Roundups
What we would actually buy
Prices on these pages come from the retailers' own feeds rather than from something we typed months ago, and where a price is the cheapest option rather than the one described, we say so. Read the guide before the roundup if you are not sure what you want yet.
Saunas
Portable saunas
The best portable saunas compared: infrared blankets, pop-up tents and steam pods. Real specs, max temperature and running cost.
Home saunas
The best home sauna for your budget, space and power: indoor or outdoor, traditional or infrared, compared on real cost.
Indoor saunas
Can your house actually take an indoor sauna? Pre-purchase checklist: floor load, moisture, power. Three routes from prefab to custom build.
Outdoor saunas
Outdoor cabin saunas compared on build, heater and running cost, plus what each brand's warranty and 30-day trial really cover, from their own policies.
Barrel saunas
Barrel saunas compared on specs, heater and running cost, plus the warranty each brand really gives you: one covers parts only, one takes no returns at all.
Infrared saunas
Infrared saunas ranked on spectrum, running cost and verified EMF. Three brands advertise a lifetime warranty and all three mean something different.
One-person saunas
The best 1 person sauna picks: traditional cabin, infrared cabin, blanket, compared on footprint, power and price. Independent.
Two-person saunas
The best 2-person saunas ranked on external footprint and power needs (120V vs 240V). Infrared and traditional, indoor and outdoor.
Sauna heaters
How to size an electric sauna heater by room volume, the 240V wiring reality, and four Sweat Kingdom heater packages, entry to premium.
Cold plunges and chillers
Budget cold plunges
Best budget cold plunge picks: ice pods from $79 to chiller bundles under $1,000, all in stock, plus when to spend more.
Portable ice baths
Best portable ice baths and inflatable cold plunge tubs, no chiller, no electricity. Inflatable vs rigid, plus the bathtub-first option.
Cold plunge tubs
Cold plunge tubs compared on cooling speed and running cost, plus what each brand covers: warranty, returns and restocking fees, from their own policies.
Cold plunge chillers
The best cold plunge chillers compared on horsepower, BTU/hr, the tub size each can cool, and monthly running cost. Match chiller to tub.
All-in-one cold plunges
The best all in one cold plunge units, tub, chiller and filtration in one purchase, from $569 to $8,990. Independent.