Infrared Sauna Buying Guide

What To Consider When Buying An Infrared Sauna

We understand that purchasing an infrared sauna can sometimes be confusing When doing your research about purchasing an infrared sauna, be sure to consider the following questions:

  • What are the differences between infrared saunas and heaters?
  • What are the benefits of the different infrared heaters?
  • What type of wood is best?
  • Why is a lifetime warranty important?
  • Why is heater placement important – should there be heaters on the front walls and side walls? What about floor heaters?
  • Which heaters produce dangerous levels of EMF (Electromagnetic Fields)?
  • Is a low ELF sauna important?

These are just some of the questions we have received over the last 23 years. We’ve put together this infrared sauna buying guide to answer these questions and help guide you through the infrared sauna buying process.

What To Look For In An Infrared Sauna

Materials and Build Quality:

For many years only high-quality far infrared saunas dominated the infrared sauna market. Craftsmanship, for the most part, was very high. Woods used were Eucalyptus, Pine, Basswood, Spruce, and Aspen.

The majority of infrared heaters produced used ceramic and metal, with ceramic being the preferred type because of higher infrared efficiency and infrared output. There were rigid quality control standards for the woods, glues, and electrical safety used.

As options over the internet have expanded, low-quality overseas manufacturing spawned numerous upstart sauna companies with little to no understanding of the therapeutic benefits of infrared therapy. They were selling a wooden box with heaters, offering low cost and in turn low-quality saunas on the internet and at big box stores.

Models from these manufacturers can lack quality of materials, construction, and safety down to even the basic wiring including substandard controls and heaters. Beware of any noxious odors from toxic glues being used in the manufacturing process or smells from the wood itself. Subpar saunas can also have wood that has not been finished or sanded and is rough to the touch as you pass your hand over it.

Heater Positioning:

Saunas with heaters positioned above the head are not effective as it is the infrared wavelengths coming off the heaters directly that offer the benefits in an infrared sauna.

Positioning heaters above the head wastes infrared energy that could be better used in the front of the sauna, or by the calves and sides of the body. The ideal infrared therapy directs heat at your body with the proper wavelengths so it is important it targets your front, back, and sides. Without proper heater placement, you will only receive partial benefits.

Look for heaters kept low to keep the infrared heat aimed at your body and completely surround you with infrared heat. There is no wasted energy up over your head & you will receive benefits faster through the maximum amount of infrared heat.

Sauna Size:

Infrared saunas made for home or commercial uses can be built to accommodate between 1-6 people depending on your intended usage:

  • One-Person Saunas – Require the smallest space to install and are adaptable to either a business or home environment.
  • Two-Person Saunas – Combine the optimal balance of size and comfort allowing extra room for individual use or the ability to use the sauna with another person.
  • Three-Person Saunas – Provide additional room to stretch out and are ideal for multi-person use with infrared heat spread evenly throughout.
  • Four to Five-Person Saunas – Provide additional space & allow you to remove the benches for exercises or hot yoga.

Frequently Asked Questions About Infrared Saunas

How Much Do Infrared Saunas Cost?

A premium infrared sauna can cost between $5,000 – $12,000. The final cost will depend on the size (1 person, 2 person, etc.), materials used (primarily the type of wood), and any additional features or accessories such as chromotherapy lights, halo-therapy units, or bluetooth speakers.

What Is The Best Wood For An Infrared Sauna?

Eucalyptus, Pine, Basswood, and Acacia is considered by many to be the best wood to use for saunas. 

Sauna users who are very sensitive to smells (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) may want to consider a sauna made of white woods like Pine and Basswood. These woods have less of a smell than WRCC and may be more comfortable for people with MCS.

What Are The Differences Between Infrared Heaters?

Far Infrared Heaters:

When comparing far infrared sauna heaters you need to look at the size of the heater, the material that is producing the infrared heat, the quality of the heat, and the surface temperature of the heater.

The two most common materials used in far infrared heaters are ceramic and carbon.

Ceramic is a very efficient, effective material when heated to produce infrared heat. Ceramic has a very high emissivity rating, meaning it produces a lot of infrared heat. The drawback to ceramic heaters is that they tend to produce a shorter infrared wavelength. Shorter infrared wavelengths are not as readily absorbed by the human body so they are less therapeutic.

Carbon infrared heaters generally produce a longer infrared wavelength. Carbon is very light so the heaters can be bigger and can run at a lower surface temperature. These low surface temperatures produce long wave infrared heat. Longwave far infrared heat is readily absorbed by the human body and will produce more desirable wellness results. The drawback of carbon heaters is that, while they produce high-quality infrared heat, they do not produce a lot of infrared heat. In technical terms, they have a lower emissivity rating as compared to ceramic heaters.

Most companies that use carbon heaters extend their heaters well up into the head region and almost to the ceiling in the sauna in an effort to try and get more heat into the sauna. They do this because of the low output of their heaters. This is wasted infrared heat as it is only heating the air over your head and not your body directly. We also believe heating the head directly is not recommended in infrared therapy.

Full-Spectrum Infrared Heaters:

A full spectrum infrared heater emits all three infrared wavelengths: near (IR-A), mid (IR-B), and far-infrared (IR-C). Some infrared saunas offer a combination of heaters to produce full-spectrum infrared heat. The sauna may have one heater that produces far infrared, one that produces mid-infrared, and one that produces near-infrared.

