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Our take after about a year
We still use it almost daily.
My wife and I love having a sauna at home. No trips to the YMCA, and no $5,000–$10,000 setup. The chair feels cheap and the shell took some patience to fit, but we’ve had no operating issues.
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We keep ours in the corner of our entertainment room and usually use it at night, a bit before bed. I didn’t want to drive to the YMCA every time I wanted a sauna. This is the setup we’ve stuck with.
Our Sauna Pod at a glance
| What people want to know | Our experience |
|---|---|
| Time owned | About a year. |
| Use | Almost daily, indoors, usually before bed. |
| Assembly | About 20 minutes, by myself. Fitting the cotton shell was the difficult part. |
| Warm-up | About 10 minutes before getting in. |
| Temperature | Roughly 165–170°F at the top during use. |
| Problems | No operating issues so far. The chair feels cheap but works. |
Setup took me about 20 minutes
I put it together myself, without my wife’s help. The whole setup took about 20 minutes.
Getting the cotton shell over the frame and lined up so it fit properly was kind of a pain. I managed it alone, but that’s the part to give yourself some time for.
How hot does the Sauna Pod actually get?
Ours gets to roughly 165–170°F while we’re using it. That’s measured at the top of the sauna, though, not where you’re sitting. I haven’t taken a separate reading at seated body level.
We usually let it warm up for about 10 minutes. It gets close to that range by then and reaches it while we’re sitting inside. Those numbers are approximate.
Temperature is a big point of disagreement in other owners’ reviews. When you compare them, check the model, room conditions and where the thermometer sits. I wouldn’t promise you 185°F based on what we’ve seen with ours.
The chair feels cheap. It still works.
The chair is a bit cheap, I will say. But it works. We haven’t had to stop using the sauna because of it.
After about a year, we haven’t had any operating issues with our sauna. I can’t tell you what a warranty claim is like because we haven’t needed one.
You will sweat and drip
In our experience, you will sweat and drip in this thing. Yes, you need to clean it. That’s part of owning a sauna you use almost every day.
Follow the care instructions for your model when choosing cleaning products or cleaning the cotton shell.
Sauna at night, red light in the morning
My wife and I typically use the sauna at night, a bit before bed. We do red light in the morning. That’s the routine we’ve settled into.
We gave the Ice Pod to my brother-in-law
We also had the standard Ice Pod without a chiller. We ended up giving it to my brother-in-law because they’re more into cold plunging than we are.
We get enough of the cold here in Michigan.
It wasn’t a product problem. We just preferred the sauna. If you’re looking at a bundle, think about whether you’ll use the cold plunge too. I don’t have enough ongoing experience with the Ice Pod to review it the way I can the sauna.
Who should skip it?
- You want a proper bench and a premium finish. The included chair isn’t that. Try a traditional sauna at a local gym or spa to see which experience you prefer.
- You’re buying it specifically to get 185°F. Our reading is lower, even at the top. Don’t buy on the assumption that yours will hit that temperature.
- You’re not sure you’ll use it. Try a few sessions at a local sauna before buying one for home.
Would I recommend it?
Yes. I wanted a sauna I could use at home without spending $5,000–$10,000 or driving to the YMCA. In my opinion, this is better than not having one. That’s my take on the convenience and experience, not a claim that it delivers the same health outcomes as a hotter sauna.
We use it almost daily, and we’ve had no operating issues. I’d tell a friend the same things I’ve said here: the shell takes some patience to fit, the chair feels cheap, and ours gets to about 165–170°F at the top during use.
Check the current price, bundle contents and return terms before ordering. They may have changed since we bought ours.
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See the current Sauna Pod offer →
What we use with it
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The sauna hat
I know it looks lame, but we use a Halsa sauna hat too.
A cotton towel wrap
We also use these cotton towel wraps, so you don’t scare your children. The linked one is a men’s adjustable wrap; the listing describes the towel fabric as 100% cotton.
The ice packs
I use these ice packs over my groin during the sauna. I picked up the idea from Bryan Johnson’s routine.
That isn’t proven fertility protection. A small sauna study found changes in sperm parameters but didn’t test whether ice packs prevented them. Follow the pack’s instructions and keep a fabric barrier between it and your skin; don’t put a frozen pack directly on skin.
Review notes
Our order confirmation identifies the Sauna Pod 2.0. Ownership duration, setup time and temperatures are my estimates. This review is based on my ownership notes recorded October 1, 2026. The photo shows our own setup and has been retouched for presentation.