Redwood Outdoors Sauna Review: Is It Worth The Investment?

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If you’ve recently discovered Redwood Outdoors and are looking to invest in one of their products you’re in the right place because I’m here to tell you all about them! In this review, I am going to cover all of the things that you need to know about buying from Redwood Outdoors and give you my genuine opinion and honest feedback based on my personal experience with the company. So join me as we explore everything this brand has to offer!

Redwood Outdoors Sauna Review Quick Links

What is Redwood Outdoors?

Redwood Outdoors is a company based in the Pacific Northwest, Tukwila, WA to be specific. They make a variety of hot and cold therapy products primarily saunas and cold plunges made from, you guessed it, redwood. They use high-quality wood like red cedar and Scandinavian thermowood. They don’t work with 3rd party distributors so you are buying directly from them the manufacturer which helps you get a quality product at a great price. That’s the basic summary of the company but keep reading to learn more about the purchasing process, the quality of their product, and other commonly asked questions!

Health & Wellness Benefits of Sauna Usage

Investing in a sauna comes at a pretty steep price but when you take in mind the health benefits it’s worth the investment. I personally believe investing in your health is the best decision you can ever make. Regular sauna usage has tons of amazing health benefits such as reduced stress, better sleep, mood enhancement, better circulation, lowered inflammation and so much more. If you’re looking for some information on the specifics of how saunas can help improve your health I would check out this article from the Mayo Clinic about Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing.

If you break down the amount of money you can save by using a sauna vs. taking prescription medications, going to a therapist, and repeat visits to doctors you actually will realize you save a lot of money in the long run.

Redwood Outdoors Extra-Wide Cedar Barrel Sauna Review

Design &  Style

When purchasing an outdoor sauna for my backyard one of the first things I considered was the design. I invested a lot of resources on my home and furniture. It’s important to make sure that the sauna I was purchasing looked nice and upheld the modern aesthetic that I was looking for. As you can see in the picture above, it fits perfectly in my backyard and has a natural reddish-brown color. Design is one of my favorite things about Redwood Outdoors, particularly the Extra-Wide Cedar Barrel Sauna, it has a very luxurious feel to it. 

Temperature Control & Performance

One of the most important things about buying a sauna is making sure you get one that can heat up to high temperatures and do so quickly. The outdoors barrel sauna by Redwood Outdoors does just that. It gets to 195 degrees Fahrenheit in under an hour which is pretty good. Even at 150 to 160 degrees, you can still get a great session but this thing really kicks things up to the next level. You also have the ability to control it manually or upgrade to the wifi heater so you can get your sauna heated in advance. I went with the manual heating option and it has been just fine for me.

Craftsmanship and Build Quality

If you’re sauna doesn’t last long then that’s a big problem considering the cost. In all honesty, I haven’t had my sauna for too long so I’ll need to report back here and continue to update this blog but, as of right now things are working very well after a couple of months. Based on the material and everything I’ve seen so far I am confident there will be few issues. All of the wood pieces fit together nicely and I found no imperfections with anything that I received.

Installation and Maintenance

Installing your sauna is certainly the heaviest lift in the whole process once you’ve made the decision to purchase. I would say it’s certainly no simple task. You will need a friend or two to help you put this baby together. You are also going to need a licensed electrician in order to connect the electrical for the heater and to install a light so you can use the sauna at night. So factor those things into your costs as well. Installation instructions come with the sauna and are relatively easy to follow. 

Maintenance has been relatively easy so far. I’d say about once per month you can simply take a soft brush and some warm water with mild soap to give it a quick scrub to get rid of any sweat, dirt, etc. Do this on both the inside and outside. You can hose it down after and you’re good to go.

Redwood Outdoors Customer Service Review

I found the customer service from Redwood Outdoors to be excellent. The best type of customer service is simple and effective and that is what Redwood Outdoors’ customer service team delivers. The instructions provided were pretty good but for the couple of questions I did have I was able to get quick answers by contacting their team using the provided email here: aftersales@redwoodoutdoors.com.

