In recent years, saunas have become a relaxing and leisurely lifestyle for an increasing number of people. When choosing a sauna, besides considering the shape, wood, and built-in features, it’s crucial to consider whether the sauna stoves’ power matches the room’s size. This influences heating speed, indoor temperature stability, and the overall user experience. Next, we’ll analyze how to choose the right sauna stoves for different sizes, considering both electric stoves and wood-burning stoves options.

The Importance of Sauna Stoves Adaptation

Whether used outdoors or indoors, if the power of the sauna stoves does not match the space of the sauna room, it will easily affect the customer experience, the sauna operation cost, and the service life of the sauna room.

Lower-Power

If the power of the sauna stove is too small, it will not be suitable for the space size of the sauna room, the temperature will rise slowly, and it will be difficult to reach the temperature for sauna, which will affect the sauna effect.

Excessive Power

If the power of the sauna stove is too large and exceeds the adaptability of the sauna room space, it will cause energy waste and increase operating costs. It may even cause the temperature in the sauna room to be too high, causing damage to the wood in the sauna room and other damages, thus affecting the service life of the sauna room.

Comfortable Sauna Experience

The sauna experience needs to be carried out at a suitable temperature. The appropriate power can ensure uniform heating and stable temperature, providing customers with a comfortable sauna experience.

Electric Sauna Stoves Power Selection Guide

Electric sauna stoves typically require preheating, reaching temperatures as high as 110°C. Sauna stoves offer flexible temperature adjustments, including internal controls and WiFi etc,. Below, we recommend sauna stoves of varying wattages, using barrel saunas of different sizes as examples.

Small Barrel Sauna Room

Suitable for 1-2 people, with a sauna space of 1800*1800mm, and a recommended 4.5kW electric stove. Its characteristics are low power consumption and fast heating, making it suitable for individuals or couples.

Medium-Sized Barrel Sauna Rooms

These can accommodate 3-6 people and come in sizes of 1800*2100mm, 1800*2400mm, 2100*1800mm, 1800*2700mm, 1800*3000mm, 2100*2100mm, and 2100*2400mm. A 6-8kW electric stove is recommended. These feature an even temperature even when used by multiple people, making them ideal for small gatherings.

Large Barrel Saunas

These can accommodate 6-8 people, with dimensions of 2100 x 2700 mm or 2100 x 3000 mm. A 9-10.5 kW electric stove is recommended. Its characteristics accommodate families or group activities simultaneously, making them suitable for commercial camps or spas, ensuring rapid and even heating of large spaces.
For larger sauna rooms, consider using high-power, externally controlled electric stoves like 10.5kW, 12kW, 15kW, and 18kW etc,. These heaters are typically used in spas, high-end hotels, and other commercial operations due to their high power.

Traditional Wood-Burning Stove Power Selection Guide

The traditional Finnish sauna uses a sauna room with a wood-burning stove. In daily use, it is also necessary to light firewood in the stove in advance to preheat the sauna. It is suitable for people who like the original outdoor experience.
The temperature of the wood-burning stoves is affected by factors such as the amount of fuel and vents, and the power cannot be adjusted arbitrarily according to the size of the sauna. Therefore, regardless of the size of the sauna, the rated power of the wood-burning stoves we match is 15KW.
The wood-burning stove burns thoroughly, allowing you to sit down once the heat stabilizes. It can accommodate single or multiple users. To adjust the temperature of the wood-burning stove, you can add or remove the fuel, adjust the vents, or use a heat-powered stove fan. To increase the temperature in the sauna, simply clean the stove before use to prevent ash buildup and heat blockage. First, add dry, high-quality natural firewood to the stove. Open the stove vents appropriately to allow more air in, thereby increasing the heat. You can also use a fan on the stove to help circulate the hot air and evenly distribute the heat throughout the sauna. To lower the temperature, there’s no need to add fuel. Instead, close the stove vents or open the sauna door appropriately to reduce the burning of the wood.

How to Choose Between an Electric Stove and a Wood-Burning Stove?

After determining the size of the sauna room, match the appropriate power, so you need to choose the appropriate heating method according to the actual use environment and needs.

Electric Stove

Advantages: Easy to operate with precise temperature control. It can automatically maintain a constant temperature, making it suitable for campsites and resorts, as well as indoor use.
Disadvantages: It depends on the electricity supply, requires installation of a power supply system, and is not suitable for remote outdoor areas.

Wood-Burning Stove

Advantages: The flames produced by the burning firewood in the wood-burning stove and the wood fragrance in the sauna room give users an immersive sauna experience with a strong sense of outdoor atmosphere.
Disadvantages: Firewood needs to be manually added, and cleaning and maintenance are time-consuming.
Taking all factors into consideration, if you’re in a city with a stable power supply and using fast and convenient electric stoves is the best choice. If you’re in a scenic area like a forest or lake, and want to enjoy the traditional Finnish sauna experience and the most authentic sauna atmosphere, then the wood-burning stoves are more suitable. High-end camping projects can be configured with both heating methods to meet the diverse needs of different clients.

