Experience the traditional Finnish-style sauna in your backyard, garden, deck, pool, or cabin with a stylish and easy-to-assemble barrel sauna kit.
Owning a personal sauna comes with a host of health and wellness benefits—easy access to physical and mental relaxation, stress relief, detox, and rejuvenation. Thanks to the best barrel saunas, you can get all these sauna benefits on your very own property.
There are plenty of types of saunas in the market, but barrel saunas are gaining more popularity for various reasons. Imagine a blissful retreat in your home that’s incredibly luxe and cozy, easy to assemble, compact, low maintenance, and efficient. It’s not a question of whether to get a barrel sauna for your home. The real issue is which one to get.
In this buying guide, we’ll help you choose the best barrel sauna with our top recommendations for different sauna needs and key considerations before you click buy.
How We Tested the Best Barrel Saunas
We understand that no one barrel sauna will be best for everyone. So for this review, we’ll help you find the best barrel saunas to fit your needs and preferences.
Our expert team has decades of experience testing, reviewing, and travelling across the globe sampling sauna experiences in some of the most amazing gyms and health spas.
We review these barrel saunas based on our experience and real-life testing. Whether you’re looking for a 2-person sauna or a barrel sauna big enough to fit four or more people, we tested these saunas based on a number of factors including:
- Material Quality
- Heating Method
- Design
- Price
- Size
That said, we understand that owning a sauna is a serious investment. Hence, we prioritized products with materials and features that make them worth your money.
Hopefully, at the end of this sauna guide, you’ll be more informed on choosing the best barrel sauna for your home.
1. Our Top Choice—Redwood Outdoors Cedar Barrel Sauna
Redwood Outdoors is a maker of a great collection of saunas of different styles made only with high-grade woods. Their skilled craftsmanship and highest-quality materials are the reason why they are our top pick when it comes to the best barrel saunas. Specifically, their best-selling cedar barrel sauna is top on our list.
Pros:
- High caliber Red Cedar material
- DIY assembly
- Excellent price for the quality
Cons:
- No porch included
Authentic Materials, Solid Construction
Like all Redwood Outdoors saunas, this barrel sauna is made using 100% grade-A Canadian Red Cedar. And when it comes to saunas, cedar is a top choice for its proven resistance against the weather and other harsh outdoor elements. You can expect this cedar barrel sauna to last 15-20 years with proper care and maintenance. Besides that, it’s equipped with a Finland-made, ETL-certified sauna heater that can heat up the room up to 195°F in under an hour, depending on the heater chosen.
Plenty of Upgrade Options
The sauna will arrive complete with a water bucket, ladle, sauna rocks, and your choice of the sauna heater. There are three heater options you can choose from:
- Harvia KIP electric heater: ideal for dry sauna use (15-25% humidity); available as a 6kW, 8kW, and 8kW with Wi-Fi heater.
- Harvia Cilindro electric heater: ideal for a steam sauna experience (over 30% humidity; available as a 6kW, 9kW, and 9kW with Wi-Fi heater.
- Harvia M3 wood stove: available as wood stove only or wood stove with a chimney kit.
There are other upgrade options: roof shingles if you plan to use it outdoors, a flat flooring kit, an adjustable sauna recliner, an outdoor shower, and an Alaskan cold plunge tub if you want the double benefits of sauna and cold plunge together.
Best Bang for the Buck
For a barrel sauna built using high-quality materials and outfitted with a top-class heater, the Redwood Outdoors cedar barrel sauna is surprisingly one of the most affordable options on our list. You get premium features without paying a premium price.
Not to mention, it’s a relatively large-sized sauna. It’s 6 feet long, can easily fit in your backyard, and has enough space for six people to sit comfortably.
Verdict: The Redwood Outdoors 6-person barrel sauna is the best barrel sauna on the market. It’s our top barrel sauna pick because it’s beautifully designed using premium materials that will blend perfectly into any outdoor environment, efficient when it comes to heating, built to last, and all with a fairly affordable price tag.
2. Upgrade Pick—Sun Home Saunas Panoramic Outdoor Sauna
Sun Home Saunas is one of the leading brands for premium home sauna items. They have various sauna styles and types, from traditional saunas to infrared saunas and blankets.
