When you first enter into the world of dry sauna kits, it can feel incredibly intimidating. There is so much information, so many different companies and new terms to learn (what the heck is Infrared or EMF?). You could always spend time researching all the dry saunas jargon, but what if there was a better solution? Once you read this article you will have a complete understanding of the major topics in the dry sauna kit industry. We will explore the heater technology, woods available, accessories how to choose the right sauna for you and review our most popular dry sauna kits.
What is far infrared?
Far Infrared Saunas work on a principle called radiant heat meaning we heat the body directly. Different than the traditional or steam sauna that uses the principle called convection meaning we heat the air and then the body. The human body emits far infrared light in the form of body heat at 9.4 microns. The measure of light at 9.4 microns is called a Biophoton. Body Heat or Biophoton Far Infrared Light is the most natural method to heat the body. Just as skin to skin contact is important for a newborn baby or a person suffering from hypothermia, body heat is the natural, safest and most efficient means to raise the core temperature of the human body.
A Biophotonic Far Infrared Dry Sauna Kit will gently and safely warm the body to promote healing at the cellular level to produce healing responses including a low grade fever that kills bacteria, viruses and parasites. In a far infrared sauna 20% of our sweat contains toxins being released from the body vs only 3% in a traditional sauna. Biophotons are absorbed by the body at a rate of 93%. The body will never take on more Far Infrared Light than it needs.
So let’s talk about sauna heater technology. There are so many different companies out there selling infrared dry sauna kits, it can be overwhelming to differentiate each of them. There are 3 types of heater technology available in infrared dry sauna kits, ceramic, carbon, & near.
Near infrared is the newest light feature for infrared saunas. At the manufacturing level these red light bulbs are not used for health benefits so much as they are used to provide convection heat in the sauna. Most sauna companies are not calibrating their thermostats to measure temperature at your chin instead temperature is measured at the roof making it difficult to get the whole sauna cabinet the actual temperature reading displayed on the control panel. There has been a big debate over the use of near infrared in a sauna environment as to whether or not it is beneficial. Most clinical studies have had success using a near infrared laser specifically for wound healing or localized radiation treatment of cancer cells. These heater red light bulbs have a high EMF when compared to the far infrared carbon heater technology. The larger bulbs that are used in near saunas don’t have the ability to penetrate the body at the deeper levels that a laser can. Near infrared is only going to affect the water molecules at the surface of your skin. Far infrared is much more effective at penetrating the body and mobilizing toxins out of the body and your skin to achieve an overall level of homeostasis. There is more than 50 years of clinical documentation supporting the wide reaching health benefits of far infrared technology.
Ceramic far infrared heaters. This is the old far infrared technology. There are a number of reasons sauna companies have moved away from these types of heaters. The main reason is these heaters are a fire hazard. As ceramic heats up and cools down over time it develops lines and cracks that can turn into cherry red charcoals. This was the only technology we had for thirty years the infrared ceramic heater emitted the full spectrum of far infrared light equally between 5 and 15 microns. Sounds great right, the only problem is that your body absorbs and utilizes only 9.4 microns of far infrared light. In fact a bandwidth of 9.4 microns of far infrared light is the exact output of far infrared light the human body produces in the form of body heat. So in this case the expanded bandwidth of far infrared light is useless causing you to spend more time in the sauna to get your desired benefits. Spending time in a Ceramic sauna can be an uncomfortably hot endeavor. These heaters get up to 400 degrees that can give you a blistering burn if you lean against them. There are some companies that have reintroduced this type of heater into their saunas because again they are looking for convection heat to compensate for a poorly calibrated thermostat.
Carbon Heaters and the best of the best. This is the newest technology in the industry. No matter the sauna company you purchase from, get a carbon heater. These heaters are much, much safer than their ceramic cousin. The easiest way to compare companies is to ask each what the micron bandwidth of their heaters. Remember the human body produces far infrared light in the form of body heat at exactly 9.4 microns. Far infrared light emissions measured at 9.4 microns are called Biophotons. When purchasing a far infrared sauna you want to be sure a company can document how often the far infrared light is at exactly 9.4 microns or the percentage of biophotons emitted from the far infrared heater. You are looking for a company with Biophoton emissions with a number of 90% or greater. You will find that the Biophoton variations between companies does vary and indicates the quality of the heater. If the heater emits 5 to 15 microns you know that these heaters won’t have the same efficiency of producing Biophotons at 9.4 microns. Some companies use heaters that emit 7-14 microns at the manufacturing level heaters emitting this range is slightly more expensive than the 5 to 15 micron range because about 50% of far infrared emission is at 9.4 microns. The newest technology carbon heaters are the Biophoton heaters, these heaters emit 8 to 10 microns, 98% of the time emit Biophotons at 9.4 microns.
