12 best stoves for baths and saunas

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

Baths and saunas are popular in all regions of our country. Today, many owners of private real estate are erecting modern buildings on their site for recreation and taking water procedures. The oven becomes one of the important elements in them. It should heat the steam room to a high temperature, creating a pleasantly humid microclimate. Today, the domestic user is offered a wide range of heating elements. They differ in price, purpose, and design. Experts advise you to pay attention to several important points.

How to choose a stove for baths and saunas

1. Power. One of the main criteria when choosing is the power of the furnace. It is selected taking into account the volume of the steam room, the presence of windows and doors. It is not difficult to make a calculation using an online calculator.
2. Energy source. Solid fuel (wood), natural gas, electricity can be used as a source of energy. Most often, in private baths and saunas, electricity and firewood are used. One of them requires a mains supply (380 V), while others require an efficient chimney.
3. Efficiency. For a rational consumption of firewood, you need to find out about the efficiency of the stove. If traditional models have an indicator of no more than 85%, then modern units reach 91-95%.
4. Body material. For the manufacture of stoves for baths and saunas, manufacturers usually use cast iron or stainless steel. Each material has its own pros and cons.
5. Heater type. By type, all heaters can be divided into open and closed. In the first version, the air in the steam room is heated by the heat of the stones. The room heats up quickly, but also cools down quickly. This type is suitable for individual use in the country. But closed ovens warm up the steam room more evenly, the consumption of firewood will be more economical, but you will have to heat the bath 3-4 hours before the start of water procedures.
6. Some wood-burning stoves have a glass window in the door, which allows you to admire the flame of burning wood. They successfully combine the best properties of a stove and a fireplace.
7. The appearance of the oven often becomes a stumbling block when choosing a model. Some manufacturers use decoration, thanks to which the device can fit into any interior.

Our review includes 12 of the best stoves for baths and saunas. The rating includes only those models that were approved by experts and received good reviews from domestic users.

Which stove for a bath is better steel or cast iron

Furnace type	Advantages	disadvantages
Steel	+ high reliability + long service life + metal does not oxidize during combustion + warms up quickly	– not every stainless steel has high performance characteristics – the price fluctuates greatly – cools down quickly
Cast iron	+ keeps warm for a long time + withstands temperature and humidity changes + reasonable price	– heavy weight – short service life – slow heating

Rating of the best stoves for baths and saunas

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best sauna stoves	1	Harvia Forte AF9	RUB 152,900
	2	Harvia Club Combi K1 5G S	RUB 94,500
	3	Sawo TOWER TH6-120Ni-WL	RUB 46 125
	4	Thermofor Vitruvius	RUB 20,900
	5	NARVI Oy NC 16	RUB 26 300
The best stainless steel stoves for a Russian bath	1	Harvia 20 Duo	RUB 37,000
	2	Feringer MAXI	RUB 64,000
	3	Termofor Tunguska	RUB 19,300
	4	Thermofor Geyser 2014	RUB 13,500
	5	Teplodar Sahara 24 LK / LKU	RUB 17 800
The best cast iron stoves for a Russian bath	1	Hephaestus PB-04 M	RUB 33,000
	2	Vesuvius LEGEND FORGING 28 Fireplace (205)	RUB 44,470

The best sauna stoves

You can warm up the sauna to the required heat level using electric or wood-burning stoves. When choosing an electric heater, you should pay attention to the type of network (220 or 380 V) in which the device will operate. Experts have selected several successful models.

Harvia Forte AF9

Rating: 4.9

The Harvia Forte AF9 stove is designed to create a relaxing atmosphere in your home sauna. This heater features an economical design with an elegant body. The device allows you to heat a room with a volume of up to 15 cubic meters. m. The device requires electricity, the power of the heating element is 9 kW. The manufacturer has taken care of the simplicity and convenience of operating the oven. For this, the model is equipped with a digital panel, the user is only required to set the desired parameters. Experts appreciated the unique heat-saving technology. The sauna stove becomes the winner of our ranking.

The owners note the safety and practicality of the heating device. It allows you to get the effect of a real Russian bath, while economically consuming electricity.

Advantages

• stylish design;
• Ease of controls;
• fast warming up of the room;
• practicality and economy.

disadvantages

• high price.

