- Infrared cabinet: $2,500–$9,000 installed · easiest installation · best for daily health use
- Traditional Finnish (kit): $6,000–$15,000 installed · authentic experience · needs 32A circuit
- Barrel sauna: $8,000–$16,000 installed · outdoor visual appeal · traditional heater
- Outdoor cabin: $12,000–$28,000 installed · largest and most premium · any heater type
- Steam room: $8,000–$20,000 installed · 100% humidity · completely different experience
- Wood-fired: $6,000–$18,000 installed · no electricity needed · requires planning approval usually
Type 1: Infrared Sauna Cabinet
The most popular first sauna purchase in Australia. Infrared cabinets arrive as pre-built timber panels that slot together on-site in a few hours. Carbon or ceramic infrared panels line the interior walls and provide radiant heat at 45–65°C. Many can plug into a standard 15–20A outlet, making electrical requirements simpler than traditional saunas.
✓ Pros
- Lowest installation complexity
- Ready in 10–15 minutes
- Runs on standard power in many cases
- Good for daily health-focused use
- Compact — fits many indoor spaces
- Lower running cost than traditional
✗ Cons
- No steam option
- Lower temperatures (not the authentic experience)
- Quality varies enormously between brands
- Looks like a cabinet (less premium aesthetically)
- EMF concerns with some cheaper brands
Best for: First-time buyers, health-focused daily users, indoor spaces with limited electrical capacity, anyone wanting simple installation under $9,000.
Installed cost range: $2,500–$9,000 for 1–4 person units
Type 2: Traditional Finnish Sauna (Kit)
Pre-engineered timber sauna kits that are assembled on-site from interlocking panel systems. The interior is typically cedar, hemlock, or aspen. A traditional electric heater (kiuas) sits in one corner loaded with stones. Sessions run at 70–100°C with the option to pour water on the stones for steam (löyly). This is the authentic Finnish sauna experience in a kit format.
✓ Pros
- Authentic high-heat sauna experience
- Steam (löyly) capability
- High-quality timber construction
- Indoor or outdoor installation
- Long lifespan with proper maintenance
✗ Cons
- Requires 32A+ dedicated electrical circuit
- Often triggers switchboard upgrades
- 20–45 minute heat-up time
- Higher electrical running cost
- More installation complexity than infrared
Best for: Homeowners who want the authentic experience, social sauna use, pairing with cold plunge, outdoor installations.
Installed cost range: $6,000–$15,000 for 2–6 person kits
Type 3: Barrel Sauna
A cylindrical outdoor sauna structure — the barrel shape is structurally self-supporting and requires no internal frame, allowing maximum interior space with minimum timber use. Typically made from Western Red Cedar or Nordic spruce. Almost always a traditional Finnish heater internally. The barrel silhouette has become an iconic outdoor wellness aesthetic.
✓ Pros
- Distinctive outdoor aesthetic
- Efficient use of timber
- Heats faster than square cabins (no dead corners)
- Self-draining design (condensation runs to lowest point)
- Strong visual appeal — enhances property presentation
✗ Cons
- Curved walls mean curved benches — less flexible use of space
- Limited headroom at the sides
- Outdoor only (shape not suited to indoor rooms)
- Same 32A electrical requirement as any traditional
Best for: Outdoor wellness spaces, lifestyle-focused buyers, those prioritising aesthetics, properties with good backyard space.
Installed cost range: $8,000–$16,000 depending on size and timber quality
Type 4: Outdoor Sauna Cabin
A freestanding timber structure — either a kit cabin or custom-framed build — designed specifically for outdoor installation. Ranges from modestly sized prefab pods to large custom structures with change rooms, outdoor showers, and cold plunge integration. The most premium and property-value-adding category.
✓ Pros
- Premium aesthetic — genuinely beautiful
- Any size or configuration
- Can integrate change room, shower, cold plunge
- Significant property value addition
- Full architectural flexibility (custom)
✗ Cons
- Highest cost category
- Often requires council permit
- Longest installation timeline
- Requires solid base (concrete slab)
- Multiple trades required (builder, electrician, plumber)
Best for: Long-term homeowners creating a premium wellness space, those doing broader landscaping or outdoor renovation projects.
Installed cost range: $12,000–$28,000+ (kit cabin) or $20,000–$45,000+ (custom build)
Type 5: Steam Room
A steam room is fundamentally different from a sauna. It operates at 100% humidity at 40–50°C — the opposite of a sauna's dry, high-heat environment. A steam generator produces continuous steam from a water feed. The enclosed room (typically tiled) maintains saturation humidity. The experience is intense, wet, and very different from sauna. Many wellness spaces include both.
✓ Pros
- Excellent for respiratory benefit (humidity)
- Lower temperature is more accessible for some users
- Can be built into existing shower space
- Requires less space than a sauna
✗ Cons
- Requires waterproof (tiled) construction
- Steam generator and water feed plumbing needed
- Significant condensation management required
- Different health profile from sauna
- Higher maintenance than dry sauna
Installed cost range: $8,000–$20,000 including tiled construction and steam generator
Read the full sauna vs steam room comparison →
Type 6: Wood-Fired Sauna
A traditional sauna heated by a wood-burning stove (kiuas) rather than an electric heater. Popular in rural and lifestyle properties, and a strong choice for off-grid situations. The experience of wood-fired heating — the smell of burning timber, the living fire — is considered by many purists to be the most authentic sauna possible.
✓ Pros
- No electrical infrastructure required
- Lower ongoing cost (firewood vs electricity)
- Truly authentic experience
- Works off-grid
- Unique sensory element (fire, smoke, smell)
✗ Cons
- Requires planning for firewood storage and access
- Longer heat-up time (45–60+ minutes)
- Cannot set and forget (someone tends the fire)
- Flue requirements add cost and complexity
- Bushfire Attack Level restrictions in many areas
- Outdoor or well-ventilated installation only
Best for: Rural and lifestyle properties, off-grid situations, enthusiasts who prioritise authenticity over convenience.
Installed cost range: $6,000–$18,000 (plus flue, base, and any council requirements)
Most infrared cabinets are designed for indoor use — the electronics and panel connections are not weather-rated. Some manufacturers offer outdoor-rated infrared units, but they're less common and more expensive. If you want an outdoor sauna, a traditional kit or barrel sauna is the practical default. Infrared in an outdoor covered structure (weatherproofed area with roof) can work if the manufacturer confirms the unit is suitable.
Kit saunas arrive as pre-cut, pre-drilled panels that interlock on-site. They're engineered for a specific standard size and can be assembled in hours. Custom saunas are built on-site by a carpenter — any dimensions, any timber species, any design features. Kits are faster and significantly cheaper; custom is better for unusual spaces, premium materials, or large outdoor structures. Most first-time buyers start with a quality kit.