Buyers’ Guide to the 7 Best Infrared Saunas [2020 Upd. Reviews]
written by: Michael Lamew
Table of Contents
- Buyers’ Guide to the 7 Best Infrared Saunas [2020 Upd. Reviews]
- Comparison Table [Upd. 20]
- Infrared Sauna Reviews [Upd. 2020]
- Best 1-Person Infrared Saunas
- Best 2-Person Infrared Saunas
- Best 3-Person Infrared Sauna
- Best 4-Person Infrared Sauna
- What Is an Infrared Sauna?
- How Does an Infrared Sauna Work: The Quick Answer
- 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 2020 you’ve landed in the right place.
Currently, in 2020, 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.
Now let’s jump right in with a quick comparison.
Comparison Table [Upd. 20]
| Product | |
|---|---|
 | #1 JNH Lifestyles Freedom (Editor’s Choice – best for 1) Made with double layer 100% Canadian Western Red Cedar (no chemicals added, or plywood), the Freedom is stocked with 6 Carbon Fiber FAR Infrared Heaters, to rejuvenate the sorest of muscles. |
 | #2 Dynamic Saunas Barcelona (best for 1) Made with natural reforested Canadian Hemlock Wood, the Barcelona has a Chromotherapy Lighting System, 6 low EMF energy efficient heating panels, and super quick assembly (30-45min avg.). |
 | #1 JNH Lifestyles Joyous (best for 2) With its 7 Carbon Fiber FAR Heaters, and double wall insulation, this well-insulated sauna can be placed in tighter spaces (due to reduced heat expansion), without sacraficing cabin size. |
 | #2 JNH Lifestyles NE2HB1 NE2HB (best for 2) With a 3-yr residential warranty, and lifetime tech support, the NE2HB1 NE2HB provides industry leading support, and trusted quality. |
| #1 JNH Lifestyles MG301HCB MG317HB (best for 3) Made with beautiful double layer 100% Canadian Hemlock Wood. Easy assembly; tongue and grove construction. 8 Carbon Fiber Far Infrared Heaters. |
 | #2 Heat Wave Santa Fé (best for 3) With 7 Carbon Fiber FAR Heaters, backrests, magazine rack & towel hooks, the Santa Fé has everything you need to bring the spa, to your home. |
 | #1 JNH Lifestyles Joyous 4-Person (best for 4) Equipped with 9 of the latest high-quality Carbon Fiber FAR Infrared Heaters, and 2 premium speakers, the Joyous 4-person is a spa-lovers dream. |
Infrared Sauna Reviews [Upd. 2020]
For the best 1-person, 2-person, 3-person, and 4-person infrared saunas 2020 has to offer, read on.
If you’re looking for a top-quality unit for your home, go with one of our best-rated models of the year.
Without further to do, let’s check out our #1-rated 1-person infrared sauna available today.
Best 1-Person Infrared Saunas
#1: JNH Lifestyles Freedom
(Editor’s Choice)
To kick off our list of the best infrared saunas of 2020 is our #1 rated 1-person JHN Lifestyles Freedom Infrared Sauna.
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.
#2: Dynamic Saunas’ Barcelona
The #2 best 1-person infrared sauna on the market, is the Dynamic Saunas’ Barcelona Infrared Sauna.
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 with 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.
Best 2-Person Infrared Saunas
#1: JNH Lifestyles Joyous
This JNH model is another great acquisition of the brand, with a spacious cabin 47-inch wide and almost 40-inch deep, the JHN Lifestyles Joyous Sauna 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 translucent 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 Joyous model 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 NE2HB
Not much different from the MG215HB cabin, this second JNH Lifestyles NE2HB1 NE2HB 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.
For more highly-rated products like this, check out our top-rated steam shower generators of 2020.
Best 3-Person Infrared Sauna
#1: JNH Lifestyles MG301HCB MG317HB
The best 3-person infrared sauna of 2020 goes to another model from JNH Lifestyles, but this one is called the MG301HCB MG317HB.
This model has the same superb quality you’ve come to expect from JNH, but with an ultra-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
This second Heat Wave Santa Fé model is not that different from the Genesis, but has a slightly different design with an alternative door handler and long lateral windows.
The 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.
Also, the 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.
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 4-Person Sauna 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.
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: The Quick Answer
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 feet, 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.
For a deeper dive into how they work, check out our how do infrared saunas work page.
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.
For our full list of infrared sauna benefits, check out our page that answers “what are the benefits of infrared saunas.”
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, especially 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
You made it.
Thanks for checking out Showersly and our infrared sauna reviews.
In the past, picking a good infrared sauna was tough. You had to actually go to the store, and when you got there, they weren’t guaranteed to have the model you like.
Now, whether you’re looking for your very own personal infrared sauna, or maybe one that can fit your friends and family, you’re left with only the best options right at your fingertips.
Not to mention, the flexible shipping options and installation packages now available online.
If you’re looking for the best infrared sauna of 2020 for your home we recommend going with our #1 rated JHN Lifestyles – Freedom.
It’s made with durable long-lasting materials, has an easy-to-use touch screen control panel, and has a shockingly low price tag. You won’t be disappointed!
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