Costco Infrared Sauna Full Review: What You Need to Know Before Buying

We made a video about this Costco sauna a while back, and the response was huge. But a lot of people had follow-up questions — so this is a more organized, updated version with five key takeaways that will save you time and frustration.

I’ve tested over 40 sauna brands, including LifePro, Amazon models, and more. If you’re looking at a budget sauna like this Costco Dynamic model, here’s what you can realistically expect. Build quality, EMF readings, heat coverage, and how it compares to others — it’s all in here.

All the links I mention in this video, including the recommended accessories, are in the description below — along with my full Amazon gear list if you want to upgrade your setup safely.

Read the transcript below

---

---

Transcript

We made a video about this Costco sauna a while back, and the response was huge, but after reading all the comments and questions that came in, I realized we needed to do something better. Something that actually answers your questions in a clear, organized way. So today, I’m breaking it down into 5 key takeaways from my experience with the Costco Dynamic Sauna.

If you’re thinking about buying it, or any sauna in this price range, this will save you a lot of time and frustration. Now, I want to be fair. I’ve tested over 40 different saunas in the last few years, and I know what good heat coverage, solid build quality, and clean materials actually feel like, but I also know a lot of you are working with a budget.

So I picked this Costco model up during a sale, used it for a while, and compared it to other saunas in the same price range, including LifePro and a few Amazon picks. Here’s what stood out. First, the build quality is decent. The wood looks good inside and out, the door seals well.

There was no weird adhesives on the inside, and I didn’t notice any strong smells. That said, VOCs were acceptable, but not great. It wasn’t the cleanest sauna I’ve ever tested, but nothing stood out as a major red flag. Some trim was misaligned, and a few slats on the heater guards were broken or crooked, probably shipping damage.

Still, the structure felt solid once assembled. Second, the floating floor design made assembly more frustrating than it needed to be. This isn’t the first sauna I’ve built with a floating floor, but it’s one of the more annoying setups because of how the floor sits directly on the ground and the way the sidewalls attach.

You have to start from the front wall instead of the back, and that makes it tough to position the sauna against a wall once it’s built. Add in the rear buckles, and now you’ve got to leave space behind it just to reach in and latch everything. The whole thing fights you if you try to slide it into place.

It’s not impossible, but it’s definitely clunky. Third, EMF performance is mixed. Magnetic fields were way better than the same model I tested 6 years ago. I used to see readings over 70mG, now it’s closer to 1 or

which is a major improvement, but the electric fields are still way too high. In the seated position I saw three to six hundred volts per meter and in some spots the meter was off the charts. So no, this sauna is not low EMF and honestly none of the sub $2,000 models are.

Fourth, the heat coverage is okay but not complete. There are no heaters in the floor and the side panels stop above the ankles. So while your back and upper body might get a good sweat, your lower legs and feet stay cool. You’ll finish your session with dry feet and a wet torso, which just isn’t ideal.

Some group members mentioned other Costco models that include floor heaters instead of leg heaters and they say those work better, but in my unit the heat distribution definitely left something to be desired. Fifth, and maybe most important, it’s better than nothing but don’t expect miracles. A lot of people want a $10,000 sauna experience for $1,500 and that’s just not realistic.

These manufacturers are under pressure to meet price targets, cut shipping costs, and still produce something that works. And all things considered, this sauna does work. It gets hot, you’ll sweat. And if you’re not picky about EMF levels or build precision, you’ll probably be satisfied.

Would I use it every day? Probably not. But if this is what fits your budget right now, then it’s still a solid option and it’s way better than having no sauna at all. I’ll be making a follow-up video soon to show how I modified this unit to improve lower body heat.

So if you already own one or you’re thinking about making it work better, check the description for links and make sure you’re in the Facebook group. Let me know what you want me to test next and I’ll see you in the next one.