The next term you are going to hear in this industry is EMF. Well what exactly is EMF?
EMF stands for Electromagnetic field and everything in the universe falls into the spectrum of EMF like the sun, a rock, you, appliances, cell phones. EMF is everywhere, you can’t get away from it. The difference between harmful EMF and non-harmful EMF is whether or not it is ionizing or non-ionizing. Ionizing EMF has the ability to change DNA and the most common form of Ionizing EMF radiation, we have all experienced, is a sunburn. Non-ionizing EMF which is safe and does not have the ability to change DNA is found everywhere in our homes and lives. In fact, your cell phone or digital clock has more EMFs than any sauna ever built. I am about to break the rules of the industry and make something very clear, There are no dangerous EMFs ever found in any far infrared sauna. No one has ever, ever died or become sick as a result of using a far infrared sauna which is why it has been used in medicine since the Dr. Kellogg in the 1880’s. So, what’s the controversy? There are a number of people in our population who are sensitive to EMF. I have seen this in cases of Lupus, Lyme, & Mold Toxicity. At certain progressions of these diseases and others, a person can become EMF sensitive and can actually feel the electricity coming off the light switches which produces a feeling of nausea. For the rest of us, non-ionizing EMF has no impact on our health or overall wellbeing. You can read more about EMF here: EMF Dangers of Home Infrared Saunas
What woods are best? I see Aspen, Basswood, Hemlock, Cedar which wood is best for a Dry Sauna Kit?
In the past, everyone used Hemlock for far infrared sauna construction because it is readily available in North America making it inexpensive. It ‘s a hypoallergenic wood and it has a higher crushing strength than cedar. Hemlock wood actually becomes harder over time. In recent years many companies have started using a number of different woods to create differentiation but Hemlock is truly the best wood for a dry sauna application due to its durability. Even at Celebration Saunas we still offer Canadian Red Cedar saunas but it’s important to note that a properly constructed far infrared sauna kit cedar should be kiln dried to burn away resins and oils that can outgas during a sauna session. This means the cedar wood won’t have the powerful fragrance of a cedar chest or closet. Cedar is aesthetically beautiful and a popular choice for those more familiar with traditional sauna use. If you are putting your sauna outdoors, you will be required to place an outdoor cover over your sauna but purchasing a cedar sauna will protect your investment and extend the life of your sauna as it ages. Read more about different sauna woods here: What is the best wood choice when purchasing an infrared sauna?
Here come the Accessories.
What many companies have as options we, at Celebration Saunas, include an all inclusive package for your sauna that includes music, chromotherapy/ colortherapy lighting, backrests, oxygen ionizer, free shipping, lift-gate service, and a Lifetime Warranty where we pay for parts and shipping for as long as you own the sauna. The only upgrades you to buy at Celebration Saunas is our comfy Sunbrella Sauna Cushion. Not only will the Sunbrella sauna cushion add to your spa experience our sauna cushion is a functional long lasting tool to keep your sauna clean and looking new by protecting the bench from sweat stains accumulating over time.
Which dry sauna kit will be right for me and my home?
When figuring out which sauna to purchase the first step is to measure the space where you want to put your sauna. This measurement should narrow your choices from 37 saunas to 17 saunas or less.
Next you will need to identify the power you need for your sauna. A one or two seater sauna requires a standard household outlet, whereas our three man infrared sauna and larger require a dedicated 120V/20amp circuit. This means your sauna will need its own 20 amp breaker switch at the box and the 120V outlet. If you do not have this outlet you will need an electrician to put one in.
Once you have determined your space and the electricity available it is time to choose your sauna.
The best part of a Celebration Sauna is there are not a lot of extras to buy. We give you everything; music, colortherapy, backrests, oxygen ionizer, free shipping with liftgate service and full lifetime warranty where we pay for parts and shipping for as long as you own the sauna.
Narrowing your choices further will come down to the heater type you’d like such as Low EMF heaters vs Near Zero EMF heaters. Our home saunas have the Low EMF heaters and our hospital grade saunas have the Near Zero EMF heaters. All Celebration Saunas have Biophoton heaters that emit 9.4 microns 98% of the time.
Our dry sauna kits give you everything you need from the get-go, including music, backrests, chromotherapy lighting, oxygen ionizer, free-shipping and an unbeatable Lifetime Warranty. Take a look below at our Top 10 Best Selling saunas.
Top 10 Selling saunas
1. Best Overall dry sauna Kit: The popular Aurora Infrared Sauna
The Aurora two seater dry sauna kit is a medical grade sauna that boasts the newest Near Zero Biophoton heaters. The Aurora infrared sauna is by far our best selling sauna for its space efficient design and the fact that it plugs into a standard household outlet. The Aurora infrared sauna belongs to our commercial line of saunas because of its thicker wood and heavier duty power supply box, not to mention six of the newest near zero biophoton infrared heaters. This sauna is designed to last a lifetime so we back it up with Lifetime Warranty to make sure you have a working sauna for as long as you own it.
