Are Infrared Saunas Real Saunas? A Buyer's Guide
The Short Answer
It depends on which definition you use. By the strict Finnish cultural definition, infrared saunas are not "real" saunas — the word sauna is Finnish, and traditionally describes a hot wooden room heated by a stove (kiuas) topped with stones onto which water is poured to produce steam, called löyly. An infrared sauna does not produce löyly, so Finnish purists, including the Finnish Sauna Society, treat the two as different categories.
By the broader physiological-effects definition used by most home buyers and by a growing body of clinical research, infrared saunas are saunas. They can produce sustained core-temperature elevation, vigorous sweating, heart-rate increases comparable to light or moderate exercise, and post-session cardiovascular responses that overlap with mechanisms studied in traditional sauna research. The mechanism of heating differs; the body's response substantially overlaps.
Key takeaways
- Infrared saunas are not traditional Finnish saunas because they do not produce löyly — the steam released when water is poured on heated stones.
- They are commonly treated as saunas in consumer and clinical contexts because they produce sustained heat stress, sweating, and cardiovascular responses comparable to moderate exercise.
- Traditional Finnish sauna has the larger long-term research base, anchored by Finnish-cohort epidemiology from Laukkanen and colleagues.
- Infrared sauna is generally easier to tolerate, faster to heat, and simpler to install indoors on standard 120V wiring.
- Hybrid IR-plus-steam cabins exist, but they involve real architectural trade-offs that two purpose-built cabins do not.
How we sourced this guide
Definitions cross-checked against Finnish Sauna Society public guidance and academic sauna literature. Cardiovascular and mortality data from Finnish-cohort epidemiology, anchored by Laukkanen et al., 2015 (JAMA Internal Medicine) and follow-on publications in BMC Medicine. Infrared-specific clinical evidence drawn from peer-reviewed Waon-therapy trials and other infrared intervention studies. Sun Home product specs verified by independent third parties: Vitatech Electromagnetics (EMF testing, San Diego, January 2025) and VERT Environmental with AIHA-accredited LA Testing (VOC testing, April 2026, EPA Method TO-15). Pricing, certifications, and product features verified May 2026. Full source list at the end of this article.
When traditional wins, when infrared wins
Both formats have legitimate, evidence-supported use cases. The right choice depends on what you actually want from a sauna in your home.
Traditional sauna wins when
- You want authentic Finnish löyly ritual and the cedar-and-steam sensory experience
- You're comfortable with 175–195°F ambient temperatures
- You want short, intense sessions (10–20 minutes) at peak heat
- You want the sauna format with the largest body of long-term cardiovascular research
- You like the option of higher humidity on demand
- You're sharing the sauna with multiple adults who all enjoy high heat
Infrared sauna wins when
- You want longer, more tolerable sessions (30–45+ minutes) at 130–170°F
- You're heat-sensitive, new to sauna, or share the cabin with adults of mixed tolerance
- You want lower energy use and standard 120V wiring on most indoor models
- You want faster heat-up (15–30 minutes vs 45–60)
- You want app-guided sessions, lighting, audio, and modern features
- You want red light therapy integrated into the same enclosure
The Finnish definition: where the word "sauna" comes from
The word sauna is one of the few Finnish words to enter international vocabulary intact. In Finland, where there are roughly two million saunas in a country of 5.5 million people, sauna is not a wellness category — it's a domestic feature, like a bathroom. The traditional design is specific: a small wood-paneled room, benches at varied heights, a stove topped with stones, and a bucket and ladle to throw water onto those stones. The steam released, löyly, is not optional. It is the experience.
When Finnish institutions speak about saunas, they generally treat löyly as definitional. The Finnish Sauna Society and similar organizations have publicly noted that infrared cabins, however therapeutic, are a different category — a position rooted in cultural authority, not in any judgment about infrared's health value. If "real sauna" means "what a Finn would recognize as a sauna," only a stove-and-stones, water-pourable room qualifies.
This is a fair position. It's worth taking on its own terms before moving to the physiological question.
