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The Ultimate Infrared Sauna Buying Guide: What You Absolutely Must Know.

Holy Cow, there are a lot of infrared sauna companies out there.  How do you find a great deal?  All these pictures look the same, how am I supposed to tell the difference?  If they all look the same, can I just buy from anyone?  How do I know which companies are reputable?  There is soooo much information out there, what should I believe?

In the following article, I will attempt to cover the most important aspects of your sauna purchase and I will start with the one topic that every other online buying guide fails to cover.

Infrared Saunas Buying Guide - Everything You Need to Know Before Buying Your First Sauna

Shipping

One of the most important parts of your purchase is often overlooked by most buyers.  How is your sauna shipped?  How are you going to receive it?

Does the company you are buying from provide Lift gate Service?  If they don’t, it is common that damage can occur during delivery.  The reason, if the truck is not equipped with a lift gate then the palletized sauna must be broken down and slid off the back of the truck.  Often these boxes can be dropped and damage will occur.

Does the company you are buying from palletize their sauna?  Newer companies that don’t sell many saunas don’t have much experience in palletizing the sauna so that your sauna is not damaged during freight shipping.  When done properly the pallet is designed to be picked up with a forklift in such a way that eliminates forklift holes in your sauna.  It’s a big deal to get a 500 lbs sauna returned once it has been damaged, then it must be replaced and it can take weeks with an inexperienced distributor.

Is the sauna stacked or standing on edge?  Stacked sauna boxes cause pressure damage to the sauna and without proper labeling, the freight carrier will often stack other shipments on top of your sauna when palletized in this manner.  Creating another opportunity for a damaged sauna to arrive.  When the sauna is properly palletized then all boxes are standing on edge side by side, shrink-wrapped together then strapped to a pallet with specific do not stack instructions.  The uneven surface from the positioning of the boxes on edge prevents stacking by freight carriers while in transit.  NOTATING the delivery receipt with any packaging damage or wear and tear prior to signing your delivery receipt protects your investment.

What happens when you open the boxes and find hidden damage?  Most Infrared sauna companies do not help their customers protect their investment from hidden freight damage.  Notating the condition of your sauna on the delivery receipt will give you 48 hours to inspect the contents of the boxes and report it back to your freight carrier.

What infrared sauna companies don’t tell you can cost you!  If you simply sign your delivery receipt and you find damage inside the boxes, without notes about the packaging the freight carrier can argue that you broke it.  Most people don’t realize that they are signing a contract when signing their delivery receipt.  That signature without notes on the packaging you are saying to the freight carrier that you have received your sauna in good working order and there is a possibility that the freight company won’t accept responsibility if you signed off on the delivery receipt.  Be sure to inspect the packaging thoroughly, remove the plastic wrap that can disguise damage, make the driver wait so you can properly describe the condition of your delivery on the delivery receipt before you sign. If the boxes or the pallet appears damaged.  Write “Broken Pallet”.  

If you know that your sauna is severely damaged “Refuse”  the sauna.  At CelebrationSaunas.com we will immediately issue a new shipment within 24 hours.  In many cases, we can ship it out the same day.  We want you to receive the new sauna you purchased as expected, Unharmed.

Well, let’s say you forgot to notate the condition of the sauna on the delivery receipt and you open the boxes and out pops a broken panel.  How will your sauna company handle the situation?  Are they willing or able to replace the pieces that are damaged?  Smaller companies will balk if you ask for a replacement panel.  It can take months to get that replacement and smaller companies will delay, delay, delay due to the cost of replacing sauna pieces.  If they would rather pay you to accept a broken sauna than replace the broken pieces, you know you aren’t dealing with a company able to deal with the cost of doing business.

Inventory: How do you know you are working with a reputable and experienced company?  Ask them about inventory.  There are approximately 40 saunas in a container.  If you are working with a dealer who only has 40-80 saunas in inventory you can bet they don’t have the means to replace a damaged sauna.  How are you protected?  If you must wait more than 21 days for your sauna, don’t walk, Run!  Many upstart home sauna companies often don’t have the capital to fill the demand for orders and will wait for enough orders to come in to purchase a container of saunas.  These companies will often have their customers waiting months for delivery and if the sauna were to be damaged, they have limited resources to protect you their customer.

At celebration saunas, we get 4-8 containers each week, every month of the year.  We have 3000 saunas in inventory at any one time, the largest sauna inventory in the USA.

