Which Sauna Is Right For Me? A Complete Buyer's Guide
There are more types of sauna than most people realise — and the differences matter.
Infrared, Finnish, combination, barrel, indoor, outdoor, bespoke — each one creates a completely different experience, suits a different lifestyle, and works better in certain spaces. Choosing the wrong type for how you actually want to use it is the most common mistake sauna buyers make.
This guide explains every type clearly, so you can make the right decision from the start. If you'd rather talk it through, our team is always available on WhatsApp — no pressure, just honest advice.
The Most Important Decision: Type of Heat
Before thinking about size, wood type, or price, the first question is how you want to feel. Different heating systems create completely different physical experiences — and neither is objectively better. It comes down to what suits you.
Infrared Sauna
An infrared sauna heats the body directly using infrared light wavelengths, rather than first heating the air around you. The result is a gentler, lower-temperature session that many people find more comfortable for longer use.
What it feels like
Warm, enveloping, and penetrating — but not overwhelming. The cabin temperature is typically 45–65°C, which feels noticeably milder than a Finnish sauna. You'll sweat deeply, but without the initial wave of intense heat that some people find hard to tolerate.
Who it suits
- Daily users who want a 30–45 minute session without significant build-up time
- Those new to sauna use
- Anyone sensitive to high ambient heat
- Post-exercise recovery — the lower temperature makes it easy to use immediately after training
Practical advantages
- Ready to use in approximately 20–30 minutes
- Lower energy consumption than a traditional Finnish sauna
- Suitable for indoor installation without specialist ventilation in most cases
- All Medi-Spa infrared saunas carry a full lifetime guarantee on structural defects
Browse the infrared sauna range →
Traditional Finnish Sauna
The Finnish sauna is the original. A kiuas (stone heater) is brought to temperature, the stones hold and radiate heat throughout the cabin, and water ladled over the stones produces löyly — a brief, enveloping wave of steam that raises humidity and intensifies the experience.
What it feels like
Intense, immersive, and deeply ritual. Cabin temperatures typically reach 70–90°C. The experience alternates between dry heat and humid waves depending on how much water you ladle. Many people describe it as the closest thing to a complete physical reset.
Who it suits
- Those who want the authentic Finnish sauna experience
- Sauna enthusiasts who enjoy the ritual of heating and water ladling
- Households who sauna together — the social dimension of a Finnish sauna is part of the experience
- Contrast therapy: Finnish heat followed by cold water or an ice bath is one of the most effective recovery protocols available
Practical considerations
- Longer warm-up time — typically 45–60 minutes to reach full temperature
- Higher running costs than infrared due to the energy required to heat the stones
- All Medi-Spa outdoor Finnish saunas include a 6kW heater as standard
Browse the Finnish sauna range →
Combination Sauna
A combination sauna integrates both infrared and Finnish stone heating in a single cabin, giving you the flexibility to switch between modes — or run both simultaneously for a hybrid experience. This is an increasingly popular choice for households where different users want different things from the same space.
If one person in the household prefers the intense ritual of Finnish heat and another prefers the gentler infrared session, a combination model resolves that without compromise.
Barrel Sauna
Barrel saunas are outdoor saunas with a distinctive circular cross-section profile. Traditionally Finnish-heated, the curved shape heats more evenly and efficiently than a square cabin — hot air rises naturally to the top and circulates down the curved walls rather than pooling at the ceiling.
The aesthetic has also made barrel saunas one of the most popular choices for garden installations — the shape sits beautifully in an outdoor setting in a way a rectangular cabin sometimes doesn't.
Our barrel sauna range includes models with panoramic half-glass ends for views of the garden — combining the sauna experience with a genuine connection to the outside.
Indoor vs Outdoor — Where Will It Go?
This is often decided by space rather than preference, but it's worth thinking about which suits your lifestyle as well as your property.
Outdoor Sauna
A garden cabin sauna gives you a dedicated wellness space separate from the house. The walk from the house to the sauna in cold air becomes part of the ritual. You have more flexibility on size, and larger footprints are easier to achieve outdoors. Our outdoor range spans compact cabin designs to full architectural garden buildings.
Indoor Sauna
Indoor installation — in a spare room, pool room, bathroom extension or basement — keeps the sauna accessible regardless of weather and integrates it fully into the home. Infrared saunas are particularly well-suited to indoor installation as they operate at lower temperatures and typically don't require specialist ventilation.
We install bespoke saunas in any indoor setting — see our bespoke range for indoor-specific options.
Bespoke Saunas
If no off-the-shelf model fits your exact space, your aesthetic or your requirements, a fully bespoke build may be the right route. We design and install bespoke saunas from approximately £10,000 — to any dimension, in any setting, with any combination of heating types and materials.
Every bespoke sauna is designed specifically for the customer — no templates, no compromises. Find out more about bespoke saunas →
Choosing Your Wood
The timber used for the interior of a sauna affects how it looks, how it feels, and how it behaves in heat and moisture. The main options in our range:
- Hemlock — light in colour, smooth in texture, stable in heat. A popular choice for infrared saunas.
- Canadian Red Cedar — the classic sauna timber. Rich reddish tone, aromatic, naturally resistant to moisture and warping. Premium choice for both infrared and Finnish.
- Ayous — a pale African timber, lighter weight than cedar, smooth grain. Good thermal properties and a clean contemporary look.
- Thermo-treated timber — heat-treated to significantly improve moisture resistance and dimensional stability. Darker tone, excellent durability for outdoor use.
Budget Guide
Our sauna range spans from entry-level infrared cabins to full outdoor architectural builds. Here's a practical breakdown:
Under £5,000
Compact infrared saunas for 1–2 people. Good for indoor installation, daily solo use and first-time buyers wanting to experience infrared therapy at home without a large upfront commitment.
£5,000–£10,000
Mid-range infrared and outdoor Finnish cabins. More space, better materials, and models suited to 2–4 users. This is where most of our popular off-the-shelf outdoor models sit.
£10,000–£20,000
Premium outdoor cabin saunas — large footprint, architectural quality, panoramic glazing options. The MS5000 outdoor sauna (370cm — long enough to lie down fully) sits in this range.
£20,000+
Bespoke builds and flagship models. Full custom specification, premium materials, and a sauna designed specifically for your space and your way of using it.
Finance is available at 0% for up to 36 months (33% deposit).
Installation and Aftercare
Every sauna we sell is professionally delivered and installed by our own in-house team — no subcontractors. The installation includes full site survey, delivery, positioning, heater installation and commissioning, and a complete system walkthrough before we leave.
Ongoing aftercare is available through our support and care team — same-day WhatsApp response, service visits within seven days, and long-term maintenance plans.
Ready to Choose Your Sauna?
Most customers find clarity within one conversation. We'll ask the right questions — space, usage, heating preference, budget — and help you narrow it down to the models that genuinely fit.
Take your time. We'll be here when you're ready.
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