How To Get The Best Infrared Sauna For Yourself : Top 5 Models Reviews
What is the first thought that pops into your mind when someone says "sauna"? Probably the complete relaxation of the body and the mind. Sauna is the perfect antidote for today's hectic life pace, the road to detoxification and self-indulgence at its finest. But how often do you have the chance to visit a spa center for a sauna session?
There is a solution for that, and that is having your sauna in your home. Infrared saunas are ideal alternatives to the traditional ones since they don't emit the warmth the same way and they heat your skin directly similar as the sun. Let's see what does that mean before we move on to discovering the best infrared sauna on the market.
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Rank | Image | Product Name | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 |  | JNH Lifestyles 2 Person Far Infrared Sauna | 99 /100 | |
#2 |  | Person Hemlock Deluxe Infrared Sauna | 98 /100 | |
#3 |  | DYNAMIC SAUNAS AMZ-DYN-6106-01 Barcelona | 96 /100 | |
#4 |  | 2014 JNH Lifestyles 1-2 Person Far Infrared Sauna | 95 /100 | |
#5 |  | BetterLife BL6109 1-2 Person Carbon Infrared Sauna | 95 /100 |
*Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
What Is An Infrared Sauna?
As the name says, Infrared Sauna uses infrared light which is creating heat. It means that it heats your skin directly, similar to sunlight. The infrared light penetrates directly into the body tissue and thus stimulates body detoxification, which is the first step in achieving the health benefits from sweating in the warm sauna.
This is what makes it different from a traditional sauna, which uses heat to warm the air, which consequently warms your body. Because of that, in an infrared sauna, you will not be unpleasantly hot. Instead, you will be sweating in a lot more comfortable and satisfying ambient temperature.
In traditional saunas, you can sweat out a lot more water, and fewer toxins than you can in an infrared sauna.
Research from Mayo Clinic shows that infrared saunas have long-lasting health benefits and treatments seem to be safe. One thing that is crucial with infrared saunas is that you should take the time to choose the right one. You can find a wide range of different infrared saunas, and some of them can be less efficient than the other
The Health Benefits Of An Infrared Sauna
One of the characteristics of the 21st century is the increased level of stress amongst all generations. There is little time for relaxation and taking care of your health. If you choose to use a sauna, you can experience a broad range of benefits associated with your health and looks.
By sweating and stimulating our cells via the infrared light, we can encourage our body to let go of toxins that are being produced on a daily basis. Boosted blood circulation and detoxification will improve your immune system, and that will help you prevent or even treat various kinds of medical conditions.
It is indicated that near-infrared sauna improves healing process for damaged tissues. This makes it an excellent supplement for treating injuries like burns, injured ligaments or tendons, and pain overall.
The infrared sauna will also improve your blood pressure. While in the sauna, your heart will pump faster, almost like you are in the gym doing a cardio workout. That means that you will improve your circulation, lower your blood pressure and increase your blood flow without exercising. All this leads to a better appearance of your body and weight loss.
Furthermore, sauna makes your skin look rejuvenated. It diminishes wrinkles by improving production of collagen and elastin. It also removes toxins from your face tissue making your skin refreshed and youthful.
Finally, pleasant heat produced by infrared light is reducing tension and stress which leads to improvement of the sleep quality. Joined together, these effects lead to the improvement of the quality of life and overall well-being.
How To Choose The Best Infrared Sauna?
- Consider the risk of EMF
When choosing an infrared sauna, above all you should think about your health. So, first, you should consider the type of infrared heater that sauna has. This choice is important because of the risk of EMF (Electromagnetic field).
There are a lot of speculations if EMF could be harmful to our health. Until we know more, just in case, you should look for low or zero rated EMF panels. There are two main types of infrared saunas, the near-infrared and far-infrared saunas.
- Far Or Near Infrared Saunas?
Far-infrared saunas have shown better effects in some cases, but it is assumed that they produce higher EMF levels. Near-infrared saunas are for you if high heat isn’t exactly your cup of tea. In these saunas, air is a lot cooler than in far-infrared saunas.
Ceramic heaters in far-infrared saunas can be expensive, and they have high EMF ratings, and they produce high temperatures. Carbon heaters in near-infrared saunas don't produce significantly lower levels of infrared heat, and they are more affordable and safer.