Things to Note When Choosing the Sauna Stove

When choosing the sauna stove, in addition to matching the power to the size of your sauna, you also need to consider some practical factors that will affect the comfort, safety, and subsequent maintenance of the sauna experience.

Consider the Volume and Thermal Insulation Performance of the Sauna Room

The power of the sauna stoves depends not only on the size of the sauna room but also on its insulation performance.
The larger the sauna room, the higher the power required. The materials used, such as wood and glass, directly impact the overall insulation of the sauna room. Improper design and prolonged high-load operation of the sauna stoves can accelerate aging and damage. For example, a panoramic sauna room with large glass walls will experience some heat loss, requiring an appropriate increase in the stove’s power to compensate for this loss.

Installation and Smoke Exhaust Requirements

Electric sauna stoves require to sufficient power supply. Low-power heaters (under 4.5 kW) typically use single-phase power, while stoves over 6 kW require three-phase power to avoid overloading the circuit. Before purchasing, be sure to confirm the power supply at your location. Because electric sauna stoves are high-power appliances, it’s recommended to have a professional technician perform on-site installation to ensure circuit safety.
For the wood-burning stove, the first thing you need is a well-ventilated site. The wood-burning stove must be equipped with a chimney to exhaust the smoke. In order to discharge the gases left by the burning wood and allow for air circulation, the sauna room with a wood-burning stove is usually set up outdoors.

Security and Authentication

When choosing a sauna stove, consider international certifications, such as CE (Europe), ETL (North America), and SAA (Australia). Our Alphasauna sauna rooms use Harvia electric stoves, which have these international certifications and include safety features like overheat protection and automatic power off, ensuring safe use.

Usage Scenarios and Maintenance

For home use, consider a sauna stove that’s easy to operate and has reasonable power consumption. For commercial use, choose a high-power, durable sauna stove. Depending on whether you’re using it indoors or outdoors, you can choose between an electric stove or a wood-burning stove.
Electric sauna stoves require regular inspections of the heating device status and parts to ensure they are functioning properly, while wood-burning stoves require a simple cleaning of the furnace after daily use, as well as regular and careful cleaning of the stove and chimney. Developing a maintenance habit can extend the life of your sauna room.

Why Do You Need to Spray Water on the Sauna Stoves When Using Them?

High temperatures in the sauna can dry out the air indoors. To enhance comfort, we typically sprinkle a moderate amount of water on the heated sauna stones. The water on the stones evaporates as it heats, and the vapor permeates the air, increasing humidity and making the experience more comfortable. It’s important to note that when sprinkling water, only apply it to the stones, and do so in small, frequent applications to avoid excessive moisture in the sauna room, which can cause a stuffy, uncomfortable feeling.

FAQS

Question1：How Long Does It Take to Warm Up the Sauna Stoves?

Answer: Electric sauna stoves typically take 30–50 minutes to warm up, depending on the size and power of the sauna. Wood-burning stoves take around 40–60 minutes, allowing the wood to burn thoroughly and the heat to stabilize before entering.

Question2：Can a Wood-Burning Stove Be Installed Indoors?

Answer: It’s not recommended to install a wood-burning sauna indoors. It requires good ventilation and a chimney exhaust system, making it more suitable for outdoor use. If you do want to use it indoors, professional fire isolation and flue design are essential.

Question3：Are the Sauna Stoves Noisy When in Use?

Answer:The heating of electric sauna stoves is basically noiseless. There may be a slight sound of electric current or heating, while the heating of wood-burning stoves is accompanied by the sound of burning firewood, which is very atmospheric and is deeply loved by customers.

Conclusion

The power of sauna stoves isn’t just a parameter, but also a crucial factor influencing customer experience, sauna effectiveness, and operating costs. Properly matching the sauna stoves’ power to the size of the sauna rooms ensures efficient heating and a comfortable sauna experience. Choosing an electric stove or wood-burning stove depends on the size of the sauna room, site conditions, and other factors. For commercial campsites, the appropriately adapted sauna stoves can not only improve customer satisfaction but also extend the lifespan of the sauna rooms, achieving a high return on investment.

About Alphasauna

Whether you’re looking for outdoor saunas, indoor saunas, infrared saunas, or portable saunas, Alphasauna can provide you with a customized solution and matching heaters to create your ideal sauna space. We also offer cold plunges, cold chillers, wooden hot tubs and other products to meet your hot and cold wellness needs. To learn more about customizing your sauna or ice bath, please contact us.