Types of home saunas compared
There are five common ways to put a sauna in a home: an indoor traditional sauna, an infrared cabin, a barrel sauna, an outdoor cabin and an infrared blanket. They differ most in how they heat, the wiring they need and how long they take to get hot.
At a glance
| Type | How it heats | Power | Warm-up | Example list price | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Indoor traditional sauna | Electric stove heats the air and rocks | 4.5–8 kW, 240 V, hard-wired | About an hour | $4,172–$6,980 | | Barrel sauna | Electric or wood stove, round wooden barrel | 6–8 kW, 240 V | About an hour | $4,736–$8,548 | | Outdoor cabin sauna | Electric or wood stove in a small cabin | 8 kW suggested | About an hour or more | $10,397 | | Infrared sauna cabin | Infrared panels warm your body, not the air | 120 V, dedicated 15–20 A circuit for 1–2 people | 45–60 minutes pre-heat | $6,899 | | Infrared sauna blanket | Heated wrap you lie in | 350–420 W, normal outlet | 10–15 minutes | $499–$699 |
Prices are the regular list prices on the product pages we cite in how much a home sauna costs, checked November 2026.
Indoor traditional sauna
A wooden room with an electric stove that heats the air and a pile of rocks you can throw water on. This is the closest thing to a Finnish sauna or the hot rooms at a bathhouse. Heaters from 4.5 kW upward run on 240 volts and must be hard-wired. Almost Heaven says its 6 kW indoor saunas reach about 180°F in around an hour, and Harvia's heater manual says to allow at least 30 minutes. (Almost Heaven, Harvia KIP manual)
Barrel sauna
The same kind of stove inside a round barrel of wooden staves, usually set in a yard or on a deck. The round shape means less air to heat than a square room of the same bench length. The 2- to 4-person barrels we checked use 6 or 8 kW heaters on a 30 to 40 amp, 240-volt circuit. (Almost Heaven Pinnacle, Almost Heaven Essex at SaunaPlace)
Outdoor cabin sauna
A small square or rectangular sauna building with room for more people, sometimes with a changing area. Dundalk suggests an 8 kW electric heater or a wood stove for its 7-by-7-foot Georgian Cabin. (Home & Heat)
Infrared sauna cabin
Instead of a stove, panels give off infrared heat that warms your skin directly, so the air stays cooler, often around 104–140°F. Many 1- and 2-person cabins run on a normal 120-volt circuit, but it needs to be a dedicated 15 or 20 amp circuit. Sunlighten recommends pre-heating for 45 to 60 minutes. Read more in Finnish vs infrared saunas. (The Conversation, 2018, Clearlight, Sunlighten)
Infrared sauna blanket
A heated sleeping-bag-style wrap. It uses little power and needs no installation, but you lie down inside it rather than sitting in a hot room, and there is no steam. The two we checked heat up in 10 to 15 minutes. (Sun Home)
Try before you buy
The cheapest way to find out which kind of heat you like is to book a session somewhere near you. Infrared studios, bathhouses with Finnish saunas and Korean spas are all listed by city on our home page, and our infrared sauna list groups the studios we list by city.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a traditional and an infrared home sauna?
A traditional sauna heats the air with an electric or wood stove to about 175–195°F at face level and lets you throw water on the rocks. An infrared sauna uses panels that warm your body directly at a lower air temperature, and small models run on 120 volts.
Which home sauna heats up fastest?
An infrared blanket, at 10 to 15 minutes. Infrared cabins need about 45 to 60 minutes of pre-heating according to Sunlighten, and traditional saunas about 30 minutes to an hour.
Can I put a barrel sauna indoors?
Some barrel saunas, such as the Almost Heaven Salem and Essex, are sold for indoor or outdoor use. Check the maker's instructions for ventilation and clearances before you choose a spot.