- Material, Size and Transport
- Material
- Size
- Transport
The materials the sauna is made of also play a significant role. The one that has stepped up as the best is cedar wood. This type of wood provides the longevity of the sauna. Hemlock wood is also excellent.
Currently Popular Infrared Saunas On The Market – Our Reviews
1. JNH Lifestyles 2 Person Far Infrared Sauna – Where Design Takes Priority Over Function
The JNH’s sauna has far-infrared heaters that are made of high-quality carbon fibers. Heat is maximized by the position of the heaters, which are placed at the back and on the side and calf areas. One of the best wood manufacturers – Canadian Wood made it long-lasting and easy for maintaining by using Hemlock wood.
It has FSC certificate from Green Wood that guarantees that the wood came from the forest and that it has been treated appropriately. It is also ETL approved, which means the product is made according to the North American safety standards.
Via Amazon
This sauna has very good insulation, so there is no need to worry about the heat expansion outside the cabin.
It also includes a sound system – two speakers with built-in AUX control and digital control panel to manage the LED lights and change the temperature of the sauna as well as the duration of use. And that's not all; you will also get a 5-year warranty for all of your sauna parts.
However, the JNH’s sauna is not without its flaws, first of them being the not-so-great sound system, which advertises as premium, but it is far from that. Also, the sockets for the accessories are not universal, and you have to order them directly from JNH’s website.
What we liked
- High-quality wood
- FSC certificate and ETL approved
- Good insulation
- Great position of the heaters
- Top-notch design
What we didn't like
- The price isn’t for everyone’s pocket
- The sound isn’t great
2. Person Hemlock Deluxe Infrared Sauna – Too Much Noise About (almost) Nothing
This sauna has six carbon heaters that are producing ultra-low EMF ratings. Like the previous entry, it is made of solid Hemlock wood and has good insulation. The temperature can go up to 140 degrees F. You can easily set up the desired temperature with EZ-touch dual interior and exterior LED control panels.
The doors are tinted, tempered and of high quality. It is easy to set up (one to three hours of work), and the transportation should be safe.
Via Amazon
The package includes a stereo sound system (CD and MP3) with built-in speakers and a magazine rack. The backrest is a nice addition. The manufacturer offers a seven-year warranty: five for the heaters, and one for the radio.
So, what could possibly be wrong with such a product? We're glad you asked. For one, it takes a lot of time to heat up and reach the 140 degrees temperature. Also, a lot of components (e.g. cup holders and towel hangers) look cheap and fragile, and the heaters produce a noisy hum while on, so they disrupt the very idea of peaceful relaxing.
What we liked
- Ultra-low EMF ratings
- Easy to set up
- Seven-year warranty
- The backrest is useful
- Unlike the previous sauna, the sound system is great
What we didn't like
- A lot of time needed to reach a high temperature
- Not much value for the price
- The heaters are noisy
3. Dyamic Saunas amz-dyn-6106-01 Barcelona 1-2 Person Far Infrared Sauna-Teeny-Tiny and Not Bad
This infrared sauna is made with six low EMF far-infrared carbon heating panels. AMZ-DYN-6106-01 Barcelona is made from Natural Reforested Canadian Hemlock wood. The highest temperature that can be reached is about 130F.
The walls are double-paneled with thickest wood panels, so the desired temperature will be achieved faster. It uses a soft-touch control panel and LED display for setting up the heat.
Via Amazon
One of the best perks of the Barcelona sauna is that it can be placed at almost any indoor location thanks to the plugs that can be dedicated into 5 Amps 110 Volts. It also features a built-in Mp3 AuxilaryConnection with speakers so that you can enjoy your sweating session with your favorite music.
Although the manufacturer advertises it as a two-persons fit, it is better to enjoy it alone, since it isn’t comfortably big for more than one person. We’re disappointed to report that the bottom heaters don’t produce much heat and they’re close to useless.
What we liked
- Low EMF far-infrared heaters
- Duble panel walls with thickest wood panels enable great insulation
- It's easy to achieve maximal temperature
- Low price
What we didn't like
- It isn't spacious enough for two persons
- The bottom heaters are useless
This sauna is made from four high-quality carbon fiber far-infrared heaters. The maximal temperature that can be achieved is 140 degrees. It is made from top-quality Canadian Hemlock Wood.
