Sauna comparisons
Infrared sauna vs steam room: how they differ and which fits your home
The infrared sauna vs steam room question comes down to two kinds of heat and two very different installations. An infrared cabin surrounds you with dry radiant heat, and many models run on standard 120-volt household power. A steam room holds you in saturated air and has to be built into a bathroom with its own generator, circuit, water supply and drain.
Both deliver a heated session at home, and both are sold with long lists of promised benefits. The difference between infrared sauna and steam room ownership shows up in more practical places: how the heat reaches you, how humid the air is, where the equipment lives, and what has to be built, wired and plumbed before the first session. This guide takes each in turn, summarizes what published research does and does not show, and ends with a decision guide. Sauna Republic is an authorized dealer for Clearlight infrared saunas and for ThermaSol and Mr. Steam steam systems, so the examples use equipment we carry and quote.
The short version
An infrared sauna warms you with radiant heat in dry air, typically 110 to 135°F (43 to 57°C). A steam room holds the air at about 100 percent humidity at a similar or lower temperature; ThermaSol recommends 110 to 115°F (43 to 46°C). Steam usually feels hotter than its number because saturated air stops sweat from evaporating. An infrared sauna is a freestanding cabin on household or dedicated electrical service. A steam room is a sealed enclosure built into a bathroom, with a generator, a dedicated 240V circuit, a water supply and a drain. If you want the simpler installation or prefer dry heat, choose infrared. If you are renovating a bathroom and love wet heat, choose steam.
How an infrared sauna works
An infrared sauna is a wood cabin lined with electric emitters that give off infrared radiation. That energy crosses the cabin and is absorbed by your skin and by the surfaces around you, where it becomes heat. The air warms as well, but it is not the main way heat reaches you, and that is the defining difference from a steam room or a traditional sauna. A Cleveland Clinic overview notes that "temperatures in infrared saunas typically land between 110 F and 135 F." No water is involved at any point, so the cabin stays dry.
In practice, that means a session in dry air in which you can read, stretch or talk without anything getting wet, and a cabin that needs no plumbing, drain or vapor barrier. It is the reason an infrared sauna can stand in an ordinary room.
Far infrared and full spectrum
Emitters differ in the wavelengths they produce, and Clearlight's two indoor lines show the distinction clearly. The Premier line is far infrared only, roughly 6 to 14 microns. The Sanctuary line adds True Wave Full Spectrum heaters on the front wall that also emit near infrared (700 to 1,400 nm) and mid infrared (1,400 to 3,000 nm). Both are dry, freestanding cabins; the choice between them turns on spectrum, features and electrical service, and our Sanctuary vs Premier guide covers it in depth.
For two people, the Clearlight Sanctuary 2 (full spectrum, on a dedicated 120V 20-amp circuit) and the Clearlight Premier IS-2 (far infrared, on a standard 120V 15-amp outlet) illustrate the range. The full Clearlight indoor lineup runs from one-person cabins to five-person, corner and wheelchair-accessible models.
How a steam room works
In a home, a steam room is usually a steam shower: a fully enclosed shower that doubles as a steam bath. The steam is made outside the room. An electric generator installed in a nearby closet, vanity or utility space boils water in a small tank and sends the steam through a line to a steam head inside the enclosure. A controller on the shower wall sets the temperature and session time and tells the generator when to run.
ThermaSol's guidance is direct: "The proper temperature for a steam bath is between 110 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit," and steam rooms "should also maintain the humidity level at about 100 percent," with the system adjustable to personal preference (ThermaSol Solution Center). That setting sits at the bottom of the typical infrared range, yet steam tends to feel hotter, for a simple physical reason.
Why steam feels hotter than the thermometer reads
In dry air, sweat evaporates and carries heat away from the skin. Air that is already saturated with water vapor cannot take up much more, so sweat stays on the skin and that evaporative cooling largely stops. Some of the moisture that forms on your skin is not sweat at all but steam condensing on a surface cooler than the air, which adds heat rather than removing it. The result is that a steam room at 113°F (45°C) can feel more intense than a dry cabin at a higher reading.
