Infrared Sauna Comparisons

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SaunaGen Far Infrared Sauna

With so many different saunas on the market, and each manufacturer saying their's is the best. How can i compare one sauna to another?

Of the better saunas on the market, I don't know of any sauna manufacturer that makes a bad sauna. Saunas in general are pretty much the same. They all use infrared heaters of different sizes, shapes, and configurations, yet they all produce infrared rays between 5 and 15 microns which are the most beneficial for the body. Different manufacturers use different configurations of heaters, some place them on the back wall, some in the corners, some use more heaters, some less, but all in all no matter which sauna you use, YOU WILL SWEAT. Sauna manufacturers place as many heaters as are needed in each sauna depending on the size of the sauna. Round ceramic heaters will radiate infrared rays 360 degrees.

Therefore, sauna manufacturers put metal plates behind the heaters to project the infrared rays into the sauna. They also put a protective grill over the front of the heater for safety reasons. Most saunas are thermostatically controlled however I do not recommend using that feature unless you want to spend a couple hours in the sauna. The reason being that it may take a few minutes for the heaters to turn off and then warm up to maintain a certain temperature during which time you will not be getting the full benefit of the infrared rays. Instead I recommend setting the temperature to the highest setting, and if you get too hot, open the door. That way you are getting a constant flow of infrared rays. You should NEVER spray water on an infrared heaters or use a steamer in the sauna.

The infrared heaters are the main component of a sauna, the rest is just a box. Some boxes are more elegantly finished than others with different types of wood and this is usually what constitutes the price difference. Most use tongue and groove wood and double wall construction, however there are a few that try to save money and only have double walls on the front and back wall with single walls on the sides. The wood on most saunas is between 3.5 mm and 5mm thick. Pro Health saunas uses wood that is 7mm thick. Most sauna manufacturers are careful not to use any plywood, veneers, or toxic glues or resins when building their saunas. Many different types of wood are used. Cedar has been used for years in wet/dry saunas because it is most suitable for that purpose and it looks good. However, in an infrared sauna the best wood to use is one that has no odor or irritants. Woods such as hemlock fir and poplar are such woods.

Saunas come with different accessories, some are included and some are extra. The size of sauna you need depends on your personal preference. If you want to stretch out or lay down during your sauna, you may want to consider a 3 person sauna. If this is not important, a 2 person sauna will give you enough room to move around in and does seat two people comfortably. A one person sauna is very small and limits you to sitting in one position, but it works as well as the other sizes.

My opinion is this. If you want a sauna that LOOKS great and is exquisitely finished with the best cedar or oak, and you want to pay the extra money for that feature, then those are the saunas you should be comparing. These would be like Cedrus, Sunlite or Soft Heat. But if you want a sauna that looks good, works good, and is priced reasonably, I don't think you can find a better sauna than Pro Health, Healthmate, and other saunas in that price range. The Pro Health sauna currently has the best heaters on the market because it produces infrared at a constant 9.4 micron wavelength which is the best range for the body to absorb and utilize.

Then you have the knock offs and the discounters. These saunas are sold on price alone. They usually use lesser quality components and you get what you pay for. If price is your only concern, you may get lucky and get a sauna that looks reasonably good and works well. One thing to watch for which is a favourite trick of the low end sauna manufacturers is that they will copy the design of a better sauna and say theirs is the same because it looks the same. It's only after you get it that you can see the difference because all pictures can be made to look good. The companies that sell the low end saunas use them as lost leaders and usually try to up sell you to a better sauna. Another thing to watch for is companies that offer very low prices or real big discounts. Sometimes they are doing so just to clear out saunas for which you may never be able to find parts. Waterstar Saunas, Sauna Mate and Sauna King are some low end saunas.

Another thing to watch for is buying saunas from the USA. Sometimes US companies advertise very cheap prices, but they also have not been in business very long and when you need parts they are nowhere to be found. You will also have to pay dollar exchange, duty, gst, pst, brokerage, and shipping. When you add all this up, it is usually cheaper to buy from a Canadian company. If you need service or parts, you will also get that a lot quicker from a Canadian company than from a US company.

Warranty and customer service is a major factor to consider. The infrared heaters that most sauna manufacturers use will last for several years so it is not this component that will give you problems. But you may develop problems with some of the other electrical components. It is best to check before you buy your sauna if your supplier carries parts and has a tech on staff that can troubleshoot problems quickly. You don't want to wait for 2 - 3 weeks for parts to come from the factory and not be able to use your sauna during that time.