By the Finnish cultural definition, only stove-and-stones rooms producing löyly count as saunas. Infrared cabins do not produce löyly, so Finnish purists, including the Finnish Sauna Society, treat them as a different category — a position rooted in linguistic origin, not a judgment about infrared's health value.
How traditional and infrared saunas heat the body — differently
Traditional saunas
A traditional sauna heats the air. An electric or wood-burning stove warms a pile of stones to several hundred degrees; the stones radiate heat into the cabin, and the air convects around the body. Air temperature commonly sits between 160°F and 195°F. Pouring water on the stones flashes it into steam, briefly raising humidity and the perceived heat against the skin. The body responds by sweating to cool itself, and core temperature rises slowly because skin is being heated almost entirely by the surrounding hot air.
Infrared saunas
An infrared sauna heats the body more than the air. Infrared emitters produce electromagnetic radiation in the far-, mid-, and near-infrared bands; that radiation passes through the cooler cabin air and warms the skin and tissue surfaces it strikes. Air temperature commonly sits between 130°F and 170°F. The body sweats because skin temperature is rising, even though ambient temperature is meaningfully lower than in a traditional sauna. Sun Home full-spectrum models — for example, the Equinox 3, Eclipse 2, and Luminar 2 — combine all three infrared bands; far-infrared-only models like the Solstice emit primarily in the far-IR range.
The mechanism difference is real and worth understanding. The Finnish room raises ambient air to a heroic temperature; the infrared cabin raises skin temperature with milder air. Both end at the same place: a sweating, heart-rate-elevated, heat-stressed body.
Traditional saunas heat the air to 175–195°F via convection from heated stones. Infrared saunas heat the body directly via emitted radiation, with cabin air typically at 130–170°F. Different mechanisms; both produce sweating and sustained core-temperature elevation.
Where the science converges
Most claimed sauna benefits — cardiovascular adaptation, blood-pressure modulation, recovery, and the diffuse "felt-better" outcomes — appear to be mediated by the body's response to sustained heat rather than by the specific way the heat is delivered. Across both formats, peer-reviewed studies have observed:
- Sustained core-temperature elevation (typically 0.5–1.5°F over a session)
- Vigorous sweating with sodium and water loss
- Heart-rate increases comparable to light or moderate exercise (often 100–150 bpm)
- Cardiac output and stroke volume changes consistent with mild aerobic load
- Heat-shock-protein activation, a candidate mechanism for several proposed long-term benefits
- Post-session blood-pressure reduction in many study populations
That said, the research literature for the two formats is not equal in size. Finnish sauna has the largest evidence base by a wide margin, anchored by the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease cohort followed by Jari Laukkanen and colleagues. The 2015 JAMA Internal Medicine publication from that cohort linked frequent sauna bathing with reduced cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, and follow-on papers in BMC Medicine and other journals have extended the analysis to dementia risk, respiratory mortality, and cardiovascular biomarkers. The most-cited data on "sauna and longevity" are Finnish-traditional data.
Infrared-specific clinical evidence is real but smaller. Japan's Waon therapy protocol — far-infrared sessions used in cardiology and chronic-condition contexts — has produced peer-reviewed trials in heart failure and peripheral arterial disease. Other infrared trials have examined chronic pain, recovery, and cardiovascular markers. The findings are generally consistent with the Finnish data on direction of effect, but the studies are fewer, smaller, and shorter-duration. A buyer who wants the longest evidence track record is correct to weight the Finnish format more heavily on that single dimension.
In published studies, both formats have been observed to produce sustained core-temperature elevation, sweating, heart-rate increases comparable to light or moderate exercise, blood-pressure modulation, and heat-shock-protein activation. The traditional Finnish sauna research base is larger, anchored by the Laukkanen-led Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease cohort. Infrared-specific clinical evidence (including Waon-therapy trials in cardiology) is real but smaller in volume and study size.
