Ultimate Guide to the 8 Best Infrared Saunas of 2018 – with Reviews
Table of Contents
- Ultimate Guide to the 8 Best Infrared Saunas of 2018 – with Reviews
- 8 Best Infrared Saunas with Reviews for 2018
- Best 1-Person Infrared Saunas
- Best 2-Person Infrared Saunas
- Best 3-Person Infrared Sauna
- Best 4-Person Infrared Sauna
- Best FAR Infrared Sauna:
- What Is an Infrared Sauna?
- How Does an Infrared Sauna Work?
- Infrared Sauna Benefits?
- How to Choose the Best Infrared Sauna?
- Summing Up
If you’re looking for the highest quality infrared saunas on the market in 2018, you’ve landed in the absolute right place.
Currently, in 2018, there are over 423 different models of infrared saunas available for sale on the internet. Here at Showersly, we’ve narrowed it down for you, and selected our favorites in the following categories: 1-Person, 2-Person, 3-Person, and 4-Person Infrared Saunas.
Are you looking for a way to add more relaxation in your life? Maybe you’re looking to help your muscles recover after a tough workout?
There are many reasons to seek out a quality Infrared Sauna for your home, and we’re happy to show you only the best.
We hope you enjoy!
Dynamic Saunas' Barcelona  |
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JNH Lifestyles' Freedom  |
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JNH Lifestyles' MG215HB  |
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JNH Lifestyles' NE2HB1  |
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Dynamic Saunas' Venice  |
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JNH Lifestyles' Joyous  |
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Heat Wave's Santa Fé  |
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JNH Lifestyles' Joyous  |
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8 Best Infrared Saunas with Reviews for 2018
We prepared a list with the best models of infrared saunas available in the market, with all the sizes that are currently manufactured. This way, you can consider models not only for you, but for all your friends, and family to enjoy as well.
Best 1-Person Infrared Saunas
#1: Dynamic Saunas’ Barcelona Infrared Sauna
To kick off our list of the best infrared saunas on the market in 2018, our #1 pick is the Dynamic Saunas’ Barcelona model.
A spacious cabin that the brand says could even accommodate two people, the Dynamic’s Barcelona is 39-inch wide, 35-inch long and 72-inch tall. It includes a set of 6 carbon heaters distributed cleverly inside the cabin for heating evenly your body, and you can adjust the temperature either by the internal and external dials. This model includes a control interface both in the inside and outside of the sauna cabin, with a LED display touch screen for easy vision even in the dark in case you want to turn off lights inside the sauna or turn on the chromotherapy mode. The cabin has a set of LED light bulbs that alternate between 5 different colors to provide the meditative experience on colors that you can either practice during sessions for real or just contemplate, as the different specters of color alternating are still pleasant for the brain.
You even have a set of two speakers to help you create a perfect ambience inside the cabin as you can connect your mp3 player to it via an aux. input.Not only the inside of this infrared sauna cabin is great though. The unit is made on dual construct of hemlock wood, able to insulate the temperature with accuracy, aside from the elegant visuals. The door complements it, made on tempered glass finished on a bronze tinted pigment, which stills give great visibility but filter any outer light source to a softer tone, avoiding bright, aseptic white lights. For last, the BL6109 is a plug machine, so you don’t need to wire it to your electrical network, just plug it to a power outlet and voila! Important to note this works only with 110V circuits.
#2: JNH Lifestyles Freedom
At #2 on our countdown, we have the Lifestyles’ Freedom Infrared Sauna from JNH.
JNH is among the most renowned and trusted manufacturers of infrared saunas. Freedom is their 1-person compact model, built with 6 carbon fiber far infrared heaters, distributed evenly inside the cabin to provide you a good heating all over your body. The cabin itself is 35.5-inch wide, 35.5-inch deep and 75-inch tall, which is ideal for 1 person but in some cases can even comport two people, when they are skinny enough we would say. The unit is made of Canadian red cedar, which is a more refined and unlike material for infrared saunas, though it gives the unit a more sturdy and sealed build, as well as it looks fancier and less bright, something actually pleasant to the eyes while you are inside the cabin performing your sauna session: think about being exposed to bright white walls around you for 1 hour and how irritating and stressful the excess of light can be to your therapeutic session.
