Sauna Heaters & Stoves
Wood-fired, electric or far-infrared — every option, sized for your cabin and paired with the actual product to buy.
Compact Wood Stove
Best for: Garden cabins, off-grid sites, traditionalists who love the ritual
- Authentic crackle and aroma
- Off-grid friendly — no electrics needed
- Soft, deep heat
- 20–40 min warm-up
- HETAS install + twin-wall flue
- Constant tending during session
Examples: Harvia M3, Narvi NM 16, Kuuma Kiuas
Mid Wood Stove
Best for: Standard 2×2m garden saunas, family use
- Generous stone capacity for big löyly
- Reaches temp faster than compact
- Sculptural designs (Huum, IKI)
- Heavier flue requirements
- Needs more wall clearance
- HETAS / smoke control rules
Examples: Harvia 20 Pro, Huum Hive 17, IKI Pillar
Compact Electric
Best for: Indoor saunas, compact garden builds, regular bathers
- Plug, fit, sweat — instant convenience
- 32A circuit, easy domestic supply
- No flue, no fuel, no fire risk
- Loses the woodfire ritual
- Higher running cost than wood
- Tied to grid
Examples: Harvia Vega, Sentiotec Concept R Mini, Huum Drop 6kW
Mid Electric
Best for: Most UK domestic saunas, indoor and outdoor
- Standard 32–40A install
- Combi options add steam (great for indoor)
- Sleek tower designs free up bench space
- Part P certified install required
- May need consumer unit upgrade
Examples: HUUM DROP, Harvia Cilindro, Tylo Sense Combi
Premium Electric
Best for: Larger family saunas, light commercial use
- Massive stone reservoir
- App control, programmable schedules
- Combi löyly + bio-steam options
- Often needs 3-phase supply
- Premium pricing
Examples: Huum Hive Mini, Harvia Forte, Tylo Combi Compact
Far-Infrared Cabin
Best for: Small flats, plug-in convenience, low-temp tolerance
- Plugs into 13A socket — no electrician
- Indoor only, tiny footprint
- 10–15 min warm-up
- No löyly, no steam, no real sauna ritual
- Indoor only — not for the garden
- EMF varies hugely between brands
Examples: Clearlight Sanctuary, Sunlighten mPulse, Saunum
Size your heater in 5 seconds
Rule of thumb: 1 kW for every 1–1.5 m³ of well-insulated cabin. Adjust for lots of glass or cold corners.
Wood vs electric vs infrared
The first decision that shapes everything else — your build, your routine, your running cost.
The traditional Finnish way. Crackling firebox, deep aromatic heat, the meditative ritual of tending the stove. Best for off-grid plots and weekend bathers.
The modern wellness route. Press a button, come back to a heated cabin. Best for frequent bathers, indoor saunas and consistency over ritual.
Plug-and-play radiant heat at 50–60°C. Indoor-only. Best for tiny spaces, low-temp tolerance, and renters who can't install electrics.
Indoor sauna? Read this first.
For indoor builds, electric is almost always the right answer — wood stoves indoors need a full HETAS twin-wall flue and aren't worth the complexity in 95% of homes. Far-infrared is the easiest indoor option of all (13A plug, no ventilation works).