Choose a traditional sauna if you want 170 to 190°F stove heat and steam and can add a 240V circuit (from $4,999 in our range). Choose an infrared sauna if you want a gentler 118 to 140°F session you will use most days, on a standard outlet, from $1,399. Choose a hybrid only if your household wants both in one cabin, from $6,999. After heat type, three more decisions decide the exact model: EMF tier, capacity, and running cost. This guide walks through all four in order, with the numbers taken from the saunas we carry at Distinct Picks.
Step 1: traditional, infrared or hybrid?
| Traditional | Infrared | Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | Stove and rocks heat the air to 170 to 185°F, up to 190°F | Carbon panels warm you directly; cabin 118 to 132°F, up to 140°F | Both, chosen per session |
| Steam | Yes | No | In stove mode |
| Electrical | 240V/30A (6 kW stove) or 240V/40A (8 kW stove) | 120V/15A outlet (1 to 2 person), dedicated 120V/20A (3 to 4 person) | 240V/30A or 40A |
| Capacity in our range | 1 to 6 person | 1 to 8 person | 2 to 6 person |
| Price in our range | $4,999 to $15,999 (Golden Designs) | $1,399 to $9,999 | $6,999 to $18,999 |
| Brands | Golden Designs, Sweat Kingdom | Dynamic, Maxxus, Golden Designs | Golden Designs PureTech |
Prices are from our catalog on the day of writing; the product page shows the current figure.
Traditional saunas
A traditional sauna is a room with a stove in it. The Golden Designs cabins use a 6 kW electric stove in the 2 to 3 person sizes and an 8 kW stove in the 3 to 6 person sizes, built in Canadian red cedar, hemlock or Pacific clear cedar, with an ideal range of 170 to 185°F. Pour water on the rocks and you get steam. The Sweat Kingdom cedar barrels, pods and cabins (built in East Idaho, sold with Harvia, HUUM or Homecraft stoves from 4 to 9 kW) are the same idea in a modular outdoor package; you find them in the Saunas and Cold Plunge collection. The catch with every traditional sauna is the 240V circuit and the longer warm-up.
Infrared saunas
An infrared sauna replaces the stove with carbon panels that warm your body directly, so the cabin stays around 118 to 132°F while you still sweat hard. Dynamic and Maxxus build indoor hemlock and cedar cabins from 1 to 6 people; Golden Designs builds infrared cabins from 1 to 8 people, all with Near Zero EMF panels. A 1 to 2 person cabin plugs into an ordinary 120V/15A outlet. That, plus the lower running cost and the fact that a 30 minute session is easy to sit through, is why infrared is the type most first-time buyers end up with. The full comparison is in Infrared vs. Traditional Sauna.
Hybrid saunas
The Golden Designs PureTech hybrids put a 6 or 8 kW stove and a Full Spectrum infrared system in one cabin. Indoor models are the 3 person Soria ($7,999) and 6 person Toledo ($9,999), both with a Harvia stove; the outdoor range runs from the 3 person hemlock Carinthia at $6,999 to the 6 person cedar barn-style Karlstad and Kaskinen at $18,999. You pay for two heating systems and you still need the 240V circuit. Worth it when two people in the house want different sessions; otherwise the money usually buys a bigger single-technology cabin.
Step 2: which EMF tier (infrared only)?
Infrared panels are rated by the magnetic field they produce, measured 2 to 3 inches from the panel: Low EMF is 5 to 10 milligauss, Ultra Low EMF is 3 to 5 mG, and Near Zero EMF is under 3 mG. Stepping up a tier on the same cabin costs about $200 to $800 (the Maxxus Seattle 2 person is $2,299 in Low and $2,699 in Near Zero, for example), and every Golden Designs infrared cabin is Near Zero as standard. Full Spectrum is a heater mix (near, mid and far infrared), not an EMF tier. The detail, and who should pay for which tier, is in EMF Levels in Infrared Saunas Explained.
Step 3: what capacity do you actually need?
Capacity rules out more models than anything else, so measure first. Real footprints from our catalog:
- 1 person compact infrared (Dynamic DYN-1101-01, $1,399): 35.5 x 28 in, 65 in tall. Fits a bathroom corner or closet, 120V/15A.
- 2 person infrared (Maxxus Toulose, $2,699): 50 x 42 in, 75 in tall, plus about 6 in of roof overhang. Standard 120V/15A outlet.