The wooden walls are also double layered to make it even more insulating, while the tempered transparent glass door gives you clear visibility to the outside. As usual with infrared saunas, the digital controller has a LED touch screen interface, making it very easy to adjust the temperature and timing of your session even in the dark. And for last, you can make your session quite complete with the two stereo speakers that are other current feature on almost all the best infrared sauna models.Important to note that, Freedom and most infrared saunas are made to work with 110v circuits as they don’t need to heat up too much, different from other kind of sauna machines, requiring less power potency.
Just Missed our Top 2: Blue Wave’s Buena Vista Infrared Sauna
Our third option for 1-person infrared sauna is the Buena Vista cabin, an infrared sauna with 4 carbon heaters, made with a design more compact and a much more affordable price compared to the other saunas. While it is manufactured by Blue Wave, you will certainly find it being sold also by the famous American Radiant Saunas retailer, as they are official retailers for the brand and you can easily find their products for sale on Amazon.While this model has less carbon panel heaters than our previous models, the Buena Vista is, on the other hand, a more tight unit, really designed for one person only, and the panels are enough to make it work greatly for you inside the cabin. The unit is 33-inch wide, 31-ainch deep and 67-inch tall, made on traditional Canadian hemlock wood. The system also works as a 120V machine, where you just need to plug it on the power outlet to be able to use it.
The control interface is placed both inside and outside the cabin, so you can set temperature and timing even before you get in, just like you would do with a bathtub before you really get inside the tub. When you are in the mid of your sauna session, you can as well make use of the 2-speaker set and the audio aux. port to connect your music devices and play your favorite playlist.Important to mention that, all the 1-person infrared saunas of our list, including the Buena Vista, are “tools-free” units. They don’t requiring screwing or anything like that for assembling, just matching the panels into one each other and you are ready to go. The average time to set them is around 30 to 45 minutes.
Best 2-Person Infrared Saunas
#1: JNH MG215HB
This JNH model is another great acquisition of the brand, with a spacious cabin 47-inch wide and almost 40-inch deep, the MG215HB can easily comport 2 people, with a set of 7 different carbon fiber Far infrared heaters strategically spread around the cabin. While it is made of Canadian hemlock wood, this infrared sauna cabin has the usual elegant design of JNH, including the translucid tempered glass door. The structure of the sauna is also double layered to provide better insulation, so you can install anywhere in your house with no worries there will be irradiation of heat around the room where you want to implement it.The MG215HB has only an internal LED digital control touch screen where you can adjust the settings of your sauna session. Including the set of 2 speakers, built-in aux. port, is another plug style machine compatible with 110V circuits and with no need to be wired.
#2: JNH Lifestyles NE2HB1 Far Infrared Sauna
Not much different from the MG215HB cabin, this second JNH for 2 people also includes 7 carbon fiber far infrared heaters distributed inside the cabin. The biggest difference here is the outer design, which has more lateral windows implemented for better lightning.The model also has a double layer build made on 100% Canadian hemlock wood with T&G solid timber finish, has exactly the same measures (47” width, 40” depth, 75″ height) and the extra entertainment features (aux. port, 2 stereo speakers) as well as the LED digital control panel. All the electrical system here also works on 110V circuits and is a plug and use product.
#3: Dynamic Saunas’ Venice
Our third option for 2 people saunas is this Dynamic Saunas’ spacious infrared sauna cabin. Venice is the largest of this top 3, 49-inch wide, 41-inch deep and 76-inch tall, while it is not a massive difference of size, it still offers some precious extra inches that can make a difference when it comes to comfort for longer sauna sessions.Dynamic Saunas above all have many times the most complete sets of saunas, and this one is no different: includes interchangeable colors LED lightning for chromotherapy, two LED control interfaces, the traditional set of stereo speakers, aux. port for music player devices and an auxilliar top vent window you can manage to dissipate excessive heat. Venice also works with 110V circuits.For last, probably one of the biggest pros of this model is its design. You have noticed that most infrared sauna cabins look all like the same, Dynamic Saunas’ did a more elegant and well finished job with this model as the hemlock wood has a darker tint timber finish as well as the wood is more seamlessly paired. It is also a “clasp together/tools free” cabin assembly.
