Comparison
Traditional vs infrared sauna
A traditional sauna heats the air and stones and lets you throw water for löyly. An infrared cabin heats your body directly with panels at a much lower air temperature. Both make you sweat; they feel very different.
| Traditional (Finnish) | Infrared cabin | |
|---|---|---|
| Air temperature | About 80–100 °C (175–210 °F) | About 45–60 °C (115–140 °F) |
| Steam | Yes: water on the hot stones gives löyly | No stones, no löyly |
| How it heats you | Hot air and steam all around you | Radiant panels warm the skin facing them |
| Heat-up | About 30–60 minutes for a home sauna | Usable sooner, as the panels warm you directly |
| Electrical | Usually a 240 V circuit, 25–60 A | Often 1.2–3 kW; small cabins can run on 120 V |
| Sizing | By room volume. Calculator | By the number of people and panels |
A Finn's view
To most Finns, a sauna means löyly: the wave of heat when water hits the stones. An infrared cabin can be pleasant and is easier to install, but it is a different kind of heat bath. UNESCO's description of Finnish sauna culture does list infrared among the kinds of sauna in use today.
The health research from Finland, such as the long-running Kuopio studies, was done on traditional saunas. What the research shows →
Which one to pick
- Traditional if you want löyly, high heat, a vihta, or the Finnish experience.
- Infrared if you only have a standard outlet, want something compact, or prefer milder heat.
The calculator's infrared mode estimates panels and power by the number of people. Open the calculator →