I began looking for a sauna about 6 years ago.  I started by attending home and garden shows, searching the Internet, scouring through eBay and visiting local dealers.  There was so much confusing information, and I was told so many conflicting things, that I decided to go on a mission to sort through the confusion and find out what was really important to know when purchasing a sauna.  This guide is a condensed version of my research notes, and I hope it will help you sort through the sauna confusion.

First, there are 2 main types of saunas.  The traditional rock/steam saunas that are familiar to most people and the dry/radiant heat saunas that are becoming so popular today.  Let me explain the differences.

The traditional sauna concept began many centuries ago when a teepee would be built for cleansing purposes.  In the center of the teepee would be a mound of rocks that were kept very hot with fire and hot coals.  Water would be gently poured on the rocks to produce a steam that would fill the teepee.  Those sitting in the teepee would get very, very hot, and they would perspire profusely.  This practice was how one could sweat out any bad or evil elements in the body that were causing illness or unhappiness.

Over the years, the concept evolved into the sauna, as we know it.  A wooden or tile room containing a small furnace with rocks in it over which water can be poured to produce steam if steam is preferred to dry heat.  These saunas heat the body indirectly.  By this I mean the furnace heats only the air or the moisture in the air.  This hot air then heats the person in the sauna.  The air in a traditional sauna needs to be at about 160-180 degrees to make the person sweat profusely.  This hot air is extremely harsh on a person's skin, hair and lungs, and it is often difficult to remain in a traditional sauna long enough to benefit from the session because breathing that hot air is sometimes intolerable.
 
The second type of sauna is the radiant/infrared sauna.  You can see examples of this type of sauna at our eBay Sauna store. The heat in this type of sauna is generated by an electric heating element.  The element emits a ray that does not heat the air, but is directly absorbed by the person in the sauna and raises their body temperature causing the person to perspire profusely.  This type of sauna has to maintain a temperature of only about 80-125 degrees to make the person perspire profusely.

This ray that radiates from the heaters is basically a form of energy that travels and spreads out as it goes and is part of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM).  Because the rays travel and spread out is why it is not important to have more than 4-5 heaters in an infrared sauna built for 2 people.  Therefore, it is important to buy a radiant heat sauna with at least one heater on the front, one in the back and one at the back of your legs.

Also, different types of radiant sauna heaters emit rays that are different measurements.  The measurement of the ray is called its wavelength.  The wavelength is a very important factor to consider when you are buying a radiant heat sauna.  Here are some of the differences.

Very inexpensive, and somewhat less effective at producing a healthy sweat, are saunas that are heated with one or more infrared light bulbs. Infrared light is visible to the human eye and has a very short wavelength. It is not absorbed very deeply into the human body, but because it is infrared it will naturally heat the body by causing the body's molecules to rapidly vibrate against each other making the body perspire.  Because this infrared light can be seen, it is considered in some circles to be somewhat helpful for people that need light therapy as a more affordable substiture for full spectrum lighting devices.

More expensive and much more effective at producing a healthy and beneficial sweat are radiant sauna heaters that heat using far-infrared (FIR) rods or panels. Far-infrared rays have longer wavelengths and are absorbed deeper into the body, from 1-2 inches.  Far-infrared rays are not visible to the human eye and do not heat the air. They also heat the body by causing the body's molecules to rapidly vibrate against each other.  Far-infrared is safe enough to be used in hospitals to warm preemies in incubators, yet strong and effective enough to successfully relieve pain, break down cellulite, rid the body of toxins and provide a safe cardio-vasular workout. 

Research shows us that different elements produce different wavelengths of far-infrared. So, the type of element in the far-infrared heater is also important to look into. The wavelength of the far-infrared generated by pure ceramic is considered superior for the human body over the wavelength of the far-infrared generated by steel or ceramic coated steel elements and porcelain or porcelain clad ceramic elements.  That is because the wavelength of the rays generated by pure ceramic elements are very close to those generated by the human body.  That is right...the human body generates far-infrared, also!  Rub your hands together for a few seconds and then hold your hand up to your check and you will feel warmth on your cheek coming from your hand.  That warmth is energy...the healing energy of far-infrared and the premise behind "Palm Healing".

Another important factor that should be considered when making a sauna purchase is the type of wood used for the sauna construction. I learned a lot about wood types and found out that wood types that have an odor, such as the cedar, redwood and Christmassy pine smells are not good choices for your sauna.  This is because these woods can be toxic to us.  That odor is a form of "off-gassing" meaning chemicals are being expelled by the cut wood. These woods can be like poison to someone allergic to it, and just downright unhealthy for everyone else.  Did you ever wonder why insects will stay out of cedar closets and cedar chests, why they won't eat your redwood deck and won't go into the pine shavings in your pet bedding?  Their instincts tell them that the off-gassing can be lethal to them.  So take a lesson from nature and stay away from the odorous woods.  Some very safe woods that are often use for sauna construction are sitka, hemlock-fir (hem-fir) , spruce, poplar, and basswood.

Whether you choose a traditional sauna or a radiant sauna, there are a number of other smaller factors that you will want to consider.  The traditional sauna uses more electricity, requires a lengthy heat up time and must be disinfected on a regular basis.  The radiant sauna uses only about 10 -15 cents per half hour of use, requires zero to five minutes of heat up time, and does not promote the growth of bacteria so can be cleaned with only a damp cloth.  On the other hand, most traditional saunas can be placed outdoors, but most infrared saunas are built and warranted for inside use only.

My last suggestion to those of you who are thinking of purchasing a sauna, it is really important to find and talk to a reputable sauna dealer that will help you with your questions and be there for you in the years to come when you need warranty work or get parts.  Like anything that is becoming popular, you have to beware of the get-rich-quick sales people and choose someone who has an established business and takes time with you to answer all of your questions.

Everything considered and because I wanted to put a sauna in my master bath area, I chose a SaunaGen(TM) far-infrared sauna with pure ceramic heaters.  Since I started using this sauna three times a week, I have been able to loose weight, reduce the doses of my pain medication, dodge the colds and flu throughout the winter months and sleep much better than ever before. It was one of the best purchases I have ever made!
 
Traditional rock/steam sauna or Radiant/infrared sauna, it is a proven fact that regular sauna sessions will bring you better health and improve your life.   Thanks to technology and science, personal home saunas are now readily available and affordable for just about everyone!