The main difference is how they make you warm. A traditional sauna heats the air in the room, usually to around 80 to 100°C, while an infrared sauna uses radiant panels that warm your body more directly at a lower air temperature, typically somewhere between about 40 and 65°C. Both give you a hot, sweaty session, but they feel different, use power differently and suit different homes.
This guide compares the two on heating method, temperature, humidity, warm-up and power, and is honest about what the research does and does not tell us. For a wider overview of choosing and using a sauna at home, see our home sauna guide.
How a traditional sauna heats
A traditional (often called Finnish) sauna uses a stove, either electric or wood-fired, topped with stones. The stove heats the air, the hot air rises and circulates, and the stones store heat. Ladling water onto the stones creates a burst of steam, known in Finland as löyly, which briefly raises the humidity and makes the room feel hotter.
A 2018 review of sauna research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings describes the recommended temperature for a Finnish sauna bath as 80 to 100°C at head height, with relative humidity usually between 10 and 20%. That is dry heat for most of the session, with short humid spikes whenever water goes on the stones.
How an infrared sauna heats
An infrared sauna has no stove and no stones. Instead, heating panels mounted in the walls emit infrared radiation, the same kind of radiant warmth you feel from the sun on your skin. Much of that energy warms you and the surfaces around you directly, rather than relying on very hot air to do the work. That is why an infrared cabin can feel properly warm at an air temperature that would feel only mild in a traditional sauna.
Infrared heaters are usually described by wavelength. Far-infrared panels, such as the carbon crystal panels used in our cabins, are the most common type in home units.
Side by side
| Feature | Traditional sauna | Infrared sauna |
|---|---|---|
| Heat source | Stove heating air and stones | Radiant panels in the walls |
| Typical air temperature | 80 to 100°C | Roughly 40 to 65°C |
| Humidity | Low, with steam bursts when water is added | Low and steady, no steam |
| Warm-up | Has to heat a full room of air and stones | Usually quicker, as panels warm you directly |
| Power supply | Electric stoves often need a dedicated, hardwired circuit | Many home cabins run from a standard 13A socket |
| Feel | Intense, enveloping heat | Gentler, more even warmth |
Temperature and how it feels
Because the two work differently, comparing thermometer readings can mislead. At 60°C, a traditional sauna feels fairly mild, while an infrared cabin at the same setting can feel quite hot, because the panels are warming your skin directly. Many people find infrared heat easier to tolerate, which can make longer, calmer sessions feel more comfortable. Others prefer the intensity and the ritual of throwing water on hot stones. Our guide to how hot a sauna should be covers sensible settings for both types.
Humidity and steam
If you love steam, a traditional sauna is the only one of the two that gives it to you. Pouring water on the stones is not possible in an infrared cabin, and you should never introduce water to the panels or electronics. Infrared sessions are dry throughout, which some people find easier on the breathing and others find less atmospheric.
Warm-up and convenience
A traditional sauna has to heat a whole room of air plus a mass of stones before it is ready, so it needs planning ahead. Infrared panels start working on you as soon as they are warm, so the wait before a session is usually shorter.
Power and installation
This is where the two differ most for UK homes. A standard 13A socket can supply roughly 3kW. Electric stoves for traditional saunas are commonly rated above that and are usually wired on their own dedicated circuit by an electrician. Rooms containing a sauna heater are treated as a special location under the UK wiring regulations (BS 7671), and the work is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations.
Many infrared cabins, by contrast, are designed to plug into a standard household socket. Our OG Sauna, for example, is a two-person far-infrared cabin rated at 1700W that runs from a standard UK 13A socket, with a temperature range of 18 to 65°C. Lower power also tends to mean lower running costs; see our guide to home sauna running costs in the UK.
What the evidence actually covers
It is worth being clear about this. Most of the long-term health research on saunas comes from traditional Finnish saunas, not infrared ones. The best-known example is a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2015, which followed 2,315 middle-aged Finnish men for around 20 years and found that more frequent sauna use was associated with lower rates of fatal cardiovascular disease. That was an observational study, so it shows an association rather than proving cause and effect, and it did not include women.
The 2018 Mayo Clinic Proceedings review deliberately focused only on traditional Finnish saunas and noted that it is not known whether lower-temperature saunas would produce similar effects. A 2009 review of far-infrared sauna research in Canadian Family Physician found only limited evidence, from small and short studies, for some cardiovascular uses. In short, infrared saunas are a different experience, and the research on them is thinner. We cover what is known about potential benefits in our article on sauna benefits for recovery and longevity.
Which should you choose?
- Choose traditional if you want very high heat, steam and the classic ritual, and you have the space and budget for a dedicated electrical circuit.
- Choose infrared if you want a gentler heat, a quicker start, indoor placement and a cabin that plugs into a normal socket.
A note on safety
Whichever type you choose, heat puts extra demand on your heart and circulation. Speak to your GP first if you have a heart condition, high or low blood pressure, are pregnant, or have any other medical condition. Avoid alcohol before and during a session, drink water before and after, start cooler and shorter, and get out if you feel dizzy or unwell. Our sauna safety guide goes into more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Is an infrared sauna a real sauna?
It is a different way of creating heat. An infrared cabin warms you mainly with radiant panels rather than very hot air, so it runs at lower air temperatures and has no steam. It still produces a warm, sweaty session, but it is not the same experience as a traditional Finnish sauna.
Why does an infrared sauna run at a lower temperature?
Because the panels warm your body and the surfaces around you directly, the air does not need to be as hot for you to feel warm. Many infrared cabins operate somewhere around 40 to 65°C, compared with 80 to 100°C in a traditional sauna.
Are the health benefits the same?
We do not know. Most long-term research has studied traditional Finnish saunas, and reviewers have noted it is unclear whether lower-temperature saunas produce the same effects. Research on infrared saunas specifically is limited and mostly small scale.
Can I plug an infrared sauna into a normal socket?
Many home infrared cabins are designed for a standard UK 13A socket, including all of ours. Traditional electric sauna stoves usually need a dedicated circuit installed by a qualified electrician. Always check the manufacturer's power requirements.