Side by side
| Traditional (electric or wood) | Infrared cabin | |
|---|---|---|
| Air temperature | 70–100 °C (160–212 °F) | ≈ 40–60 °C (105–140 °F) |
| Steam | Yes: water on the stones | No |
| Heater | 3–12 kW stove with stones | Panels, often 1.5–3 kW in total |
| Heat-up | ≈ 30–60 min | ≈ 10–20 min |
| Electrics | 240 V (US/CA) or 230/400 V circuit | Small cabins often plug in; larger ones need a dedicated circuit |
| Energy per session (our model for the traditional sauna) | ≈ 6–8 kWh with heat-up and an hour of bathing | Typically a fraction of that: the panels draw 1.5–3 kW for a shorter time |
| Outdoors | Yes (barrels, cabins) | Mostly indoors |
Which one?
- Choose traditional for the Finnish experience: real heat, steam, rounds with cooling breaks, more people at once. It is also what nearly all the long-term health studies looked at.
- Choose infrared if you want a lower air temperature, a quick start, a small footprint indoors and lower running cost.
- Hybrid cabins combine a small stove with infrared panels.
About "low-EMF" and "full spectrum"
These are marketing labels for the panels' electromagnetic fields and the wavelength range. They don't change the basic comparison above; check the cabin's electrical certification (UL/ETL in North America, CE in Europe) and the maker's specifications.