If you’re looking to enhance your health, then finding the best sauna heaters on the market is essential. These powerful appliances heat the sauna and your body to a high temperature, thus making you sweat profusely. This simple, yet effective process has many benefits to not only on your body but your mind as well.
Since these devices are so beneficial we had to write a review on the top sauna heaters available. Down below we have tested and reviewed each unit. We recommend finding the one best matching your sauna square footage as this is the most important aspect to contemplate.
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Traditional Sauna Comparison Guide
Finlandia 8KW Sauna Heater- 8KW of power.
- Built with durable stainless steel.
- Uses 3 wall construction.
- Controls located on bottom.- 35 Pounds
- 24 x 11 x 16 Inches
- 240V / 25A
Nature 9KW Sauna Heater- Uses 9KW of power.
- Uses galvanized stainless steel.
- High temperature shut off.
- Temperacture controls located on bottom.- 32 Pounds
- 16.2 x 11.2 x 22.5 Inches
- 220V
Turku 9KW Sauna Heater- Uses 9KW of power.
- Can heat up to 450 cubic feet.
- Uses teflon coated heating elements.
- External temperature control.- 33 Pounds
- 22.5 x 10.5 x 16 Inches
- 220V / 37.5A
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The Best Sauna Heaters
1. Finlandia Sauna Heater 8KW, 240V
First on the review is the Finlandia 8KW Sauna Heater
. Finlanda is very well known in the industry for their quality heaters and this product doesn’t fall short of their reputation. It’s a quality sauna heater that provides a ton of value.
The Finlandia is a medium-sized unit at 24 x 11 x 16 inches and can hold a stone capacity of 45 pounds. The 8KW,240V sauna heater gets very hot and can heat up a 426 square ft. room.
The heater is built with stainless steel elements and interior. It utilizes a 3-wall construction for cooler surface temperatures, great safety, and more durability. This design also helps the elements heat up faster due to better free airflow
Controls for the sauna are located on the bottom of the unit. They allow you to set the temperature of the sauna and set a 1-8 hour preset. Which allows you to preset the future start time of your sauna session.
These controls are simple to use and rarely ever fail. If needed you can ask Finlandia to not install them on the unit. Allowing you to install them in a different area. This kit also comes with included sauna stones. Which is great because most other heaters on the market don’t.
Overall the Finlandia sauna is a great option. It’s a super durable sauna that will last years if taken care of. So if you’re looking for a premium sauna heater then look no further as this is the option for you.
- Uses a quality stainless steel design.
- Very powerful and heats up in a short amount of time.
- No external controller (Unless specified).
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 24 x 11 x 16 inches
Weight: Unknown
Color: Red
Recommend Room Volume: 250-426 Cubic Ft.
2. Nature Sauna Heater 9KW, 240V
Next on the review is the Nature 9KW sauna heater. This is one of the most powerful heaters on the market. Making it an ideal option for those who have a large sauna room to heat up.
As mentioned above the Coasts sauna heater is very powerful. This 9KW, 240V sauna heater can heat up larger rooms with ease. In fact, it can heat up a maximum room volume of 450 cubic ft.
This powerful design allows the Coasts to warm up quickly and heat up to a maximum of 194 F. It is also so powerful that it can be used for both residential and commercial uses.
The heater itself uses stainless steel heating elements. These elements are highly efficient and give the sauna an energy-saving CE certification. The inner tank is made of high-temperature-resistant galvanized sheet. The external shell is made of galvanized sheet with fluorocarbon coating.
On the bottom of the heater are the temperature and time controls. If the sauna heaters becomes too hot then the sauna will automatically shut off. This safety feature is essential as it prevents the sauna from overheating and possibly starting a fire. In addition, this sauna comes with an external controller so you can set the sauna before you enter the room.
Overall the Nature 9KW sauna heater is a great option. Its one of the most powerful sauna heaters on the market that is highly durable. So if you’re looking for a powerful and quality sauna then this is a great option for you.
- Extremely powerful and can generate a lot of heat.
- Built with durable materials that last decades.
- None.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 17.4 x 12.2 Inches
Weight: 15 Pounds
Color: Grey
Recommend Room Volume: 250-450 Cubic Ft.
3. TURKU Residential Electric Sauna Spa Heater 9KW, 240V
The TURKU (9KW, 240V) residential sauna heater is exactly the same as the above sauna other than the fact that it’s not stainless steel. Since this is so it is almost $100 cheaper, but still offers the same power with the same equipment.
