Buying a $3,000–$15,000 wellness purchase in the wrong order is how people end up with a crated sauna in the driveway and no circuit to run it. This is the right order — six steps, each with a free tool, no email required for any of it.
Traditional vs infrared vs DIY kit vs luxury structure isn't a brand question — it's a
question about heat preference, budget, space, and electrical appetite. Brands come later;
answering type first prevents the most common regret (infrared buyers who wanted real steam).
Tool: the 60-second type quiz →
Most traditional saunas need a dedicated 240V circuit at 30A+; many buyers discover this
after purchase. Check what a heater draws, whether your panel has headroom, and what the circuit
typically costs — then get a licensed electrician's quote with the run measured on site.
Tool: the panel checker →
Ten minutes of diligence — reverse-image search, domain age vs warranty length, a phone call,
the manual's real specs, UL/ETL numbers, warranty exclusions — separates 40-year manufacturers
from drop-ship storefronts. Any brand that fails this screen is disqualified at any price.
Guide: the 7-check red-flag screen →
Unit + freight + electrical work + permits + electricity at your kWh rate + upkeep. Two units
$2,000 apart at sticker can be $500 apart — or $4,000 apart — in 5-year cost. This number, not
the sale banner, is the comparison.
Tool: the true-cost calculator →
Our database records manufacturer-verified prices with check dates — including the "regular"
anchor prices behind perpetual sales — plus heater specs, warranties, and the notes that don't
fit a marketing page.
Tool: the comparison table → · Featured:
Pinnacle vs Redwood Cabin ·
the $5–6K plunge decision
27 questions — electrical, siting, company diligence, true cost, and the regret-preventers
(have you actually sat in this type of sauna? done 30 days of cold showers?). Print it; if a
brand fails the diligence block, the price doesn't matter.
Tool: the printable buyer's checklist →
Choose the type with the quiz, check your panel before falling in love with a heater, screen the brand with the red-flag guide, compare 5-year costs not stickers, cross-check the comparison table, and run the checklist before paying. Do those six things and you'll know more about your purchase than most people ranking saunas online — including, on the cost side, more than the review sites that never mention electrical work exists.
Safety: sauna heat and cold-water immersion carry contraindications (cardiovascular conditions, pregnancy) — consult your physician. Electrical work: licensed electricians only. How we rank · Disclosure