Infrared sauna vs steam room at a glance
The table below condenses the steam room vs infrared sauna differences that matter most when you are buying. Temperatures are typical settings from the sources cited above, not limits; both systems are adjustable.
| Factor | Infrared sauna | Steam room (steam shower) |
|---|---|---|
| Heat source | Electric infrared emitters radiate heat to your body and the cabin | An electric generator outside the room boils water and pipes steam in through a steam head |
| Typical air temperature | 110 to 135°F (43 to 57°C) | 110 to 115°F (43 to 46°C), ThermaSol's recommended setting |
| Humidity | Dry; the cabin adds no moisture | About 100% |
| Where it goes | Spare room, home gym, finished basement or climate-controlled garage; outdoor-rated models exist | A bathroom, in a shower built or rebuilt for steam |
| Construction | Freestanding prefabricated wood cabin, assembled on site | Vapor-tight enclosure of tile, stone, acrylic or glass with a sealing door |
| Electrical | Standard 120V outlet or dedicated 20-amp circuit for smaller Clearlight models; dedicated 240V circuit for larger ones | Dedicated 240V circuit, typically 30 to 40 amps for 6 to 8 kW generators |
| Plumbing and drain | None | Water supply and drain connection for the generator, plus the shower drain, by a licensed plumber |
| Heat-up | A short pre-heat; panels radiate once they reach operating temperature, before the air is fully warm | Steam begins once the generator's water boils; the sealed room then fills and climbs to the set temperature |
| Cleaning and upkeep | Sit on a towel, wipe the bench and floor, and keep water away from heaters and controls | Dry the enclosure after each use, clean tile and grout regularly, and flush and descale the generator as the manual directs |
| Session feel | Dry, steady warmth; you can read or stretch | Dense, wet heat that feels hotter than the reading; everything in the room gets wet |
Two rows usually decide it: where the equipment can go, and whether you prefer dry or wet heat. The next two sections cover what installation involves for each.
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Get PricingInstalling and owning an infrared sauna
An indoor infrared sauna arrives as prefabricated panels. Clearlight cabins are designed for customer assembly, and two people can typically put together a one- to three-person model in an afternoon without specialty tools. There is no plumbing, drain or vapor barrier to build. What you do need to plan is floor space, a level floor and the right electrical supply.
Electrical requirements by model
Electrical service is the requirement most likely to change your plans, so confirm it before you choose a model. Across Clearlight's indoor lineup, it breaks down as follows.
A dedicated 20-amp circuit is routine work for a licensed electrician, and a new 240V circuit is a larger job; either is simpler than the combined electrical, plumbing and tile work a steam shower requires. Place the cabin so it plugs directly into its receptacle, since an extension cord is not a safe way to feed a high-draw heating appliance.
Space and placement
A two-person Premier IS-2 measures 50 by 44 inches, small enough for a spare bedroom, a home gym or a corner of a finished basement. Leave clearance to open the door and reach the power connection, and set the cabin on a level, dry floor. Basements and garages each raise their own questions about moisture, flooring and temperature, which our basement sauna guide and garage sauna guide address. If your space is outdoors, Clearlight's outdoor Sanctuary models are built for permanent outdoor installation on a flat, weight-bearing base with a dedicated 240V circuit.
Running costs and day-to-day care
Clearlight's two-person indoor cabins are rated at 1,750 watts (Premier IS-2) and 2,260 watts (Sanctuary 2), so what one costs to run depends mainly on how often and how long you use it; our sauna electricity cost guide shows how to estimate it at your local rates.
Installing and owning a steam shower
A steam shower is a construction project, and the easiest time to add one is during a bathroom renovation or new build. Four elements have to come together: a correctly sized generator, a dedicated electrical circuit, plumbing, and an enclosure that holds steam.
Sizing the generator
Generators are sized to the enclosure, not to the number of people using it. Start with volume (width times depth times ceiling height, in feet), then apply a multiplier for the wall material, because denser surfaces draw more heat out of the steam: acrylic 0.65, ceramic tile on thin-set 1.0, ceramic tile on a mortar bed 1.2, porcelain 1.35 and natural stone 2.0. Glass walls or doors add 15 percent, one exterior wall adds 15 percent (30 percent for two), and windows or skylights add 10 percent.
A 3 by 4 foot shower with an 8-foot ceiling, for example, is 96 cubic feet. Tiled on thin-set it stays at 96, and a glass door raises it to about 110. That is beyond the 84-cubic-foot rating of ThermaSol's 6 kW PRO Series 84 and within the 140-cubic-foot rating of the 8 kW PRO Series 140, such as the ThermaSol PRO Series II 140. Our steam shower generator size calculator runs the same math for any enclosure, and our steam shower generator guide compares the ThermaSol and Mr. Steam lineups model by model.
Electrical, plumbing and generator placement
Every steam generator needs a dedicated 240V circuit, typically 30 to 40 amps for the 6 to 8 kW units common in home showers, installed by a licensed electrician. The generator mounts outside the shower, usually in an adjacent closet, a vanity cabinet or a nearby utility space, within the steam-line distance the manufacturer allows. A licensed plumber runs the water supply to the generator and makes its drain connection as the installation manual specifies. The steam head belongs where no one will sit or stand in its path, since the steam leaving it is far hotter than the room.