You will also see some infrared saunas that use low wattage (10-40 watt) LED’s to produce near-infrared. Our belief is that LED near-infrared light therapy is very effective for topical infrared treatments however, it is not suited for the sauna environment. You want to put the LEDs directly on your skin. The DPL Nuve by LED Technologies is a great example of an effective FDA-approved near-infrared handheld device. With LED near-infrared embedded in the wall of the sauna, you would have to climb up on the bench to receive effective therapy as the LEDs should be right up against the area you are treating.

By offering all three wavelengths the infrared heat will penetrate deeper past the Epidermis and Dermis into the Subcutaneous layer.

full-spectrum infrared diagram

 

Why Are Low EMF And Low ELF Levels Important?

Our far-infrared heaters are the original infrared heaters with virtually no EMF (Electromagnetic Fields). We pioneered this technology for use in infrared saunas. More and more research is being conducted into the harmful effects of EMF. That is why the Sun Home R&D department spent over two years developing both patented and patent pending methods to eliminate virtually all of the EMF from Sun Home heaters. Many competitors still have EMF levels 20 to 50 times higher than our infrared heaters. With an average EMF level of less than 1 milligauss (mg), when tested directly on the heater, it is well below the CDC’s recommendation of a maximum of 3mg.

Some health effects linked with EMF are:

  • Memory Loss
  • Depression
  • Loss of Energy
  • Irritability
  • Inability To Concentrate
  • Weakened Immune System
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Headaches

Sun Home always ensured that the therapeutic results of your sauna are the number one priority. Seeing the research and information available on the harmful effects of EMF, we felt that if there was a chance that high levels of EMF can cause health issues, we needed to find a way to bring the levels down as low as possible. We were the first company to accomplish this with our infrared heaters.

Low ELF Infrared Saunas:

ELF (extremely low frequency) is also referred to as the electric fields or dirty electricity. There are some people that are very sensitive to ELF and have various reactions including sleep disruption and agitation and there is some link to cancer as discussed in this Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bulletin: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/elfradiation/healtheffects.html

All Sun Home infrared saunas include ELF canceling technology. While EMF is canceled in the heater itself, Sun Home has to go to great lengths to cancel the ELF from the saunas.

  • Run the electrical wires through a metal conduit.
  • Twist the wires to cancel the ELF and EMF.
  • Protect all electronics with foil shielding.
  • Carbonize and ground the fishnet mesh that covers the heaters to ground and cancel the ELF.

How Does A Sun Home Infrared Sauna Differ from Other Saunas?

Quality of design and construction coupled with superior and innovative heating technology. We start with the highest quality woods. All saunas are built by hand to strict 48 point Quality Control. No sauna leaves the factory without being fully tested and approved by two levels of quality control.

With the ETL and CE certification, we are bound to provide a high-quality product. We use non-toxic glues. The saunas are hand-sanded, the handles and trim are handcrafted, the tongue and groove wood is color-matched to look beautiful and all Sun Home Infrared Sauna models are designed to give you a lifetime of wellness and relaxation benefits.

Almost every other infrared sauna company uses industrial heaters that have been adapted to be used in an infrared sauna. Not willing to settle with industrial infrared heaters, Sun Home manufactures patented-pending infrared sauna heaters in the factory. Sun Home manufactures powerful far infrared heaters and full spectrum (near, mid, far) infrared heaters.

Being innovators in the infrared sauna industry, we have always set the trends that have guided the industry.

We are the industry pioneer of low EMF carbon-based infrared heaters and offer the only low EMF full-spectrum infrared sauna on the market.

The saunas use Eco-Certified grade wood. Our commitment to our customers is to provide the highest quality products. The Eco-Certified woods meet three sustainability standards as part of our green initiative.

The years of manufacturing infrared saunas go into every Sun Home model While the sauna cabins are of exceptional quality, with hand-sanded panels, high-quality close grain wood, and attention to detail, the therapeutic benefits are the main focus. The R&D department is always researching and testing new components for your sauna so when you buy a Sun Home infrared sauna, you are buying the highest quality, most therapeutic infrared sauna available.

What Does The Sun Home Sauna Warranty Cover?

With the 7 year warranty for home use, we stand behind Sun Home saunas and our exceptional, award-winning quality. 

Testimonial

Thank you SO much for providing such an incredible product! Until yesterday, I had not missed even ONE day of relaxing in this gorgeous sauna. You were so helpful as I took so long making my decision. This is truly a beautifully built piece of furniture. As you know, I had that little snafu with the shipping company and the steepness of my driveway, but whatever you did – it worked – they were out here with a truck the next afternoon.

The sauna was an absolute dream to put together. It took us longer for my husband and I to unpack all the pieces and carry each one around the outside of the house and into the bottom floor than it did to put it together. All I can say is that the design is absolutely ingenious.

I’m amazed that I set the temp and timer, and then I make some tea…I usually wait about 15 minutes, get in and within another 10 -15 minutes I am sweating like crazy. I’ve been staying in between 40 and 60 minutes. It is glorious. I just really want you to know how thrilled I’ve been with the sauna.

I actually have a friend who calls me “sauna girl” because – now don’t laugh- I keep saying how it’s changed my life. I used to work all day (very long hours), come home, make dinner and then sit at the computer and work for two or three more hours every single night! But now, I’m SO much more relaxed. I could go on and on – thankfully, I won’t because I can hear that sauna calling my name! Thank you again.

-SB, Oregon.