Infrared Sauna Buyers Guide

Current Open Box Discounted Saunas for Purchase? CLICK HERE

In your search for an infrared sauna have you come up with any of the following questions?

Why is there such a large range in pricing?
What kinds of heaters are best? 
Ceramic or Carbon-Based?
How much glass should it have? 
Bolts or Magnetic Construction?
What kind of wood is best?
Why the ergonomic built in backrests?
What options are available?
What am I missing?

The intent of this article is to educate you, the consumer, on the FAR infrared sauna and the components that go into engineering not just a good sauna, but a GREAT sauna. You should fully educate yourself in order to go forward with your sauna purchase from a position of knowledge. This will ensure optimum enjoyment and benefits for  years to come.  We recognize this is a significant investment…please take five minutes of your time to let us further educate you…here we go:

WHY IS THERE SUCH LARGE RANGE IN PRICING?

Three Reasons: Wood, heaters, and options.

Let me give you an example of two saunas; Sauna #1 for $1,495, and Sauna #2 for $1,995. Both will get the job done and will give you years of all of the positive benefits an infrared sauna can have on your health. Then why the price difference? ....read on.

SAUNA #1 - THE $1,295.00 SAUNA **(based on a typical sauna sold online in the $995 - $1,595 range)
Sauna #1 has much smaller ceramic heaters or "last generation" carbon heaters and less of them. In fact, you may only see one picture of the outside of the sauna on their website as the manufacturer has no desire to advertise how few/small their heaters are. It has thinner woods used which are imported from different countries and may be more prone to warping. To save money, the manufacturer will offer fewer and options and of less quality. Sauna #1 may look good in the pictures, however since it uses lower grade heaters, less of them, and within a broader micron range, you will find it may take you 25 minutes to break a sweat vs 5-10. Sauna #1 may charge for shipping and may not offer a lifetime warranty. Sauna #1 will get the job done, however due to heaters within a braoder micron range (5-16) it takes a while to heat up as well as break a sweat which is why you want a sauna in the first place right?

SAUNA #2 - THE $1,995.00 SAUNA **(based on a typical sauna sold online in the $1,895 - $2,995 range)
Sauna #2 has heaters so large, there is barely room to install your included cup holders. Sauna #2 surrounds you with the largest heaters in the industry; behind you, on your sides, in front of you, below your feet and behind your calves. This will also be reflected on their website with lots of pictures of the unit, BOTH inside and out, on display for you to see. These heaters are clinically tested to match your body at 8-11 microns resulting in a quicker and deeper sweat than Sauna #1. Sauna #2 uses properly cured 100% Canadian woods to prevent warping down the road, and includes every option which may be of value to your health. Sauna #2 includes; free shipping, a lifetime warranty, and plenty of quality options wrapped with all of the safety approvals available including EMF shielding. Like any other piece of furniture, Overall Sauna #2 would give you a better experience during your session all while looking the part of an elegant piece of furniture in any room of your house.

**Let's go into more detail on the differences listed above**

INFRARED HEATING PANELS

This is a simple explanation of how the beneficial infrared heat is produced in an infrared sauna and delivered into your body. It is why we buy these in the first place right?

Ceramic Rods - Past Technology: The first technology devised to deliver infrared heat in saunas was the ceramic rod and is often what you would find in Sauna #1. This was an incredible breakthrough for the sauna industry, every infrared sauna had them and it was all the rave. I personally owned one and used it every night with good success, but ceramic heaters weren't without their pitfalls. First, ceramic heaters are composed of glass rods which can heat an entire sauna but have to work very hard in the process making them extremely hot (up to 580 degrees!), becoming very uncomfortable to sit against, and in some cases may burn your back.  Secondly, ceramic rods have a very limited surface area. This smaller surface area equates to decreased emission of the healing infrared rays. Ceramic heaters worked, just not as efficiently as one would desire. They have come a long way since then, but new technology continues to make ceramic heaters obsolete. Also, if they ever do go out on you they can be difficult to replace. Last but not least, the FDA announced it will be banning these heaters due to them causing reported fires. Since this announcement, we have decided to no longer carry any ceramic heated saunas.

