The sauna finder
Which American sauna fits your home?
Tell us where it goes and what you can wire for it. We check all 30 American-built saunas in our catalog against your answers and rank what fits.
How to choose an American sauna
The finder asks in this order because the early answers rule out the most saunas.
The spot you pick narrows the field first
A backyard sauna stands in the rain and snow, so the outdoor models carry thick staves or insulated walls and a roof, and most want a level pad of gravel or pavers under them. Indoor rooms skip the weather and need clearance for air and for the electrician. If you can't give either one a permanent spot, a pod you set up and take down is the remaining choice.
Do you need a permit for a backyard sauna?How American you want it changes the list
Nearly every sauna in our catalog is built in the USA by its maker's own account. Fewer are built from wood the maker says grew here, because several makers buy their western red cedar from British Columbia. Ask for American materials only and the finder leaves the rest out. Ask for them first and those saunas rise to the top while the rest stay in.
Which sauna woods are American?Stones give you steam, and infrared runs on less power
A stove sauna heats the room to around 176–212°F (80–100°C), and water on the stones throws the burst of steam Finns call löyly. Infrared cabins keep the air cooler and warm your skin directly, and a few of them run on a 120V circuit. The long-term health studies we cover followed people using hot-rock saunas.
What the sauna research foundYour wiring rules out more than your budget
Most electric stove saunas in our catalog need a 240V circuit of their own, run by a licensed electrician under the National Electrical Code and usually inspected on a permit. A wood stove skips the circuit and brings chimney and clearance rules instead. If you don't know what your panel can take, answer that you aren't sure and every result names its circuit.
How to wire a sauna heater under the NECYour state decides delivery and the power bill
Some makers stop at the lower 48, and some build for one region or one state. The finder leaves out anything that won't reach you. It also prices each electric result at your state's average residential rate, using the heater's rated kW and four sessions a week.
Work out your own running costQuestions people ask
- How does the America Saunas finder rank saunas?
- The America Saunas finder drops any sauna that misses one of your answers, going by what each maker publishes. It ranks the rest by how well they fit your other answers, then by warranty and our verdict where we've reviewed it. No maker can pay for a higher spot.
- Where are the saunas in the finder built?
- Nearly every sauna in the finder is built in the USA by its maker's own account, and each result prints the maker's line on where it's built or where the company is based. Most use some imported material, often cedar from Canada or a heater from Finland. Pick American materials only and the finder keeps the saunas whose makers say the wood or steel came from the USA.
- Do I need a 240V circuit for a home sauna?
- Most electric stove saunas need a dedicated 240V circuit installed by an electrician under the National Electrical Code. Some infrared cabins run on 120 volts, usually on a circuit of their own. A wood-fired sauna needs no circuit at all.
- Which saunas deliver to Alaska and Hawaii?
- It depends on the maker, and several American sauna makers ship only to the lower 48. Pick Alaska or Hawaii in the finder and it leaves out the makers that say they don't deliver there. When a maker's pages don't say, the result tells you to ask.