Infrared vs Traditional Sauna: MN Buyer's Guide

Short answer: an infrared sauna warms your body directly with heater panels. It heats up fast, feels gentler, and many models plug into a regular 120V outlet. A traditional sauna heats the whole room with a rock heater. It runs hotter, lets you pour water on the stones for steam, and is the classic Nordic experience. For most Minnesota homes, the right choice comes down to how hot you like it, where the sauna will go, and what electrical you already have.

Shop saunas: Infrared | Traditional | Hybrid | Outdoor | All Saunas

How Infrared and Traditional Saunas Work

Infrared saunas

Infrared saunas use heater panels (carbon, or carbon plus full-spectrum) in the walls, the floor and sometimes the benches. The panels warm you directly instead of heating all the air first. The air stays cooler than in a traditional sauna, so it feels warm rather than scorching, and the cabin is usually ready in about 10–20 minutes. There are no rocks and no water: it’s a dry heat.

Traditional saunas

Traditional saunas use an electric rock heater. The Icelandic Lava heaters on our models go up to 194°F. The heater warms the stones and the air, and you ladle water over the hot rocks for a burst of steam (the Finns call it löyly). It’s a stronger, more enveloping heat. Plan on 30–45 minutes for the rocks to fully heat.

Infrared vs. Traditional: Side by Side

	Infrared	Traditional
How it heats	Panels warm your body directly	Rock heater warms the room and the stones
Feel	Gentler, dry heat	Hotter, with steam when you add water
Air temperature	Lower; the panels warm you directly	Hot: Lava heaters go up to 194°F
Warm-up	About 10–20 minutes	About 30–45 minutes
Steam	No	Yes, ladle water on the rocks
Electrical	Most plug into a dedicated 120V outlet (the 4-person Himalayan 630 needs 240V)	Most need a 240V circuit from an electrician (the TimberSteel 420 plugs into 120V/20A)
Where it goes	Indoors: basement, home gym, spare room	Indoors, or outdoors with an outdoor model
Sizes we carry	1 to 4 person	2 to 5 person
Icelandic Sauna MSRP range	$3,999 – $11,999	$9,299 – $17,299

Prices are manufacturer’s suggested retail (MSRP). Your MinnSpas price is lower, so ask for a quote.

Which Is Right for You?

An infrared sauna is a good fit if you…

want a sauna you’ll actually use on a weeknight: short warm-up, no rocks to heat
prefer a gentler heat, or are new to saunas
want to plug in instead of paying for a 240V circuit (Valo 410, Valo 420, Aura 620 and Himalayan 620 all run on a dedicated 120V outlet)
want red light therapy or a small footprint for a basement or spare room

See all infrared saunas →

A traditional sauna is a good fit if you…

want real heat and steam: the classic Nordic sauna
plan to sauna with family or friends (up to 5 people)
want an outdoor sauna for the backyard, next to the hot tub or a cold plunge
don’t mind a 240V circuit, or want the plug-in TimberSteel 420 for a smaller space

See all traditional saunas →

Can’t Decide? Hybrid Saunas Do Both

Hybrid saunas put infrared panels and a traditional rock heater in the same cabin, each on its own circuit. You can run a quick infrared session on a weeknight, real heat and steam on the weekend, or both.

Fusion Combo 720 (2–3 person): runs on two separate 120V circuits, so no 240V install. If you already have outlets on two separate circuits nearby, you may be able to skip the electrician.
Fusion Combo 830 (4 person): a larger cabin with a 6kW Wi-Fi rock heater. It needs two 240V circuits.

Choosing a Sauna for a Minnesota Home

Winter and outdoor saunas

If you want to sauna outside, which is the classic way to warm up on a January night, choose an outdoor traditional sauna. Icelandic’s outdoor models, the Reyk 520, Reyk 550 and Husavik 520, are built for Minnesota winters. They have one-piece waterproof roofs and rock heaters that bring real heat on the coldest days. Set them on a level, solid surface that won’t settle, such as a concrete pad, patio or sturdy deck. Infrared saunas are indoor-only.