Its durable body is made with high-grade Teflon coated heating elements that can heat a sauna room up to 450 cubic feet. It runs off 9KW at 240V which will fully heat up a sauna in around 45 minutes to an hour. Making it an ideal heater for any residential business. It also has a range temperature of 104-194 F.
The heater is the same size as the above one at 22.5 x 10.5 x 16 inches and weighs around 33 pounds. There is also an external digital controller that can be installed outside the sauna. This convenient controller is simple to use and gives an accurate reading of the sauna’s temperature.
Safety features on this heater include a firmer body construction, vented body, aluminum thermostat sensor casing, and high-temperature cut-off protection. This protection will turn off the power if the sauna happens to rise to abnormally high temperatures. This ensures you never overheat the system or catch the sauna on fire.
Overall this sauna heater is the top choice if you’re looking for a reliable/powerful heater. Its features and power make it perfect for anyone who has a large sauna.
- Large residential sauna that can heat a large room.
- Included safety features.
- Less expensive than the above sauna.
- None.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 22.5 x 10.5 x 16 inches
Weight: 33 pounds
Color: Dark Grey
Recommend Room Volume: 250-450 Cubic Ft.
4. Nature Sauna Heater 6KW, 240V
The Nature (6KW, 240V) residential sauna heater is a great medium-powered heater. It’s around the same size as the above saunas, but uses less power at 6KW. This is ideal for those looking for better energy efficiency and heating for a smaller room.
The heater is built to last as it’s made with stainless steel and teflon coated heating elements. This durable material ensures that the heater will last decades of use with little to no problems.
When turned on the heater can heat the sauna in around an hour. The recommended sauna size in which it can effectively perform is 175-300 Cubic Ft. Making it a perfect choice for most medium-sized residential saunas. The heater is also a wet/dry heater so it can be sprinkled with water to create steam.
The safety features that this sauna contains in 100% toxic-free materials, durable stainless steel body, aluminum thermostat sensor casing, heavy-duty electrical elements, vented body design, and high-temperature cut-off protection. As with all the other Nature heaters it will cut off the power supply when reaching abnormally high temperatures.
We personally believe this heater is the best choice if you’re looking for a medium powered sauna heater. It features make it extremely effective and efficient at heating medium-sized saunas. In addition its built with a beautiful stainless steel design.
- Built-in cut-off protection features.
- Toxic free.
- No external controller.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 16.2 x 11.2 x 22.1 Inches
Weight: 36 Pounds
Color: Stainless Steel
Recommend Room Volume: 175-300 Cubic Ft.
5. Finlandia Mini Sauna Heater 3KW, 240V
The Finlandia (3KW, 240V) sauna heater is the best heater for small and personal saunas. This is because this bad boy is compact and specifically designed for tight spaces. At 23.7 x 17.6 x 12.4 inches and 15 pounds, you’ll be able to fit it into any compact sauna.
The heater is built to last as it’s made with teflon coated heating elements and other durable materials. It runs off 3KW at 240V which will fully heat a sauna in around 45 minutes to an hour. The recommended sauna size for premium performance is 45-90 Cubic Ft. The heater is also a wet/dry heater and can be sprinkled with water to create steam.
Since the sauna heater is smaller there’s no external controller. Instead, there’s a built-in controller on the bottom of the unit. The controller is easy to use and heats the unit to the exact displayed temperature.
For your safety, the heater has a vented/durable body and has high-temperature cut-off protection. This protection is essential to your safety as the unit will cut off the power supply if it happens to reach abnormally high temperatures. This ensures that you never have to worry about the sauna overheating or catching on fire.
Overall this sauna heater is the top choice if you’re looking for a reliable/compact heater. Its features make it perfect for anyone who is looking for a personal sauna heater.
- Perfect for smaller sauna rooms.
- Uses less energy than the above saunas.
- Built with durable metals and teflon materials.
- No external controller.
Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 23.7 x 17.6 x 12.4 Inches
Weight: 15 Pounds
Color: Stainless Steel
Recommend Room Volume: 45-90 Cubic Ft.
Electric Sauna Heaters: What To Look For
Power
The first and most important factor to contemplate when looking for a sauna heater is its power. Most electric sauna heaters operate at 2KW-10KW. The more kilowatts the heater runs at the more square footage the sauna can heat.
So if you have a small sauna room then a 2KW sauna heater will work just fine. If you have a larger sauna room then we recommend looking at 6KW-10KW sauna heaters. For exact numbers please reference our sauna heater sizing guide.
Heat-up Time
Another aspect to contemplate is the heat up time of the sauna. In this modern age, people don’t have time to wait around while their sauna heats up slowly. Instead, they need something quick that can get them in and out quickly.
