Your Sauna Buying Guide - Infrared or Traditional?

One common question is people usually don’t know the difference between infrared and traditional sauna, most people only know trandtional sauna that creates steam. At Kylin, we currently offer both infrared and traditional saunas, with the former indoor and the latter outdoor. Compared between these two types, there are several major differences.

The first is the temperature they can reach. The infrared sauna typically can reach about 60℃, while traditional sauna can reach about 80℃. If you prefer lower temperatures with deep body penetrationg heat, the infrared sauna is your choice. If you are looking for heat and sweating, or just want a authentic Finland style sauna, you will enjoy a traditional sauna.

The second is the way to heat up and the maintenance required followed by. Kylin infrared saunas use carbon or ceramic heating panels to heat up and using electricity, it heats directly to you instead of heat the air. The traditional sauna will require rocks placed in the electric heater to reach the desired temperature first, then pouring water over the rocks to create steam. This means infrared sauna works in dry condition and traditional sauna in hot and steamy condition, just like a bathroom. The dry condition reduces the chance of mould or mildew, allows less cleaning frequency and a healthier environment. In contrast, wet conditions require frequent cleaning and may cause health issues if not cleaning in time or properly.

The third is the space and environment required. Although things will defer from other sellers, Kylin only has indoor infrared saunas and outdoor traditional saunas. Indoor saunas mean they can’t be too large, otherwise there will be no space to place them. In contrast, outdoor saunas have much fewer space limitations so they can be bigger, which means they can accommodate more people.

The fourth is the heat up time. Generally, the infrared saunas take between 10 to 15 minutes to heat up, while the traditional saunas take about 25 to 30 minutes. Although the difference isn’t huge, you may prefer the infrared saunas if you want a speedy heat up.

The fifth is the running cost. Infrared saunas generally consume less electricity than traditional saunas, largely due to the heat up methods, resulting in lower running costs

Key points to consider before buying

Where to put the sauna? Can indoor sauna put outdoor?

Kylin indoor infrared sauna can be placed outdoor under certain conditions. You can place the sauna on outdoor locations such as a deck, but please ensure the sauna is well sheltered or positioned under a cover that’s large enough to prevent any rain drops on the sauna. However, please be advised that the sauna isn’t specifically designed for outdoor use and may be affected by adverse weather conditions or long-term direct sunlight exposure.

To ensure the sauna remains in the best conditions for an extended period, we recommend getting a protective cover from us. However, please note that only selected sauna models are compatible with the covers. For compatibility and more information, please click here for one person sauna and here for two person sauna.

Please ensure to place either the indoor or outdoor sauna on a flat space. If not placed on a flat space, it may cause issues or danger that could threaten life safety.

What about the warranty we're offering?

We provide 5 years for indoor sauna and 3 years for outdoor sauna, both are for residential usage. The 5 years applied to parts and 1 year for labour. For more information regarding warranty, please click here.

Our 5 years and 3 years warranty are in line with most sellers and manufacturers in the industry, so you can rest assured of getting the same level of services from us. We are also proud of our high standard and quality customer services which have received many positive and high rating reviews. You also don’t need to worry after the 5 years warranty period, we will still provide customer service if you have any kinds of questions and issues. Another thing we want to say is you may see some sellers and manufacturers advertise offering limited warranty for a lenghty or maybe exaggerate period. We don’t want to judge or comment on our competitors, but we think this is more like a gimmick. What we will promise is we will offer support continuously after your purchase, no matter it’s within or out of warranty period.

Self-assemble or put it up for you?​

Our indoor infrared saunas are easy to assemble, you just need to follow the guides, which can be found here. Although the sauna can be put up by just one person, we highly recommend using at least two people to make the installation easier and quicker, reducing the chances of errors, also to avoid damage to the product. The assembly of outdoor sauna is more complicated because of its shape and larger size, but it’s still not hard to assemble by yourself.

If you don’t want to assemble by yourself or are not good at putting things together, we have you covered. We offer installation service for all of our saunas in metro Melbourne and Sydney. Please feel free to contact us through online chat, email, phone call or give us a visit at our showrooms.

Is local customer support key to you?​

We understand that many businesses relocate their customer support overseas which has caused the reduction of service quality to some extent, making a lot of people turn away and becoming a key consideration point when making buying decisions.

We are happy to announce our customer service team is 100% Australia-based and we are located at Blackburn, VIC. You can contact us through the live chat on the site, just click the icon on the left bottom of your screen. You can also call us on 03 99883693 or email us to info@kylinaustralia.com.au. If you locate close to Blackburn and prefer face to face communication, you can also visit our Blackburn head office.

What things to look for infrared saunas?

What types of heater?