Why is there such a wide range in pricing?   Price comes down to a number of things. Buying Power, He who buys the most saunas gets the best pricing.  Streamlined business plan-  if a company hasn’t planned to grow they will fail to keep up with the growing demand and as such, they will have to hire more people to service an inefficient business process.  We have fewer employees and in some cases 10 times the volume of our closest competitors. See for more of our infrared sauna benefits.

What kind of heaters are best?  Without a doubt, the best-infrared heater type is the biophoton nano-carbon technology. A common question about infrared sauna dangers and EMF. View our post on the topic to put that to rest. These are the flexible carbon heating panels used industry-wide (even by our more expensive competitors).  In production since 2010, these flexible carbon heating panels are the safest, most durable and long lasting heater available on the market.  With a lifespan of approximately 50 years, these heaters are developed to match the human body’s output of far infrared light in the form of body heat at 9.4 microns.  You are getting a quality product if the output of far infrared light emission is greater than 85%, narrowed to 9.4 microns.  We are manufacturing body heat, so it makes sense that your body will absorb as much as it needs when its own resonant frequency of 9.4 microns is matched precisely.  Want to know about sauna EMF levels?  Click Here

What kind of wood is the best in sauna construction?

The most commonly used wood in infrared sauna construction today is hemlock.  Hemlock is the preferred choice for reputable brands.  Not only a beautiful furniture wood that yields smooth contoured lines and edges.  Hemlock also naturally prevents mold, mildew, and bacteria. Hemlock t is a very stable wood with properties that accommodate expansion and contraction preventing cracking, bending, bowing, and splintering.  One of the reason Celebration Saunas has so many styles is the high-quality wood we use in construction.  Another important aspect of wood choice is the drying process used to cure the wood.  All Celebration corner saunas are kiln dried to not only protect the wood from bending bowing, cracking and, twisting but the detoxification that occurs from the kiln drying process prevents wood oils and resins from outgassing during sauna use.  As such, even our Cedar saunas do not have that Cedar Chest fragrance because we have burned away these resins in the drying process.

The main thing when purchasing a new infrared sauna is to confirm that the sauna wood is solid has been kiln dried and does not outgas.  There should never be any use of particle board or chemical products used in the curing of the wood or construction of the sauna.  The major dangers are the outgassing of toxic chemicals and the long-term effects of heating and cooling the wood will be less durable and susceptible to breakage, bowing and splintering.   Your safety is of the utmost importance, you are likely buying a sauna to improve your health, make sure you aren’t being exposed to harmful outgassing toxins, it defeats the purpose of getting a sauna in the first place.

Assembly systems.  There only a few different types of assemblies in the marketplace.  Buckles, locking system, magnetic systems and bolt and anchor systems.  Each of these assemblies will hold your sauna together, none will fall apart as many buyers guides will warn.  They each have their benefits and drawbacks.

Let’s start with the buckle assemblies, these assemblies are often chosen for their simplicity.  Buckles allow for a perfect assembly every time without tools.  Some critique the aesthetics of the buckles others like the character.  One thing is for sure the buckle assembly is the easiest to both build and breakdown.  The locking assembly system is similar to high-quality patio furniture that clicks into place leaving a seamless and perfectly aligned fit.    Locking assemblies also do not require tools and typically incorporate a buckle system at the rear of the sauna.  The locking assembly really offers the best alignment for a clean, sleek look.  Celebration Saunas uses both the buckle assembly or the locking assembly in all our sauna models.

Magnetic assembly systems.  Celebration Saunas does not use or recommend this assembly because the strong magnets can interfere with the output of Pacemakers and Defibrillators.  The risk is simply too high.  Many people who purchase a sauna are looking to improve their heart health.  If you are predisposed to a heart condition this style assembly makes it suitable for the short run.  In reality, your sauna should last a lifetime, so choose the sauna that you will be able to use, be comfortable in and love looking at for the rest of your life.

Bolt & Anchor Assembly Systems:  Well you better be pretty good with your tools and your alignment skills. This bolt system requires that each screw on each wall must have equal pressure in order for the sauna to align properly.  Although like most saunas, the assembly takes minutes whereas these screws take forever to be properly aligned.  My biggest pet peeve besides circling the sauna to loosen and tighten screws for a perfect fit.  On my trip to each individual screw, I ended up scratching the wood a bit on the outside of the screw.  Ahh, I scratched a brand new sauna.  How ya gonna fix that?