Best 3-Person Infrared Sauna
#1: JNH Lifestyles Joyous
The best 3-person infrared sauna of 2018 goes to another model from JNH Lifestyles, but this one is called the Joyous. The Joyous has the same superb quality you’ve come to expect from JNH, but with an uber spacious cabin, big enough to comfortably fit 3.
To start, the set comes 8 carbon heaters, that evenly distribute heat throughout the unit. The cabin is 59-inch wide, 39-inch depth and 75-inch tall and the front is, as usual per JNH, generously built on tempered glass for awesome visibility. The infrared sauna cabin is also made on Canadian hemlock wood, and while this set is bigger than previous JNH models, is also an tool free assembly model. It comes with 2 premium speakers, and has a built-in aux. port for audio connections. Also, to control the temperature, this unit comes with a digital touch screen control panel.
The electrical system runs at the standard 120V, on a 20amp circuit.
#2: Heat Wave’s Santa Fé Infrared Sauna
This second Heat Wave model is not that different from the Genesis, but has a slightly different design with an alternative door handler and long lateral windows. Santa Fé also includes the backrests, as well as all the electronic extras: CD player, AM/FM radio, aux. port and set of 2 speakers, oxygen ionizer and set of colored LED lights.
Santa Fé is slightly smaller than Genesis: 53 inch wide and 53 inch deep, while it is the same 75 inch tall. The interior of this model though includes some extras for comfort: apart from the backrests, it also has magazine racks and towel hooks. This infrared sauna cabin is also designed for corner assembly and will require some few tools as screw drivers for assembling screws.
Just Missed Our Top 2: Heat Wave’s Genesis
Heat Wave is a sub-brand of Blue Wave, whose 1-person model you have seen here before. This set is one of the best 3-person you will find out there as it is quite comfortable and spacious and truly complete. It is not only a wide cabin (55-inch) but a deep one, also 55 inch of depth as it works on a L design and is ideal for corner assembly. While it is designed for 3 people, depending on the body of the participants of the session, even 4 people can fit. One of the great differentials of this set is the inclusion of backrests. As you have noticed none models include back or neck rests, and they are important to make the session comfortable for real as you will see in our purchase guide below.Genesis has the distinctive Blue Wave Hemlock wood tongue finished on a dark-rosy timber, with a groove joinery that provides a superior edge to edge strength and durability for the assembly.
The assembly by the way is not tools free, but it requires very few efforts and is known for coming with an excellent directions guide.This infrared sauna cabin includes an FM radio with a CD player, aux. port for external audio devices, the 2 speakers set, LED lights with a set of interchangeable colors for chromotherapy and an exclusive electronic oxygen ionizer, which releases O2 and negative ions that will purify the air and kill bacterias that cause typical odors from transpiration. All the Genesis set is a 120V circuit with plug and use system.And we could not miss of course the important core of the sauna: there are 7 carbon heater panels, including a foot one. You can adjust the sauna settings either through the external or internal LED control interface.
Best 4-Person Infrared Sauna
#1: JNH Joyous 4-Person
With 9 carbon fiber Far infrared heater panels, the biggest JNH infrared sauna cabin follows the design of the brand for all their infrared saunas, but is not offering anything new as extras, is the same package but with wider dimensions. The Joyous cabin is 70-inch wide, while it keeps its demure 47 inches depth and the 75 inches of height. This cabin is quite long so is ideal for big rooms as you will place it against a single wall.As all their models usually have, the front of the cabin is generously made on glass. With the usual 2 speakers systems and circuit compatible with 120V, this model is also a plug and use.
Best FAR Infrared Sauna:
JNH MG215HB 2-Person
If we had to choose 1 far infrared sauna, for you, and your family, in 2018, we’d choose JHN Lifestyle’s MG215HB 2-Person.
This 2-Person far infrared sauna from JHN comes fully loaded with 7 carbon fiber far infrared heaters (ETL approved), 2 built in speakers, LED lighting, and a digital control panel (that controls your duration, and temperature of your session). Ultimately, JHN Lifestyle’s infrared saunas’ have A LOT to love about them, from their beautiful Canadian Hemlock double layered wood, to their sleek glass front door, which provides improved insulation & of course, visibility.
