Ad Best outdoor saunas UK 2026: 8 garden saunas compared on price and spec
Eight outdoor saunas from UK retailers compared on price, heater, size and power needs, from a £2,900 two-person cabin to a £7,899 six-person barrel. Prices checked 10 November 2026.
Quick answer
Most four-to-five-person electric garden saunas with a 6kW Harvia heater included cost £3,750–£6,000 from UK retailers in November 2026. The cheapest traditional outdoor sauna with a heater that we found was the SaunaPlunge Brontë 1–2 person cabin at £2,900. If running a new cable to the garden is the problem, look at wood-fired versions or a plug-in outdoor infrared cabin. Whatever you choose, budget roughly £2,000–£5,000 more for a base, a dedicated electrical circuit and assembly.
We compared outdoor saunas from four UK retailers: Polar Recovery, Outdoor Living 365 (which sells the SaunaPlunge range), Pro-Line Direct (CenturaHeat) and Steam & Oak. We picked models that cover the main shapes and budgets and that publish enough detail (heater, size, power supply) to compare properly. We haven’t tested any of them. Every spec below is what the retailer publishes.
| Model | From | People | Heat | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polar Recovery Sauna Cube (3–5 person) Polar Recovery | £4,999.99 | 3–5 | Harvia Vega 6kW electric heater (included) | Dedicated 32A supply with isolator or 32A commando socket (retailer guidance) |
| SaunaPlunge Pennine Barrel (4 person) Outdoor Living 365 | £4,500 | Up to 4 | 6kW Harvia electric heater (included) | Hard-wired on a dedicated circuit by a qualified electrician |
| CenturaHeat 4–6 person outdoor wood barrel Pro-Line Direct | £3,750 | 4–6 | 6,000W electric stove (included) | 32A |
| CenturaHeat 4–6 person outdoor cube (hybrid) Pro-Line Direct | £4,500 | 4–6 | 6,000W stove plus 3,500W infrared panels | 32A for the stove, 16A for the infrared |
| Steam & Oak Saaren 250 barrel with covered terrace Steam & Oak | £3,750 | 2–4 | Harvia Wall 6kW or 8kW, Harvia M-series wood-fired, or FinSteam gas | – |
| SaunaPlunge Brontë 1–2 person cabin Outdoor Living 365 | £2,900 | 1–2 | 4.5kW Harvia Vega electric heater (included) | Dedicated 20A hard-wired supply; the retailer says it cannot run from an outdoor socket |
| Steam & Oak Vaat 200 barrel sauna Steam & Oak | £2,945 | – | Choice of Harvia Wall 6kW, Harvia Cilindro 6.8kW, Harvia M3 wood-fired or FinSteam gas | Electric heaters need their own supply; wood and gas versions need no electrics |
| Holl's Orphée 5–6 person barrel Steam & Oak | £7,899 | 5–6 | Vulkano Black 9kW electric (included) | Retailer notes a 9kW heater needs a substantial dedicated supply |
The shortlist
Heater included, 5.5m³ room
Polar Recovery Sauna Cube (3–5 person)
From £4,999.99 at Polar Recovery
£4,999.99 wooden front or £5,999.99 glass front. Price checked 11 November 2026.
- Capacity
- 3–5 people
- Heat
- Harvia Vega 6kW electric heater (included)
- Power
- Dedicated 32A supply with isolator or 32A commando socket (retailer guidance)
- Size
- 210 × 205 × 160cm external (H × W × D); 5.5m³ inside
- Build
- Thermowood, 45mm walls, alder benches
- Warranty
- 2 years
The Cube is a thermowood cabin with 45mm walls and an L-shaped bench, sold with a Harvia Vega 6kW heater. Polar publishes an unusually complete spec: internal volume (5.5m³), weight (about 600kg on the spec list) and the base load it wants (about 1,000kg including people). The 5.5m³ room is within the 5–8m³ range Harvia gives for its 6kW wall heater, which is the right pairing. The wooden-front version was out of stock on 10 November and back in stock at £4,999.99 when we rechecked on 11 November 2026; the glass-front version was £5,999.99.
Professional assembly is quoted separately at £1,200–£2,000 depending on where you live, and the electrical connection is on top of that.
- Retailer quotes professional assembly at £1,200–£2,000 depending on location; electrics are separate.
- Retailer says the base must support about 1,000kg (sauna plus users).
See current price at Polar Recovery Ad
Specs are as published by the retailer. We have not tested this product.
Barrel with installation option
SaunaPlunge Pennine Barrel (4 person)
From £4,500 at Outdoor Living 365
£4,500 including a 6kW Harvia heater. Price checked 10 November 2026.