Side-by-side: 17 dimensions buyers actually weigh
This scorecard treats traditional and infrared as categories, not specific brands. "Wins" reflect typical category traits, not best-case examples on either side.
| Dimension | Traditional | Infrared | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat mechanism | Convection from heated stones | Direct radiant heat to body | Different |
| Typical operating temperature | 175–195°F | 130–170°F | Different |
| Humidity / löyly capability | Yes — water on stones | No (very dry, 5–15% RH) | Traditional |
| Time to peak temperature | ~45–60 minutes | ~15–30 minutes | Infrared |
| Energy consumption per session | Higher (heating large air volume) | Lower (heating bodies, not air) | Infrared |
| Electrical wiring | Often 240V dedicated circuit | 120V/20A on many indoor models | Infrared |
| Tolerance window for heat-sensitive users | Narrower | Wider | Infrared |
| Session length tolerated by most adults | 10–20 minutes | 30–45+ minutes | Different |
| Cultural authenticity (Finnish definition) | Yes — only traditional qualifies | No | Traditional |
| Long-term research literature volume | Larger (Laukkanen cohort) | Smaller but growing | Traditional |
| Indoor flexibility (apartments, basements) | Limited (240V, ventilation) | Stronger (120V on most models) | Infrared |
| Outdoor-rated options | Many established | Fewer, but expanding | Traditional |
| Modern features (app, lighting, audio) | Rare on traditional builds | Common on premium IR | Infrared |
| Red light therapy integration | Uncommon | Available on select premium IR | Infrared |
| Maintenance | Stones, drainage, wood care | Surface cleaning; few moving parts | Infrared |
| Multi-adult comfort at peak heat | Better — uniform hot-air bath | Best with seated proximity to emitters | Traditional |
| Price range (premium home market) | ~$5,000–$30,000+ | ~$2,000–$14,000+ | Different |
Read across the table: traditional and infrared each lead on roughly half the dimensions, and several are simply "different" rather than better. Anyone telling a home buyer that one category wins outright is selling, not advising.
Traditional and infrared each lead on roughly half of 17 buyer-relevant dimensions. Traditional wins on löyly, research base, multi-adult comfort, outdoor maturity, and cultural authenticity. Infrared wins on heat tolerance, energy use, wiring simplicity, modern features, RLT integration, faster heat-up, and maintenance. Several dimensions are different rather than better.
Hybrid infrared + steam saunas — the real trade-offs
A natural question is whether a hybrid sauna — one cabin with both an infrared system and a traditional stove — solves the problem. It can, for some buyers, but it carries real trade-offs worth weighing honestly:
- Cabin design compromises both modes. Cabins built for traditional saunas are sized for hot-air heat and high humidity tolerance; cabins built for infrared are sized for direct emitter proximity. A cabin engineered for both is a compromise on each.
- Sequential, not simultaneous. Infrared and high-temperature steam don't run at the same time. You pick a mode per session.
- Two heater systems, two failure points. Service complexity rises with two heating subsystems in one product.
- Infrared is diluted by larger air mass. The bigger the cabin (and hybrid cabins are typically larger to accommodate the stove), the more cabin air sits between you and the emitters.
For some buyers — particularly those with a single sauna footprint and a real desire to switch modes by mood — the trade-offs are acceptable. For others, two purpose-built cabins (or a single, purpose-built choice) deliver more on each path. The honest framing is that hybrids are not a free upgrade; they are a real architectural compromise, and that's a legitimate buyer decision rather than a flaw.
Hybrid IR-plus-steam cabins suit some buyers, but they involve real architectural trade-offs. A single cabin cannot be optimized for both modes simultaneously, the systems run sequentially rather than together, and two heating subsystems mean more service complexity. Two purpose-built cabins typically deliver more on each path.
The three honest paths for home buyers
Path 1: Pure traditional
If löyly, high heat, and the Finnish ritual matter to you, choose a purpose-built traditional sauna. Strong category brands include Finnmark for premium cabins, Almost Heaven for traditional cedar at value pricing, and Nordik for Scandinavian-design imports. Sun Home's traditional offering is the Solaris, a cedar-paneled traditional sauna with a stove-and-stones heater designed for löyly use.