The New Technology: Out of demand for a more effective way of delivering infrared therapy, came the invention of Carbon-Based heating panels.  Although more expensive to produce, they solved both of the downfalls of ceramic heaters.  This new carbon technology enabled the heat to be delivered evenly through a large flat panel instead of a small rod.  Since this new technology has a 10x larger surface area than it predecessor, it is able to deliver over 10x the healing rays into your body.  To visualize this, on a much smaller scale, try the following: Put a pencil besides a napkin (get the picture), the pencil represents the older ceramic heaters and the napkin represents the new carbon heaters.  As you can see, the carbon heaters have a much larger surface area which equates to more infrared rays into your body.  What was once only for the elite, now most infrared saunas come with flexible carbon panels. Yes, they all claim to be the best and independently tested to deliver the best infrared heat. Once you can look beyond this aggressive marketing, you will find that most all flexible carbon panels use the SAME technology.
CAUTION - In 2010, the ONLY reason a sauna will have smaller heaters, ceramic heaters, or a mixture of the two, is to cut costs on building the sauna.

THE NEWEST 2010 HEATER TECHNOLOGY= Clinically tested carbon heaters at 8-11 microns

FACTS
1) Infrared heat is measured in microns.
2) Our bodies emit infrared heat naturally at 9.4 microns.
3) The closer your heaters are to 9.4 microns the more your body will absorb as it strikes a balance resulting in a faster deeper sweat.

Did you know our bodies naturally emit infrared heat? Have you ever seen a night vision picture or video clip (like on the COPS show)? This is their camera picking up infrared heat coming from our bodies. The infrared heat our bodies naturally put out is measured at 9.4 microns. The closer your infrared heaters come to 9.4 microns the more your body will strike a balance with the heaters and in turn, except more of this healing heat.

Always ask the manufacturer your considering what the micron range is of the heaters they sell - This is THE most important variable in the long term benefits you will receive from your infrared sauna. If they don't know, RUN!

The diagrams below represent how superior an infrared heater is within this closer micron range in Sauna #2.
As you can see, your body accepts much more infrared heat into it's core within an 8-11 micron range. The row on the left
represents Sauna #1, and on the right Sauna #2. Within this clinical study, you can easily see the deeper penetration of heat
between the two types of heaters.
(Tests taken of subject after 30 minutes of use)

Many manufacturers in the industry give claims that THEIR heaters are the best, and they are the ONLY one's to make this technology. A better way to state this would be. "Our heaters are measured at 8-11 microns, clinically tested and utilize the best technology in the industry."

You may read more about this technology by clicking here

SIZE AND QUALITY OF INFRARED HEAT PANELS

The next item you will need in your arsenal to become an educated sauna buyer is an understanding the correct size and proper placement of these heaters.

Infrared saunas have anywhere from 1-14 carbon heating panels to deliver infrared heat. When you are comparing saunas count how many infrared panels the sauna has, the size of the panels, and where they are placed. You want large panels and lots of them. You also want the panels to surround you including; behind, in front, on the sides, on the calves and under the feet will give you the best coverage. The first item a manufacturer does to cut the cost of the sauna besides cheap wood is to make the heaters smaller and less of them.

REMEMBER, you can't put heating panels where you have glass.  Glass looks good, but make sure you still have plenty of heating panels directly in front of you, as you want the front of your body to get the infrared benefits as well.  Ask the manufacturer how many square inches of surface area heat the heating panels have. If they don't know....move on, if they do...compare.

A question we are often asked is, "Why don't you carry any one person saunas?"
There is simply no room to put front heaters in it with the door. Front heaters are extremely important to heal your front extremities and you would not have complete infrared sauna without them.

WOOD

This could be an article in and of itself (I may write one shortly!), but I will do my best to summarize.  There are two predominant woods used in today's home sauna kits; Hemlock (Basswood) and Cedar Hardwoods.  The reason for this is not only the beauty of the wood, but its ability to resist mold, mildew, cracking and bacteria.   Mother Nature took care of growing them but it is up to the manufacturer to ensure the wood is properly cured.  If not cured and dried CORRECTLY, any wood can experience future cracking and warping.  Curing these woods is a scientific and timely process dealing with temperature variables, humidity values, wood density/acidity, and much more.  It is the sauna manufacturer's responsibility to over see this process and make sure it is done to all specifications and within the appropriate time frame to avoid any warranty issues down the road.