Insulation is great because of the dual-wall construction that keeps the warmth inside with you. You can place this sauna almost everywhere in your house thanks to the plugs that have standard household output.
Via Amazon
Although it is made of glass, the door on this sauna is safe and can manage high temperatures. The tools-free interlock design is an extra perk you’ll love. The ease of setting up is uncomparable to any other sauna since you need only 30 to 45 minutes to make it functional.
With this sauna, you will also get a premium sound system with two speakers and built-in auxiliary plug, which is portable.
What we liked
- High-quality carbon fiber far infrared heaters
- Good insulation thanks to the dual wall construction
- See-through doors with tool-free interlock design
- Rapid achievement of maximum temperature
- Quality sound system
What we didn't like
- It’s a little cramped for two persons
- It could use more heaters
- Foot heaters are not of satisfactory quality
5. BetterLife BL6109 1-2 Person Carbon Infrared Sauna with ChromoTherapy– Best Value for the Money
This infrared sauna has even eight carbon far-infrared panels, so achieving the maximum temperature within a short period won’t be a problem. It is made of natural materials. BL6109 features see-through doors and dual soft touch panel with LED display, so you can enjoy the view and easily set up the desired temperature and duration of the therapy.
One thing that differs this sauna from the others is the Chromotherapy feature. It means that the light in the form of a color will affect the energy balance of your body. This therapy is an alternative medicine method that has its benefits.
Via Amazon
The package also features MP3 Auxiliary Connection and a seven-year warranty that applies to the heaters and electronics, three-year warranty on wood construction and one-year for the radio.
It can be placed indoors as well as outdoors. Although it is an overall fantastic sauna, it is not ideal for two persons to enjoy it at the same time.
What we liked
- The temperature of 140F can be achieved by 30 minutes
- The Chromotherapy feature is a new and exciting addition
- Seven-year warranty that applies to all electronics
What we didn't like
- It isn’t spacious enough for two people
- The above-head heaters are slightly too high up
How To Use And Assemble The Sauna
Each of these saunas comes in a protective box. It means that you will have to assemble it once you get it, but with most of them, that is not a big issue. The average time of assembling is one or two hours, but it can be done in less.
You will need a few basic tools to get the job done. If you have any troubles getting the sauna ready, there are a lot of tutorial videos and do-it-yourself instructions online that you can watch.
When you are done with assembling, you can finally move on to using your new sauna.
First of all, you need to set the temperature. If you are a beginner or don’t stand heat very well, you can start with 100 degrees or even less. If it's not your first time, you can set the temperature between 100 and 140 degrees.
It is important to have a glass of water before you go in and to bring some towels because you will be sweating a lot. Try to wear as lessclothing as you can and simply enjoy.
Pro Tips You Need To Know
#1: Your safety is the most important
So, you should check if your sauna has proper EMF wire. This wire is protecting you from the harmful effect of EMF radiation. It also prevents direct contact between wood and heater. Electrical components should be closed in a metal case to ensure safety.
#2: The infrared sauna of your choosing should have proper certification
Certificates like ETL, FSC, SFI, ISO 9001 guarantee that sauna has been fully tested by the safety standards. They also suggest that the performance requirements for the United States, Europe, and Canada are met.
#3: Avoid cheap saunas
It is more likely that they won't be able to stand the test of time and that they will need a lot of restorations. Lesson to adopt: cheap sauna will almost always cost you more.
#4: Stay away from the materials like aspen, basswood, western pie, California Redwood
These are some of the materials that can’t promise quality and longevity. Although they are almost always more affordable alternatives, they also have low impact resistance and proneness to disintegration.
#5: Think about the position of the heating panels when choosing your sauna
The best sauna will have the heaters installed on every side because it is imperative that your whole body receives infrared light.
Conclusion
We hope that we helped you understand complexity and benefits of infrared sauna. To ensure you’ll get the most of it, you need to consider various aspects like heaters, materials, insulation and levels of EMF radiation.
By our opinion, the winner in this tight competition is the BetterLife BL6109, because besides not having any serious drawbacks it also includes the Chromotherapy feature which opens up a new specter of possibilities when it comes to using the sauna for improving your health. The only thing that can put you off this purchase is the fact that it can’t fit two persons comfortably, but if you are planning on using it alone, you’ll be perfectly satisfied with it.