Warranty – Bottom line, does your sauna dealer stand behind their product?  Celebration Saunas offers a lifetime warranty on all the electronic components of the sauna by providing free replacement parts and free shipping on said parts for as LONG as you own the sauna.  The warranty is a reminder of the quality you get.  With more than 12,000 saunas shipped each year, we have perfected this technology. Our saunas don’t just break or go out of commission they are designed to last 50 years.  We would be crazy to offer a lifetime warranty if that weren’t the case.

If there is a question I failed to answer for you above, please give us a call 855-728-6248 x2 to speak with a sauna expert to address your specific concerns.

In Good Health,

Katie DeCicco
CEO

Download Our Free Book ‘Comparing Traditional, Hot Rock & Steam, Near Infrared and Far Infrared Saunas in the Modern Age’


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11 thoughts on “The Ultimate Infrared Sauna Buying Guide: What You Absolutely Must Know.

  1. Does your company install the saunas?

    1. Hi Patricia,
      Thanks for the comment.

      Yes, we now can install your new sauna when you select white glove delivery when you add to cart. All our saunas are knockdown kits with all working components preinstalled. There is no plumbing or air filtering required in an infrared sauna setup and often 2 people are easily able to assemble the sauna in 1 to 3 hours depending on the size sauna you choose. Shipping on each sauna is included in the price. Each delivery truck is equipped with a lift-gate to lower your palletized sauna to the ground and then use a pallet jack to remove it from the street and onto the curb. In most cases, the driver can use the pallet jack to roll the pallet into your garage. The only things preventing this would be a gravel or icy driveway, a driveway with a steep incline, or a driveway longer than 100 feet. One of our customers sent in a time-lapse video of him and his lovely wife setting up their sauna and gave details and account of the whole experience. You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOzqdoLr0OU

      Please let us know how we may be of assistance.
      In Good Health,

      The Celebration Saunas Team

  2. How hot do these saunas get 140 deg?

    1. All our saunas reach 140 degrees but we recommend the sauna be used between 118 and 122 degrees.

  3. Thanks for the CD we will enjoy when we use our Sauna I have a question Do you know where I can find a book on how to use it the rite way Thank You Sharon

    1. Tips on How to Use Your New Sauna

      Stay Hydrated! It’s the most important rule of sauna use. Most of us don’t drink enough water as it is. To get the most out of your sauna you must sweat! Your body is only going to be able to sweat out as much water as you give it. A good rule of thumb is to divide your body weight in half and drink that number of ounces in water daily. Drink, Drink, Drink at least a pint to 3 pints of water before, during and after your sauna session. It is never safe to drink alcohol in your sauna.

      Wait at least 1 – 2 hours after eating before beginning a far infrared sauna session. This allows your body to attain the best overall results, since blood is not being diverted for digestion.

      No skin lotions. Do not use skin lotions or oils before or during your sauna session as this will inhibit sweating and clog up pores. As a side note: Your skin crème is wasted if used before or during your sauna. As you drip sweat lotion will run, it can get in your eyes. It’s quite a messy business, it’s much better to wait until after you’ve cooled down and showered before applying your favorite skin crème.

      Find the right time for you! There are lots of right times to enjoy your sauna session. Sauna sessions are enjoyed to get the day started or the capstone of a long day. Saunas sessions can be quite beneficial in starting an exercise routine or ending one. A short sauna bath is often better than no sauna bath.

      Sauna Apparel. Lightweight shorts and tee shirt are ok. Swim suits are better. “Birthday Suit” is fine, too. More skin exposure is certainly preferable as it’s easier to wipe away sweat.

      Towels, Towels, and more towels. How many towels you bring into the sauna is up to you. You will probably appreciate having one towel to sit on or lay on. One towel to help wipe off and absorb perspiration as it accumulates on your body so that you sweat more. One towel placed under your feet to catch any perspiration that might otherwise fall to the sauna floor.

      Sauna Temperature: Set your sauna temperature to 115 -125 degrees F to begin infrared sauna warm up. When sauna reaches 90-110 degrees F, it’s time to begin your session.

      Sauna Session Timer: Start Slowly When you first begin to use your infrared sauna. After you begin to break a sweat, a 10 -20 minute session is recommended. For the first week to two weeks, schedule your far infrared sauna sessions every other day. Do not exceed 60 minutes in the sauna per session.