Ask the company your considering where the wood comes from. Many lower-end saunas get their wood "second hand" and may not even know where it came from. The highest quality saunas built today only use Canadian woods:

1) Canadian Hemlock or Basswood: This strong non-allergenic, non toxic wood comes standard in all higher end saunas. This is due to it's longevity, no-out gassing, as well as it's resistance to cracking or warping.

2)Canadian Cedar: Cedar has been used for centuries in homes and furnishings due to its elegance and resistance to mold, mildew and pests.  Its oils have been historically utilized for aromatherapy treatments, perfumes and soaps to name a few.  From closets and drawers to dog beds and hamster cages, its ability to resist odors is unsurpassed.  I am often asked if it is bad for you or toxic.  If you are extra sensitive to the smells in shampoos, soaps, perfumes and candles, the same would apply with cedar and you may opt for the Hemlock wood.  Aside from individuals with such sensitivities, cedar is completely safe.  I personally love the aromatherapy of the cedar sauna as it fills up my home.  That being said, it of course comes down to your individual taste. Both Hemlock and Cedar will naturally darken over time, adding to its timeless beauty. The Cedar wood is a reddish brown color and the Hemlock is lighter in color such as Maple or Pine. You may want to consider this if you are trying to match any other furnishings or decor.

If you are putting your sauna in a a humid environment, I would strongly recommend Cedar due to it's ability to resist mold.

A note on the thickness of wood: Understand some companies claim to have 3-4" thick wood walls and market it this way. Yes, the panels may be 3-4" thick and most are, however these panels are not solid wood. Infrared sauna panels are made up of two walls and are hollow in the middle allowing the manufacturer to run the wires and place the heaters flush with the inner walls. So a more accurate way of wording it would be:

"Our infrared sauna panels are made with double walled construction using 8-9mm wood."

Is insulation important? No. Infrared saunas heat your core not the wood. An infrared sauna makes you sweat not because the temperature inside the unit is 150 degrees, but rather your core temperature is being raised from it's normal 98.6 degrees. This can be done from 100 degrees on up as the infrared heat resonates within your body.

CONSTRUCTION (How the walls go together once you get your sauna)

There are currently 3 ways in the industry to put the walls of your sauna together; magnets, clips, and bolts.

Clips: These are installed on almost all of the lower-end saunas. Why? It's a lot easier and cheaper to put a clip on the outside of the sauna, than installing an anchor nut or run magnetic strips within the walls.
Pros: Easy,
Cons:Not a clean look - Very noticeable, over torques corners and can lead to warping, no finishing wood on corners.

Magnets: I for one thought this was a great idea. What could be easier than just slapping four walls together and having them stick like ...well...magnets! Great idea, yes, but here's the problem: It takes more than the standard 3 months to cure the wood of a sauna. Did you know your sauna actually keeps curing while it's in the shipping box? Now let's take that shipping box through a Buffalo ice storm at 0 degrees, a Florida monsoon at 90 degrees, and on to California.

During this journey your slightly uncured sauna experiences a large range of different temperature and humidity values. These changes often lead to a slight warping of the panels. No, not the "return your sauna kind of warping" just an annoying 1/4" warp towards the bottom of a wall. A magnet does not have enough torque to bring that wall flat and make it true again. Oh, the manufacture will tell you this is normal and well within the limits but it doesn't have to be...

Bolts: Our favorite. Since they're hidden in the wood they aren't noticeable, and with a phillips head they can be screwed right in with a standard phillips screwdriver. The bolts don't go into raw wood but rather a nut hidden within the frame. When secured, you will not find a more solid secure sauna. Since you can adjust how much pressure you put on them, they seem to do the best job of getting the walls of your sauna nice and tight to keep that heat in as well as getting rid of any minor warping from the panels sitting in the boxes.
Pros: Gets rid of minor warping, very sturdy, provides expansion without cracking or future warping. (proven 10 year technology).
Cons: More expensive to manufacturer.

