Infrared vs Traditional Sauna: Which Is Right for a Canadian Home?

Short answer: if you want a sauna in the basement or spare room and value easy installation, infrared usually wins. If you want a backyard sauna you can use at -30 with real heat and steam, go traditional. Here's how they compare for Canadian homes.

How each one heats you

A traditional (Finnish) sauna heats the air with an electric or wood-fired stove over rocks. Pour water on the rocks and you get steam, called löyly. An infrared sauna uses panels that warm your body directly, so the air stays cooler and the experience feels gentler.

Side-by-side comparison

• Air temperature: infrared typically runs around 45–65°C; traditional runs around 70–95°C.

• Warm-up time: infrared is usable in roughly 10–20 minutes; a traditional electric heater usually needs 30–45 minutes, longer outdoors in winter.

• Wiring: many 1–2 person infrared units plug into a standard 120V outlet; most traditional electric heaters need a dedicated 240V circuit installed by an electrician. Always check the model's spec sheet.

• Steam: traditional only. Infrared panels can't take water.

• Outdoor winter use: traditional heaters handle deep cold far better. Many infrared cabins are rated for indoor use only, and outdoor infrared models struggle to feel hot at -25°C and below.

• Fuel options: traditional can be electric or wood-fired, which suits cabins and acreages without power. Infrared is electric only.

What it costs to run

Running cost is simple math: heater kilowatts × hours used × your electricity rate. A 6 kW traditional heater running one hour uses about 6 kWh. A 1.6 kW infrared cabin running 45 minutes uses about 1.2 kWh. Traditional heaters cycle on and off once the room is hot, so real use is often lower than the nameplate math.

Example for Alberta: the regulated Rate of Last Resort energy charge is about 12¢ per kWh for 2025–2026, and delivery and admin charges push the real all-in cost higher. Using a rough all-in estimate of 25¢ per kWh, a traditional sauna session costs about $1.50, or roughly $26 a month at four sessions a week. A small infrared cabin works out to about 30¢ a session, or roughly $5 a month. Check your own bill for your all-in rate.

Which should you buy?

• Choose infrared if it's going indoors, you want minimal installation, or you prefer a milder heat.

• Choose traditional if it's going outside, you want steam and high heat, or you want a wood-fired option for the cabin.

Heaters, wiring and installs vary by model. Confirm electrical requirements with a licensed electrician and your local permit office before you buy.