There are two types of heaters, carbon and ceramic. The ceramic is a more traditional one, has been used widely for years and is proven reliable. However, the newer carbon heater has several advantages against the ceramic heater and is the preferable choice. That’s why most Kylin saunas are equipped with carbon heater to elevate your sauna experience.

The ceramic heater is more efficient compared with traditional types of heater, but it still lags behind the carbon heater. The carbon heater takes the efficiency even further, reducing your bills and waiting time for heat up. Because of the way carbon heater works, it heats more even compared with ceramic heater, so you will feel more comfortable. The temperature of the surface of the carbon heater is also lower than the ceramic heater, this means when you close the heater, you won’t feel significant heat come towards you.

One major difference between carbon and ceramic heaters is the life expectancy, the carbon heaters have a longer life expectancy. Their ability to operate at lower temperatures means that it takes longer for them to reach the end of their optimal usability. Although ceramics are more brittle than carbon heaters, they still have an average lifetime of around 5,000 hours(we guarantee both for five years!).

How to choose the right size?

At Kylin, we provide infrared saunas for 1 to 4 person use and the size details are shown on the product pages, you can make the choice accordingly. The person information shown is based on the general situation, but there could be exceptions. If you have Claustrophobia or you just want a bit extra of spaces, you may want to choose one size up for a better experience. 

In addition, saunas that have the same person advertised may have different sizes. For example, 2 person sauna KY-2P5 and KY-2O6 are both two person sauna, but the former one is slightly bigger about 10cm in width. You may want to take the former one for a slightly bigger space. If you still hesitate not sure which size is right for you, you can go to one of our showrooms in person, we have most of our models displayed and our salespersons are happy to assist you. Please click here to find out the locations of our showrooms, they are located in metro Melbourne and Sydney.

Full-specturm or Far-infrared?

All our infrared saunas exclusively utilize Far Infrared technology, offering superior efficiency compared to traditional saunas, primarily due to the distinctive method of air heating employed.

The term “Full Spectrum” is commonly employed by sauna companies that provide units with a combination of Far-, Near-, and Mid-Infrared emitters. These designations, namely “far infrared” and “full spectrum,” pertain to the levels of infrared heat emitted within the sauna to generate warmth. To comprehend the disparity between the two, a foundational understanding of infrared heat categorization is essential:

Near Infrared: Penetrates deep into the skin.
Mid Infrared: Penetrates deeper into the skin.
Far Infrared: Penetrates deepest into the skin.

Far Infrared, with its longer wavelengths, is particularly adept at penetrating deep into the body, making it beneficial for enhancing circulation and blood flow. On the other hand, Full Spectrum saunas distinguish themselves by concurrently emitting near, mid, and far infrared heat.

While Far Infrared saunas excel at achieving the goal of deep tissue penetration, Near Infrared light, although generating significant heat, does not penetrate as deeply into human tissues. However, it should be noted that Near Infrared can be valuable for specific applications, particularly in treating targeted areas of the skin, such as wound healing.

The overarching objective of sauna use revolves around heating the body, inducing sweating, and facilitating detoxification. Far Infrared saunas are exceptionally effective in achieving these objectives, efficiently removing toxins, enhancing circulation, and promoting muscle relaxation. Also, the far-infrared heat strikes a balance between performance and cost. 

It is important to recognize that the choice between Far Infrared and Full Spectrum saunas depends on individual preferences and specific therapeutic goals, with each offering distinct benefits tailored to different needs.

Are Kylin infrared sauna safe to use?

The safety and health of customers are our top priority. That’s why we carefully selected the materials and ensured they didn’t contain any toxic or harmful ingredients. We use Canadian Hemlock Wood for our indoor infrared sauna range and it’s the material widely used in the industry. As for the glue, we used the glue that passed all the tests of free formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene content and VOC.

Our sauna also undergoes strict testing procedures and passed several certifications including SAA, TUV, ETL and CE. More information about the certification can be found here.

Want Any Additional features?

You may wonder what extras a sauna can deliver apart from superior sauna therapy. Well, there are a few extras our saunas are equipped with that can elevate your sauna experience to a new level.

One of our most popular features is the built-in Bluetooth audio. You may say, I have a portable Bluetooth speaker, why not bring it? The reason better not to use a portable speaker is the heat. The portable speakers usually have built-in batteries and heat is the natural enemy for the battery and other electronic components. As the recommended temperature range is 50~58℃, it will make the battery and other components aging quicker. In addition, this temperature has exceeded the operation temperature range of most Bluetooth speakers on the market, which could cause danger if using it.

Another additional feature loved by our customers is the colour changing LED lights. Some models have colour changing lights, giving you colour therapy along with sauna therapy. Depending on the model, there are 10 or 12 colours to choose with the control through the remote control included. Selected models that are without colour changing lights are equipped with internal reading light, adding convenience while using.