Article: Infrared Sauna for Home: How to Choose the Right One (2026)
Infrared Sauna for Home: How to Choose the Right One (2026)
An infrared sauna is often the easiest way to bring a sauna into your home: no rocks to heat, no chimney, and for the smaller cabins, not even an electrician. But the cabins look alike in photos, and the differences that matter are in the details: the size, the power supply, the space and the warranty.
This guide walks through those details, with the real specifications of the infrared saunas we sell.
How a home infrared sauna works
An infrared sauna warms you with heating panels set in the walls of the cabin, rather than by heating all the air first. The air in our infrared cabins goes up to about 170°F, lower than in a traditional sauna. If you are still deciding between the two kinds, read Infrared vs Traditional Sauna first; this guide is for when you have chosen infrared.
Full-spectrum: what it means here
"Full-spectrum" describes the range of infrared the cabin produces. In our FD-1, FD-2 and FD-3 cabins, the manufacturer combines long-wave carbon panels with short-wave Spectrum Plus panels, which are UL listed, and adds near-infrared LED lights in the ceiling; it says this combination gives higher temperatures and fuller coverage. The infrared and steam cabins use the short-wave panels and the same ceiling lights.
Choose the size
Count who will use it on a normal week, then check the cabin, not just the number of seats.
| Cabin | Seats | Outside footprint | Height | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FD-1 | 1 | 38" x 38" | 78" | 120V standard outlet |
| FD-2 | 2 | 48" x 44" | 78" | 120V standard outlet |
| FD-3 | 3 to 4 | 72" x 46" | 78" | 240V circuit |
| FD-4 Trinity, infrared and steam | 2 | 48" x 48" | 83" | 120V standard outlet |
| FD-5 Trinity XL, infrared and steam | 4 | 75" x 64" | 83" | 240V circuit |
The two-person cabin is the most common choice. The FD-2 seats two side by side on a 70 cubic foot cabin and still plugs into a standard outlet. The FD-1 is for one person who wants the smallest footprint, and the FD-3 seats three across a full bench, with room for four.
Check the power supply
This is the detail that decides how simple the installation will be.
Standard outlet. The FD-1, FD-2 and FD-4 run on a standard 120V, 15A household outlet. There is no wiring to add; you plug the cabin in.
240V circuit. The FD-3 and FD-5 run on 240V, through a NEMA 6-15 outlet. If you do not have one where the sauna will go, a licensed electrician installs it; ask for a quote before you order.
The manufacturer's manual also warns against overloading wall outlets and extension cords.
Find the right spot
The manufacturer's installation manual is clear about where an infrared cabin can go:
- A solid surface in a dry area. Moisture can damage the wood inside and out.
- Freestanding, never built in. The cabin is a self-contained unit, not something to build into a wall.
- At least 3 inches of clearance from the wall at the top and on all sides, to reach the power cord.
- Possible rooms listed by the manufacturer: a basement, an attic, a garage, a playroom, a spare bedroom, a new extension or a garden chalet.
Outdoors? Only under the manufacturer's outdoor cover, and not on a surface that easily gets wet. Placing the cabin outside without the cover voids its warranty. If you want a sauna in the garden, an outdoor traditional sauna is built for it: see our backyard sauna guide.
Check the height too: our infrared cabins are 78 to 83 inches tall, plus a little space above for the clearance.
What to look for before you buy
Safety listings. Look for listed components. Our cabins carry ETL certification, and their short-wave heaters are UL listed. The manufacturer also publishes an EMF test log for its cabins, on each product page.
The wood. Our cabins have a heat-treated aspen exterior and a Western Canadian cedar interior, with 8 mm tempered glass doors.
The controls. They have a built-in LCD Wi-Fi touchscreen with Bluetooth audio, so you can set the temperature and the time from the cabin or your phone.
The warranty. For indoor residential use, the manufacturer covers the cabin for 10 years, the controls and power supply for 10 years, the carbon heaters and the LED lighting for 10 years, and the short-wave Spectrum Plus heaters for life. Remotes are covered for one year. Read the full warranty on the product page: it applies when the sauna is installed as instructed and properly maintained.
The delivery. The cabins ship by freight, from about 390 lbs for the FD-1 to 840 lbs for the FD-5, and arrive as panels. They assemble with two people for the top panel; the manual walks through each step.
Infrared and steam in one cabin
If you cannot choose between a gentle infrared session and the heat and steam of a traditional sauna, the Trinity cabins do both. They have the infrared panels, a traditional electric rock heater with its first box of stones, and a red light panel of 192 LEDs at 650 nm. On infrared, the cabin reaches about 170°F; with the rock heater and water on the stones, about 190°F with steam. The FD-4 seats two on a standard outlet; the FD-5 seats four on a 240V circuit.
Prices
| Cabin | Price |
|---|---|
| FD-1, 1 person | $4,695 |
| FD-2, 2 people | $5,995 |
| FD-3, 3 to 4 people | $6,495 |
| FD-4 Trinity, 2 people, infrared and steam | $7,795 |
| FD-5 Trinity XL, 4 people, infrared and steam | $8,995 |
Prices as of November 2026. The current price is always on each product page.
Each cabin comes complete with its heating panels. Shipping is free on orders of $75 or more within the contiguous United States, and any fee for oversized items is shown at checkout. For the full picture, including the electrical work, see How Much Does a Home Sauna Cost?
Common questions
Can an infrared sauna plug into a regular outlet?
Our one- and two-person cabins, and the two-person infrared and steam cabin, plug into a standard 120V, 15A household outlet. The larger cabins need a 240V circuit installed by a licensed electrician.
How long does it take to heat up?
The manufacturer advises allowing about 15 to 20 minutes for the cabin to reach a comfortable temperature before a session; the time depends on the room temperature and on the model.
How much space do I need?
From 38 by 38 inches for one person to 75 by 64 inches for four, plus at least 3 inches of clearance around and above the cabin.
Can I put an infrared sauna in the garage or the basement?
Yes, both are on the manufacturer's list of possible locations, as long as the cabin stands on a solid surface in a dry area.
What does it cost to run?
Multiply the cabin's power by the hours of use and by your electricity rate. The FD-1 and FD-2 draw 1,750 watts, so an hour at full power uses at most 1.75 kWh; the cabin cycles once it is hot, so a session usually uses less.
Where to go next
Browse all our infrared saunas, or compare with the indoor traditional saunas. And if you are not sure which cabin fits your room, send us its dimensions and the outlet you have nearby; we will tell you which one fits.
