Portable Tent Sauna or Wooden Garden Sauna? Differences in Cost, Comfort, and Effects

Entry

Over the past few years, I've had the opportunity to enjoy saunas in over 30 countries—from Russian banyas and geothermally heated Icelandic steam cabins to Turkish baths and New Zealand saunas in Hobbit-like landscapes. However, I've returned most often to Finnish saunas , which I visited many times—even during the 2022 Ironman in Lahti , where the sauna was part of the entire sporting ritual.

This experience gives me perspective: the sauna is a universal ritual of health and happiness. But there are many forms – and today we face a dilemma: is a portable sauna better or a stationary garden sauna?

Investment costs

Garden sauna

• Cost in Poland: from PLN 15,000 to PLN 30,000 (depending on the quality of wood, finishing, stove).
• It's not only money, but also time: design, foundations, construction team.
• Maintaining wood is an additional responsibility – and if any cracks occur, repairs can be expensive.

Portable sauna (SaunaSoul)

• Starter Kit: PLN 6,800 gross
• Comfort Set: PLN 7,800 gross
• Premium Set: PLN 9,600 gross
• Operating costs: only a few zlotys per hour of sauna use (price of wood)
• No construction crews, no formalities, no months of waiting.

The difference is often several thousand zlotys in addition to the price of a tent sauna.

Convenience and flexibility

Garden:

• A beautiful element of the garden, but always in the same place , taking up space for a barbecue, picnic or swimming pool.
• Lighting up takes a long time – from 45 minutes to even 1.5 hours .
• You need to take care of it: impregnate the wood and protect it from weather conditions.
• Barrels have an additional disadvantage: they often require a hunched position and cold feet under the stove because they lack two-level benches .

Portable:

• You can set it up wherever you want: in the garden, by the lake, on the plot or while traveling.
• The entire set fits in the trunk.
• Assembly time (2 people): approx. 15 minutes .
• It only takes 15–25 minutes to light the stove – several times faster than a wood stove.
• You can pack it away in the summer when you want to use the garden for other activities.
• It requires no maintenance – just wipe it down from time to time.

Health effects

There are no losers here. Both the garden sauna and the portable sauna:

• strengthen immunity,
• improve sleep,
• accelerate muscle regeneration,
• reduce stress.

The difference? Flexibility and ease of use .
You can fire up the portable heater 25 minutes before your sauna session – and you're ready to go. And if you want to move it around the garden or take it to another location, it only takes a moment.

When is a garden one better and when is a portable one better?

• Garden: If you have a large garden, a budget of 20-30 thousand and want a permanent decorative element, you don't mind the maintenance and the fact that the sauna will always be in the same place.
• Portable: When you value portability, lower cost, faster heat-up time, and ease of use, you can pack it up, change locations, or even take it to the lake or the mountains.

Summary

Regular sauna use is one of the best habits for health and well-being. It makes you healthier, more rested, and simply happier. It also allows you to spend quality time with family and friends.

A garden sauna is a beautiful addition to your home – but the SaunaSoul tent sauna offers the same health benefits in a more flexible and affordable way .

👉 Check out our SaunaSoul sets and choose the variant that best suits your lifestyle.

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Sources

• Harvard Health – Saunas: A hot way to relax and stay healthy
• National Geographic – Finnish sauna culture
• Medonet – Benefits of the sauna