Best Portable Saunas of 2020
If you want to enjoy the benefits of a sauna, you can do so in your home in many different ways, including buying an inexpensive portable sauna. Portable saunas offer convenience because they are, as the name implies, easy to move around anywhere in your home, and they’re usually foldable as well. There are portable infrared sauna options available, as well as portable steam saunas. The following is a guide to the best portable steam saunas and what you should know before you make a purchase.
Table of Contents
Features
- Comes with everything you need to use your sauna right away with no assembly or setup needed
- Collapsible design for easy storage
- Helps reduce stress, burn calories and remove toxins
- Moisture-resistant fabric
- Footpad heating mat to help remove even more toxins and soothe tired feet
- Timer can be set up to 60 minutes
- Temperature is adjustable and ranges from 57 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit
The SereneLife Portable Infrared spa is one of our picks for the best portable saunas of 2020. It has great reviews, is comfortable and includes a heating footpad and a portable chair. It’s also one of Amazon’s best sellers in the category of saunas.
The Basics: The SereneLife Portable Infrared Sauna is perfect for someone who wants all of the benefits of an infrared sauna at a low price and with a sense of convenience. This portable infrared sauna is available in black, gray or silver and it heats up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Since this sauna is infrared, you can enjoy all of the benefits of a sauna but at a lower, more comfortable temperature, meaning you can potentially stay in this longer than you could with a traditional steam sauna.
Infrared sauna heat penetrates deeply into the cells of your body for the most detoxifying sweat possible.
Since your hands are free when you’re in this sauna, you can do what you want while you use it like reading or you can be on your phone.
The collapsible design makes it easy to not only tuck this portable sauna away when you aren’t using it but also to take it with you if you’re traveling.
Who It’s Best For: This infrared sauna is great for anyone who wants to enjoy the relaxation and health benefits of a sauna without spending a thousand dollars or more. It’s a versatile, easy-to-use portable sauna that according to reviews has a lot of happy customers. If you’re limited on space, for example, because you live in an apartment, this sauna could also be a good fit for you.
What Do the Reviews Say: One of the reasons we included this as one of the best portable infrared saunas of 2020 is because of the amazing reviews. Users say they consistently use this sauna with no problems.
Others say it’s their best purchase ever, and the biggest issue they have with this sauna is that they want to use it all the time.
Even people who don’t typically sweat much say they get a satisfying sweat when using this sauna.
Even larger people say they fit comfortably in the sauna and that it’s comfortable and works better than they even expected.
Features
- Pre-attached solid beech hardwood frame support system
- Includes heavy-duty chair that will support weight up to 220 pounds
- Handheld control with six automatic timer options
- Clean air ionizer to keep the inside of the sauna clean and sanitary
The Basics: The Radiant Saunas Harmony Deluxe Portable Sauna features a high-quality interior and exterior with zippers and a clean air ionizer. It has a spacious cabin size and the structure is made from beech hardwood. The seat includes padded armrests and there are four infrared panels. You can have this sauna up and ready to go in five minutes, and there are five temperature presets that range from 113 degrees to 150 degrees.
Who It’s Best For: This portable sauna is great for anyone who wants a very deep sweat, but also simplicity.
What Do the Reviews Say: The reviews say great things about this portable sauna. First, reviewers describe the heat as dry and comfortable, saying it’s just like what you get with a wood infrared sauna. Reviews say in this sauna they can break a uniform sweat all over their entire body, including their lower legs. Reviews also describe this as a durable product that provides them “amazing detoxification.” Other reviews go on to describe this compact, effective sauna as their favorite Amazon purchase and something that’s significantly contributed to their overall health.
Features
- Since it’s a steam sauna, there’s no EMF exposure at all
- Steam can help improve blood circulation and eliminate toxins
- Takes around five minutes to heat
- Insulation waterproof fabric that helps prevent heat loss
- Leakage protection
- Temperature settings ranging from 1 to 9
- Steam pot capacity of two liters
The Basics: If your preference is a portable steam sauna, this is a great option. It’s small enough to fit anywhere and it folds up so that you can easily store it when you’re not using it. It has nine temperature settings, and an automatic timer ranging from 10 minutes up to 60 minutes. It takes only a few minutes to heat up and features waterproof fabric to reduce heat loss.