2. Best Space efficient dry sauna Kit: Comet one person corner sauna.
The Comet is our most space efficient one person corner sauna. Although two people can sit in this space, it is most comfortable as a one person sauna. It’s space efficient corner design is it’s biggest selling point and you are likely to see this one person corner sauna in remodeled bathrooms across the country. The Comet one person sauna will only take up a few feet of space to fit neatly into nearly any room or remodel.
3. Best Value on a Near Zero EMF dry saunas Kit: Saturn 4 person dry sauna kit
Our four person corner sauna, the Saturn, is truly the behemoth of dry saunas kits. It has two five-foot-two inch benches where two people can sit with their legs propped up, straight out on the bench with their toes meeting in the corner and both their backs are against heaters. Most corner units would have glass where your backs would be when two people are sitting in this position, a design flaw that the Saturn four person sauna aptly overcomes. A very tall person can lay down in this sauna. The Saturn four person corner sauna is by far the best value of our entire product line boasting 12 Near Zero Biophoton heaters for nearly half the price of our Jupiter 6 person sauna with 15 heaters. This dry sauna kit provides you with everything you need and a luxurious space to enjoy in your home for decades to come. Overall, a phenomenal choice.
4. Best first Dry sauna Kit: Satellite two person sauna kit
Our Satellite 2 Person dry sauna Kit is one of our most stylish and affordable two person saunas. The Satellite sauna’s gem cut glass front design makes it a popular and versatile design piece. The beauty of this sauna will invite you into the room and delight you with luxurious soft penetrating Biophotons healing your body from the inside out.
5. Best Near Zero EMF Starter Dry Sauna Kit: Starlight one person sauna kit
The Starlight one person sauna is an excellent choice for people who want the newest Near Zero EMF technology. This medical grade sauna occupies a small area and has a competitive introductory price.
6. Most Cost Effective dry sauna Kit: Vega two person sauna kit:
The Vega two person sauna comes in two wood types; Canadian Red Cedar and Canadian Hemlock. The Vega 2 Person sauna in cedar is an excellent choice for outdoor use. You will find that these saunas have built in backrest but we also include the portable backrests. It comes with an AM/FM radio with CD player and MP3 input, Chromotherapy lighting, Oxygen ionizer, free shipping and of course our Lifetime Warranty.
7. Best of the best dry sauna Kit: Jupiter six person sauna kit
If you are truly looking for the best of the best our Jupiter 6 person sauna might be the right choice for you. This sauna has 15 Near Zero Biophoton heaters. A commercial grade sauna, the Jupiter has unique features like convertible benches that can remain flat or flipped over to use the back recliner and knee support. This sauna comes with an AM/FM/CD/DVD Player and TV, Remote controlled chromotherapy lighting, oxygen ionizer, 6 back rests, free shipping and our lifetime warranty. The power requirements of two dedicated 120V/ 20Amp circuits allows this sauna the shortest warm up time getting up to 140 degrees in as little as 30 minutes. Watch the tour video here:
8. Best 3 man infrared sauna kit: Titan three person dry sauna kit
The Titan three man infrared sauna is popular for its stylish all glass front that allows for a larger more open feeling when sitting in the sauna. The Titan three person sauna also comes in both Canadian Hemlock and Canadian Red Cedar. The Canadian Red Cedar being the optimal choice for outdoor use. The Titan sauna has two 56 inch benches for a total of 94 inches of bench space. This is a great sauna for a taller person to lay down in or excellent seating for personal space and conversation.
9. Best Near Zero EMF three person sauna kit: Eclipse three person dry sauna kit
Okay, not to be biased but I love this sauna. These Commercial or Medical grade saunas are simply divine in their quality. I love that they have the Near Zero Biophon technology. Many people don’t have a whole lot of space to dedicate to their sauna but they want more room than a two person sauna and they need the sauna to take up less space than a four person sauna. The Eclipse 3 man infrared sauna sits right in the middle to accommodate middle spaces.
10. Best value three man dry sauna Kit: Galaxy three person corner sauna kit
Last but not least our Galaxy 3 person corner sauna has 10 of our Low-EMF Biophoton heaters, more than any other 3 person home sauna. The luxury of having two benches simply gives you more room to move around. It isn’t always easy to sit in one place and not move around a bit when you are sweating like a pig but if you have another person in the sauna with you, it’s nice to sweat in your own space on your own bench. This sauna is a great value and comes with all the features of all our saunas including, AM/FM radio with CD player and MP3 input, Chromotherapy lighting, Oxygen ionizer, free shipping and of course our Lifetime Warranty.
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