlighten for the exact price of the unit. Suffice it to say though that it’ll be one of the pricier options for a two-person sauna. Still, with the added features and convenience of a 120-volt plug, it could be worth the cost.

There are two reasons we named the Sun Home Equinox 2-Person Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna as our best infrared sauna. The first can be found in the name—it utilizes full-spectrum infrared heating, as opposed to most home saunas that just use far infrared heating. What’s the difference? Far infrared heating penetrates deep into the skin, which is good because it can help you sweat out toxins and provide other benefits. Full-spectrum, on the other hand, provides three levels of heat for complete penetration.

The second reason is the use of high-quality shielding to limit your exposure to potentially dangerous ELF/EMF levels (low frequency electric and magnetic fields).

To be honest, we haven’t tested this infrared model but the GGR team has experience with other Sun Home products, so we’re confident in naming this our top choice, and just by looking at its materials we can rate it a 4.5 out of 5 for durability. Sun Home also claims their infrared saunas are the only ones capable of reaching temperatures up to 165 degrees.

Remember how your mother said too much of a good thing is bad for you? Well, there are some infrared sauna dangers, so it’s important to limit your exposure to 15 minutes per session.

It also comes with a Bluetooth-connected surround sound system and medical-grade chromotherapy LED lighting, though all those features come at a cost—$6,399, to be exact. A limited lifetime warranty makes that price a little more digestible, as does the ability to finance the purchase.

We like the unique design of the Plunge Sauna because it offers a modern take on a traditional sauna. A slanted back wall with an attached upper and lower bench provides an ergonomic backrest as well as space to seat up to five people (seven with the XL version). However, to stand or stretch in the sauna, the foldable benches can be flipped up to provide more space.

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The exterior and benches are constructed with an incense cedar, providing an aromatic wood smell. The interior has a blend of pine and hemlock. This high-quality sauna also has a waterproof roof, allowing it to work inside or outside of your own home.

The Plunge Sauna has a WiFi controller that can be controlled through a mobile app, along with customizable accent lighting. It’s worth noting that during our testing experience for our Plunge Sauna review, it took just under an hour for the sauna to go from 70 to 185 degrees. However, once it reached the set temperature it retained the heat well.

The heater is made by Huum, and is a wall-mounted sauna heater, keeping extra space for the sauna. The sauna also comes with 121 pounds of sauna stones, perfect for heat or steam.

Both the standard and extra-large versions of the Plunge Sauna will require a 240-volt outlet, and you should consult an electrician to install a dedicated outlet for the sauna. Additionally, this is an expensive sauna, at $10,990 for the standard size sauna. Still, Plunge does offer financing options. With its unique design, this sauna may be worth the cost.

Our choice for the best dry sauna for your home is the Almost Heaven Morgan Barrel Sauna. The cylindrical design of the Morgan Barrel Sauna allows the dry heat to circulate around the entire sauna, leading to better heat distribution throughout. 

It’s powered by an electrical Harvia heater and can reach up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. The Harvia heaters features 40 pounds of sauna stones, which will allow you to ladle water over the stones and create steam (if you want). Otherwise, the sauna can be used without water for a dry heat.

Our expert tester says it only takes about 30 minutes to reach the maximum temperature of 190 degrees, earning this sauna a 5-star rating for heat performance. The main callout our tester has about the Almost Heaven sauna was the assembly process. The instruction manual isn’t specific to the Morgan model—it was a generic system on assembling barrel-style saunas from Almost Heaven—which left room for interpretation when building it.

Lastly, you may like knowing this barrel sauna can be used indoors or outdoors and has a manufacturer’s limited lifetime warranty on the sauna and five years on the heater. It can be purchased online with a Costco membership for about $4,000, which includes shipping. 

Our pick for the best indoor home sauna is the HigherDOSE Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna because it’s roomy without taking up too much space in your garage or home gym, has great heat retention, and comes with multiple features to enhance your sauna sessions.

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Plus, the wood exterior and mahogany interior is a great touch to any home. “This sauna is very attractive,” says certified personal trainer Lindsay Scheele, who used it for our HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna review. “The color palette they worked with also looks sharp, and very intentional to be something that is modern-looking but will stand the test of time.”

When it comes to getting things hot, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Our sauna arrived with two non-working heaters, though to HigherDOSE’s credit they quickly shipped out replacements that arrived the next day (we’re giving them a 4 out of 5 for customer experience, only docking a point because the installers didn’t bother to check that everything was working before leaving the GGR HQ). Lindsay says replacing the heaters took fewer than five minutes with two people.