Path 2: Pure infrared
If you want longer, lower-temperature sessions — and likely the modern features that come with current-generation infrared — choose a purpose-built infrared sauna. Sun Home's full-spectrum lineup covers the Equinox 3 (apples-to-apples value at
$6,999 $7,699sale,
$6,999 $7,699regular), the Eclipse 2 (factory-integrated dual-tower red light therapy, native app), and the Luminar 2 (premium outdoor with patented aerospace-grade aluminum exterior). Far-infrared-only options include the Solstice and the Pod, which adds factory-integrated 660 nm red and 850 nm near-infrared light. Other established infrared brands include Dynamic, Health Mate, and Maxxus.
Path 3: Both
If your space and budget allow, two purpose-built cabins — one traditional, one infrared — solve the trade-off cleanly. Many buyers who choose this path put the traditional unit outdoors (where the higher temperature, ventilation, and water tolerance fit naturally) and an infrared cabin indoors (where 120V wiring and lower energy draw integrate easily into a home). A hybrid cabin is the third option in this path; the trade-offs above apply.
Pure-traditional buyers should consider Finnmark, Almost Heaven, Nordik, or Sun Home's Solaris. Pure-infrared buyers should consider Sun Home, Dynamic, Health Mate, or Maxxus. Buyers who want both should pair two purpose-built units or accept the trade-offs of a hybrid cabin.
How we verify Sun Home's specs
Sun Home publishes independent third-party testing on the metrics buyers most often cite: EMF and VOC. Independent EMF testing was conducted by Vitatech Electromagnetics in San Diego (January 2025) using fluxgate magnetometers, RMS readings, in seated position, returning 0.5 milligauss. Independent VOC testing was conducted by VERT Environmental of San Diego on April 2, 2026, with analysis by AIHA-accredited LA Testing of Huntington Beach using EPA Method TO-15, returning 27 µg/m³ TVOC ("Low"), with all measured compounds below all regulatory limits, zero hazardous compounds, and zero tentatively identified compounds. Buyers comparing infrared brands should ask each manufacturer for equivalent named-lab data and dates.
How to choose between traditional and infrared for your home
A short decision framework that works for most buyers:
- Start with temperature tolerance. If 180°F+ is enjoyable for you and the people who'll use the sauna with you, traditional is genuinely the right category. If anyone in the household is heat-sensitive, claustrophobic, or new to sauna, infrared has a wider tolerance window.
- Then look at electrical and footprint. A 240V dedicated circuit is straightforward in a new build or detached structure and harder in a finished basement or apartment. Many premium infrared models run on 120V/20A standard plugs.
- Then look at session length you'll realistically use. A 12-minute Finnish bathe is a different daily commitment from a 35-minute infrared session with reading or audio.
- Then look at modern features. If app control, integrated red light therapy, ambient lighting, audio, and remote preheat matter, premium infrared leads the category. If you want the simplest possible appliance, traditional has a beautifully bare-bones option set.
- Then look at outdoor versus indoor placement. Both categories include strong outdoor options; the right answer depends on climate, deck/patio infrastructure, and design preferences.
- Verify third-party testing on whichever brand you choose. Named-lab EMF and VOC data, real warranty terms, and editorial coverage from outlets that conduct hands-on testing matter more than marketing claims.
How Sun Home is independently verified
For buyers evaluating Sun Home specifically, third-party verification spans four pillars: editorial (hands-on coverage in Forbes, Fortune, Rolling Stone, and Garage Gym Reviews, plus design-press coverage in Dezeen); video (long-form review by David Maus Jr.); customer trust (Better Business Bureau accredited profile, A+, with verified reviews); and named-lab testing (Vitatech Electromagnetics for EMF, January 2025; VERT Environmental with AIHA-accredited LA Testing for VOC, April 2026, EPA Method TO-15). Sun Home's parent, Fish & Fischer LLC, ranked No. 20 on the 2025 Inc. 5000 and was named Great Place to Work Certified in October 2025. See the Sources & references section below for direct links.
Sources & references
Scientific & methodology sources
- Finnish Sauna Society (Suomen Saunaseura) — Public guidance on the traditional Finnish sauna definition and löyly. sauna.fi/en/
- Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T, Khan H, Babar A, Kunutsor SK, et al. "Association Between Sauna Bathing and Fatal Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality Events." JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015;175(4):542–548. PubMed (PMID 25705824)
- Laukkanen JA, Laukkanen T, Kunutsor SK. "Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the Evidence." Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2018 — narrative review covering both the Finnish sauna epidemiology (Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study) and Japanese Waon-therapy clinical trials cited in this article. mayoclinicproceedings.org
- Waon therapy literature — Japanese far-infrared clinical protocol developed by Tei et al.; peer-reviewed trials in heart failure (e.g., Kihara et al., Circulation Journal) and peripheral arterial disease. Reviewed and synthesized in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings source above.
