A lot of us were taught to feel ashamed when we sweat. It shows that we’re nervous, anxious, or overwhelmed, and is oftentimes a bit embarrassing if it stains our clothes.
In reality, though, sweat is an incredible thing, with wellness benefits that far surpass needing to bring some extra deodorant around.
Sweating means our adrenal glands are prepping for fight or flight, ready to release adrenaline for whatever we may be internally preparing for. Aside from sheer preparation, sweating helps our bodies physically and energetically detox from the old and toxic for the new and rejuvenating to enter our lives as soon as our temperature hits above that 98.6-degree threshold.
Plus, when we’re sick, our bodies naturally sweat to release bacteria and pathogens that are no longer serving us.
In essence, sweating is our bodies’ way of giving us permission to make space for something new.
What is a portable sauna?
Okay, now onto the reason for our sweat– the sauna! You’re probably familiar with that big wooden room you might have stepped into at the gym or the spa. But what about when you want to get that sweat on at home, but don’t have the space (or funds) to purchase one?
That’s when the power of a sauna with portable options comes in. Just set it up, sweat it out, and break it down! Whether a portable sauna tent, steam sauna, or blanket, your sauna session should help you reap all the health benefits of sitting in the heat, no matter what your needs or budget.
Tips for using a portable sauna♀️
1. Drink electrolyte water before, during, and after your sauna stay.
This will address two things: your overall hydration, and your ability to replenish the electrolytes you’re using when you sweat.
2. Scrub your body with a natural charcoal soap after you’re finished.
Charcoal is great for absorbing extra oil and dirt buildup, whether you’re using it topically or taking it as a pill for when you’re sick. With all the sweat buildup from your sauna stay, using charcoal will be an extra way to scrub the dirty grime away.
3. Give yourself permission to sweat.
We all make sweating seem like it’s such a bummer during our regular, everyday lives. But whether you’re using a sauna blanket, an infrared sauna tent, or a personal steam sauna, honor the natural ways your body can detox without you having to really lift a finger.
We could all take a bit more time to appreciate the beauty of a functioning body– so thank your body for being able to detox naturally, and bask in all the benefits sweating brings to the entire body, like increased blood flow, workout recovery, pain relief, stress relief, and of course, letting your sweat glands do their thing!
The best portable saunas of 2023
So, we’ve scored the markets for the best portable saunas, taking into account:
- Cost and affordability
- Material and sustainability
- Customizability of heat settings
- Positive customer reviews
1. SereneLife Infrared Home Sauna
The best sauna for multi-taskers
Price: $209.99
Imagine being able to work up a sweat and go on your laptop, read a magazine, or even watch some TV without having to fiddle around with anything sweaty-handed.
If you have to fit many different things all in one day, then this portable and flexible personal sauna allows for just that! With a hole design for your head and arms, a folding chair included to sit comfortably, and even a heated foot pad, sweaters love this sauna for the added flexibility of being able to entertain themselves while detoxing.
Key Features
Simple and compact folding and stowaway for those who don’t have lots of storage space
Hand and head access zippers in case you want to watch TV, read a magazine, or work a bit with your hands while working up a sweat
Wire control timer helps you adjust the temperature and time setting
Comes with a chair for comfy sweaty
Includes heated footpad so you can hit every part of your body
What to look out for
You might want to look at another one if you’re on the taller side, as many people have claimed the foldable chair is a compact size (even for smaller people) and that their knees hit the sides of the sauna “walls”
Some say the head whole is a little too forward, causing sauna-dwellers to have to hunch in order to properly fit
Like other cheaper saunas, it contains PVC, or polyvinyl chloride pipes, for its structure, which can emit toxic fumes when placed in heat
Explore the SereneLife Sauna →
2. SereneLife Portable Sauna for Two
The best sauna for partner sweaters
SereneLife has a multitude of portable sauna options to choose from, including this one fit for two!
With stronger support bars than many portable saunas, this has both the height and the width to comfortably fit a friend, partner, or family member to enjoy your sauna-soaked time together (with two folding chairs included).
Its remote control includes both a time and a heat level setting so you can set your sauna without having to step outside. Plus, there’s a removable basin meant to collect the steam from the walls for a super simple cleanup.
Key Features
Fit for two (includes two foldable chairs, as well!)
