Medical Saunas review: what a "medical sauna" is under FDA rules, and what this brand actually sells
6 saunas: 3 infrared saunas and 3 outdoor infrared saunas, $3,449 to $9,389. "Medical sauna" is a brand name, not an FDA category. A sauna becomes a medical device by what it's sold to do, and the FDA's 510(k) database has no clearance for a device named "sauna". Medical Saunas, the company, isn't in the FDA's databases either. What it sells are infrared cabins: the Medical line for indoors ($3,449 to $7,399) and the Nature line for outdoors ($5,389 to $9,389), all with a 3-year warranty.
The pricing deserves caution. Every model is shown as roughly half off a "compare at" price, with a note that the price rises every two weeks. And returns are at your expense in both directions. Compared with Sunlighten or Clearlight, you get a lower price and a shorter warranty.
By Kirill Gissa · Published · Prices checked Oct 27, 2026All 6 Medical Saunas saunas
Similar models with a store link
There's no store link for any Medical Saunas model. The closest ones that have one, matched on type, size and price:
What is a medical sauna?
Under FDA rules, what makes a heat device a medical device is its intended use. The FDA classifies an infrared therapeutic heating lamp (product code ILY, 21 CFR 890.5500) and a moist steam cabinet "intended for medical purposes" (code IMB, 21 CFR 890.5250) as Class II devices, both exempt from premarket 510(k) review within limits. A home sauna sold for relaxation and sweating isn't presented as a medical device at all; brands such as Sunlighten and Clearlight call theirs "general wellness" products.
A search of the FDA's 510(k) database for devices named "sauna" returned no records when I ran it on October 6, 2026. The closest case shows how narrow a clearance is: a far-infrared sauna sold as the "Relax" was marketed under a 2006 clearance for an infrared heating lamp (K053376), and in 2022 the FDA sent its seller a warning letter for promoting it for uses that clearance didn't cover.
"Medical grade" has no FDA definition that I found. So "medical sauna" and "medical-grade sauna" tell you about marketing, not about a review by the FDA. The difference from a regular sauna is whatever the seller claims, and Medical Saunas' own pages make health claims I won't repeat here; what studies actually show is on infrared sauna benefits.
Verdict on the brand
you want an infrared cabin that plugs into a regular outlet for less than the bigger brands charge: the Medical Saunas Medical 3 is $3,449 on a standard 15 A plug.
the warranty matters (3 years, against 7 at Sunlighten and lifetime at Clearlight) or if you dislike pressure selling.
there's none for Medical Saunas on this site; the closest one-seater that has one is the JNH Lifestyles Tosi 1-Person Hemlock at $3,699, on the same kind of 15 A outlet, with a 2-year warranty.
About that pressure: each product page shows the price against a "compare at" figure about twice as high, says the price is "heavily discounted for the month", that "every 2 weeks the price will increase", and limits orders to two per customer. I can't tell whether anyone pays the compare-at price, so I treat the lower number as the real one. The Medical Saunas Medical 4 isn't on the brand's own store; its price here is from the dealer Recovery for Athletes.
The lineup
| Model | Use | Seats | Power | Inside (W × D × H) | Price | Compare at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Saunas Medical 3 | Indoor | 1 | 1,500 W | 36 × 32 × 66.5 in | $3,449 | $7,999 |
| Medical Saunas Medical 4 | Indoor | 2 | 1,700 W | 44 × 38 × 69 in | $5,449 (dealer) | $11,999 |
| Medical Saunas Medical 5 | Indoor | Unclear | 2,600 W | 57 × 37 × 69 in | $7,399 | $16,999 |
| Medical Saunas Nature 4 Outdoor Infrared Sauna | Outdoor | 1 | — W | 36 × 36 × 75 in | $5,389 | $11,999 |
| Medical Saunas Nature 5 Outdoor Infrared Sauna | Outdoor | 1–2 | — W | 46 × 41 × 75 in | $7,389 | $15,999 |
| Medical Saunas Nature 6 Outdoor Infrared Sauna | Outdoor | 2–3 | — W | 56 × 41 × 75 in | $9,389 | $19,999 |
Seat counts are a problem. The brand's comparison table appears on several product pages, and the columns don't line up the same way on each: the Medical 4 is "1-2 people" on one page and "1 person" on another (a dealer says 2), and the Medical 5 is "2-3 people" with 9 heaters on one, "1-2 people" with 6 heaters on another. Measure the interior rather than trusting the label: the Medical 5 is 57 × 37 inches inside. Medical Saunas also sells a Medical 6, a Medical 7 Plus and 8, Nature 7 and 8 Plus with a wood stove, and flat-roof versions, which aren't in our database yet.
Wiring: ask before you order
The Medical Saunas Medical 3 (1,500 W) and Medical Saunas Medical 4 (1,700 W) list a single standard 120 V 15 A plug. Above that, the listings get unusual. The Medical Saunas Medical 5 is listed as "120V/35amp" with two plugs, 15 A and 20 A, which suggests two separate circuits. The Nature 5 and 6 list "120V/40amp" with a single 120 V plug, and the Nature 4 "120 V / 25–30 A". A single household plug isn't rated for 40 A. Ask Medical Saunas exactly which outlets and circuits a model needs, in writing, and have a licensed electrician look at it before delivery.
Warranty, shipping and returns
Every sauna comes with a 3-year warranty, in the brand's words "included FREE". The Nature saunas ship directly from the brand's factory in Los Angeles.
The refund policy gives 30 days from delivery. You need a return authorization (RMA), the sauna has to be new in its original packaging, you pay shipping both ways, and white-glove delivery isn't refunded. One dealer gives 7 days on the Medical line, so check whose policy applies if you buy from a dealer.
Medical Saunas vs Sunlighten vs Clearlight
| Medical 3 | Sunlighten Signature I | Clearlight Premier IS-1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $3,449 ("compare at" $7,999) | $4,999 (sale) | $4,999 (sale) |
| Warranty | 3 years | 7 years | Lifetime |
| Return | New, original packaging, RMA; you pay shipping both ways | Unopened only; $499 + 3% + freight | Like new; 25% + shipping both ways |
| Outlet | Standard 120 V 15 A | 120 V 20 A circuit | Standard 120 V 15 A |
| Spec sheet | Comparison table on the product page | Full spec sheet | Product page |
The Medical 3 costs about two-thirds of the Sunlighten Signature I and the Clearlight Premier IS-1 and, like the Clearlight, uses a regular outlet. What it gives up is warranty length and a full spec sheet: Sunlighten publishes wattage, amperage, plug type and weight for every model, and the Medical Saunas tables contradict themselves on seats. Reviews: Sunlighten, Clearlight; outdoor alternatives to the Nature line are on outdoor infrared saunas.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a medical sauna and a regular sauna?
Under FDA rules, the intended use: a device sold for medical purposes is regulated as one. "Medical sauna" as a product name doesn't mean the FDA reviewed anything. See the first section above.
Do cardiologists recommend saunas?
There's no single answer, but one example: a cardiologist at Brown University Health advises people with stable heart disease to stay no more than 20 minutes and to skip cold plunges afterward (Brown Health, 2023). That's one clinic's advice, not a guideline. If you have a heart condition, ask your own doctor; see our medical disclaimer.
What is the downside of a sauna?
Heat stress: overheating, a drop in blood pressure that can make you dizzy when you stand, and water loss. Details and who should skip saunas are on infrared saunas.
What is 20 minutes in the sauna equivalent to?
Not to exercise. In a small crossover trial of 10 people, an infrared session raised body temperature more than moderate cycling but didn't reproduce exercise's effects on the heart and blood vessels (Hussain, 2022).