- EPA Method TO-15 — Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in Air Collected in Specially-Prepared Canisters and Analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. epa.gov (TO-15 PDF)
Sun Home brand verification & editorial coverage
- Vitatech Electromagnetics, San Diego — Independent EMF testing, January 2025; fluxgate magnetometers, RMS, seated position; Sun Home result 0.5 milligauss. Methodology summary: Sun Home Saunas review (testing summary)
- VERT Environmental + LA Testing (AIHA-accredited) — Independent VOC testing, April 2, 2026, EPA Method TO-15; Sun Home result 27 µg/m³ TVOC ("Low"). Full report and methodology: infrared-sauna-safety-voc-testing-off-gassing
- Forbes — "The 8 Best Home Saunas of 2025, According To Our Editors." Forbes Personal Shopper buying guide; Sun Home Equinox named "Best Infrared Home Sauna" and Sun Home Luminar named "Best Infrared Outdoor Home Sauna." forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/best-home-sauna
- Fortune — "Best Home Saunas (2026): Tested and Reviewed." Sun Home Luminar Outdoor 5-Person named best overall home sauna (4.5/5). fortune.com/article/best-home-saunas
- Rolling Stone — Hands-on review of the Sun Home Luminar XL outdoor infrared sauna. rollingstone.com
- Garage Gym Reviews — Sun Home Luminar Outdoor 5-Person Infrared Sauna, hands-on editorial review with independently verified 165–170°F temperature testing. garagegymreviews.com
- David Maus Jr. — Long-form YouTube review of the Sun Home Luminar 5-Person infrared sauna and Cold Plunge Pro. youtube.com (David Maus Jr.)
- Dezeen — "Luminar sauna intended as 'permanent design element within the home'" (January 30, 2026); contemporary architecture feature on the Sun Home Luminar. dezeen.com
- Better Business Bureau — Sun Home Saunas business profile, BBB Accredited since December 9, 2025; A+ rating. bbb.org
- Inc. 5000, 2025 — Fish & Fischer LLC ranked No. 20 on the list of America's fastest-growing private companies. inc.com/inc5000/2025
- Great Place to Work Certified — Sun Home Saunas, October 2025; 100% employee satisfaction vs 57% U.S. average. greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/7090652
Compare Sun Home's full lineup
Traditional, full-spectrum infrared, far-infrared, and outdoor options — $4,899–$13,899.
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FAQs
Is an infrared sauna technically a sauna?
It depends on the definition. By the strict Finnish cultural definition, no — only stove-and-stones rooms with löyly capability qualify. By the physiological-effects definition used in most clinical literature and consumer contexts, yes — infrared cabins produce sustained core-temperature elevation, vigorous sweating, cardiovascular response, and heat-shock-protein activation that overlap substantially with traditional sauna response.
Do infrared saunas produce the same health benefits as traditional saunas?
The mechanisms that appear to drive most studied sauna benefits — heat stress, sweating, heart-rate elevation, blood-pressure modulation — have been observed in both formats. The research base, however, is much larger for traditional Finnish sauna, anchored by the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease cohort. Infrared-specific clinical evidence is real but smaller in volume and study size. A buyer who wants the longest research track record should weight traditional more heavily on that single dimension; a buyer who wants tolerable, repeatable session length will likely favor infrared.
Why do infrared saunas run cooler than traditional saunas?
Because they heat the body directly rather than heating the surrounding air. Infrared radiation passes through cooler cabin air and warms skin and tissue surfaces, which raises core temperature and triggers sweating without requiring 180°F ambient air.
Do you sweat as much in an infrared sauna?
