Infrared vs traditional sauna: price, heat, running costs and power compared (UK 2026)
How infrared cabins and traditional stove-heated saunas differ on temperature, purchase price, running cost, electrics and space, using UK retailer listings checked in November 2026. No health claims, just the practical differences.
Quick answer
A traditional sauna heats the air with an electric or wood-burning stove, typically to 80–100°C in the listings we checked, and you can throw water on the stones for steam. An infrared cabin uses heating panels, and the cabins we've listed top out at about 60–65°C. Infrared cabins are usually cheaper to buy (£1,349–£2,999 for the two-person models we've listed, against about £2,900 upwards for a garden sauna with a heater) and to run (about 30p a session against about £2.17 for a 6kW heater on our assumptions). Several plug into a 13A socket; a traditional heater needs a hard-wired circuit. Pick traditional if you want high heat and steam; pick infrared for lower cost, simpler electrics and a gentler heat.
No health claims here
Plenty of sauna listings make health claims, especially for infrared. We don’t repeat them. This guide covers the practical differences: heat, price, running cost, electrics and space. If you have a health condition, ask your GP before using any sauna.
The short version
| Traditional sauna | Infrared cabin | |
|---|---|---|
| How it heats | Electric or wood-burning stove heats the air and stones | Infrared panels in the walls |
| Listed temperatures | 80–100°C (e.g. SaunaPlunge Pennine and Brontë listings) | About 60°C (Kajo), 40–60°C (Purewave Evo 2), 30–65°C (Polar Nova 2) |
| Steam from the stones | Yes | No |
| Two-person price examples | Brontë 1–2 person outdoor cabin £2,900 with a 4.5kW heater | CenturaHeat Double £1,349; Kajo 2 £1,595; Polar Nova 2 £2,299.99 |
| Running cost per session (our assumptions) | About £2.17 for a 6kW heater | About 30p for a 1.9kW cabin |
| Electrics | Hard-wired dedicated circuit (20–32A for 4.5–6kW in listings we checked) | Several plug into a 13A socket |
| Where | Indoor cabins, garden barrels, cubes and cabins | Mostly indoor; a few outdoor models |
Heat and feel
A traditional sauna heats the air in the room, and the stones on the stove store heat. Throwing water on them produces a burst of steam, which Finns call löyly. Listings for the SaunaPlunge Pennine and Brontë give 80–100°C. Holl’s quotes 65–90°C for its Utopia 3 indoor sauna.
An infrared cabin warms you mainly with radiant heat from panels rather than by heating the air as much. The listings we’ve checked give maximum temperatures of about 60–65°C. There are no stones, so no steam. Some people prefer the gentler heat; others find it doesn’t feel like a “proper” sauna. If you can, try both at a spa or gym before you buy.
Some cabins combine both, such as the CenturaHeat outdoor cube (hybrid)Ad, which lists a 6,000W stove plus 3,500W of infrared panels.
Buying price
Infrared cabins are usually cheaper for the same number of people. The two-person cabins we’ve listed cost £1,349 (CenturaHeat DoubleAd), £1,595 (Kajo 2Ad), £2,299.99 (Polar Nova 2Ad) and £2,999 (Holl’s Purewave Evo 2Ad).
The cheapest traditional saunas we’ve listed with a heater included are the SaunaPlunge BrontëAd at £2,900 (outdoor, 1–2 people) and indoor steam cabins from CenturaHeat from £1,750. Add an electrician for a traditional heater. See garden sauna costs for the full picture.
Running costs
On the method in our running-costs guide (an hour’s warm-up plus a 45-minute session with the heater on half the time), at 26.32p per kWh:
- 1.9kW infrared cabin: about 30p a session, or about £47 a year at three sessions a week.
- 6kW traditional heater: about £2.17 a session, or about £340 a year at three sessions a week.
Try your own numbers in the sauna cost calculator.
Electrics and installation
Every traditional electric heater we’ve seen needs a dedicated hard-wired circuit, and in England a new circuit is notifiable under Part P. Several small infrared cabins, including the Kajo range and the Purewave Evo 2, plug into a standard 13A socket. Read our sauna electrics guide before you buy either type.
Which should you choose?
- Choose traditional if you want 80°C-plus heat, steam from the stones, or a garden sauna. See our best outdoor saunas and best indoor saunas.
- Choose infrared if you want a lower buying and running cost, a plug-in install, or a cabin for a spare room. See our best infrared saunas.
- On a tight budget? An infrared sauna blanket starts at £299.99, though it’s a wrap, not a room.
Frequently asked questions
Is infrared or traditional sauna better?
Neither is better overall; they're different. A traditional sauna gets much hotter (80–100°C in the listings we checked) and lets you make steam on the stones. An infrared cabin runs cooler (about 60–65°C at most for the cabins we've listed), costs less to buy and run, and some plug into a normal socket. We don't make health claims for either.
Is an infrared sauna cheaper to run?
Usually. On our running-cost assumptions at the Ofgem cap of 26.32p per kWh, a 1.9kW infrared cabin costs about 30p a session and a 6kW traditional heater about £2.17. Infrared panels are lower-powered and need less warm-up.
Can you put water on an infrared sauna?
No. There are no sauna stones in an infrared cabin, and water shouldn't be poured on the panels or electrics. If you want steam (löyly), you need a traditional sauna with a stove.
Does an infrared sauna need an electrician?
Some small cabins plug into a standard 13A socket, including the Kajo range and Holl's Purewave Evo 2. Larger cabins may need a dedicated circuit. Check the listing. Every traditional electric heater we've seen is hard-wired by an electrician.
Can you have an infrared sauna outdoors?
Yes, but most infrared cabins are sold for indoor use only. We've listed one outdoor model, the SaunaPlunge Yorkshire Cabin (£2,900). Check the listing says outdoor before you buy.
Sources
We read each of these on or before 10–11 November 2026. Retailer links in this list are plain links, not affiliate links.