See all guidesRated on heat, comfort, build, ease and value
The best portable saunas in the UK
The ThermoLab AuraCore 6FT Pro Steam Sauna is the best portable sauna for most homes. It is roomy, well made and tall enough to sit up straight. For the most heat, The Pod Company Sauna Pod reaches 85°C, and on a budget the AuraCore Pro Pop-Up costs just £154.99.
Heat and power are the brands’ own figures. Session cost assumes full power for 30 minutes at 26.32p per kWh. Best on each line marked. Swipe the table on a phone.
A full-height steam tent with a 1,200 W steamer, a 3-litre tank and a built-in infrared light panel. At six feet tall it is one of the few portable saunas you can sit upright in with room to spare, and it comes with everything you need, including a folding chair and an aroma cup.
Buy it if You want proper steam heat at home and you are tall.
Skip it if Floor space is very tight.
Anyone over 5 ft 10 in
Regular users who want a full session
A spare room, or a bathroom with a fan
Pros
Six feet tall: room to sit up straight
Big 3-litre tank, no mid-session top-ups
Infrared light panel built in
3-year UK warranty
Cons
Takes more floor space than a pop-up
Air the room after each session
Heat
9.2
Comfort
9.4
Build
9.0
Ease of use
8.8
Value
8.8
Our rating weighs heat 30%, comfort 20%, build 20%, ease of use 15% and value 15%. How we choose
A portable hot-air sauna rather than a steam tent. The Pod Company says it reaches 85°C, far hotter than a steam tent, so it feels closer to a traditional Finnish sauna. The cover is natural cotton, there is red mood lighting inside, and it fits people up to 6 ft 7 in.
Buy it if You want heat that feels like a real sauna, not a steam room.
Skip it if You prefer humid heat, or want the lowest price.
Sauna fans who find steam tents too mild
Tall users, up to 6 ft 7 in
Anyone worried about damp in the room
Pros
Up to 85°C, the hottest here
No steam, so no damp in the room
Natural cotton cover
Fits up to 6 ft 7 in and 25 stone
Cons
Costs twice as much as a steam tent
Power use not published
Heat
9.6
Comfort
8.8
Build
8.6
Ease of use
8.4
Value
8.2
Our rating weighs heat 30%, comfort 20%, build 20%, ease of use 15% and value 15%. How we choose
A pop-up steam tent that springs open in about two minutes and folds into a flat round bag. It has a 1,000 W steamer, a near-infrared light panel and 8 mm insulated walls, and it comes with a folding chair, remote, aroma cup and washable floor mat.
Buy it if You want steam heat on a budget and a sauna that packs away fast.
Skip it if You want the roomiest tent.
First-time buyers
Small flats: it packs into a flat round bag
People who want quick sessions
Pros
Up in about two minutes
Near-infrared light panel included
Remote, chair and floor mat in the box
3-year UK warranty
Cons
Less headroom than the 6FT Pro
Pop-up frame is lighter than a poled tent
Heat
8.8
Comfort
8.4
Build
8.4
Ease of use
9.4
Value
9.4
Our rating weighs heat 30%, comfort 20%, build 20%, ease of use 15% and value 15%. How we choose
A folding dry-heat sauna with a carbon-ceramic heater and a 660 nm red light panel. Nurecover rates it at 85°C, and five layers of insulation keep the space small so the heat stays around you. A bamboo towel and folding chair come free.
Buy it if You want hot dry heat and red light in one, for under £300.
Skip it if You want steam, or a big roomy tent.
People who like a hot, dry sauna
Red light therapy users
Small rooms: it folds flat
Pros
Up to 85°C dry heat
Red light panel built in
Free towel and chair
60-day returns on the heater
Cons
Some owners say the lower legs stay cooler
Power use not published
Heat
9.2
Comfort
8.0
Build
8.0
Ease of use
8.4
Value
8.4
Our rating weighs heat 30%, comfort 20%, build 20%, ease of use 15% and value 15%. How we choose
A folding, head-out infrared sauna box from a long-running UK infrared brand. Your head stays outside, which many people find more comfortable, and it heats to 65°C on 900 W. It folds to 13 cm thick and weighs 10 kg.
