Reviewed by the Palmako UK content team with insights from our garden building experts.
If you’re jumping on the bandwagon and fancy yourself an outdoor sauna, then you’re definitely not alone. Google searches for the words ‘home sauna’ and ‘infrared sauna’ rose by 37% and 76% respectively between December 2024 and February 2025. [1]
What used to be the domain of the ‘posh’, is now a speedily growing trend in homes across the UK, mainly due to its health benefits, which include joint pain relief, better circulation, the ability to reduce muscle tension, deep relaxation, and possible sleep and skin rejuvenation advantages. [2]
We dug into the sauna market and found the best outdoor saunas in the UK for 2025, and the variety is inspiring. Buying a sauna has never been easier!
Quick Overview
Saunas come in all shapes, sizes, types, and functionality to match individual tastes. In this buyer’s guide, we highlight 5 best outdoor sauna companies, namely: Palmako, Wildhut, Urban Ice Tribe, Sunlighten, and Out of the Valley, providing you with a wide range of choices to suit your lifestyle.
Table of Contents
- Top sauna types in the UK
- Best for quality and convenience: Palmako timber sauna kits
- Best for luxury sauna: Wildhut handmade saunas
- Best of mobile sauna: Urban Ice Tribe sauna tent
- Best for infrared: Sunlighten infrared saunas
- Best for bespoke design: Out of the Valley saunas
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Top sauna types in the UK
1. Best for quality and convenience: Palmako timber garden sauna kits
Palmako's range of high-quality, easy-to-assemble sauna cabins
Palmako’s range of Nordic-designed timber saunas is beautifully built to enhance any outdoor environment. Each high-quality sauna is carefully constructed, taking into account functionality, comfort, elegant design features, and durability - providing a year-round sauna experience at home.
With several designs available, including: Barrel sauna, Oval sauna, Modern contemporary sauna, and even a sauna with dressing room and canopy, Palmako provides an authentic sauna experience for every budget and taste. Whether you want a traditional sauna with sauna rocks or an electric sauna, their collection will satisfy your needs.
The sauna cabins come in easy-to-assemble kits that can fit in any size space (even small backyards). If you don’t want the hassle of building the backyard sauna yourself, their team of specialists will have your sauna erected in almost no time, while you look forward to your first sauna session.
For heating, they offer two high-quality models:
- Narvi NM Sauna Heater 6kW (incl. Stones): This heater features a large stone compartment for generous steam, and flexible installation with a switch that can be mounted on either side.
- HUUM DROP Electric Heater: A Red Dot award–winning heater inspired by the shape of a water droplet. Though compact, it holds up to 55 kg of stones — more than many wood-burning stove models — and provides gentle, long-lasting steam.
Aren’t the best saunas really for those windy, rainy, and cold days? Or are they for days when you just need to stop rushing around and find some peace and quiet in your own garden? Doesn’t really matter - they’re wonderful - why just dream? Get your ideal sauna in the Palmako signature collection.
Learn more about different sauna types with Types of Sauna: Features and Benefits Explained, where we cover traditional, electric, infrared, Finnish, and hybrid saunas.
2. Best for luxury sauna: Wildhut saunas
Images from the Wildhut website
While much has been made of sauna bathing, the type of sauna you choose is equally important. Wildhut fuses form and function to create luxury sauna cabins made by skilled craftsmen in Estonia. Reported to set new standards in comfort, sustainability, and luxury, the Wildhut sauna is for the serious sauna user.
Wildhut offers the following luxury cabins:
- Two-person garden sauna - fits even the smallest garden
- Four-person luxury sauna - comes with an optional porch for small families
- Six-person luxury garden sauna - perfect for families of 6-8 people
- Eight-person luxury sauna - large on the inside, but not intrusive in your garden
Whether you have a tiny garden space or panoramic views, each Wildhut cabin brings design splendour to your home. Whether it's their compact design or large cabin, their vision is for your sauna to blend perfectly with the surrounding nature.
With a choice of elder or cedar wood interior, and modern style electric heaters, you can be sure of efficient heating, no matter the size of the space. Delivered full assembled or modular parts, the cabins can be maneuvered into the smallest spaces.
3. Best for mobile sauna: Urban Ice Tribe Sauna Tent
Images from Urban Ice Tribe website
So you don’t have ample room in your garden - even for a small sauna, but you really want a sauna and could see your way clear to a portable version - then the sauna tent is for you. The tent features panoramic windows, enhanced stability, and a genuine sauna experience—complete with a stainless steel stove, sauna rocks, and a waterproof cover.
