Sauna heaters

Heat and steam come first. Finnish saunas run at 80 to 100 °C and 10 to 20% humidity (review (opens in a new tab)), with steam from water thrown on hot stones (our guide), so we look for a stone mass that makes real steam. Safety is next, checked in Intertek’s directory or on the certificate itself, not on the box. Durability follows: warranties run from one year in Harvia’s manual to three in HUUM’s terms. Wood-burning stoves have no North American listing, so they score lower on safety.

Heat & steam 25%

Enough stones for real steam when water hits them, and the power to bring the room the maker sizes it for to 80 °C or more.

Build 15%

Stainless steel or cast iron, with no plastic or painted parts in the hot zone.

Safety listing 25%

UL, ETL or CSA listed for North America with its controls (or the local listing where it is sold), and clear clearances to walls and benches.

Durability 20%

Built to last and to be repaired: a long warranty, parts sold separately and a maker that services what it sells.

Value 15%

Price for the room size it heats, with the controls it needs.

Each product scores every one from 1 to 5, and its rating is the weighted average. We list only products rated 3 or above that break none of our rules.

We avoid

• Unlisted heaters sold for North American wiring.
• Heaters too small for the room, which never reach sauna temperatures.
• Infrared panels sold as a sauna heater (see Saunas for how infrared compares).

Read the research

• Heat Therapy Basics
• Infrared vs Traditional