And if a barrel sauna is worth every penny, it’s their panoramic outdoor sauna.
Pros:
- Tinted acrylic dome
- Made to last
- Non-toxic and eco-certified
Cons:
- Expensive
- Made to order, it may take a while for them to ship the unit to you
Impeccable Design
This panoramic barrel sauna is the epitome of premium design. While it features a classic barrel design, the tinted acrylic dome window gives it a unique but functional aesthetic and gives you an immersive view of the outside while relaxing during a sauna session. It’s a barrel sauna designed to turn heads, a premium choice if you want a worthy addition to your beautiful property.
Top-Grade Material
This barrel sauna is not all for show. In fact, it’s the perfect balance of beauty and function, thanks to its top-grade materials. It’s made of 100% Western Red Cedar inside and out and double pane tempered glass. The sauna is stable and sturdy and can withstand the elements, even heavy snow. In addition, the cedar will give you that classic, relaxing aroma during your sauna session.
Powerful Sauna Heater
It’s equipped with a high-end, powerful 4.5kW Saaku electric heater that can reach optimal temperatures up to 189°F in just a couple of minutes. And you can set the heater timer up to 60 minutes.
Verdict: This barrel sauna is a true work of art. And due to its top-quality materials and elaborate design, it’s unsurprisingly the most expensive on our list. But if you’re on the hunt for a high-end barrel sauna to match the show-worthy view in your backyard, this panoramic outdoor sauna is worth the investment.
3. Best Durable Barrel Sauna—Sun Home Saunas Cedar Outdoor Barrel Sauna
We have another pick from Sun Home Saunas, similarly made using top-grade cedar wood but a slightly less expensive option designed for outdoor use.
Pros:
- Wide and deep benches for comfort
- Superior insulation
- With porch and bench
Cons:
- Still more expensive than most
For All-Weather Sauna Use
This barrel sauna is designed for all-year enjoyment, making sure that you don’t miss a session, no matter the weather. The classic barrel design is made of authentic Western Canadian Red Cedar. As an outdoor sauna, the 1 ½-inch thick walls provide premium insulation while keeping the sauna sturdy against exposure to harsh elements, even snow.
Spacious Interior
The smallest size option for this outdoor cedar barrel sauna is 6 feet in diameter and 5 feet long, which is spacious enough to seat four people. If you need a larger barrel sauna, you can opt for a 6-person or an 8-person model. But no matter the size you choose, they all come with a wide and deep sauna bench to ensure maximum comfort.
Accessories Included
Although you may want to be patient while waiting for this barrel sauna with its long lead time, it comes with all you need for a relaxing sauna session. The 4.5kW Saaku electric heater is included in the sauna kit at no additional cost. It also comes with a towel rack, a sandglass timer, a bucket with a ladle, explosion-proof light, and an analog thermostat.
Verdict: Although this barrel sauna is still more expensive than other options of the same size or capacity, it’s quite a nifty choice if you want something impeccably designed and functional.
4. Best for Indoor-Outdoor Use—Aleko Cedar Barrel Sauna
Aleko is a sauna kit builder that offers varying styles and types of sauna without breaking the bank. They have a barrel sauna made of cedar suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Pros:
- Space-efficient design
- Adjustable temperature up to 194°F
- Great price for the quality
Cons:
- No windows
Space-Efficient Design
This barrel sauna kit is designed to maximize the interior space for a comfortable sauna session. The opposing benches run through the length of the room, giving enough seating space for four people. It also features a front porch canopy for relaxing in between sauna sessions.
Bitumen Shingle Roofing
It’s suitable for indoor and outdoor use. The package includes a Bitumen shingle roofing that’s specifically designed to protect the barrel sauna against harsh outdoor elements. It protects the sauna wood from rain and UV radiation, increasing the sauna’s longevity.
Great Price-to-Quality Ratio
It’s a good-quality barrel sauna without an absurd price tag. Also, while other barrel sauna kits charge extra for accessories, this one includes everything you need for a sauna session—a 4.5kW electric heater, bucket, ladle, sauna lamp, sauna stones, and a thermo-hygrometer.