Steam basin for easy cleanup
Sturdier than other portable saunas
What to look out for
The additional sturdiness comes from extra PVC which can emit toxic fumes when placed in heat
Because of its more sturdy setup, it’s not as simple and seamless to break down as other portable saunas like sauna blankets
Price: $329.99
Explore the SereneLife Sauna for Two →
3. Lifepro Far Infrared Sauna Blanket
The best compact sauna
With temperature settings ranges, compact storage capability, and a 5-layered detox wrap design, this zero EMF and infrared sauna blanket has a multi-level remote control so you can easily manage the heat output based on what you need (perhaps you’d like to start at a 1 or 2 if you’re a beginner, or rev it up to 9 or 10 if you’re ready for lots of sweat).
You might have envisioned all of the saunas to be sauna tents, with a small, room-like structure in which to sweat. But for those who like lying down or the feeling of a blanket, sauna blankets have a sleeping bag-like design that can also provide the heat you need to sweat.
As a blanket, you may imagine it to be flimsy and floppy, but it has multi-layer protection to both lock in the head and remain sturdy.
Key Features
Sturdy, 5-layer blanket design
Wide temperature range (from 77 to 176 degrees F!)
Comes with a carrying bag for simple stowaway
What to look out for
PU, or Polyurethane Leather body, which is what the blanket is made of, is a synthetic material that takes hundreds of years to break down and may contain harsh VOCs (depending on the manufacturer).
The overall feel of sauna blankets might feel a little close for comfort compared to saunas, where you don’t have material touching your skin while you’re sweating!
No two-way zipper, so could be a hassle to zip and unzip when you’re exiting your blanket
Price: $399.99
Explore the LifePro Far Infrared Sauna Blanket →
4. SaunaSpace Luminati Infrared Sauna
The most high-quality and sustainable sauna
SaunaSpace has prioritized the art of sweating and EMF protection with two highly crafted infrared saunas, one of which is the Luminati Infrared Sauna. This is probably the closest you’ll get to the feel of a traditional sauna while also being able to fold it away when you don’t need it.
The Luminati comes in 5 beautiful colors, but its hues are just the icing on the cake when it comes to its actual sauna features.
It’s adjustable in height, temperature, and color, including the highest of quality sauna accessories like a bamboo grounding mat, its own chair/stool made from American basswood, and even synchronization to the HeadsUp app (with a 3-month free trial).
Key Features
Sustainably harvested materials including North American basswood, organic bamboo (heat-treated and chemical-free), stainless steel, and machine-washable, 100% GOTS-certified cotton canvas
Sturdy design, but still portable if needed
5 beautiful colors including natural, indigo, dark chocolate, stone, and hand-dyed turmeric
ThermaLight®️ bulb that makes the sauna full-spectrum, making it a more high-end option out of the other portable infrared saunas, including both infrared heat therapy from the sauna and light therapy from the Tungsten Infrared panels
Light heating panels are made with stainless steel guards to protect from heat and EMF
What to look out for
The price is a bit heftier than the others, but in our opinion, so worth it with the enhanced quality of materials
Price: $4,430
Explore the SaunaSpace Luminati Infrared Sauna →
5. Happy Sol Infrared Sauna Blanket
Best and cutest pack-away set
Overview
The Happy Sol blanket comes in the cutest little carrying bag so you can easily bring it around anywhere you go, fitting its wired remote control and blanket into its very own mesh carrying bag.
The blanket itself has a multilayered design, including the anti-flaming PU leather exterior layered with breathable and anti-flaming cotton and far-infrared heating.
Key features
Broad temperature settings range from a minimum temperature of 77 to a maximum temperature of 176 degrees Fahrenheit
Multi-layered design helps prevent sweat absorption and helps you stay comfortable (cotton!)
Sturdy design makes for a simple experience without flimsy, thin blanket material
What to look out for
Blanket is made with PU leather
The overall feel of sauna blankets might feel a little close for comfort compared to sauna tents, where you don’t have material touching your skin while you’re sweating!
Price: $325
Explore the Happy Sol Infrared Sauna Blanket →
6. Sunlighten Solo Portable Sauna
The best sauna dome
Sunlighten’s Solo Portable Sauna is a bit different from the other designs.
Instead of being a sauna tent or a blanket, it’s a dome used when lying down and flooded with high-end and customizable features that can help you target specific parts of the body.
With 9 SoloCarbon heaters— including 4 in the SoloPad that you lie on, and 5 in the dome above your body— the heat targets the most important parts of your body so you can sweat, while also offering a memory foam padded floor mat as the SoloPad so you feel like you’re sweating on the most comfortable, water-resistant bed ever!