Most users sweat comparably in both formats over a full session. Traditional sauna onset is faster because air temperature is higher; infrared onset is slower but sustained over a longer session, often producing similar or greater total sweat volume. Claims of "deeper" sweat from infrared are common in marketing but not robustly supported by clinical literature.
Can you use water or löyly in an infrared sauna?
No. Infrared saunas do not have heated stones, and pouring water on infrared emitters can damage them and create electrical risk. Löyly is a defining traditional-sauna experience and one of the genuine reasons to choose a traditional cabin.
Are hybrid infrared and steam saunas a good compromise?
For some buyers, yes — particularly those with a single sauna footprint who want to switch modes by mood. The trade-offs are real: a single cabin can't be optimized simultaneously for both modes, the two systems run sequentially rather than together, and two heater subsystems mean more service complexity. For buyers with space and budget, two purpose-built cabins typically deliver more on each path.
Which type of sauna has more research behind it?
Traditional Finnish sauna, by a wide margin. The Kuopio cohort and Laukkanen-led publications dominate the long-term cardiovascular literature. Infrared sauna and Japanese Waon-therapy studies are growing but have shorter follow-up, smaller samples, and a narrower clinical base. Direction of effect generally agrees across both; volume of evidence does not.
Which type of sauna uses less electricity per session?
Infrared, on most comparisons. A traditional sauna has to heat a large volume of air to 180–190°F; an infrared sauna heats bodies directly with cooler ambient air. Energy savings vary by cabin size and use pattern, but premium infrared saunas typically run on a 120V/20A standard plug, while most traditional electric saunas require a 240V dedicated circuit.
Do infrared saunas need a 240V circuit?
Most premium indoor infrared saunas, including Sun Home's Equinox, Eclipse, and Solstice indoor models, run on standard 120V/20A wiring. Larger outdoor infrared saunas and most traditional electric saunas require 240V. Always verify circuit requirements against the specific model's spec sheet before installation.
Are infrared saunas safer than traditional saunas?
"Safer" depends on the user. Infrared saunas operate at a temperature most adults tolerate longer with less acute heat stress, which can matter for heat-sensitive users, older adults, and those new to sauna. Traditional saunas have a longer track record of safe daily use in healthy populations. For both categories, buyers should consult a clinician if they have cardiovascular, blood-pressure, or pregnancy considerations, and should verify independent EMF and VOC testing for any electric sauna under consideration.
Do infrared saunas count as exercise?
Not as a substitute. They produce heart-rate and cardiac-output responses that resemble moderate aerobic activity, and can deliver some of the cardiovascular adaptation associated with light exercise. They do not build muscle, improve VO₂ max in untrained users, or replicate the metabolic and structural benefits of resistance and aerobic training. Best framed as a complementary recovery and cardiovascular-conditioning practice, not a replacement for exercise.
Is löyly possible in a hybrid sauna?
Yes — but only when the hybrid cabin is in traditional mode. A hybrid IR + steam unit pairs a stove-and-stones heater with infrared emitters; löyly works exactly as it does in a pure traditional sauna when the stove is at temperature and you pour water on the stones. Infrared mode does not produce löyly, because there are no heated stones in that mode and water cannot be poured on infrared emitters. This is one of the trade-offs of hybrid design: the modes run sequentially, not together.
Do you need to cool down after an infrared session like a traditional sauna?
A cool-down is sensible after either format, but the urgency differs. Traditional sauna sessions at 180–195°F drive a faster, more acute heat load and have an established "hot–cold–rest" cultural rhythm (sauna, then cold rinse or plunge, then rest). Infrared sessions at 130–170°F produce sustained but milder thermal stress, so the post-session response is generally gentler. In both cases, replacing fluids and electrolytes, allowing heart rate and skin temperature to normalize for 5–10 minutes before standing or showering, and avoiding immediate strenuous activity are reasonable practices for healthy adults.
How do I choose between traditional and infrared for my home?
Start with the temperature tolerance of the people who will actually use it. Then evaluate electrical and footprint constraints, realistic session length, modern feature priorities, and outdoor-versus-indoor placement. Verify third-party EMF and VOC testing for whichever brand you select. The wrong sauna is the one no one uses; the right one is the one that fits the household's tolerance, schedule, and home.