Basements, garages and spare rooms

Indoor saunas need a level floor, a little room to walk around the cabin, and a dedicated circuit nearby. Minnesota basements are a natural spot. A garage works if it’s dry and heated. Indoor saunas arrive in panels; with delivery and setup, a two-person crew typically has one assembled in about two hours.

Electrical in Minnesota homes

Electrical is often the deciding cost. Six of our 13 Icelandic models plug into 120V household circuits: the Valo 410, Valo 420, Aura 620, Himalayan 620, TimberSteel 420 and Fusion Combo 720. Larger traditional saunas (6kW and 9kW heaters) need a dedicated 240V circuit installed by a licensed electrician. MinnSpas reviews your electrical plan when you ask for pricing.

What it costs to run

Running cost is simple math: heater kilowatts × hours of use × your electric rate. For example, a 1.9kW infrared sauna running for 45 minutes uses about 1.4 kWh. A 6kW traditional heater running for 90 minutes (warm-up plus your session) uses up to about 9 kWh, and usually less once the room is up to temperature. Check the per-kWh rate on your Xcel Energy or co-op bill to estimate your own cost.

Red light and Himalayan salt

Red light therapy comes on 11 of the 13 Icelandic models, infrared and traditional alike. The Aura 620 is built around it. Himalayan salt (diffusers, a salt block or a backlit salt block) is on the Himalayan, TimberSteel and Reyk models. What is red light therapy? | What does Himalayan salt do in a sauna?

Try Them Before You Buy, in Apple Valley

The easiest way to choose is to feel the difference. MinnSpas is the exclusive Icelandic Sauna dealer for the Twin Cities, at 14608 Felton Ct #109 in Apple Valley, close to Burnsville, Eagan, Lakeville and the rest of the south metro. Call or text (763) 200-SPAS to check which saunas are on the showroom floor.

Ask About Saunas: Price, Availability & Delivery

Infrared vs. Traditional Saunas: FAQ

Neither is better for everyone. Infrared is gentler, warms up faster and often plugs into 120V. Traditional is hotter, adds steam, and can go outside. Pick the heat you’ll enjoy using most often, or get a hybrid that does both.

Infrared usually does. The panels draw less power (about 1.5–3.5kW on our models) and the cabin is ready sooner. Traditional heaters run 2.2kW to 9kW and need time to heat the rocks. Multiply the heater’s kW by your hours of use and your electric rate to estimate cost.

Not always. Six Icelandic models plug into dedicated 120V circuits, and the Fusion Combo 720 uses two of them. If the right outlets already exist near the spot, you may not need an electrician. Saunas with 6kW or 9kW heaters need a 240V circuit installed by a licensed electrician.

Yes. Icelandic’s outdoor saunas (Reyk 520, Reyk 550 and Husavik 520) are built for Minnesota winters, with one-piece waterproof roofs and rock heaters. Set them on a level, solid base such as a concrete pad, patio or sturdy deck.

No. Infrared saunas have no rocks; they use heater panels and dry heat. If you want steam, choose a traditional sauna or a hybrid such as the Fusion Combo 720 or 830.

Infrared cabins are usually ready in about 10–20 minutes. Traditional saunas take about 30–45 minutes for the rocks to fully heat. Wi-Fi controls on the 6kW and 9kW Lava heaters let you start the sauna from your phone before you get home.

At the MinnSpas showroom, 14608 Felton Ct #109 in Apple Valley. MinnSpas is the exclusive Icelandic Sauna dealer for the Twin Cities. Call or text (763) 200-SPAS to check which models are on the floor.

Local delivery and placement are available through MinnSpas’ delivery partners; site conditions, access, distance, equipment, and final placement affect eligibility and cost. We confirm delivery and setup details when we quote your price.

Specifications are from Icelandic Sauna (GPM Brands) documentation and may change without notice. Prices shown are MSRP.