Redwood Outdoors Customer Testimonials

If my recommendation isn’t enough or you are someone who likes to do deep diligence then it’s certainly worth taking a look at Redwood Outdoors Google reviews. They have a lot of recent 5-star reviews. I’ve listed a couple below.

Redwood Outdoors Shipping and Delivery Review

I ordered my Redwood Outdoors Sauna on August 7th, 2023, and received it mid-September so it took just over a month to arrive. It’s definitely a delivery you need to be prepared for but the team at Redwood Outdoors does a great job at communicating with you on the estimated date and time of arrival. I’m glad everything went smoothly as the shipping cost was about $500 so it would have been frustrating had there been any major challenges. Overall, I thought it was a pretty streamlined process.

Redwood Outdoors Sauna FAQs

How do I choose the right Redwood Outdoors sauna size and model for my space?

Selecting a sauna can seem like a daunting task as there are so many different options. I would break it down into 3 steps. Step 1 is to define your budget. Step 2 is to determine the most common use case. Step 3 would be choosing the style you like. If you have a low budget you’ll likely want to opt for their cheaper models like the mini-cube sauna starting at $4,999 or the cabin outdoor sauna which starts at $5,999. If you are buying a sauna for personal use or if it’s mainly for hosting guests then you need to consider size. While the 2-person mini-cube is great for personal use, it’s not going to be ideal if you plan on having a lot of guests often. Lastly, consider style. I personally love the look of a barrel sauna so that was important for me when selecting a sauna. But follow these basic steps and you’ll be able to make the right decision for you.

Do Redwood Outdoors saunas have a warranty?

Yes, they do offer a limited warranty on all of their products. Here you can find more information about the Redwood Outdoors warranty policies.

Are Redwood Outdoors saunas customizable?

Yes, there are many ways you can customize your Redwood Outdoors sauna. First off you have the choice of heater where you can choose from a classic wood burning heater or a modern electric heater. There are also plenty of add-ons like roof shingles, a flat flooring kit, an outdoor shower, and more.

Do Redwood Outdoors saunas have built-in lighting?

No, Redwood Outdoors saunas do not have built-in lighting. This was one of the few inconveniences with my order. I had to hire an electrician to install a light so the sauna can be used in the dark.

Can I finance my Redwood Outdoors sauna purchase?

Yes, Redwood Outdoors does offer financing on their website through Affirm.

Does Redwood Outdoors have discount codes?

Typically Redwood Outdoors does not discount their premium products but, fortunately for you, our team was able to get a Redwood Outdoors Discount code exclusively for readers of The Guy’s List.

Redwood Outdoors Saunas vs. Competitors

Redwood Outdoors vs. Sunlighten Saunas

I think both Redwood Outdoors and Sunlighten are great sauna manufacturers. I think the main difference is that Sunlighten focuses more on infrared saunas and Redwood Outdoors is better for outdoor saunas. Personally, I am a fan of outdoor saunas and love the barrel style so that is what I selected for my home. However, if you specifically want an infrared sauna you are going to find more options with Sunlighten. Lucky for you, we have both a Redwood Outdoors discount code and a Sunlighten Saunas discount code.

Redwood Outdoors vs. Plunge Saunas

Plunge is another brand that I really like. I am an owner of their cold plunge unit and love it. Plunge’s core competency and original product is the cold plunge tub whereas Redwood Outdoors has mastered sauna manufacturing. I think it’s a bit risky to buy a sauna from a company that is launching a new product line like Plunge with saunas but you can rest assured that you’re working with expert manufacturers with Redwood Outdoors saunas. But again, if you are looking for Plunge we do have a Plunge discount code too.

Conclusion: Is It Worth Buying a Redwood Outdoors Sauna?

Overall, I would say I am very impressed with Redwood Outdoors and their Extra-Wide Cedar Barrel Sauna. The company and product delivers on all fronts. They were quick and efficient with delivery and instructions were clear and made for easy assembly. The product is spacious and beautifully designed, and its performance is outstanding. I’m not sure what more to ask for really. I guess a lower price would be great but if you want top quality you have to pay for it. But to answer the question, yes, buying a Redwood Outdoors sauna and investing in your health is certainly worth it in my opinion.