- Capacity
- Up to 4 people
- Heat
- 6kW Harvia electric heater (included)
- Power
- Hard-wired on a dedicated circuit by a qualified electrician
- Size
- 1800 × 1800 × 1930mm
- Build
- Spruce, tiled roof
A 1.8m spruce barrel with a tiled roof and a half-moon rear window, sold with a 6kW Harvia heater. Delivery is free and Outdoor Living 365 lists a fixed barrel-installation add-on at £850, which makes the total easy to budget. The heater must be hard-wired by a qualified electrician on a dedicated circuit. Spruce generally needs an exterior finish; the retailer sells Treatex oils as an option.
- Free UK delivery; the retailer lists barrel sauna installation as an £850 add-on.
- Retailer says to site it on level decking, paving or concrete, away from standing water.
See current price at Outdoor Living 365 Ad
Specs are as published by the retailer. We have not tested this product.
Lowest-priced 4–6 person barrel we found
CenturaHeat 4–6 person outdoor wood barrel
From £3,750 at Pro-Line Direct
£3,750 (listed as reduced from £5,006). Price checked 10 November 2026.
- Capacity
- 4–6 people
- Heat
- 6,000W electric stove (included)
- Power
- 32A
- Size
- 1800 × 2400 × 1800mm (W × D × H)
- Build
- Canadian spruce
At £3,750 this was the cheapest four-to-six-person barrel with a heater that we found at the retailers we checked. It’s a 2.4m-long Canadian spruce barrel with a 6,000W stove, listed as needing a 32A supply. Pro-Line Direct shows it as reduced from £5,006; we can’t say how long that price has applied.
See current price at Pro-Line Direct Ad
Specs are as published by the retailer. We have not tested this product.
Traditional and infrared in one
CenturaHeat 4–6 person outdoor cube (hybrid)
From £4,500 at Pro-Line Direct
£4,500 (listed as reduced from £5,848). Price checked 10 November 2026.
- Capacity
- 4–6 people
- Heat
- 6,000W stove plus 3,500W infrared panels
- Power
- 32A for the stove, 16A for the infrared
- Size
- 2000 × 1800 × 2000mm (W × D × H)
- Warranty
- 1 year on electrics, 2 years on wood
This cube has both a 6,000W stove and 3,500W of infrared panels, so you can use it as a traditional sauna or a lower-temperature infrared one. The listing gives separate supplies (32A for the stove, 16A for the infrared), so ask your electrician to quote for both. Warranty is one year on electrics and two on the timber.
See current price at Pro-Line Direct Ad
Specs are as published by the retailer. We have not tested this product.
Most heater choices
Steam & Oak Saaren 250 barrel with covered terrace
From £3,750 at Steam & Oak
£3,750 cabin only (spruce); £4,239 with Harvia Wall 6kW; £4,520 wood-fired. Price checked 10 November 2026.
- Capacity
- 2–4 people
- Heat
- Harvia Wall 6kW or 8kW, Harvia M-series wood-fired, or FinSteam gas
- Size
- 2.5m long; allow 250 × 205cm plus access
- Build
- 42mm Nordic spruce or thermowood
- Warranty
- 2 years
A 2.5m barrel with a covered terrace, sold as a bare cabin or with a Harvia Wall 6kW or 8kW, a Harvia wood-burning stove or a FinSteam gas heater. Steam & Oak gives the heated volume as about 7.4m³ and notes the 6kW heater is rated for 5–8m³. The wood-fired option (from £4,520 in spruce) avoids the cost of running a cable down the garden, though a chimney and wood storage bring their own considerations.
See current price at Steam & Oak Ad
Specs are as published by the retailer. We have not tested this product.
Cheapest with a heater included
SaunaPlunge Brontë 1–2 person cabin
From £2,900 at Outdoor Living 365
£2,900 including a 4.5kW Harvia Vega heater. Price checked 10 November 2026.
- Capacity
- 1–2 people
- Heat
- 4.5kW Harvia Vega electric heater (included)
- Power
- Dedicated 20A hard-wired supply; the retailer says it cannot run from an outdoor socket
- Size
- 1200 × 1100 × 2000mm (W × D × H)
- Build
- Thermo-treated spruce
The smallest and cheapest traditional sauna here with a heater in the price: a 1.2 × 1.1m thermo-treated spruce cabin for one or two people with a 4.5kW Harvia Vega. It still needs a dedicated 20A hard-wired supply; the retailer is clear it can’t run from an outdoor socket.
See current price at Outdoor Living 365 Ad
Specs are as published by the retailer. We have not tested this product.
Cheapest shell to build up
Steam & Oak Vaat 200 barrel sauna
From £2,945 at Steam & Oak
£2,945 shell only (spruce); £3,495 with Harvia Wall 6kW; thermowood from £3,595. Price checked 10 November 2026.