The sturdy heat distribution basket ensures heat efficiency, while temperatures can reach up to 80–90°C. The tent can withstand the elements while maintaining excellent air circulation and heat retention. For heating 20kg of 20kg Olivine Diabase rocks, a stainless steel stove, and a rock basket.
For setup, you don’t require tools, and it takes only 5 minutes to get it fully assembled. This is where the sauna truly becomes available for everyone in their own home, and it’s the perfect complement for cold plunges.
4. Best for infrared: Sunlighten saunas
Images from the Sunlighten website
Sunlighten offers a range of pulse, full-spectrum, and deep-penetrating infrared garden saunas, as well as a portable sauna for indoor infrared treatment. These saunas combine the ultimate in modern luxury treatments and technology to bring you a wellness experience normally only received at a high-end spa.
Enhance the sauna experience with colour therapy (also known as chromotherapy), painting your sauna with an array of colours from the sun’s visible light spectrum. This is believed to align with the body’s energy points.
One-touch access to six pre-installed health programs is made possible with the Android-powered control pad. Wifi connectivity allows seamless updates to technology. Hidden magnets in the sauna walls ensure powerful locking systems without screws or clamps.
The suggested health benefits of infrared saunas include: weight loss, detoxification, heart health, and immunity improvements. Sunlighten’s patented SoloCarbon heating technology delivers the highest quality and quantity infrared energy for clinically shown, effective health benefits.
If you’re ready to buy but want to know the ongoing expenses, our guide How Much Does a Sauna Cost to Run in the UK? offers a full breakdown for traditional Finnish, wood-fired, and infrared saunas.
5. Best for bespoke design: Out of the Valley saunas
Images from the Out of the Valley website
Handbuilt in their Devon workshop, Out of the Valley offers a complete end-to-end service of prefabricated saunas. Each one is expertly crafted by hand, so no two saunas are exactly the same, and if money is no object, then you can let your imagination go wild.
The core sauna range is designed to accommodate various groups and a wide range of locations. Tell them where you want to put your sauna, and they’ll work with you to ensure it matches the aesthetics and your preferences. They offer the ability to add a range of extras that will enhance your sauna experience. When your sauna is ready, they’ll arrange to have it delivered (even to the most challenging locations) and assembled.
Sauna interiors are lit with LED lighting below the benches and above the headrests, providing soft ambience. Porcelain tiles cover the floors, while picture windows keep you connected to nature. Out of the Valley saunas provide the ultimate bespoke build for lasting cabins in any space you can imagine.
Conclusion
The outdoor sauna market has never been more appealing and accessible in the UK. Whether you’re after timeless quality, a portable sauna tent, technology combined with the latest in heating innovation, a traditional Finnish sauna, or a fully designed master piece - you can have just about anything you want.
Your only decision now is which sauna type, design, and brand has captured your imagination and your attention. And if you don’t know where to start - that’s also alright - then contact Palmako’s team of experts who will run you through all the choices. We love to talk about all things sauna-related, so let us help you with your decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need planning permission for an outdoor sauna in the UK?
In most cases, you will not need planning permission if the outdoor sauna is under 2.5m tall, and occupies less than 50% of your outdoor space - it should also be for personal use alone. It’s best to confirm this with your local planning authority, especially if you live in a conservation area.
2. What are the physical health benefits of using a sauna?
Sauna rapidly warms your body, causing muscles to relax and blood vessels to dilate, improving blood flow. This brings a sense of relaxation and well-being to your body and mind. Regular sauna sessions can help to reduce cardiovascular issues and improve the immune system. When enjoyed in your garden, it can be a calming experience that relaxes the nervous system.
3. Are outdoor saunas worth it?
Yes, an outdoor sauna erected in your own garden (even if you have limited space) is a good investment that suits every budget. It can be easily maintained, with many modern varieties such as electric saunas making the experience easy and enjoyable. The stress-filled modern lifestyle gives homeowners every reason to have a sauna, helping to rejuvenate the body and the mind.
4. Which outdoor sauna is best?
That depends on your personal requirements, such as the size of your space, the type of sauna you prefer (traditional or electric), and the design you would like. Dry sauna is good for relaxation and detox, while steam sauna is good for increasing circulation, skin health, and clearing congestion.
5. Are infrared saunas any good in the UK?
An infrared sauna is a gentler heating option that directly warms the body instead of the room. It has excellent benefits for muscle relaxation and pain relief. Infrared heaters are easily found from retailers (both physical and online).
References:
1. Sauna trends
2. Are saunas good for your health?
