How much does an infrared sauna cost to run?

Cost per session and month

At 40.64c per kWh, the Irish average in October 2026. Assumes the heater is on full power while warming up, then on for all of the session for infrared and half of it for traditional. Use your own figures.

By how often you use it

Monthly costs at 40.64c per kWh, for a 20-minute warm-up and a 30-minute session. Even daily use of a 1-person cabin costs about the same each month as a single session at a public sauna.

How much power it uses

Infrared saunas warm you with heating panels rather than heating a room full of air and stones. That's why they use less power and warm up faster, in about 15 to 25 minutes.

• 1-person cabins: about 1.4 kW, from one seller's published rating.
• 2 to 3 person cabins: up to about 2.4 kW. One Irish seller says its largest model needs 2.4 kW and runs from a standard 3-pin socket.
• 4-person cabins: about 3.4 kW, from one seller's published rating.

Check the rating on the spec sheet of the model you're looking at. The sum is simple: kW × hours on × your price per kWh. A 1.4 kW cabin on for 50 minutes uses about 1.2 kWh.

Because many infrared saunas plug in, they're the easiest kind to put in a spare room. Ask an electrician to check the socket's circuit if other heavy appliances share it. See electrical requirements.