Bottom Line:
1) Take 2 magnets and put them together - Can you pull them apart?
2) Now screw a bolt into a nut - Can you pull them apart?

- The Choice is Clear.

HEATER COVERS

This is the wood that separates you from the heaters. The lower end and past technology used horizontal boards to keep your skin from touching the heater. Many manufacturers still use this design due to lower manufacturing costs. Some of our first designs used these covers but from a users standpoint we never liked them and this is why:

The flaws with the past technology:

1) When we leaned against the heaters with the horizontal slats it would cause discomfort to the spine and were very uncomfortable. We tested many prototypes and concluded the best heater covers would be ones which would align with your spine and be vertical vs. horizontal.

2) To have this past technology ETL approved the manufacturer is required to install a piece of fabric between you and the heater. This fabric not only equates to longer heat up times but has a tendency to disintegrate after a couple years as well.

3) The "safety" fabric used in every one of the horizontal backrest is exposed toxic sweat on a daily basis which can not be taken out to be cleaned becoming a breading ground for bacteria. Five years down the road = Five years of built up toxins on the heaters.

Solution:
After a year of research and testing we hand crafted individual backrests for each heater composing of vertical dowels enabling the user to lean against any heating panel in comfort.

Result:
1) Much more comfortable on your spine.
2) User can lean up against any backrest.
3) Faster Heat up times
4) ETL Approved
5) Does not block infrared heat. Since infrared heat coming from flexible carbon heaters is distributed in the shape of a cone. No infrared heat is blocked by the wood dowels but rather is directed around it.
6) When the dowels heat up they give the user the secondary benefit of gentle heat directly on the skin (much light a heat pad).
7) Safer and more sanitary as the dowels block your sweat from getting on the heaters.

Q. "Why doesn't every manufacturer use these in there saunas if they are so superior?"
A. This system simply uses a lot more wood, labor and packing material to manufacture.

Q. "Do the doweled backrests block any infrared heat?"
A. No, since infrared heat is distributed in the shape of a cone, it goes right around every dowel as shown in the clinical study above.

Q. "I want the older style backrests?"
A. We can make our saunas to order any way you want. Just let us know and we will order you one with the older style backrests.

FEATURES/OPTIONS (click here to for more detail)

Yes, that's right, OPTIONS. I know you are not buying a car, but we like options, right? And, of course, we like them all the better if we don't have to pay for them. If you do have to pay, you'd better know why. This is where I come in. Here is the run down on most of the options out there and why you might care.

Chromo Therapy Lighting: I wasn't sure on this one until I started using it.  Basically chromo therapy is the use of different color lights to create different moods. Our website goes into detail as to the various colors and their effects on your moods. If you would like to read more, click here. A great option to create different settings and moods inside your sauna by simply scrolling through seven different color options. Can't decide on which color you would like to sit under? Press a button and have them rotate through all seven colors. We liked this option so much that all of our saunas come with built in Chromo therapy at no additional charge.

Quality Stereo/AM/FM/CD player: In my opinion a MUST HAVE. Sure you could use your MP3 player, but when those ears start to sweat, your headphones will get wet. Also, while not in your sauna, you can still hear the stereo in the room if you turn it up. I will often turn it on for some background music in my room…added bonus. We use Pioneer stereos in all of our saunas due to the quality and longevity of the units.

Oxygen Ionizer: This is a small device which introduces Ions to purify the air. With all the toxins you'll be releasing, this is a great bonus! Think of it as an air freshener on steroids and a MUST HAVE in any sauna.

All Glass Tempered Doors: If you have any claustrophobia issues (like my wife), this is a must have! All glass doors really give you an open feeling while sitting in the sauna.

Commercial Hinges: Take a look at the pictures of your future sauna's hinges. If they use the small chrome hinge, plan on resetting the sauna door every six months. For this reason in 2009 we have upgraded all of our saunas to a heavy duty spring loaded commercial hinge.  