Who it’s Best For: This portable steam sauna is good for anyone who wants a deep, steam-induced sweat at a fraction of the cost of other types of steam saunas, or someone who wants a steam detox session in their own home without having to visit a gym or spa.
What Do the Reviews Say: This portable steam sauna has great reviews. Reviewers say it’s helped them with conditions like chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. They go on to say the remote control is easy to use, it’s a safe piece of equipment and the user manual is very helpful.
Features
- Steam sauna to ease fatigue and stress and promote blood circulation
- Foldable
- Remote control with power and time settings
- Nine-level temperature control
- Cotton cover and iron frame
- 4 steps to get it up and running
The Basics: Enjoy warming, relaxing steam with this portable steam sauna. It features a foldable design, a professional steam pot with remote control and nine-level temperature control. The remote control features a digital display and there is a timer setting with intervals that range from 10 to 60 minutes.
Who it’s Best For: This portable steam sauna is best for anyone who wants to feel like they’re at a spa or gym, using a steam sauna, but from the comfort of their own home. This portable steam sauna is also a great option if you have limited space since you can fold it up quickly and store it when you’re not using it.
What Do the Reviews Say: According to the reviews, this is a fantastic portable steam sauna. Reviews say that it’s safe, easy to fold and unfold and that it heats up quickly—usually within a matter of minutes. They said customer service is wonderful and if there’s anything you find confusing, the customer service team will send you video tutorials. Reviews say this portable steam sauna makes them “sweat like crazy” and helps relieve their stress, so they now included it as a regular part of their fitness and wellness routine. Other reviews say this portable steam sauna is even better than they expected and the heat is just right.
Features
- Personal portable steam sauna
- Collapsable design
- Use for weight loss, stress, fatigue, and general relaxation
- Maximum temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit
- Provides all-over sauna heat unlike other portable saunas
- Features a 4L steamer with an energy-efficient design
- Comes with foldable sauna chair
The Basics: This sauna gives you the benefits of a full-size steam sauna, yet at a fraction of the cost and you still get the collapsible design that makes a portable sauna so convenient. You can sit in this portable sauna while you enjoy the steam, so even your face is getting the benefits of this detoxifying experience. This portable steam sauna can reach a max temperature of 122 degrees and does so efficiently. It features a wired controller with a timer and auto heat settings.
Who It’s Best For: This portable steam sauna is best for anyone who wants a deep, steam-based sweat and also wants the steam to reach their entire body, including their face and head, but might not have the budget or space for a full-size steam sauna. As a side note, there is also an infrared version of this steam sauna, if you prefer that.
What Do the Reviews Say: This is currently a relatively new product on Amazon, so there aren’t any reviews, but according to Amazon this is their number one new release in the category of saunas, so we wanted to go ahead and include it on our list of the best portable saunas of 2020.
What Is a Portable Sauna?
If you want to enjoy the benefits of a sauna but you’re short on space, a portable sauna is an excellent option.
When you use a portable sauna, most of which are infrared, you’re surrounded by heat that penetrates deeply into your body. Portable saunas work in almost the entirely same way as other types of saunas, and while they may not look as visually stunning as a full-size wood sauna, you’ll get the health benefits at a lower cost. You can also try a portable sauna first, see how you like it and when you’re ready to move up to a full-size infrared sauna or steam sauna.
Most portable saunas are designed somewhat like a collapsible tent. You can fold it if you want and store it or move it from room-to-room.
There are both infrared-heated saunas and steam-heated saunas.
To use the majority of portable saunas, you would set it up and then sit on a chair inside of the tent-like structure. Many options will include a chair.
Then you zip up the sauna around you and use a remote to control the temperature. The system will then start to heat up.