An important question, “So is this sauna easy to set up?” The answer is … definitely!
It’s designed for TOOL-FREE construction, using a tongue and groove design, so no tools are needed. Hope you enjoy!
Heat Wave’s Tucson (discontinued)
Once again offering a great and complete set for big sauna cabins, this Heat Wave model is another L designed cabin, 59 inches wide and 59 inches deep. While it is not as glassy as the JNH’s Joyous, this model is more spacious and includes two lateral long glass windows. Like the Heat Wave models we saw before, Tucson includes a lot of electronic extras, the CD player, AM/FM radio, oxygen ionizer, chromotherapy lights, as well as the interior accessories extras as backrests, wood rack for magazines and towels hooks.Tucson offers 10 carbon fiber heater panels, including foot heater, an ideal number to keep everybody in the cabin properly heated. This is also a plug and use, 120V system.
Heat Wave’s Monticello (discontinued)
Our last model is another Heat Wave, the Monticello infrared sauna cabin, which is their alternative for long, horizontal sets, as it is 70-inch wide and designed to be placed against one wall. The Monticello cabin keep its comfortable depth, 48 inch, which is really good and important for tall people to position legs adequately inside the sauna.This infrared sauna model still brings you the best Heat Wave offers for saunas with all the previous mentioned electric extras or a great sauna session: 2 speakers, CD player with input aux. port, AM/FM radio, oxygen ionizer and external and internal LED touch screen controllers.The Motincello infrared sauna has a set of 7 heaters, which is a smaller number compared to the Tucson model, even though as it is a linear design so it doesn’t really need a bigger number of heaters. On the other hand, Monticello has less glass window panels than most models, what makes it a slightly less expensive model.
What Is an Infrared Sauna?
To understand better what are infrared saunas, let’s take a look on the three different kinds of sauna that exist today and what makes a sauna:
- Traditional Wood Fuelled Sauna: This is a sauna in the way it was originally conceived, specially in the Scandinavian countries. Set a fireplace, fuel it with wood and let it burn rocks as you cool them down with water to steam up in the ambient. Traditional wood fuelled saunas are much rare these days as they are laborious and require you to move around managing the fire, pouring water on the rocks whilst you are supposed to enjoy it. They are actually the blueprint of what was a delight for people living in such cold places, so all the hard work to make it happen was just more fuel to keep the Nordics warm.
- Traditional Electric Sauna: Electrical saunas are the traditional sauna with steam. Some models just heat rocks and you still have to do the job to produce the steam pouring water over it. The most modern, practical and convenient ones do the complete service through the steam generators. The steam generators work like water heaters, but they do boil it to produce steam and will release it safely through a copper pipe system to a specific area were you can even implement a shower, a tub or both and even more.
- Infrared saunas: The latest type of saunas nowadays create heat through direct heating mechanisms, they will not boil water to create a warm environment but will act directly on the body of the person inside the sauna. As the name suggest, infrared rays are used to produce the heat and they will hit your body directly. This kind of mechanism doesn’t require an intermediation to produce heat, so there is no water or rocks involved here, providing what is called a dry sauna system.
How Does an Infrared Sauna Work?
Since infrared saunas will not make use of second means to produce heat, they rely on infrared emitters to heat your body, which are the carbon fiber based panels. These panels are placed around the sitting area so it can face directly the body of the person inside the cabin. Many infrared saunas include heaters for foot but is unlike to see the carbon panels under the seats as it would make the experience uncomfortable for the skin.There will be no steam in the sauna but all cabins are designed to be heat insulating. As your body heats, the environment around also gets hot and will spread in case the cabin is not closed or properly insulated. Insulated designs are important so you can implement the cabin anywhere you want in your house.As the ideal temperature is reached inside the infrared sauna, the heaters will reduce its potency or cease to work, saving energy as it reaches its goal.
Infrared Sauna Benefits?
