Around Toledo, most “sauna” options are infrared studios and infrared workout pods. They’re popular, but they’re a very different experience from the traditional Finnish sauna that most sauna research is based on. Here’s how the two compare.
The short version: A wood-fired sauna heats the air to about 175–200°F, and you pour water on hot stones for bursts of steam. An infrared sauna uses panels that heat your body directly at a gentler 113–140°F, with dry air and no steam. Most of the big long-term health studies were done on traditional Finnish-style saunas.
How each one works
Wood-fired (traditional Finnish) sauna
A wood stove heats a pile of sauna stones, which heat the air in the room. Ladle water onto the stones and you get löyly, a wave of steam that makes the heat feel suddenly more intense, then softer. You control the experience with the fire, the water and where you sit (higher benches are hotter).
Infrared sauna
Infrared panels give off radiant heat that warms your skin and body directly. The air stays cooler, often around 113–140°F, so sessions can feel milder and you can stay in longer. Infrared saunas run on electricity, and there’s no stove, stones or steam.
Side-by-side
- Temperature: wood-fired about 175–200°F; infrared about 113–140°F.
- Steam: wood-fired, yes (you control it); infrared, no.
- Feel: wood-fired is enveloping, with heat that rises and falls with each ladle of water. Infrared is a steady, dry warmth.
- Atmosphere: wood-fired has crackling fire, cedar aroma and a social feel. Infrared is often a solo pod or cabin with lights and music.
- Power: wood-fired needs none for heat. Infrared needs an electrical circuit.
- Research base: the large Finnish population studies on heart health and longevity looked at traditional saunas. Infrared has a smaller body of research.
Which is better for recovery?
Both make you sweat, raise your heart rate and help you relax. If you want the experience the long-term studies describe, the traditional sauna is the closer match. That means short rounds in high heat, often followed by a cool-down or cold plunge. If very high heat bothers you, infrared’s lower temperature may feel more comfortable. In any sauna, listen to your body and leave when you’ve had enough.
Want the science? Read our guide to sauna and cold plunge benefits.
Why we chose wood fire
Wood fire is how sauna has been done for centuries. The smell of cedar, the crackle of the stove and the hiss of water on the stones are part of what makes it restorative. It also means our mobile sauna needs no electrical hookup for heat, so we can set it up almost anywhere a trailer can park.
Try a wood-fired sauna in Toledo
There aren’t many places to experience a real wood-fired sauna in Northwest Ohio. That’s why we bring one to you. Hourly sessions start at $60, with firewood and cold plunge included.