Verdict: It’s a good choice for a barrel sauna if you want the option to use it indoors or outdoors at a decent price tag. We also love the space-efficient design and the top-tier Finnish-made Harvia electric heater it comes with.
5. Best Electric Barrel Sauna—Almost Heaven ‘Huntington’ Barrel Sauna
Almost Heaven is one of the US’s top-selling barrel sauna kit manufacturers. They have a wide selection of barrel saunas, and their Huntington model that fits four to six people comes with an impressive Harvia 8kW electric heater.
Pros:
- Option for a tempered glass window
- DIY assembly
- Fully customizable
Cons:
- Quite expensive
Efficient Electric Heater
Made by a top sauna heater manufacturer, the 8kW electric heater for the Huntington barrel sauna is designed to be efficient, reliable, and long-lasting. It can heat the room fit for six people up to 180°F right away or whenever you’re ready to start your sauna session, thanks to its time delay feature of up to eight hours.
Large Space with a Porch
This barrel sauna offers plenty of room to enjoy a well-rounded traditional sauna experience. The 7-feet out of the 8-feet length of the sauna is reserved for a spacious interior space with two opposite-facing benches and enough space to stretch out. The rest is reserved for exterior benches.
Customizable
Personalize your Huntington barrel sauna. You can choose from three lumber types: Clear cedar for a clean and sleek look, rustic cedar for a beautiful reddish hue and relaxing cedar aroma, or rustic fir for a uniquely patterned, light-colored sauna. There are different door style options, and you can switch the electric heater to a wood-burning heater and add a rear window.
Verdict: Almost Heaven’s Huntington model is a modern-looking barrel sauna that ticks many boxes, including a comfortable bench designed for sitting or reclining.
6. Best for Small Family Use—MCP Canadian Pinewood Outdoor Barrel Sauna
Pros:
- Perfect for a small family or group of friends
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor use
- Made with sturdy Pinewood material
Cons:
- No porch on the front
- Inaccuracy in assembly instructions
Quality Pinewood
The MCP Sauna outdoor barrel sauna is made with grade-A Canadian Pinewood and offers great insulation. While Pinewood is one of the cheapest options for making a sauna, it’s still a sturdy choice and has that pleasant pine scent that many sauna bathers find relaxing.
Powerful Heater
This outdoor barrel sauna is equipped with a 9kW electric heater, strong enough to heat up the room in no time. It’s a great heater size for most residential applications, especially for a family-sized barrel sauna like this one.
Lots of Accessories
The barrel sauna kit includes a water bucket and ladle, thermometer, hygrometer, lava rocks, and two support feet for extra stability.
Verdict: For a 6-feet diameter and 6-feet long barrel sauna, this one is spacious enough for its intended use as a 4-person barrel sauna. And while there are no bells and whistles feature-wise, it has enough charm for a small family who enjoys sauna bathing together.
7. Best Customizable Barrel Sauna—Almost Heaven ‘Pinnacle’ Barrel Sauna
Pros:
- Fast heating time
- Spacious interior
- Simple to build
Cons:
- On the pricey side
Great Quality
The Pinnacle model is a standard barrel sauna from Almost Heaven that boasts great quality materials and construction. It’s made of high-grade softwood, a thick tempered glass door that allows you to enjoy the scenery during a sauna bath, and stainless steel hardware for longevity.
Plenty of Customization
This barrel sauna from Almost Heaven comes with a bunch of customizable options to fit your preferences:
- Choose the lumber type: Rustic Fir for a unique rustic appearance, Rustic Red Cedar for that sweet cedar aroma during a sauna, or the Onyx Stained Hem Fir for a deep, elegant modern look.
- Choose the door style: all-wood, wood with a window, deluxe glass, or fading glass.
- Upgrade the heater. Switch to the more powerful 8kW electrical heater from the standard 6kW heater. You can choose whether you want a wet sauna or dry sauna too.
- Add a vista rear window. The glass window above the heater is perfect if you have breathtaking views.
Efficient Heating
The sauna’s quality construction is paired with a best-in-class Harvia 6kW electric heater that can get you sweating in no time. You can get instant relaxation or delay the start time by up to eight hours. And you can easily adjust the heater’s temperature up to 180°F in less than 60 minutes.
