A sauna and a hot tub are built for similar purposes—destressing, relaxing, healing, and other positive health and wellness benefits. Basking in the sauna or soaking in a hot tub are both pleasant ways to relax, unwind, and ease muscle tension after a long day. But if you want to invest in one, should you get a home sauna or a hot tub for your home?
Saunas and hot tubs are both great places for body relaxation and therapeutic purposes. But they offer very different experiences.
Below is a breakdown of sauna vs. hot tub to help you make an informed decision—their pros and cons, health benefits, experiences, costs, maintenance, and more.
Sauna vs. Hot Tub Benefits
A sauna and a hot tub offer quite similar functions. They both provide recreational wellness through a heated environment, places where you can go to loosen up, destress, and alleviate aches and pains in the body. Both can aid in detoxifying the body and are a perfect therapeutic place for pampering your body. But that’s where their similarities end.
The huge difference between a sauna and a hot tub is that sauna functions using heat and dry air, while a hot tub uses water, steam, and humidity to provide wellness benefits.
Hot Tub Benefits
The basic principle of a hot tub is hydrotherapy, or using the healing effects of heated water and gentle massage to provide various health and wellness benefits.
A hot tub feels much like you’re going into the spa, so there’s no question about it being a very relaxing experience. A dip in the hot tub can reduce stress or other stress-related symptoms like fatigue, muscle tension, soreness, and headaches. With its relaxing and stress relief benefits, you get better sleep at night after a hot tub session.
Hot tubs have other health benefits, such as:
- Lower blood pressure
- Improved blood flow
- Improved metabolism to aid in weight loss
- Soothe sore joints to help with arthritis symptoms
Sauna Benefits
The health and wellness benefits of a sauna overlap significantly with the benefits of a hot tub, with a few fantastic additions. Like a hot tub session, sitting in a sauna can provide deep relaxation, stress relief, better sleep, and pain relief. But on top of that, a sauna is an excellent way to detox or cleanse the body of toxins by promoting perspiration.
Not only a regular sauna session can make you feel relaxed and stress-free but also invigorated and healthier with other benefits such as:
- Reduced risk of high blood pressure and inflammation
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases and cardiac death
- Relief from skin problems
- Improved lymphatic system function
- Improved metabolism
- Reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Sauna vs. Hot Tub—What Are the Differences?
There’s no question that both saunas and hot tubs can provide a set of amazing benefits for wellness and health. But which one is better?
These factors may help you choose between a sauna and a hot tub.
Aesthetics
Aesthetically, a hot tub can be more of an architectural advantage than a home sauna. It can be the focal point for the deck or the backyard. Not to mention, the dramatic lighting effects and the soothing sound of the bubbling water in the hot tub can set a spa-like mood.
Meanwhile, a sauna is more discreet and wouldn’t be something that would easily attract the eye. Most of the special features of a sauna, like any lighting, are lost on anyone unless they get a view inside the unit.
Experience
Both hot tubs and saunas provide a relaxing experience but in different ways.
Saunas are more meditative and less social. It’s a small, secluded, and focused area with minimal light. Although plenty of sauna cabins can fit several people, a sauna room remains a great place to relax with a sense of peace and quiet.
On the other hand, a hot tub can be an incredibly social experience. It’s a great place to relax and spend quality time with your loved one, family, and friends. You can easily incorporate a hot tub into get-togethers and backyard parties. Additionally, hot tubs are not as hot as saunas, so they are more appropriate for a wider age range.
Health Risks
Using either a sauna or a hot tub is generally safe if you keep it at ideal temperatures—not more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit for a sauna and less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit for a hot tub. Since both involve heat, people with high blood pressure or heart disease should use either cautiously, while pregnant women are advised to stay out of both.
That said, a sauna poses fewer health risks since it doesn’t have much moisture. Meanwhile, hot tubs are more conducive to bacterial growth. Sharing the tub with others poses even greater health risks if the water is not properly cleaned. Skin problems and allergic reactions are often associated with hot tub use.
Costs
Both saunas and hot tubs are luxurious additions to any home, so it’s not surprising that they come with luxury price tags. That said, a sauna is generally more affordable than a hot tub.
A good quality cedar sauna can cost anywhere between $3000 to $5000, but there are ever far more affordable options depending on the size of the sauna. Now, if you want a quality hot tub to add to your home, a new one can cost anywhere between $3000 to $16000, depending on the size and extra features you want.
Installation
For both saunas and hot tubs, the installation needs careful planning, especially in the area you want to install the unit. You can install a sauna and hot tub indoors or outdoors with electrical access.
Generally, a hot tub takes less time and hassle to install since it basically comes as an assembled unit. However, it also doesn’t take a lot of time to install a sauna. Most saunas are pre-assembled and can be installed in a couple of hours, depending on the size of the unit.
Installing a hot tub will need water access for filling the tub and plumbing work for drainage. A level and stable surface are critical for the base of the hot tub. It should be robust enough to bear the weight of the hot tub, water, and the people inside. If you want one installed indoors, water-resistant and non-slip flooring is essential for safety in case of spillage and water from wet bodies dripping. Also, proper ventilation is critical for installing hot tubs indoors to prevent mildew and mold.
Maintenance
Maintenance for both hot tubs and saunas is relatively simple. Keeping the sauna clean and sanitized takes minimal effort. You can simply wipe the seat after each use to avoid sweat stains, leave the door open to invite better airflow, and allow the interior of the sauna room to dry after using it.
Hot tubs, however, require a bit more looking after. Monitoring the water chemistry at least once a week and treating the water when needed is necessary. Also, you will need to remove, clean, and sometimes replace the filter and change the water in the tub every few months.
Energy Efficiency
A sauna is a far more energy efficient than a hot tub. That is primarily because a sauna needs less energy to run. It’s an enclosed space that will keep the inside temperature well. Saunas with exceptional insulation and cost-saving heaters are especially energy efficient.
On the other hand, a hot tub requires constant electricity to keep the temperature up and retain the heat, although keeping the tub covered will help conserve heat and energy use.
Resale Value
Investing in a sauna may be worthwhile in terms of adding value to your home. It’s a luxury item but relatively inexpensive to maintain, which is a plus for potential home buyers. Just a tip—make sure the placement of the sauna doesn’t take away from usable space, especially indoors, or it may dissuade some buyers.
On the other hand, a hot tub is a bit tricky regarding resale value. Whether a hot tub can increase a home’s value depends on factors like local demographics, neighborhood, and working conditions. Hot tub maintenance and repairs can be expensive, which may dissuade some buyers. That said, a hot tub is more likely to increase your home value when properly incorporated into the house’s exterior landscape.
Conclusion
When it comes to the final decision between sauna vs. hot tub, it’s really up to you and your preferences. Both saunas and hot tubs can provide luxurious relaxation at home. People looking to unwind after a busy day or a tiring workout and those having issues getting a good night’s sleep can benefit from either a sauna or hot tub. That said, some people are better suited to each.
A hot tub would be an excellent choice if you are more social and want to spend a relaxing but fun time with friends and family. And if you want to add hydrotherapy to your relaxing experience, a hot tub is fantastic.
But if you are looking for a more rejuvenating and quiet experience and don’t have the willingness or time to keep up with a regular maintenance schedule, a sauna might be a better fit for you. A sauna could also be a better choice if you don’t have much indoor or outdoor space.
Hopefully, this article helped clear up your questions on sauna vs. hot tub.