What Is an Infrared Portable Sauna?
An infrared portable sauna is our personal favorite, just because we tend to think infrared saunas, in general, have plenty of benefits.
With an infrared sauna, whether it’s portable or not, you’re getting dry heat. This allows you to more easily tolerate higher levels of heat, so you can get the benefits of the heat without feeling unwell like you might with a steam sauna.
If you’re wondering how to use a portable sauna if you use one that’s infrared you simply rely on the remote control to control the temperature. There are infrared panels that emit heat within the unit.
Infrared saunas provide radiant heat, so this means it’s a direct heat that goes to your body instead of heating the space around your body.
Infrared heat is considered not only comfortable but also safe, and the temperatures tend to be much lower than what you would have with a traditional sauna.
Some of the parts that you can find included with a portable sauna include:
- The tent, also known as a chamber. This is the primary area of a portable sauna and within the tent are the heating panels, if you have an infrared model. If you don’t have an infrared sauna, what’s inside the tent are pipes that bring the steam in. There will also usually be a zipper on the tented chamber, and you would step in, sit down and zip it up. Many of the best portable saunas for sale include holes on the front and you can put your hands out so you can keep them free to do other things while you relax in your sauna.
- Some of these saunas include a heated footpad. This is great because otherwise the infrared heat and its detoxifying benefits might not reach your feet. It’s located at the bottom of the tented chamber.
- There will likely be a timer attached to a remote with your sauna, and you can decide how long you’ll stay in and set the timer to turn off automatically. Many of these portable designs will also let you change the temperature.
- When you’re shopping for a portable sauna, it can be beneficial to look for one that includes a fold-up chair, although you may need to add your own anyway if the fold-up chair that comes with your sauna is too flimsy.
What is a Portable Steam Sauna?
If you’re looking for a portable steam sauna, it will usually work a little differently. Steam saunas, whether portable or not, use humidity and steam to heat the air around you. If you deal with allergies or congestion, you might actually prefer this.
If you opt for a portable steam sauna, you’ll find that it includes a tent similar to a portable infrared sauna, but it will also have a container that holds water. That water is then heated and it’s pushed into the tent, heating the tent directly with steam.
Steam heating is considered a type of convection heating.
What are the benefits of a portable sauna?
There are benefits of saunas in general to consider, and then there are also benefits of portable designs.
The following are some of the main benefits of saunas in general.
- Cardiovascular diseases are among the main killers of men and women in the United States. Saunas may help lower blood pressure and reduce other cardio risk factors, and improve cardiovascular health in general. One way saunas help cardiovascular health is by reducing stress. Studies have also shown sauna use reduces high blood pressure, and the use of a sauna can raise your heart rate in a way similar to aerobic exercise. Increasing your heart rate can help improve the health of your arteries and blood vessels.
- If you deal with pain, whether it’s from intense exercise or physical activity, or it’s part of a chronic health condition like rheumatoid arthritis, sauna heat can help. Saunas can help your body reduce endorphins which are natural feel-good chemicals that also fight pain. When you’re in the sauna it also causes your blood vessels to dilate, which boosts your blood circulation and helps stimulate the natural healing process of your body.
- Regular sauna use may help increase growth hormone which reduces muscle atrophy and can help with muscle recovery and growth.
- Many of us are exposed to toxins each and every day and those toxins can contribute to inflammation and chronic diseases. The use of a sauna, whether portable or otherwise, can help you sweat deeply and this can facilitate better removal of toxins. Deep sweating may reduce the presence of heavy metals in your body too.
- A study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland found regular sauna use of anywhere from four to seven times a week helped reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by 65%. The study looked at more than 2,300 participants over a 20-year period.
- So many of us have a difficult time falling asleep, staying asleep and getting the restful sleep our bodies crave. Sauna use can help. With regular sauna use, you can experience a slow, relaxing decline in endorphins after they spike while you’re in the sauna, and that can help with your levels of relaxation and healthy sleep patterns.
