Today’s Americans are increasingly focused on wellness and relaxation. This is especially the case for younger consumers in the Millennial and Gen-Z cohorts, who are aged in their 20s, 30s and early 40s. They constitute the largest proportion of buyers in the US. As a result, home saunas are among the most popular upgrades for US households.
The trend has also driven an increase in the size, style and type of home saunas that are available in the US marketplace. Here we will look at some tips for choosing the right home sauna to meet your relaxation and wellness goals without exceeding your budget.
Shopping online for a sauna kit
A generation ago, installing a sauna meant significant investment in bespoke design. But today, the US home sauna market is very different thanks to online specialist suppliers such as saunaplace.com. They have a range of sauna kits it prebuilt form that can be assembled, installed and commissioned for use in a matter of hours.
As well as making the process more straightforward, it also reduces the overall cost dramatically. Of course, the price of the sauna varies from one model to another, but home saunas represent a competitive business sector. Prices start at less than $5,000, and even the largest are around the $15,000 to $17,000 range. This is significantly less than the $50,000 or more that it would cost to have a home sauna designed and constructed from scratch.
Identifying your wellness goals
Before you can choose your sauna, you need to understand how it will be used and what you want it to achieve. For example, if your main goal is relaxation and stress relief, a traditional Finnish sauna is an ideal choice as it uses high heat and low humidity to create a tranquil environment.
Alternatively, if you want a sauna to aid with muscular recovery, pain relief or skin detoxification, you might consider an infrared sauna. These penetrate deeper into the skin to provide optimal physiological benefits.
Consider the size of sauna
Unsurprisingly, smaller saunas are at the lower end of the price range. They are also more economical to run, as they demand a less powerful sauna heater and there is less internal space to heat.
So clearly, from a budget perspective, it makes sense to purchase the smallest sauna that will meet your needs. Think about who will use it and when. If it is only you and your partner, a one or two person sauna will be sufficient. Alternatively, you might wish to use it as a place where the whole family can bond, or even to entertain friends. In this case, a sauna that can accommodate six, eight or more will be on your shortlist.
Naturally, you also need to think about the space available when choosing the sauna size. Keep in mind that whatever you choose, it will need a flat base oversized by around six inches all around. So for example a six feet by eight feet sauna will need a seven by nine base. This consideration could also influence the style of sauna you choose. For example, a pod sauna is a good choice where space is at a premium, as its compact but taller design means it can fit into even the smallest back yard or garden.
Selecting the heat source
We touched on the topic of infrared versus traditional saunas earlier. But the choices run deeper than this. Specifically, consider whether to use a sauna heater that runs on electricity, gas or logs.
Gas powered heaters are usually reserved for either commercial saunas or very large domestic installations. A log burner gives the most authentic experience, but it takes longer to heat up and it takes practice to maintain an even temperature.
Most people choose an electric sauna heater, as it offers precision control, heats up quickly and has none of the emission issues that come with gas or log heaters. Furthermore, modern electric sauna heaters are manufactured with energy efficiency in mind, so are not as expensive to run as you might think, typically costing between one and two dollars per sauna session.