Many people don’t endure excessively moist environments due to skin sensibility or respiratory issues, so dry saunas like the infrared saunas are ideal to keep the benefits of heat exposure. What the heat does for your health is extensive and we will try to resume for you the main goals here:
Blood circulation: when our bodies are exposed to heat, the blood pressure decreases as the blood vessels dilate. Infrared saunas are great for people who suffer of high blood pressure, as well as for elderly and sedentary people. The blood find very few obstacles and can flow better, so you get during the sessions all the benefits of a healthy blood circulation.
Pain relief: as heat dilates the body, muscles and joints also expand and this provides a therapeutic relief for people with chronicle pain on tissues, from arthritis to back pains. Infrared saunas resemble the hot sand therapy Chinese people do for centuries for relief of body aches.
Sweating: is important to emphasize here some true fact checking on the benefits of heat for the skin. Many manufacturers will claim sweating with the help of infrared saunas is great for your health because your body eliminate toxins through the sweat. That is actually quite unlike. Toxins barely reach the skin and less than 1% can be poured out by the sweat. The real detoxers of the body are kidneys and livers.
However, this myth comes from a misinformation on what is considered toxins while sweating is in fact good, for your skin. Sweating works along the dilatation of pores on the skin and this is really good to clean it deeply. All impurities of the air can be secreted with the water your body releases as well as it works well to unclog obstructed glands of the skin forcing a healthier flow of oil.
How to Choose the Best Infrared Sauna?
A lot of things should be taken into account to purchase the best infrared sauna model for you, starting with the fact it must always consider how many people you are supposed to get into the cabin with you. From that on, the space of the room, electrical network and many other features must be considered:
Temperature: We didn’t include models in this list that offer less than 140ºF (60ºC). This is a basic minimum considering that some heat is lost eventually to the surfaces inside the cabin and your own body. Infrared saunas will actually provide an ambient up to 43 to 50 degrees Celsius, which is what the body can bear not collapsing to excessive heat for one hour or longer, but the machine must over reach to provide this compensation of what is lost to the interior of the sauna.
Assembly: the simpler it is to assemble an infrared sauna, the better it will be not only to have it working fast but also to give you option for moving and placing it wherever you want to install it, useful when you are moving to a new place. All models included in our list are of easy assembling.
Double Construct: As we mentioned before, well insulated saunas will not only enable you to implement it in any are you wish as they will save energy. Look for saunas that have a good insulated build, specially considering the door connections and the materials used for the glass parts. Tempered glass is imperative and while some models offer more fancy metallic finishes and details inside the cabin, avoid the presence of metal as it will leech heat and make the cabin less efficient.
The Size Matter: When you are considering more people than only you to get into the sauna, you must not only consider the number of people but how big they are to fit in there. Slim people will fit easily the standards of the manufacturers, but if that’s not the case, always consider a bigger fit. Is always better to have free space than lacking. Sauna sessions must be relaxing and comfortable, many people sticking to one each other doesn’t make it pleasant as you need mobility to stretch.
Extras: the more the better. As you have seen there is not many models with oxygen ionizers, but they are quite good to clean the air and make the ambient more pleasant specially when you are sharing the sauna with more people. Is not recommended to get into the sauna using deodorant so you really need a little help from the ambient to keep it clean. And of course, wash well before you get into the sauna.
Another important accessory for infrared saunas are the resting attachments: backrests and neckrests are really important. Few brands sell them with the cabin but you can purchase them separately in case they provide many different models.
Warranty: As they are complex build machines, you will want to them to be backed by good warranty policies. All the models we included in this list have at least 2 years warranty policies, while some models offer even 5 years of warranty. Don’t forget to check the considerations of each warranty plan and choose the one that will fit you better for the longer as there are policies that cover the infrared sauna for longer but with limited support.
Summing Up
Infrared saunas will not offer the good of steam treatment and they can’t be assembled with your shower or tub, but they do have their particularities that make it excellent for those who really don’t want actually moist and steam involved in the process of treatment with heat.
Beware that while not all models have a complete set, it doesn’t mean the manufacturer doesn’t offer these extras separately. Brands like JNH and Dynamic Saunas have extensive lines of accessories. Third parties also manufacture devices like speakers and audio players and connectors that are compatible with high temperatures, so you also have extra options for extra attachments.