- 4 person infrared (Dynamic Bergamo, $3,299): 70 x 42 in, 75 in tall. Needs a dedicated 120V/20A circuit.
- 2 to 3 person traditional (Golden Designs Hanko, $5,999): 6 kW stove, 240V/30A.
- 6 person traditional (Golden Designs Osla or Kuusamo, $8,499): 8 kW stove, 240V/40A.
Buy for the number of people who will actually sit in it on a normal Tuesday, not the number who might at Christmas. A 4 person cabin used by one person costs more to buy, more to run, and takes longer to warm. Our Sauna Comparison Chart lists every brand by heat type, EMF tier and capacity range.
Step 4: what will it cost to run?
At $0.18 per kWh, a 1 to 2 person infrared cabin costs at most about $0.32 per one-hour session (the 120V/15A circuit caps it at 1.8 kW), and a 3 to 4 person cabin at most about $0.43. A traditional sauna with a 6 kW stove costs about $1.08 per session and an 8 kW stove about $1.44, because the stove has to heat the whole room to 170°F or more first. At four sessions a week that is roughly $5 to $8 a month for infrared versus $18 to $28 for traditional. The assumptions and tables are in How Much Does It Cost to Run a Home Sauna?.
A simple decision path
- No 240V circuit and no plan to add one: infrared. Traditional and hybrid are off the table.
- You want steam, or heat above 150°F: traditional. Nothing else delivers it.
- One of you wants steam and the other wants a gentle daily session: hybrid, and budget from $6,999.
- EMF matters to you: infrared, and pick Ultra Low or Near Zero (or any Golden Designs cabin).
- Buying for a household, not just yourself: check footprint and circuit before anything else.
Delivery, assembly and returns: what to expect
Every sauna ships free to the contiguous US by LTL freight and arrives curbside on a pallet; the driver does not carry it inside. A 2 person infrared cabin ships in two boxes at around 330 lbs, a 4 person in three boxes at about 500 lbs, so have a second person to move the boxes. Indoor infrared cabins are clasp-together panels: two people assemble one in about an hour. Traditional and hybrid saunas need the electrician's visit before delivery day. Returns: a 30 day window from delivery, with change-of-mind returns requiring an unused, unassembled unit and carrying a 25% restocking fee, and defective or damaged units fully covered. Report freight damage within 7 days.
Frequently asked questions
Which type of home sauna is best for beginners?
Infrared, for most people. A 1 to 2 person infrared cabin plugs into a standard 120V outlet, costs from $1,399, and runs at 118 to 140°F, so a 30 minute session is easy to keep up several times a week.
Can you get a sauna that is both infrared and traditional?
Yes. Hybrid saunas, such as the Golden Designs PureTech line, combine a 6 or 8 kW stove with infrared panels in one cabin and let you choose the mode per session. They cost from $6,999 and need a 240V circuit.
Does a home sauna need an electrician?
Not for a 1 to 2 person infrared cabin, which plugs into a 120V/15A outlet. A 3 to 4 person infrared cabin needs a dedicated 120V/20A circuit, and every traditional or hybrid sauna needs a 240V/30A or 40A circuit for the stove.
How much space does a home sauna take?
A compact 1 person infrared cabin is about 35.5 x 28 in, a 2 person cabin about 50 x 42 in, and a 4 person cabin about 70 x 42 in, all around 75 in tall. Add a few inches for the roof overhang and door swing.
Full shipping and return terms are in our Shipping Policy and Return and Refund Policy.
Ready to choose?
Settle the heat type and the circuit first, then browse the cabins that fit your outlet and your corner.
- Infrared Saunas: 1 to 8 person cabins from $1,399, most on a standard 120V outlet.
- Traditional Saunas: stove and steam cabins from $4,999, once you have a 240V quote.
- Hybrid Saunas: Golden Designs PureTech cabins with both systems, from $6,999.
- Saunas: every brand and heat type in one place.
- Home Sauna Price Guide: what each budget actually buys, tier by tier.
Every order ships free to the contiguous US, freight is insured, you have 30 days to return, and we are an authorized dealer for every brand we sell, so your warranty is valid and we handle any claim for you. Not sure which model fits your space or your rider? Call 855-772-2008 (Monday to Friday, 9 to 6 EST) or email support@distinctpicks.com and we will tell you straight.