As we mentioned above each sauna heater uses a certain amount of energy. It’s essential to find a sauna heater that fits your saunas square footage. If you want extremely quick heat-up times then you should pick a heater that is rated slightly higher then your square footage.
For example, most home sauna heaters take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to heat up. You can cut this time to just 15-30 minutes if you pick a slightly larger sauna heater.
Materials
The next aspect you should contemplate is the materials used to build the sauna. You want to ensure the heater uses high-quality materials that are built to last. Typically this consists of a stainless steel shell and Teflon coated heating elements.
Since the sauna operates at extreme temperatures this is extremely important. Cheap infrared saunas will break over time and stop working. This is not only annoying but is also very dangerous as it can cause a fire in very extreme circumstances.
Controller
Another aspect you should think about is the controller for the sauna. Most cheap electric saunas come built with controls on the bottom of the unit. This is fine, but you must first enter the sauna before turning it on (which then takes 30-60 minutes). In addition, when you turn off the sauna the controls can be very hot since they are close to the heater.
More premium sauna heaters come shipped with external temperature controllers in addition to controllers on the unit itself. This allows you to efficiently and effectively change the temperature of the sauna whether you are in or out of the sauna room.
Warranty
Since sauna heaters can be a relatively expensive purchase, its wise to get one with a long and good warranty. Most sauna manufactures cover at least the first year of owning the heater. Other more reputable brands offer 1-5 year warranties on labor.
Top Electric Sauna Heater Brands
When looking for sauna heaters you might be overwhelmed with the sheer number brands. The sauna heater market has exploded in the last few years which has resulted in a surge of brands offering these devices
When looking for your own sauna heater it’s important to find the best brands on the market. By doing this you will ensure you purchase a quality heater that will last decades without issues. The following are the best sauna heater brands to choose from.
Finlandia
Finlandia is one of the oldest sauna companies in the U.S. and has been manufacturing saunas since 1964. The president of the company is a native of Finland and grew up in the sauna culture. His experience in the Finnish culture has translated into making great saunas that boost your mental/physical health.
Finlandia is known for making high-quality heaters that last years if not decades. They make sure not to cut corners when using the highest quality materials and have long warranties to back their products. Not only do they create heaters, but they also help with building a whole sauna room. Just send them your room dimensions and they’ll create a sauna that fits perfectly in your room.
Harvia
Harvia is another older sauna company established in 1950 by Tapani Harvia. This Finnish based manufacturer has expanded to over 80 countries and excels in technology advanced sauna products. They lead the way when it comes to unique and efficient sauna designs that are much different than regular saunas you see.
Not only are Harvia sauna unique, but they are highly durable and effective. Their saunas can last years and provide some of the best sauna experiences possible. Some of their units have a high vaporization feature which gives you more steam with less water. Harvia creates some of the best saunas on the market which is why they are one of the top manufacturers in the world
Traditional Sauna Benefits
Traditional sauna heaters are one of the most common heaters on the market. They are powered by gas, wood, or electricity. Out of those three, the most efficient/durable one is the electric sauna heater. This is the heater that most see in residential saunas at pools and gyms. The majority of these heaters are wall-mounted and made with durable steel. They also have Teflon-coated heating elements that are built to last a few decades.
These types of saunas work by warming sauna rocks that then warm the sauna room by convection. When the rocks are heated the sauna room can reach temperatures as high as 194 degrees F. This whole process takes around 30-45 minutes depending on how powerful the heater is and how small the room is.
Traditional saunas heaters use the most energy compared to other sauna types (such as infrared saunas and portable infrared saunas). This is because of the way they heat the sauna and the temperatures they can reach. Since this is so, most residential heaters operate on 220-240 Volts. This requires the same outlet you would use for a drier. Other smaller home units run off of 110 Volts, which can run off a traditional outlet. Just keep in mind that the higher the wattage, the faster the room will heat up.
These traditional sauna heaters promote settings of dry, very hot, and relaxing environments. Since they use heating elements you can pour water on the rocks to produce steam. This is a plus as it offers many respiratory benefits that other saunas don’t provide. Other benefits that these sauna heaters promote are increased cardiovascular health, weight loss, detoxification of your body, cleanse your skin, they promote better sleep, boost your immune system, and many more. To learn more sauna benefits than visit this page HERE.
Overall these types of saunas are perfect for those looking for a traditional sauna that is going to last decades. Just remember that even though these heaters can be expensive, that they are a wise investment as they improve your health and boost your home’s value.