      Sauna Session Activities: By stretching your arms, legs, neck, back area, etc. during your far infrared sauna session you can achieve increased body flexibility, range of motion, and reduce chronic stiffness and problem areas. Massage congested and “knotty” muscle areas to help alleviate soreness, pain and tightness. Massage the area around old injuries to help bring more oxygen to the damaged area. This will assist in bringing improved healing to old injuries.

      Cool Down. When you finish your sauna session, it is important to relax and cool down while your body continues to perspire. Find a quiet locations and sit quietly or recline with a towel or robe around you for about 10 minutes, or until you cease perspiring all together.

      Shower Power: Once you have cooled down its time to take a warm shower, exfoliate your skin to thoroughly clean and remove sweat residue, old skin cells and any toxins that have risen to the surface of your skin. Once your body is thoroughly clean, cool the shower to help cool down your body completely and close the skin pores.

      Healing Reactions are temporary symptoms associated with eliminating toxic substances, healing chronic infections or metabolic changes in the body. They are an important function of all deep healing methods. These short lived “flare-ups” are generally mild and are positive sign that deep healing is occurring. Symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, odors, and fatigue. If you are experiencing a healing reaction, drink water and lie down and rest until the symptoms abate.

      No Sweat: You may not sweat a lot during your first 2-3 sauna sessions. This is normal for many people, as they haven’t had a recent history of sweating, and it takes a few sessions to “retrain” the body/ lymph system to do what comes naturally. Over time, you will begin to sweat more quickly and at a lower temperature setting as your body adjusts to your regular sauna routine. Dr. J.H. Halperin, Professor of Internal Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center.

      Listen to your Body: Take care not to overheat during your first few sessions. If you feel lightheaded, have a queasy stomach, or start to get a headache, terminate session immediately. As the body continues to adjust, sweating can increase dramatically and body temperature regulation becomes more effective. An increase in heartbeat of up to 30% above the resting pulse is generally considered safe, unless a medical or heart condition requires keeping your pulse rate lower. Body temperature should not be allowed to rise above 102 degrees F.

      Sauna Maintenance. Vacuum your sauna once per week to keep it free of dust, dead skin particles and hair. Use a mild baking soda or diluted vinegar solution with a damp sponge/cloth to clean the bench and backrests. Vinegar will cleanse and disinfect wood where sweat has collected. Try not to soak the wood with water as this can darken the color. Never use chemical or cleansers. Again, if you will use plenty of towels on the bench seat where you sit and lie down during your session, you will reduce the amount of cleaning maintenance that is required.

      Oxygen Ionizer. This useful device is ideal for keeping your sauna germ and bacteria free. The free oxygen radicals produced by the Oxygen Ionizer are a superb cleaning and disinfecting agent. In more humid climates, the Ionizer also prevents mold, fungus and mildew from forming. Turn on the Oxygen Ionizer for 30 minutes after eachsauna session to keep your sauna sanitary and odor free. The Oxygen Ionizer is a most effective tool forkeeping your infrared sauna sanitary and fresh smelling for years!

  4. WE BOUGHT OUR SAUNA HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO WORKS GREAT THANK SO MUCH

    1. Hi Tom,

      Thank you so much for your kind review. I am so glad to hear that you are still enjoying your sauna. It was my pleasure to work with you. I appreciate the time and effort you put into reviewing our product and service.

      If I can ever be of help to you, please do let me know. I am here to support your long-term health goals.

      In Good Health,
      Katie

  5. What is the difference between the commercial grade saunas and the others? I am interested in buying but want all the details to make sure I’m making the right decision. Thank you

    1. Hi Kendra,

      Thank you for your interest in Celebration Saunas. The main difference between the home saunas and the Commercial grade sauna are the heater type. The home saunas use our Standard Low EMF heaters and the Commercial grade saunas use the Near Zero EMF heater technology. All saunas have all the same features including backrests, oxygen ionizer, color therapy lighting, music with 32 dynamic speakers, free shipping and lifetime warranty. Is there a particular size sauna you are looking at or a health benefit you are looking to achieve? If questions do arise, feel free to reach out to me directly at 720-583-2721. Please let me know how I may be of assistance.

      In Good Health,

      Katie Hopkins-DeCicco
      Toll-Free: 855-728-6248
      Fax: 800-909-2044
      Direct: 720-583-2721
      [email protected]

  6. Hi I live in chch NZ I can seem to find where to buy the replacement infared bulbs can you please help where I bug these I’m missing using my sauna
    Thankyou

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