Verdict: If you’re looking for a luxurious addition that truly fits your and your home’s style, we’d recommend getting the Pinnacle barrel sauna. It’s a spacious 4-person sauna with plenty of upgrades and customizable options.
8. Best Compact Barrel Sauna Kit—Almost Heaven ‘Salem’ Barrel Sauna
Pros:
- Compact design
- Fast heating
- Easy-to-use control panel
Cons:
- No canopy
Excellent Build Quality
The sauna is made in Rustic Red Cedar, an ideal lumber against the outdoor weather. It’s constructed using a sturdy ball-and-socket mechanism, which keeps the barrel design stable but still allows the wood to expand or contract when the temperature changes.
Compact but Spacious
The Almost Heaven Salem barrel sauna features a compact design that fits limited available space. It’s a 2-person sauna that’s compact enough for indoor use, which means it can be a great addition to your garage or home gym. That said, the interior is spacious enough for you to get cozy or spread out, thanks to the wide opposite-facing benches.
Superb Heating Performance
The Salem barrel sauna comes equipped with a 4.5kW Harvia electric heater that warms up the room in no time. It can reach 150°F after 30 minutes and an optimum temperature of 195°F in less than an hour.
Verdict: The Salem is a nifty choice if you want a barrel sauna for personal use that won’t take up so much space.
9. Best Budget Barrel Sauna—Almost Heaven ‘Morgan’ Barrel Sauna
Costco saunas may not be on top of your radar when looking for the best barrel saunas, but they have some of the best deals and prices for good-quality saunas like this one from Almost Heaven.
Pros:
- Made using high-grade cedar
- Fits four adults
- Fits most budgets
Cons:
- No front porch
Red Cedar Construction
The beauty of the Morgan barrel sauna lies in the materials it’s manufactured with. The Western Red Cedar, for one, is both visually-appealing and functional. It has a lovely coloring with a signature cedar aroma and is naturally resistant to insects, mold, and mildew.
Finnish Heater
The sauna comes with a Finland-made 6.0kW electric heater that can give you both a dry and steamy sauna experience. It will start as dry heat by default, but you can ladle water into the heater that comes with authentic sauna stones to add humidity. Additionally, this sauna heater is capable of reaching up to 190°F and has an 8-hour time delay.
Full Glass Door
The Morgan barrel sauna is distinctive in every detail, including the full tempered glass door. It gives the room ample natural light and gives you an unobstructed outdoor view.
Verdict: Put the quality construction and efficient sauna heater, and you have a beautiful but functional barrel sauna that’s surprisingly easy on the wallet.
10. Another Budget Option—Aleko Pine Barrel Sauna
Pros:
- With front canopy
- It fits 3-5 people
- Budget-friendly
Cons:
- The porch can only fit two people
Built Using High-Quality Materials
Made using solid White Finland Pine, the barrel sauna is naturally resistant to insects and different outdoor weather conditions. It comes with a 4.5kW Harvia electric heater that already includes sauna stones.
Suitable for Outdoor Placement
You can place this sauna indoors or outdoors. It comes packaged with Bitumen shingle roofing to keep the sauna protected from the elements when placed outdoors.
Accessible Price Point
The Aleko pine barrel sauna is one of the most budget-friendly barrel saunas out there, especially for its size. But the accessible price point doesn’t compromise the quality and efficiency of the sauna.
Verdict: Aleko is a good brand if you’re looking for a quality barrel sauna at a more accessible price point. And for its seating capacity, this affordable pine barrel sauna is ideal for family use.
What Is a Barrel Sauna?
Barrel saunas look exactly how it sounds—a barrel shape made with a single layer of long lengths of wood (staves), chamfered on the edges, fitted together to encircle the front and back walls. The wooden staves are kept in a stable, tight fit with straps wrapped around the circumference, creating a cylindrical shape resembling wine barrels lying on its side.
Benefits of Barrel Saunas
Many people consider buying a home sauna in various designs and shapes. They are great for adding a luxurious touch to your outdoor space while giving you an easy-to-access space to distress and rejuvenate. But why choose a barrel sauna, specifically?