- Saunas can boost the immune system. There’s a reason that when we’re sick we often develop a fever. Fever helps fight the illness, and the idea is similar with a sauna. When you’re in a sauna it can help your body produce more white blood cells which then kill viruses and invaders.
- Reveal healthier more beautiful skin with sauna use. When you sweat a lot it helps clear toxins out of your skin and remove old, dead skin cells.
- A 2018 review found regular dry sauna use may help with what are described as rheumatic disease. Rheumatic diseases include fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.
Along with these immense health benefits, what about the benefits of choosing a portable sauna over another type?
- A portable sauna is expensive. A regular infrared sauna can cost upwards of $1000, and a portable sauna usually just costs around $200.
- They’re easy to use. You don’t have to figure out much to use a portable sauna.
- They’re compact and you can transport them.
How do you use a portable sauna?
When you’re using a sauna, portable or not, consider the following tips to make the most of your experience and stay safe.
- Start with just a few minutes at first and then work your way up to spending longer periods in your sauna.
- Choose your temperature carefully—you also want to work up here. Most infrared saunas have temperatures that range from 100 degrees to either 140 or 150 degrees. You should start out at around 100 degrees as you’re getting used to it.
- Drink a full glass of water before you get in the sauna and have another while you’re in it and after you get out. You might also want to consider having a drink with electrolytes, such as coconut water or a Gatorade.
- Use a towel to wipe the sweat while you’re in the sauna. You want to wipe those toxins off your body.
- Going in the sauna naked or as close to it as possible is best. You want your sweat to be able to evaporate off your skin. If your sweat can’t do that, you could overheat.
Are there any risks of using a portable sauna?
The risks of using a portable sauna or any kind of sauna are minimal.
First and foremost always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you have low blood pressure, talk to your doctor before using a sauna because it can cause it to go lower.
Dehydration is the biggest risk of using a sauna, so make sure you’re replacing your fluids.
Don’t dry alcohol before or during your sauna because it can increase the risk of dehydration and low blood pressure.
Portable Sauna Frequently Asked Questions
The following are some of the most common questions about portable saunas, along with answers.
What Is a Portable Sauna?
A portable sauna can either use steam or infrared heat panels. It’s usually designed like a tent, with a metal structure and then a fabric surround. If you use a portable sauna with infrared heating, you plug it in and typically there’s a remote control to change the temperature setting. With a portable steam sauna you heat up the water in a tank, and that steam that it generates then fills the tent.
How Do I Know Where to Buy a Portable Sauna?
There are different places you can buy a portable sauna, but our pick is Amazon for a few different reasons. First, when you buy a portable sauna on Amazon, you have the chance to read the features as well as customer reviews. Buying a portable sauna on Amazon also gives you the chance to take advantage of Prime shipping in some cases, and they have great customer service and a lenient return policy if you need it.
How Do You Use a Portable Sauna?
Using a portable sauna is incredibly easy. Most feature a collapsible design, so you simply unfold it when you want to use it. If the portable sauna is infrared, then you’ll plug it in and set it to your desired temperature and enjoy the radiant heat. If you have a portable steam sauna, you’ll need to fill the water heater, wait a few minutes for it to heat up and then the steam will begin to fill the sauna tent.
What Is a Portable Steam Sauna Good For?
Portable steam saunas, as well as infrared portable steam saunas, are great for relaxation. There may be other benefits as well such as weight loss, boosting your metabolism, improving your cardiovascular health and lowering your blood pressure.
Which is Better a Regular Infrared Sauna or a Portable Infrared Sauna
There’s not necessarily an answer as to what is right or wrong if you’re deciding between a portable infrared sauna or a regular infrared sauna, but it’s more about your budget and your preferences. A portable sauna is significantly less expensive than a full-size infrared sauna, and can also be folded and put away when you’re not using it. A full-size infrared sauna can feel more luxurious, however, gives your full body access to the penetrating infrared heat and can usually reach higher temperatures