A vapor-tight enclosure
The enclosure is what separates a steam shower from an ordinary one. Walls and ceiling need a non-porous finish such as tile, stone, acrylic or glass over an appropriate moisture barrier, and the door and glass panels have to seal so steam cannot escape over the top or under the door. The ceiling also matters: a slight slope is a common way to direct condensation down the walls instead of letting it drip on the bather. Your contractor and the generator manufacturer's installation manual set the exact details.
Controllers, steam heads and upkeep
ThermaSol and Mr. Steam generators run through a separate wall-mounted controller, and the controller package includes the steam head. Every Mr. Steam controller includes an AromaSteamHead designed for essential-oil diffusion. ThermaSol controllers include a SteamVection steam head, and the SignaTouch controller lists aromatherapy among its features. On the generator side, ThermaSol's PRO Series II and III add PowerFlush, an automatic tank-draining feature that reduces mineral buildup, which matters most in hard-water areas. Mr. Steam's MS Series covers typical residential showers with units from 5 to 9 kW, including the Mr. Steam MS Series 7.5kW. Browse the ThermaSol and Mr. Steam collections or every steam shower generator we carry.
Ownership is more hands-on than with infrared: the enclosure needs drying after every session, regular cleaning, and generator flushing and descaling per the manual, especially where water is hard. The FAQ below covers the routine.
What the research says, and what it does not
Marketing for both formats tends to promise more than the research has established, so it is worth separating the two. On the central question, the Cleveland Clinic overview is plain: "A steam room uses humidity. When it comes to dry heat versus wet heat, there's no clear indication that one is better than another."
Dry sauna bathing
A 2018 systematic review by Hussain and Cohen in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine gathered 40 clinical studies with 3,855 participants. Only 13 were randomized controlled trials, and most enrolled fewer than 40 people. The authors concluded that "regular dry sauna bathing has potential health benefits" and that "more data of higher quality is needed on the frequency and extent of adverse side effects." The review addresses dry sauna bathing in general, so its findings should not be read as specific to infrared cabins. Our infrared sauna benefits guide covers the infrared research in more detail.
Far-infrared saunas
Evidence specific to far-infrared saunas is limited. Beever's 2009 summary of published evidence in Canadian Family Physician, which focused on cardiovascular risk factors, found limited moderate evidence for far-infrared sauna in normalizing blood pressure and in congestive heart failure, fair evidence from a single study in chronic pain, and weak evidence from single studies in chronic fatigue syndrome and obesity. It also found consistent fair evidence refuting claims that far-infrared sauna reduces cholesterol. The qualifiers carry the meaning: much of this evidence rests on single or small studies, and one claim made for far-infrared sauna was refuted.
Steam rooms
Research on steam rooms specifically is thin. Most of the sauna literature examines dry heat, and residential steam showers have little direct study behind them, so benefits commonly attributed to steam, for breathing, skin or sleep, should be read as claims rather than established findings.
What this means for a buyer: choose on comfort, space and installation rather than a promised health outcome. Both formats are heat exposure, so stay hydrated, follow the manufacturer's session guidance, leave if you feel unwell, and speak with a healthcare professional before starting if you are pregnant, managing a medical condition or taking medication.
Which one fits your home
Four questions settle it for most households: which kind of heat you enjoy, where the equipment would go, whether you are renovating, and how much upkeep you will accept.
An infrared sauna is likely the better fit if
A steam shower is likely the better fit if
Two other factors deserve a sentence each. Noise rarely decides the matter, but infrared panels are silent, while a steam head hisses as steam flows and a generator can be audible as it fills and heats, depending on where it is installed. And if you rent, a steam shower is realistically off the table and even a cabin may be more permanence than you want; Clearlight's Curve Dome is a lie-down far-infrared format that runs from two standard 120V outlets.
Can you have both?
Yes, and the two do not compete for the same space. The natural arrangement is a steam shower in the primary bathroom and an infrared cabin in a spare room or basement. Each needs its own circuit, so ask your electrician to confirm the panel can carry a 240V steam generator and the cabin together before you order either. Hotels, spas and gyms planning both should start with our hotel spa buildout guide, since commercial rooms are specified differently.
What does not work is adding water or steam to an infrared-only cabin. It is a dry electrical enclosure: never pour water in it or route steam into it. For scent inside the cabin, use a diffuser built for sauna use, such as the Clearlight AROMA ONE, and never put essential oils on the heaters.