After firing it up, she noticed the sauna never got to the advertised maximum temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. It mostly stuck around 107 degrees Fahrenheit, though the good news there was no heat leakage. For that reason, it gets a 3.5 out of 5 for performance.

Considering this sauna costs nearly $10,000 after shipping and assembly costs, it’s good to know that it seems sturdy. Lindsay’s main concern is another heater breaking in the future, but it still earns a 4 out of 5 for durability.

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You can get this as a 2- or 3-person sauna, and Lindsay says there’s ample room for your sauna buddies. While inside, they can enjoy Bluetooth connectivity, an iPad shelf, and a removable bench. HigherDose added LED chromotherapy color lights to add to the ambiance.

Available on Amazon, our pick for the best portable home sauna is the SereneLife Full Size Portable Sauna, which is available as a steam or infrared sauna (we reviewed the latter). This is lightweight at around 30 pounds and folds out into a nearly 6-feet tall portable sauna that the manufacturers also call a home spa.

Certified personal trainer and Garage Gym Reviews Everything lead reviewer Lindsay Scheele says it gets pretty hot, though it struggled with holding its temperature, earning it a 4 out of 5 for performance. “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,” she says in our SereneLife Portable Sauna review. You use a remote control to set the temperature to your liking.

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Folded out, the spa’s dimensions are nearly 3 feet by 3 feet by 6 feet, but it can be folded away easily to move to another room, or just for storage. The steam option comes with a 4-liter steamer, used to increase the humidity and temperature of the interior of the sauna. It’s tall enough for most people to stand, but a sauna chair is included to sit in while in the steam sauna.

With the steam sauna, the interior will only get so warm, with a maximum temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you’re looking for a sauna to get warmer, you may want to go for the infrared option Also, with a height of 70.9 inches, it may be difficult for taller people to stand in. With that said, this is one of the best budget options available for saunas, and its portability makes it a great choice for a home sauna.

Capable of heating up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit, the HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket provides all-around heat and comfort in a portable and easy-to-use package. “If you love sauna sessions and need a more portable option I think this is great,” says certified personal trainer and Garage Gym Reviews Everything lead reviewer Lindsay Scheele in our full HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket review. “I felt super relaxed and enjoyed using it.”

While it’s still a little pricey, it’s much more affordable than larger at-home saunas. It works just like the sleeping bags you use at camp or during childhood sleepovers—with some twists.

It takes about 10 minutes to preheat and you’ll need a heatproof surface to lie on. Once it’s at your desired temperature, you hop in and set a timer for as long as you want to remain in the blanket. Fair warning: You’ll get very sweaty and if you don’t have an insert or blanket inside, cleanup can be a bit of a hassle. Lindsay says the $89 inserts are worth the extra price because your sweat could cause the sauna blanket to break down faster, which is why she rated it a 3.5 out of 5 for durability.

It received a 4.5 out of 5 rating for portability because it’s 71 inches long and wide, compact enough to be thrown in the back of a car during a vacation.

Although HigherDOSE says on its website that its blanket can reach up to 158 degrees, the programmable thermostat only reads settings from one to eight so it’s hard to tell exactly how hot it is at any given moment.

If you’re on the hunt for a home sauna that’s eco-friendly, the Heavenly Heat Far Infrared sauna might be your best bet. The sauna is built from Canadian hemlock wood that isn’t finished with any resins or chemical treatments. 

The brand also builds saunas without plywood, glues, or stains to keep the wood as unaltered as possible. Instead of glue, you can expect nails and screws holding this sauna together. Our tester and GGR Head of Content Nicole Davis thought the construction of the sauna was both high-quality and durable, earning it a 4-out-of-5-star rating. She notes the sauna bench was contoured, which was a nice detail. 

It’s also specifically designed to have a low electromagnetic field, with the use of low EMF heaters and grounded faraday shielding. The sauna is also designed without telecommunications like radio, WiFi, or Bluetooth to reduce radio frequencies. 

However, the heat performance left Nicole a little disappointed. The website boasts this one-person sauna has a fast heat-up time of 10 to 15 minutes. Nicole found that it was actually around 30 minutes to get to the highest temperature. 

Plus, she noticed it never reached the highest temperature setting of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature capped out at 152 degrees during her testing session. Nicole notes that 165 degrees is on the high end for an infrared sauna, so she wasn’t concerned with the lack of heat. For that reason, she scored the heat performance 3 out of 5 stars. 

What Nicole appreciated was the roomy cabin for a one-person sauna. “This would fit a wide variety of folks. I was in there with plenty of room to stretch and move around,” she says.