Heat therapy is so hot right now (sorry, I couldn鈥檛 help myself). But I鈥檓 sure you know what I鈥檓 talking about鈥攕itting in a sauna for just 10 minutes is purported to improve blood circulation, stimulate the immune system, and dispense toxins. show that regular sauna use can improve cardiovascular health, relieve arthritis pain, and reduce systemic inflammation. Americans are a little late to the game (Nordic countries have been enjoying the sauna life for centuries), but now we鈥檙e on the power of sweating as a wellness technique.
That said, I’ve discovered that hopping into a sauna regularly isn鈥檛 always easy. Installing a sauna in my house is out of my price range and getting to my local takes up more time than I鈥檓 willing to give.
I recently had a lot of luck with an inexpensive, inflatable hot tub, which satiated my desire for a spa at a fraction of the price, so I was intrigued by the prospect of ($349), a portable steam sauna that you can install inside or outside your home. It costs just a few hundred dollars but promises all the benefits of more expensive options.
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SaunaBox
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How the SaunaBox Works
The SaunaBox consists of a frame made of short-but-strong plastic poles, a heat-insulated quilted tent, and a 1600-watt steam generator that plugs into a wall socket. Fill the generator with water, plug it in, and 15 minutes later the SaunaBox reaches a maximum internal temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
I built the SaunaBox on my back porch in about 30 minutes, using an instructional video on the company鈥檚 site. It looks like a portable wardrobe鈥攕omething you would see backstage at a fashion show. It鈥檚 not unattractive, but it doesn鈥檛 have the same charm as one of those cedar barrel saunas that are all over my social media feeds.
I had low expectations of the system because I didn鈥檛 think a temporary unit like this could produce and trap heat efficiently. I thought the result would be a tiny room that was barely warmer and more humid than the Southern Appalachian summer I鈥檝e grown accustomed to. But after using the SaunaBox for a month, I鈥檓 a true believer in this oversized humidifier.
How It Tested
It鈥檚 how well it works that counts, and the SaunaBox produces and retains heat really well. I prefer steam saunas over dry saunas because they get the sweat going faster, and the SaunaBox does not disappoint. It takes about 15 minutes to heat up to听the max temp of 130 degrees Fahrenheit on the highest setting, which feels as warm and steamy as any other commercial steam room I鈥檝e ever used.
The steam generator sits outside the box, connecting via plastic tubing through the wall听to the steam emitter. You can control the amount of heat and steam from the machine using the remote control, with settings from 1 to 7. The higher the setting, the higher the temperature, although the amount of steam seems to be about the same regardless of the settings. I like it hot so I always use it on the highest setting. You can add essential oils to the emitter if you want to get fancy, and my wife likes to bring in a waterproof portable speaker to complete the spa vibes.
I was worried I would get claustrophobic inside the box, but it鈥檚 roomier and more comfortable than expected. It鈥檚 definitely a one-person space, but I sit in the included chair, bring in a cup of ice water, and just breathe for 10 minutes or until I feel like I鈥檝e sweated out the bad decisions from the night before.
I also got the brand鈥檚 portable, one-person ($149) cold plunge tub, which sets up and breaks down in just a couple of minutes, and I have been enjoying the hot sauna/cold plunge combo about three times a week. I can see myself using the sauna more often during the winter. Sometimes I鈥檒l do the hot/cold tandem after a hard workout ( show sauna use after workouts can speed recovery), but mostly I like to hop inside the SaunaBox at the end of the day to wind down. One note: don鈥檛听use听the sauna before a workout. I made the mistake of hitting the SaunaBox before a trail run and was exhausted after the first mile.
I鈥檓 not sure if it鈥檚 reducing my chance of heart disease, but it鈥檚 incredibly relaxing. I do 10-plus minutes in the sauna, three minutes in the cold plunge, and repeat three or four times until I reach a zen-like level of peace and harmony.
The SaunaBox is easy to build and take down. Now that I鈥檝e built it once, I鈥檓 sure I could put it together in about 10 minutes, but I haven鈥檛 taken it down since I assembled it a month ago. It鈥檚 now a fixture on my back porch because my wife and I use it so often. The set-up packs down into a travel case that鈥檚 roughly three feet long, so you could take this sauna with you when you travel. I can see setting it up at a lakeside Airbnb soon.
Final Thoughts
I don鈥檛 have many criticisms to note about the SaunaBox, though it does require some care and maintenance. You have to use either distilled or purified water (water out of the purifier on my sink seems to work fine, but I鈥檝e also bought jugs of distilled water) to keep deposits from gathering on the bottom of the generator. You also have to wipe the inside of the box down after each use and wash the removable floor pad regularly. Some people spray the interior down with vinegar or a disinfectant, but I haven鈥檛 seen the need to take that step yet. The steam emitter and hose also get hot, so you have to be careful not to touch them when using the sauna.
I鈥檝e read pages of reviews online, and the most common complaint I鈥檝e found about the SaunaBox is that the seat included with the system isn鈥檛 that comfortable. It鈥檚 just a short, no-frills fold-out camping chair鈥攖he kind you can buy for under $20 at big box stores, but I haven鈥檛 had an issue with that.
Otherwise, it鈥檚 a pretty great sweat box, particularly in comparison to permanent home sauna solutions, which start around $3K and go up from there.听As far as I鈥檓 concerned, the SaunaBox is a no-brainer. I get to live the Nordic sweat life, without dropping thousands on a real one (which I probably don鈥檛 have a space for in my home, anyway). Is the black box Instagram-worthy? No. It鈥檚 not very photogenic. But it鈥檚 hot and steamy, and I鈥檝e never felt more relaxed.