Best Infrared Sauna Accessories (For Maximum Comfort & Relaxation)

A new infrared sauna is exciting, and it is tempting to buy every gadget at once. Most sessions only need a few simple things. Here is what is worth buying first, what is a nice extra, and what to leave outside the cabin.

Which infrared sauna accessories are worth buying?

The essentials

Sauna towels

Bring two towels: one to sit or lie on and one to dry off. A towel on the bench keeps sweat off the wood and makes cleaning easier. Choose cotton or linen that absorbs well and dries quickly. Special sauna towels are nice, but regular bath towels work too. See what size sauna towel you need and how to clean a sauna.

A good water bottle

Water is the most useful thing you can bring. Cleveland Clinic advises bringing water into the infrared sauna with you, and Harvard Health suggests two to four glasses of cool water after a session. An insulated water bottle keeps your drink cool in the heat. More on how much water to drink.

Timer

A timer lets you keep sessions sensible without bringing your phone in. Cleveland Clinic suggests starting at about 110°F for 5 to 10 minutes and, even for experienced users, keeping sessions to about 20 to 30 minutes. A sand timer, a sauna clock or the timer on your cabin’s control panel all work. See how long and how often to use an infrared sauna.

Want a podcast or a guided session while the timer runs? A speaker built for sauna heat lets you leave your phone outside. See the sound section below.

Thermometer and hygrometer

The number on the control panel is not always the temperature at your seat. A simple analog thermometer-hygrometer shows the actual air temperature and humidity, so you know what you are sitting in. Read how hot infrared saunas get and where to put a sauna sensor.

Backrest or headrest

Sauna benches are hard and straight. A wooden backrest makes sitting more comfortable, and a headrest helps when you lie down. Most are designed either for sitting down or for laying out on the bench. Choose untreated sauna wood that can take the heat, and try a few shapes if you can, because some are straight and others curved.

Comfort extras

Waterproof cushion

A seat cushion adds padding for longer sessions. Choose one made for saunas or at least rated for heat and moisture, and let it dry outside the cabin afterwards so it does not stay damp.

Comfortable robe

A robe is handy for the walk to and from the sauna and for resting afterwards while you cool down. It also helps if you sauna without a swimsuit. See what to wear in an infrared sauna.

Footstool

A small footstool gives you somewhere to rest your feet, which helps if your feet do not reach the floor from the bench. Wood that can take heat and moisture holds up best. Foldable ones are easy to store.

Hanging shelf

A small shelf or a few hooks keep your water bottle, thermometer and towel within reach, and give a robe somewhere to hang. Use a wooden one, since metal gets hot.

Roller massager

Simple, non-electric roller massagers are cheap and easy to use on your legs, arms or feet while you sit. Leave electric massagers outside unless the manual says they are made for sauna heat.

Sound and entertainment

Sauna speaker

Your phone should stay outside. Apple says iPhone and iPad are designed for ambient temperatures between 32 and 95°F (0 to 35°C), and an infrared cabin runs at about 110 to 135°F. A speaker made for saunas, like the one in the timer section above, lets you listen without bringing your phone into the heat. Some cabins also have built-in speakers. Read using a speaker in a sauna, can you bring an iPhone into a sauna and can you wear headphones in the sauna.

Books and e-readers

Waterproof is not the same as heat-proof. Amazon rates the Kindle Paperwhite for use between 32 and 95°F (0 to 35°C) and says not to expose it to extremely humid conditions such as a steam room. A paperback or magazine is the safer choice. See can you bring a book into a sauna.

Essential oils and diffusers

Many people like a scent in the sauna. Infrared cabins have no hot stones to pour scented water on, so check your cabin manual first. Electric diffusers are electronics too, so keep them out of the heat unless the manual says otherwise, and never drip oil onto the heater panels. Read can you use essential oils in a sauna and sauna aromatherapy kits and diffusers.

Oxygen ionizer (optional)

A sauna oxygen ionizer is a small electric device designed to give airborne particles a negative charge, so dust and other particles clump together and settle instead of circulating. Some infrared cabins ship with one built in. For most home saunas it is a nice-to-have rather than a must. It does not replace the basics: air the sauna out after every session, wipe the benches and let the wood dry. If you buy one, choose a model rated for sauna heat and clean the collector plate regularly.

What to leave outside the sauna

• Your phone, tablet and e-reader. They are designed for much lower temperatures.
• Electric gadgets that are not rated for sauna heat, including most massagers and diffusers.
• Weights. Harvard Health notes that your pulse rises by 30% or more in a sauna. Train first, then use the sauna to relax.
• Alcohol. Save it for later (why alcohol and heat do not mix).

Planning your routine? See what to do before and after an infrared sauna.

Frequently asked questions

What accessories do I need for an infrared sauna?

Only a few are essential: absorbent towels to sit on and dry off, a water bottle, a thermometer to check the real temperature and a timer. A backrest and a cushion add comfort. Speakers, diffusers, shelves and ionizers are optional extras.

Can I bring my phone into an infrared sauna?

It is better not to. Apple says iPhone and iPad are designed for ambient temperatures between 32 and 95°F (0 to 35°C), and infrared cabins run at about 110 to 135°F. Leave the phone outside and use a speaker made for saunas if you want music or a podcast.

Can you read a Kindle in an infrared sauna?

Amazon rates the Kindle Paperwhite for use between 32 and 95°F (0 to 35°C) and says not to expose it to extremely humid conditions such as a steam room. Being waterproof does not make it heat-proof. A paperback or magazine is the safer choice.

Can you use a Bluetooth speaker in an infrared sauna?

Only one that is made for sauna heat. Many portable speakers are not designed for those temperatures. Look for a model that the manufacturer specifically lists for sauna use, keep your phone outside the cabin and follow the speaker’s instructions.

Do I need a thermometer in an infrared sauna?

It helps. The setting on the control panel and the temperature where you sit are not always the same. A separate thermometer-hygrometer shows the actual air temperature and humidity, so you can adjust the setting and your session time.

Is an oxygen ionizer worth it in a sauna?

For most home saunas it is a nice-to-have, not a must. Ionizers are designed to make dust and other airborne particles settle, but one does not replace airing the cabin after each session, wiping the benches and letting the wood dry.

Sources

• Apple Support: If your iPhone or iPad gets too hot or too cold
• Amazon: Safety and compliance information for Kindle Paperwhite (11th generation)
• Cleveland Clinic: 6 possible benefits of infrared saunas
• Harvard Health Publishing: Saunas and your health

This guide is based on manufacturer information and the linked guidance. We did not test these products ourselves.