Electric or Wood-Burning: Which Sauna Heater Is Right for You
How the two heat differently, what each one asks of you, and which Urban Sauna models offer which.
How each one heats
An electric heater gives clean, even heat at the temperature you set. It warms up quickly and behaves the same way every time. With Wi-Fi control you can turn it on from your phone before you get home.
A wood stove takes longer and asks you to build a fire. In return you get heat from the stove body as well as the stones, the sound of the fire, and steam from a large mass of stone.
What each one asks of you
- Electric: power run by a licensed electrician, then almost no upkeep beyond replacing stones now and then
- Wood: dry firewood on hand, ash to clear, and a chimney to keep clean
When each one makes sense
Choose electric if you plan to use the sauna often and want it ready with little effort, such as on a weeknight after work.
Choose wood if tending the fire is part of what you want from a sauna. It is a favorite for cabins and lake places.
What Urban Sauna offers
Urban Sauna fits Oasis 5, Oasis 7 and The Legend with a HUUM Drop or IKI Pillar electric heater, both with Wi-Fi control, or an IKI Original wood stove. The One and Oasis 2 take a HUUM Drop or Homecraft Apex Mini electric heater, or a Harvia M3 wood stove sized for small rooms. Oasis 3 is electric only.
Stones come with every heater, and the heater is sized to your hot room. Either kind works well in a sauna that is insulated and built for it.