Inside/Outside Soft Touch Controls: When you're outside the sauna you are able to turn it on, set the temperature, and adjust the lighting without opening up the door. If you are inside the sauna you need to be able to adjust the previous without letting the valuable heat out. The term soft touch controls means it has a solid surface, much like microwave buttons.  This facilitates easy cleaning and sterilizing, which in my book makes it a must have.

LED Lighting: LED lighting is not only helpful for reading but gives an elegant feeling as well. The higher quality saunas will not only have LED's on the inside, but will also have crown molding over the front of the sauna with inset LED's, adding to the beauty of its overall appearance.

Cup Holders/Magazine Racks: Cars have them, why not saunas?  Sure you could set your drink on the bench, but don't blame me the 5^th time you knock it over. The magazine rack does keep the sauna nice and tidy.

Adjustable Vents: Feeling a little HOT? Well it is a sauna. The nice thing about a vent is that it gives you a blast of cold air AND you can adjust the temperature to your liking. But, if you don't want to pay for a vent…just open the door.

DVD / MP3 / LCD: Don't feel like reading? Love movies? Have a good motivational DVD to play? Not necessary, but a nice option. Don't want to spend the extra? Put your sauna in front of your TV, or easier yet, you're TV in front of your sauna.

(That should give you a basic overview of your options but please email me if you see or hear any options I did not cover)

SAFETY

This is a BIG one. There are a lot of knock off products out there sneaking their way into the country. What am I referring to? Saunas with faulty and unsafe electrical wiring! No ifs ands or buts about this one. For you and your family's safety, you MUST purchase a sauna that is ETL approved to meet America's highest safety and performance standards.  It takes a lot of time and money to get these approvals which is why many manufacturers bypass it. How do you know what to get? That's my job, below are the safety seals available and the definitions for each.

Besides these approvals, all of our sauna's electrical wiring is encased in metal fireproof conduit. Why is this important? You DO NOT want faulty electrical wires touching dry wood! Also, remember to ask the sauna manufacturer you're considering if they have ever had any safety recalls...this is very good to know.

Another nice safety option making its way in the industry is individual thermostats behind each heating panel. These are invisible to the user but this is why their cool: If there was a malfunction in the electrical system and one of your heaters decided to not turn off, that heater could actually melt! Not with this safety feature - it's going to cut power to that heating panel and save your sauna in the process.

WARRRANTY

So you've done your research, found a sauna and are ready to buy. Consider however, what is the company's policy if one of your expensive panels goes out. Do they come with a lifetime warranty? Are they easy to replace? Does your manufacturer stock them? Make sure you fully understand the terms of your saunas warranty BEFORE you purchase your infrared sauna.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

This area should probably be listed first. The sauna you buy is only as good as the company behind it. If you call or email the company, do they respond the same day? Next day? If not, BEWARE!  What about future problems after your purchase? Our belief is that the customer is #1. Not just before the sale, but years down the road.

My Personal Guarantee: If we are unable to take your call, please leave a message. If you do not receive a call back within an hour and you end up purchasing a Coastal Sauna, I will personally take $100.00 off your purchase. 800-327-5122.

What does Sauna #2 look like? Click on The saunas below to view more pictures and details-

I hope this article may have provided some clarity in this highly competitive market. I guarantee, if you go over the checklist on the bottom of this page, you will find that we have the best value in the industry compared to any other manufacturer. Still not sure why we have the best value, have more questions? Then give us a call at 800-327-5122.

Tim Davids, Owner - Coastal Saunas Inc.

P.S. Sometimes we get the most interesting, not to mention hilarious feedback our customers have heard from another sauna company pertaining to our products. I have listed some my favorite false statements below for further clarification. If you hear any other good ones, we'd love to ad them to the list.

"Your competition" told me your custom heater grills block the infrared heat."
FALSE - Thermal imaging tests have shown that no infrared rays are blocked - Infrared heat is distributed in the shape of a cone and therefore works it's way around each dowel. I personally have used both.

"Your competition said your Cedar saunas are only Cedar on the inside and plywood on the outside."
FALSE - We create our saunas all out of the same cut. Even the cup holders are Cedar

"I was told that your bolt system leads to cracking as it doesn't allow room for expansion."
FALSE - 10 years using it and = ZERO cracks from this system, it is design to allow room for expansion.