Below are the benefits of barrel saunas to inspire you to get one for your home.
- Heats up faster
Barrel saunas have a relatively small footprint with less unused airspace. Compared to a traditional cabin-style sauna of the same size, there’s 23% less space to heat in a barrel sauna. With less airspace to warm up, you can start enjoying a sauna session much sooner. Typically, a barrel sauna only takes 45 minutes to reach optimum heat levels.
- Efficient heating
The circular design of a wooden barrel sauna results in an even distribution of heat. Usually, in a typical cabin sauna, the heat gets trapped at the top. However, the signature curvature in a barrel sauna creates a natural current that helps keep the hot air in motion throughout the entire space. It helps distribute hot air evenly within the sauna, and better air circulation results in steady, more efficient heat.
Additionally, most barrel saunas are made using high-quality wood, with the best barrel saunas constructed using thermally modified wood, which provides incredible insulation. It means that barrel saunas efficiently retain heat inside the sauna, reducing the energy required to maintain a specific sauna temperature.
- Easy to assemble and portable
With minimal materials used, you don’t need to be handy to assemble a barrel sauna. Many barrel saunas are also portable and easy to assemble or break down if you want to move them to a different location.
- Needs little maintenance
The circular shape of the sauna means there are no corners and edges that may gather water. Its rounder roof naturally sheds water in case of rain. Hence, a barrel sauna requires virtually no ongoing maintenance.
- Typically lasts longer
Barrel saunas are built in a way to handle temperature changes. With a ball-and-joint profile, it allows the wood staves to expand and contract within the steel bands. No nails, screws, or any fastener may cause the wood to split and separate in case of intense temperature fluctuations. So, in a sense, barrel saunas have a considerably longer lifetime.
Who Should Buy a Barrel Sauna vs. Different-Shaped Saunas?
A barrel sauna is a more favorable option vs. different-shaped saunas if:
- You have limited space for a home sauna. Barrel saunas have a generally smaller footprint than traditional cabin-style saunas of the same capacity.
- You want a fairly inexpensive sauna for home use. Unlike traditional sauna rooms, a barrel sauna uses a single layer of wood that serves as both interior and exterior lining. Plus, it doesn’t require additional insulation, lining, or framing, greatly reducing the overall construction cost.
- You live somewhere that gets heavy snow. The rounded roof of a barrel sauna is an ingenuous design that can handle heavy snow loads.
Home Sauna Types
Learn about the different types of home saunas, including infrared, portable, steam, and electric.
How to Choose a Barrel Sauna—Features to Look For
When buying a barrel sauna, there are a few features to consider. Below, we’ve highlighted the important things to look for in a barrel sauna to make an informed purchase.
What Size of Barrel Sauna Is Right for You?
Of course, you want to get a barrel sauna that has the available space for the number of users you have in mind. Are you getting a sauna for personal use, or are you planning to invite a couple of family members and friends for a sauna session often?
Barrel saunas can fit anywhere from two to eight people. But before picking one with your ideal seating capacity, consider your available space to set up the sauna. Length is a common consideration for barrel saunas. Besides that, it’s also important to check other dimensions like the diameter. A larger diameter barrel sauna will give taller individuals extra headroom.
Take note that as the size of a barrel sauna goes up, so does its price.
What Kind of Heater Works Best for a Barrel Sauna?
Choosing the best heating source for your sauna depends on the resources available to you. Wood heaters are a popular option for outdoor barrel saunas. The burning wood gives that pleasant aroma that will add to your relaxation. But opt for an electric heater for areas where burning wood is not permitted. They may add to your monthly electric bill, but they are more convenient than stacking up wood, and plenty of electric sauna heaters are compatible with smart devices.
Note that when choosing an electric heater for your barrel sauna, check if the heater is powerful enough to heat the sauna room efficiently.
What Type of Wood Is Best for a Barrel Sauna?
The material in a barrel sauna is made from matter. The quality of materials used to make barrel saunas nowadays greatly varies, but most high-quality options will offer three different types of wood, each with its pros and cons.
- Cedar. It’s arguably a popular choice for barrel saunas because of its durability, insect-repelling properties, and resistance to decay. Cedar is also resistant to swelling and shrinking due to extreme weather conditions, making it suitable for outdoor use.
