Choosing Your Home Sauna

The right home sauna begins with the kind of warmth you enjoy. Perhaps you picture the enveloping heat of a traditional sauna, prefer an infrared experience at a lower air temperature, or would like the flexibility of both in one cabin.

Traditional, infrared and combination saunas each offer a different kind of warmth. Understanding the choices helps you find a sauna that feels right for you and the people you share it with.

Traditional warmth and a familiar ritual

A traditional sauna heats the air around you. In a Finnish style sauna designed for the purpose, adding water to heated stones briefly increases humidity and changes the feeling of the heat. Only add water as the manufacturer allows. [1,2]

If you love the atmosphere of a classic sauna, this may be your starting point. The warm room and ritual of the stones lend themselves to quiet reflection or time with a partner.

For someone who has enjoyed traditional saunas while traveling or visiting a spa, bringing that familiar experience home can be especially appealing.

Infrared warmth at a lower air temperature

Infrared saunas use radiant heat to warm the body and generally operate at a lower air temperature than traditional saunas. That difference may suit people who enjoy warmth but prefer less intensely heated air. [1]

Think about the warmth you enjoy while seated, rather than the highest available setting. Look at the seats, the placement of the heaters and how comfortably the cabin accommodates you.

Some people love a very warm room; others prefer a lower air temperature. Trying both styles, when medically appropriate, can help you decide.

Combination saunas offer more choice

A combination sauna gives you both traditional and infrared warmth in one cabin.

For an indoor wellness space, Finnmark’s Trinity FD-4 and Trinity XL FD-5 offer both experiences in a cabin designed for indoor use. For an outdoor retreat, Finnmark’s Barrel Combo Saunas, the cedar FD-6 and Thermo-Aspen FD-7, bring that combination outdoors. [3]

That flexibility can suit a shared household—or simply give you more choice from day to day. One person may favor traditional warmth while another prefers infrared, all within one cabin.

Check how the heating systems work on the model you are considering, including whether they can be used separately or together. Controls, electrical requirements and permitted operating modes vary.

Choose for everyday enjoyment

Picture yourself using the sauna. Is there room to sit comfortably? Are the entrance and controls easy to reach? Is there somewhere nearby to cool down afterward?

When the sauna fits your space and your day, it is easier to make time for it. Confirm installation and maintenance needs before purchasing.

Make care part of the choice

All sauna types require sensible heat precautions. Follow the manufacturer's instructions, avoid alcohol and attend to hydration. Seek medical advice about health conditions, pregnancy, medications or use after age 65. Lower air temperatures do not remove heat related risks. Leave if you feel dizzy, nauseated or unwell. [4]

Find your preferred warmth in Lumi’s traditional, infrared and combination saunas. Start with the one you look forward to stepping into.

References

[1] Mayo Clinic. Do infrared saunas have any health benefits? 2024. Read the explanation.

[2] Hussain J, Cohen M. Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review. 2018. Read the review.

[3] Finnmark product documentation. Trinity FD-4 manual; Trinity XL FD-5 manual; Cedar FD-6 Barrel Combo Sauna; Thermo-Aspen FD-7 Barrel Combo Sauna.

[4] Cleveland Clinic. Get Your Sweat On: The Benefits of a Sauna. 2024. Read the guidance.