Harvia Club Combi K1 5G S

Rating: 4.8

If you want to heat a sauna with a volume of 14 to 24 cubic meters. m, the Harvia Club Combi K1 5G S stove would be an excellent option. The electric heater operates from a 380 V network, the maximum power is 15 kW. The set includes a tank for heating water. But the control system will have to be bought separately, like the stones (weight about 60 kg). Therefore, the model occupies the second line of the rating. The Finnish sauna stove is made in accordance with the European standards, which makes it safe and durable to use. The high quality of the device is often reported by users on thematic sites.

The model cannot boast of a rich functional content, but its low weight (30 kg) and compactness can be added to the asset of the furnace.

Advantages

• high power;
• lightness and compactness;
• safety and reliability;
• high-quality assembly.

disadvantages

• high price;
• poor equipment.

Sawo TOWER TH6-120Ni-WL

Rating: 4.7

A high-tech heater is the Sawo TOWER TH6-120Ni-WL electric sauna heater. It has a semicircular shape, so it looks optimal for wall installation. With a heating element power of 12 kW, the device can heat a room with a volume of 18 cubic meters. m. Installing the stove is not difficult, its weight without stones is 24 kg. Experts point to a roomy container that can hold up to 160 kg of stones. The Finnish manufacturer used quality materials for the manufacture of his product.

Users note a robust case and simple setting of thermal modes, by the way, you can control the work remotely. The stove fits perfectly into different interiors, due to the lack of walls, the room quickly warms up.

Advantages

• light weight;
• fast warming up of the room;
• the possibility of remote control;
• durable body.

disadvantages

• large mass of stones.

Thermofor Vitruvius

Rating: 4.7

Many users manage to completely relax in a sauna looking at an open fire. This opportunity is provided by the Termofor Vitruvia wood-burning stove. It has a large viewing window, typical of large fireplaces. The heater is designed for Finnish-type saunas with a room volume of 8 to 18 cubic meters. m. Firewood up to 0.5 m long is put into the firebox. Ash can be removed by pulling out the pallet on the left or right. The main problem of the device is the need to install an efficient chimney, which must cope with the high pressure of the resulting gases.

The owners are pleased with the large screen, airflow control, compact size. It was not possible to get into the top three of the rating of the model due to the design features of the chimney. Many users are engaged in its completion after purchase.

Advantages

• good design;
• quality materials;
• independence from the power grid;
• low price.

disadvantages

• problems with connecting the chimney.

NARVI Oy NC 16

Rating: 4.6

The wood-burning model NARVI Oy NC 16 closes the top five in the rating of the best sauna stoves. It is designed for heating small rooms (6-16 cubic meters). High efficiency is achieved due to the presence of secondary combustion of gases. The firebox itself is made of steel, and the cast-iron door with a small viewing window creates a cozy atmosphere in the sauna. The whole structure weighs a lot (72 kg), about 50 kg more stones will be added. But, despite the massiveness of the stove, a small armful of firewood is enough to heat the room. The design provides for the connection of the chimney behind the heater, but with an adapter, exhaust gases can also be removed vertically.

The owners note the efficiency of the oven, the presence of adjustable legs and smooth heating. The inconvenience of installing the chimney did not allow the model to take a higher place in the rating.

Advantages

• high efficiency;
• smooth heating;
• profitability.

disadvantages

• inconvenience of connecting the chimney.

The best stainless steel stoves for a Russian bath

In a real Russian bath only wood-burning stoves are used. The most popular today are stainless steel models. Experts advise paying attention to the following products.

Harvia 20 Duo

Rating: 4.9

The Harvia 20 Duo heater combines the best qualities of a fireplace and a Russian sauna stove. While the wood is burning in the firebox, heating the steam room, you can enjoy the tongues of flame playing behind the heat-resistant glass. The power of the model (24.1 kW) is enough to heat a room with a volume of up to 20 cubic meters. m. Thanks to the use of stainless steel for the manufacture of the outer case, the manufacturer managed to increase the durability of the entire structure. Externally, the stove looks very impressive, it will fit into any interior of the bath. Experts and users especially liked the glass door with stainless steel edging. Additionally, you can install a water tank on the chimney, increasing the functionality of the model.

Domestic bath attendants have no particular complaints about the quality of the Finnish stove. Therefore, she becomes the winner of our rating.

Advantages

• Beautiful design;
• efficient heating;
• durable construction;
• compactness.

disadvantages

• not detected.