Key features
High-quality materials including bamboo carbon (dome, pad, and pillow) and Celliant cotton, which is a natural and thermo-reactive material that converts the heat of your body into infrared energy
16 color options via the remote control as well as 4 brightness intensity modes for chromotherapy effects
Easy folding design for compact storage
What to look out for
The price is a bit heftier than our other options, but if you’re committed to taking on a portable infrared sauna that lasts the test of use and time, an upfront investment like this could be well worth the price for you.
Pricing isn’t transparent unless you put in your email and phone number. I got called four times within two days (twice on a Sunday) from their sales dialer, which definitely bothered me. I let the sales representative know my concerns about this matter but may be circling back and replacing Sunlighten with a different brand if I find they’re still staying persistent with their phone calls and elusive about their pricing.
Price: $1,999— $2,600
Explore the Sunlighten Solo Portable Sauna →
7. SaunaSpace Faraday Infrared Sauna
Best EMF-protection sauna
Okay, we couldn’t skip out on SaunaSpace’s other incredible portable infrared sauna, the Faraday Infrared Sauna!
The price tag certainly isn’t as optimal as the others, but after deep research into the quality of materials, we can’t help but continue to recommend SaunaSpace for an incredibly sustainable, nontoxic, and mindful portable sauna design.
The Faraday (representing a unit of electrical charge) blocks EMF exposure to things like sunlight, and some of our biggest EMF contributors like 5G, Bluetooth, and using our phones in general.
Along with its high-end sauna system, its unique shielding fabric is made of silver and cotton blocks so you can fully embrace the bodily detox and clarity you get from basking in this spacious, beautiful sauna tent. ⛺️
Key features
- EMF protection so your body can fully detox and disconnect
plus all the other features in the Luminati, including
Sustainably harvested materials including North American basswood, organic bamboo (heat-treated and chemical-free), stainless steel, and machine-washable, 100% GOTS-certified cotton canvas
Sturdy design, but still portable
5 beautiful colors including natural, indigo, dark chocolate, stone, and hand-dyed turmeric
ThermaLight®️ bulb that makes the sauna a full-spectrum Infrared therapy, including both heat therapy from the sauna and light therapy from the Tungsten Infrared sauna panel
Light panel made with stainless steel guards to protect from heat and EMF
What to look out for
The price is a bit heftier than the others, but in our opinion, so worth it with the enhanced quality of materials!
Price: $6,400
Explore the Faraday Full-Spectrum Infrared Sauna →
Bonus: Something to note is that portable saunas like these won’t give you the flexibility to do things like stretching or full-on yoga in your sauna. If this is something you want to do, you’ll want to explore some more in-home saunas that give you a little more space to move.
Frequently asked questions ?
Do portable saunas work?
At its most basic level, portable saunas should help you do one thing: sweat! By encouraging your body to release toxins naturally, you’re already well on your way to ridding yourself of heavy metals and other built-up toxins that aren’t doing your body any good.
How do I know what type of portable sauna to get?
Lots of it is personal preference– some like the feeling of a blanket, while others wouldn’t really like the feeling of something touching them when they’re sweating and would much rather have a little room for them to move around in!
A big factor for us is the materials. Sure, the Amazon ones are cheaper, but most (if not, all!) of them are made with PVC and/or vegan leather, both of which are toxic either to the environment or to us! One suggestion we have: if you don’t have the budget for a higher-end one, try using the one at your gym or local spa for a while until you can have one for yourself.
What toxins come out in sweat?
When you’re body is sweating, you’re mostly releasing cholesterol, alcohol, and heavy metals like arsenic, which can be found in soils from where you’re getting your food, as well as foods themselves, depending on your diet.
(This is why we should all be testing for arsenic and starting to grow our own, all-natural foods at home!)
How do I clean my sauna?
There should be individual directions on any of the saunas you purchase. We personally like cleaning many of our products as we would a yoga mat, with our homemade solution: 1-part water, 1-part vinegar, and 10-20 drops of essential oils of your choosing. We typically go with either lavender essential oil (antibacterial) or tea tree essential oil (antiseptic, antiviral, and antibacterial), but it’s very important to check your directions to see what parts need what type of cleaning.
What’s the best portable sauna?
Our take? We love the SaunaSpace Faraday Infrared Sauna, since it boasts full-spectrum infrared (which means it emits both far, near, and mid-infrared so your body can absorb the energy on a cellular level), and offers EMF protection.
Want to sweat and be cute while doing it? Check out some sustainable yoga clothes and the best natural deodorant to pair with your new sauna. 🔥
