Infrared sauna vs. infrared heater: running cost
An infrared sauna is cheaper to run: about $51 a year versus $148 for an infrared heater at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $97 difference.
| Infrared sauna | Infrared heater | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 1,600 W | 1,500 W |
| Watt range | 200–3,000 W | 500–1,500 W |
| Typical use | 1 hour a day, 4 days a week | 6 hours a day for 5 months a year |
| Energy per year | 284 kWh | 825 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 24¢ | 16¢ |
| Cost per day | 14¢ | 97¢ |
| Cost per month | $4.26 | $29.67 |
| Cost per year | $51 | $148 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $124 | $359 |
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What drives the difference
- Infrared sauna: Infrared saunas use 120 V or 240 V carbon or ceramic panels drawing 1,500-3,000 W for cabins. A session including 10-15 minutes of warm-up uses about 1.5-2.5 kWh.
- Infrared heater: Infrared and quartz heaters use the same 1,500 W maximum as other plug-in heaters. Claims of 50% savings are not physically possible; savings only come from heating people directly instead of the whole room.
Ways to cut either cost
Uses about 300-500 W for a single-person session.
See options on AmazonDelivers heat to your body at around 100 W versus 1,500 W.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, an infrared sauna or an infrared heater?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), an infrared heater costs about $148 a year versus $51 for an infrared sauna. That's $97 more, or 2.9× as much.
How many watts do infrared sauna and infrared heater use?
An infrared sauna typically draws 1,600 W (range 200–3,000 W). An infrared heater draws 1,500 W (range 500–1,500 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.