Buy it if You want dry infrared heat and to keep your head out.
Skip it if You want a full-body sauna feel.
People who find hot air on the face uncomfortable
Homes prone to condensation
Buyers who want UK support
Pros
Head stays out: easier to breathe
No steam, no damp
Folds to 13 cm thick
UK brand and support
Cons
Head-out design feels less like a sauna
Lower top heat than a dry-heat pod
Heat
7.8
Comfort
8.0
Build
8.4
Ease of use
8.4
Value
8.0
Our rating weighs heat 30%, comfort 20%, build 20%, ease of use 15% and value 15%. How we choose
A pop-up steam tent designed in the UK by an NHS doctor. Runitude puts its materials through independent lab tests for fumes, and the 1,000 W touchscreen steamer is matched to a compact tent so it heats quickly. It comes with an inner foot mat and a fleece floor mat to protect carpets.
Buy it if You want a well-reviewed steam tent that is safe on carpet.
Skip it if You are very tall: the tent is compact.
Rooms with carpet
Buyers who care about low-fume materials
First-time buyers
Pros
Lab-tested for fumes and plastics smell
Two floor mats protect carpets
Touchscreen steamer
Hundreds of Amazon UK reviews
Cons
Compact tent, tight for tall users
No light panel
Heat
8.0
Comfort
7.4
Build
7.4
Ease of use
8.4
Value
8.0
Our rating weighs heat 30%, comfort 20%, build 20%, ease of use 15% and value 15%. How we choose
We looked at the sit-in portable saunas you can buy from UK stores, from pop-up steam tents to dry-heat pods. We compared the brands’ specs, warranties and prices, read hundreds of owner reviews, and rated each one out of 10. Established brands with UK warranties and support score higher on build. The five things we rate:
30%Heat. How hot it gets and how quickly, from the brand’s figures and owner feedback.
20%Comfort. Room inside, headroom, seating and how it feels to use.
20%Build. Frame, fabric, zips, heater and warranty.
15%Ease of use. Set-up, controls, cleaning and packing away.
15%Value. Price against everything above, plus running cost.
For most homes, the ThermoLab AuraCore 6FT Pro Steam Sauna. It is roomy, tall enough to sit up straight, well made and comes with a 3-year UK warranty, for about £199.99.
What is the hottest portable sauna?
Dry-heat pods get hottest. The Pod Company Sauna Pod is rated up to 85°C, closer to a traditional sauna. Steam tents usually reach about 45 to 50°C, but humid air makes that feel intense.
How much does a portable sauna cost to run?
Usually pennies. A 30-minute session costs between 12p and 16p for the saunas that publish their power, at 26.32p per kWh.
Can I use a portable sauna in a rented flat?
Usually, yes. They plug into a normal socket and pack away. With a steam sauna, open a window or run an extractor fan afterwards, and check your tenancy if you are unsure.
Steam or dry heat: which is best?
Steam feels like a steam room and is the cheapest way to get a proper sweat. Dry-heat pods feel most like a real sauna and leave no damp, but cost more. Choose by the heat you enjoy.
Are cheap Amazon sauna tents any good?
Some are fine, but many unbranded tents use thin fabric, weak zips and steamers with no UK warranty or support. We rank established brands with UK warranties higher, because a sauna you use several times a week needs to last.
What about sauna blankets?
You lie down in a blanket rather than sit in a sauna, so we rank them separately. See our guide to the best sauna blankets.
HW
About Hannah Whitfield
Hannah edits every buying guide on Portable Home Sauna. She has written about home fitness and wellness kit for UK readers for eight years and uses a steam tent at home most weeks.