If you want radiant infrared and water on hot stones in one room, a hybrid cabin is built for it. The Finnmark FD-4 Trinity (seats two) and FD-5 Trinity XL (seats up to four) pair Finnmark's infrared heaters with a Harvia traditional heater and stones, and add a red light panel at 650 nm. You can switch between heat types: Finnmark gives 170°F (77°C) for infrared sauna bathing and does not state a maximum for the traditional heater. Ladling water on the stones adds bursts of humidity, as in any traditional sauna, but the room does not hold the roughly 100 percent humidity of a steam room. Finnmark rates both heating systems in the FD-4 at 120 volts: the infrared heaters plug into a standard 15-amp outlet, and the 1.9 kW Harvia Vega Compact heater is rated at 15.9 amps. The FD-5 runs both on 240 volts, and Finnmark specifies an electrician for its 4.5 kW Harvia KIP heater. Confirm the outlets and circuits with our specialists before ordering. Both are in our hybrid sauna collection.
If what draws you to steam is intensity more than humidity, consider a third option: Cleveland Clinic puts traditional saunas at 150 to 195°F (66 to 91°C) with low humidity, and our Finnish sauna vs infrared sauna comparison covers that choice.
Frequently asked questions
Which is hotter, an infrared sauna or a steam room?
By the thermometer, usually the infrared sauna. Cleveland Clinic gives 110 to 135°F as the typical infrared range, while ThermaSol recommends 110 to 115°F for a steam bath. Steam often feels hotter anyway, because air at about 100 percent humidity keeps sweat from evaporating.
Can a steam shower replace a sauna?
It can replace the routine of a heated session, but not the experience of dry heat. A steam shower gives you wet heat at a moderate air temperature, in a space that is also your everyday shower. If you want dry radiant heat, you need an infrared cabin; if you want high dry heat with bursts of steam from water on the stones, you need a traditional sauna.
Can you add steam or water to an infrared sauna?
Not to an infrared-only cabin. It is a dry electrical enclosure built around heater panels and controls, and it is not designed for water or steam. Do not ladle water in the cabin or pipe steam into it. For scent, use a diffuser designed for sauna use, such as the Clearlight AROMA ONE. If you want infrared and water on hot stones in the same room, choose a hybrid such as the Finnmark FD-4 Trinity, which adds a traditional heater and stones to the infrared cabin.
Steam shower vs infrared sauna: which uses more electricity?
While it runs, the steam generator draws considerably more power. Generators for typical home showers are commonly 6 to 8 kW on a dedicated 240V circuit, while Clearlight's two-person indoor cabins are rated at 1,750 watts (Premier IS-2) and 2,260 watts (Sanctuary 2). Actual use per session depends on warm-up time, session length and how often each unit cycles to hold temperature, so compare your own habits rather than nameplates alone. Our sauna electricity cost guide shows how to estimate it.
Which is easier to install?
An infrared sauna, by a wide margin. A Clearlight cabin arrives as panels that two people can assemble, and the Premier IS-1, Premier IS-2 and Sanctuary 1 plug into a standard 120V outlet. A steam shower needs a vapor-tight enclosure, a correctly sized generator mounted outside the shower, a dedicated 240V circuit and a licensed plumber, which is why it is usually built during a bathroom renovation.
How long should a session be?
Go by the guidance in your equipment's manual and by your own comfort rather than a fixed number. Start with shorter sessions, lengthen them gradually only if you feel well, and leave as soon as you feel lightheaded, nauseated or unwell. If you are pregnant, managing a medical condition or taking medication, ask a healthcare professional before using either.
How do you keep a steam shower from growing mold?
With ventilation and routine cleaning. The enclosure is wet after every use, so leave the door open and run the bathroom exhaust fan until surfaces dry, and clean tile, grout and door seals regularly. Keep up with the generator's flushing and descaling as the manual directs. Infrared cabins stay dry, so their care is limited to wiping the bench and sitting on a towel.
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Clearlight, Sanctuary, Premier, True Wave, AROMA ONE and Curve are trademarks of Sauna Works, Inc., dba Clearlight Infrared. Sauna Republic is an authorized Clearlight dealer. ThermaSol, Mr. Steam, Finnmark and Harvia are trademarks of their respective owners. This article is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Clearlight describes its products as general wellness products; their statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and they are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consult a healthcare professional before using an infrared sauna or steam room if you are pregnant, managing a medical condition, or taking medication, and follow the manufacturer's safety guidance.