- Heat
- Choice of Harvia Wall 6kW, Harvia Cilindro 6.8kW, Harvia M3 wood-fired or FinSteam gas
- Power
- Electric heaters need their own supply; wood and gas versions need no electrics
- Size
- 2.0 × 1.6m; 0.9m² hot room
- Build
- 42mm Nordic spruce or thermowood
- Warranty
- 5-year manufacturer warranty if the timber is treated as recommended
A compact 2.0 × 1.6m barrel with a 0.9m² hot room. The £2,945 price is for the spruce shell with no heater; with a Harvia Wall 6kW it’s £3,495, or £3,715 with the Harvia M3 wood stove. The 5-year manufacturer warranty depends on treating the timber as recommended.
See current price at Steam & Oak Ad
Specs are as published by the retailer. We have not tested this product.
Biggest heater in this list
Holl's Orphée 5–6 person barrel
From £7,899 at Steam & Oak
£7,899 including 9kW heater. Price checked 10 November 2026.
- Capacity
- 5–6 people
- Heat
- Vulkano Black 9kW electric (included)
- Power
- Retailer notes a 9kW heater needs a substantial dedicated supply
- Size
- 205 × 180 × 215cm
- Build
- 38mm FSC-certified timber
- Warranty
- 4 years on wood, 2 years on electrical parts
A five-to-six-person barrel with a 9kW Vulkano Black heater included, and the longest timber warranty in this list (4 years on wood, 2 on electrics). A 9kW heater is a big electrical load: Harvia’s manual for its own 9kW heater specifies a 40A fuse on a single-phase supply, so check with an electrician whether your supply can take it before you buy.
See current price at Steam & Oak Ad
Specs are as published by the retailer. We have not tested this product.
How to choose
Match the heater to the room
Heater makers rate each heater for a range of room volumes. Harvia’s manual gives 6–10m³ for its 6.8kW Cilindro and 8–14m³ for the 9kW version, and Steam & Oak quotes 5–8m³ for the Harvia Wall 6kW. Glass and bare log walls absorb more heat, so retailers add volume for them. If a listing doesn’t give the internal volume, ask before you order.
Check the power supply before you fall in love with a sauna
Every traditional electric sauna on this list needs its own hard-wired circuit from your consumer unit. In England, installing a new circuit is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, so you need a registered electrician who can certify it. A long cable run or a full consumer unit can add hundreds of pounds. Read our guide to garden sauna electrics first.
No room for a new circuit?
Wood-fired heaters (Steam & Oak lists Harvia M-series stoves on several models) and FinSteam gas heaters need no electrical supply. A gas fixed connection needs a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Budget for the base and assembly
Retailers ask for a firm, level base, and Polar Recovery says its Cube needs one that can carry about 1,000kg. A concrete base for a small building cost about £60–£80 per m² laid on one 2026 cost guide. Our all-in cost guide and calculator add it all up.
Timber
Spruce is the cheaper option and usually needs an exterior treatment after assembly. Thermowood (heat-treated timber) and cedar cost more. Retailers present them as needing less upkeep; follow the maker’s treatment instructions either way, because several warranties depend on it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a good outdoor sauna cost in the UK?
In November 2026, four-to-five-person electric outdoor saunas with a heater included were listed at about £3,750–£6,000 at the UK retailers we checked, with two-person models from £2,900. Larger or premium-brand saunas run to £8,000 and well beyond. Add a base, a dedicated electrical circuit and assembly, which together typically add £2,000–£5,000.
Can an outdoor sauna plug into a normal socket?
Traditional electric outdoor saunas generally can't. The retailers we checked specify a hard-wired, dedicated supply: 20A for a 4.5kW heater and 32A for 6kW models. Some small outdoor infrared cabins, such as the SaunaPlunge Yorkshire Cabin (2,220W), are listed as running from a 13A supply. Wood-fired and gas heaters need no electrical supply at all.
Is a barrel or a cube sauna better?
Neither is better outright. A barrel has less air to heat for its footprint and sheds rain well; a cube or cabin uses floor space more efficiently and is easier to fit with a full glass front, changing room or bigger benches. See our barrel sauna guide for barrel-specific models.
Do I need planning permission for a garden sauna?
In England most garden saunas count as outbuildings under permitted development, so they don't need planning permission if they stay within limits such as 2.5m maximum height within 2m of a boundary and aren't in front of the house. Listed buildings and designated land have tighter rules. Our planning permission guide explains the detail.
Sources
We read each of these on or before 10 November 2026. Retailer links in this list are plain links, not affiliate links.
- Polar Recovery Sauna Cube 3–5 person (product page)
- Outdoor Living 365: Pennine Barrel 4 person
- Outdoor Living 365: Delivery & installation add-on prices
- Outdoor Living 365: Brontë 1–2 person cabin
- Pro-Line Direct: CenturaHeat 4–6 person outdoor wood barrel
- Pro-Line Direct: CenturaHeat 4–6 person outdoor cube hybrid
- Steam & Oak: Saaren 250 barrel sauna
- Steam & Oak: Vaat 200 barrel sauna
- Steam & Oak: Holl's Orphée barrel
- Harvia Cilindro PC70/PC90 installation manual (room volumes, fuses, warm-up)