- Spruce. Nordic spruce is a cost-effective wood material for barrel saunas. It’s a light-colored wood with small, tight knots that gives it that stunning rustic aesthetic. Spruce also has a scent you na smell during a sauna session that you may find relaxing.
- Pine. It’s another cost-effective option for barrel saunas, also light-colored and nice-smelling like spruce. It’s generally durable enough for indoor and outdoor use. But make sure that the sauna is made of treated pine when using it outdoors.
Also, consider a barrel sauna made of thermally modified wood. Thermally treated wood undergoes heat treatment of over 356°F and other technologies to make the wood stronger, more durable, lightweight, and stable and to increase the heat insulation by about 30%.
Other Features and Customizations to Consider in a Barrel Sauna
Once you pick the key elements of your barrel sauna, the next thing to think about are the features and customizations you want for a convenient, comfortable, and charming barrel sauna.
- Porch. A barrel sauna with a front porch is nice if you want a place to sit and relax between sauna sessions.
- Changing room. It’s a convenient feature to have if you’re setting up a barrel sauna in the backyard and slightly away from the main house. That said, you can usually only get a changing room in larger, high-end barrel sauna models.
- Accessories. It’s often hard to customize your barrel sauna to your liking, so try to think ahead of the accessories you want. For example, if music is a huge part of your relaxation routine, look for a barrel sauna fitted with a Bluetooth music system. Other accessories you might want to consider are windows or a glass door if your outdoor view is worth showing off, buckets and ladles, a timer, a thermometer, ergonomic benches with backrests and leg lifts, or color-changing mood lighting.
Barrel Sauna FAQs
Q: Is it easy to assemble/set up a barrel sauna?
A: It largely depends on the size of the barrel sauna. But ideally, barrel saunas are designed for effortless DIY installation. Two people can quickly assemble and set up a barrel sauna in a matter of hours.
Q: How long does a barrel sauna last?
A: The longevity of a barrel sauna depends on the quality of materials and how you take care of it on schedule. That said, the barrel saunas on our list are built to last, and you can expect them to last 15 to 20 years.
Q: How do you take care of and protect your barrel sauna?
A: Although barrel saunas are designed to handle extreme weather conditions, they won’t be looking new after a while. The wood may start changing in color after extended exposure to sunlight and moisture, although that’s perfectly normal. But when using a barrel sauna outdoors, sanding the wood and applying top-quality wood stain or oil once every 1-2 years can maintain its beautiful appearance.
Q: How much does a barrel sauna cost?
A: Naturally, the bigger the barrel sauna, the more expensive it will be. A good quality 2-person barrel sauna may lie in the $4000-$6000 price range, and bigger sauna kits that fit up to eight people can cost $9000 upwards.
Sauna prices may also slightly go up depending on what extra design features they have, like a front porch. That said, there’s a barrel sauna that can accommodate different budgets.
Q: Where to install a barrel sauna?
A: Ideally, you want to place your barrel sauna on level ground to avoid problems when lining up the staves or getting the door closed properly. Avoid placing the sauna on bare earth, or you risk it tipping and damaging the sauna.
For outdoors, you can use concrete, a wooden deck, compressed gravel, pavers, or flagstone as the base for the barrel sauna. On the other hand, for indoors, any type of flooring is suitable except for carpeting.
Also note that the ideal placement for installing a barrel sauna is somewhere near a water reservoir or a quiet, relaxing space where you can rest in between sessions.
Q: Does a barrel sauna need insulation?
A: Like other styles of saunas, barrel saunas also need insulation. That said, the insulation is achieved through the thickness of the wood. Quality barrel saunas are constructed with wood materials thick enough to retain and maximize heat without the need to add extra insulation.
Conclusion
The best barrel sauna is a fantastic investment if you’re looking to boost your health and well-being. With their ingenious design, barrel saunas are incredible in terms of even heat distribution, faster heating time, and long-lasting use.
Deciding which barrel sauna is the best varies across individuals. So, we hope this guide helped you find the best barrel sauna for your home according to your needs, preferences, and budget.