Feringer MAXI

Rating: 4.8

The Feringer MAXI wood-burning stove is distinguished by a noble finish made of polished stone. A heating device with a power of 25 kW is capable of heating a steam room of a Russian bath with a volume of up to 30 cubic meters. m. A large number of stones get very hot even from a small armful of firewood. The domestic manufacturer was able to satisfy the requests of different categories of users due to four cladding options. The upper connection of the chimney makes the installation of the stove convenient and simple. The service life of the stove is quite long due to the manufacture of a stainless steel firebox.

Domestic owners install a stove in Russian baths, hamakhs and saunas. They are satisfied with all the technical parameters of the unit and its design. Only the high price stops potential buyers from purchasing.

Advantages

• high power;
• noble stone finish;
• profitability;
• convenient installation and connection.

disadvantages

• high price.

Termofor Tunguska

Rating: 4.8

The Termofor Tunguska wood-burning stove is in steady demand in the domestic market. She has rather modest opportunities that are suitable for lovers of close communication in a steam room. It is optimal to install Tunguska in steam rooms with a volume of 8 to 18 cubic meters. m. The heating device creates pleasant humidity at high air temperatures. Due to the convector casing, the room is heated faster and more evenly. The furnace compartment (60 liters) looks impressive, and the mass of stones reaches 55 kg. The stove can effectively heat Russian baths of various configurations.

Experts call an affordable price one of the main reasons for the popularity of the model among users. Therefore, even disadvantages such as simple design and quick cooling do not stop people from buying.

Advantages

• fast and uniform heating;
• affordable price;
• spacious firebox;
• finely dispersed steam.

disadvantages

• modest appearance;
• rapid cooling.

Thermofor Geyser 2014

Rating: 4.7

The classic option for heating a Russian bath is the Termofor Geyser 2014 stove. For its manufacture, the manufacturer chose alloyed heat-resistant steel, due to which it was possible to increase the service life. The heater is divided into two sections, one open and the other closed. Due to this constructive approach, it is possible to get a light steam that is pleasant for a person. To prevent excess water from entering the oven, there is a special dosing valve. The stove is capable of operating in a steam bath with a volume of 8-18 cubic meters. m.

Users note the reliability of the case, pleasant appearance and quick air heating. Of the minuses, there is a rapid cooling of the stove and a strong sound in the chimney when burning wood. Therefore, the model does not fall into the top three of the rating.

Advantages

• pleasant steam;
• fast warming up of the room;
• heat resistant steel;
• two-piece design.

disadvantages

• rapid cooling;
• the steam room does not dry well.

Teplodar Sahara 24 LK / LKU

Rating: 4.6

For Russian baths with large steam rooms (14-24 cubic meters), the Teplodar Sahara 24 LK / LKU wood-burning stove is suitable. The model compares favorably with the fact that it allows users to select the optimal modes in the steam room. Within an hour after setting fire to the wood, the room temperature reaches 110 ° C. You can load up to 90 kg of stones into a special container, which retain heat for a long time. The stove is easy to install, since the chimney is located at the top in the central part.

Users note the comfortable temperature and humidity in the steam room, the speed of heating and ease of maintenance. Among the shortcomings, there is a rapid clogging of the chimney, high temperature in a small steam room, and the fragility of the combustion chamber. Therefore, the model closes the top five in our rating.

Advantages

• fast heating;
• affordable price;
• capacious container for stones.

disadvantages

• overheats the room;
• soot accumulates quickly in the chimney.

The best cast iron stoves for a Russian bath

Cast iron stoves have many adherents. Although they heat up longer, they retain heat better. Here are the best representatives of this category.

Hephaestus PB-04 M

Rating: 4.8

True connoisseurs of Russian baths prefer cast iron stoves. Model Gefest PB-04 M is made of a special grade of cast iron with chromium content. Thanks to the external portal, the firebox can be located in one room, and the heat-resistant door in another. Since the oven is delivered disassembled, there will be no problems with transportation and unloading. Experts pay attention to the innovative design of the firebox. It has a system of afterburning gases, a flame arrester and turbulent fins. As a result, even when the combustion chamber is heated to 750 ° C, the exhaust gases enter the chimney after cooling down to 300 ° C. The furnace efficiency reaches 87%.

The model becomes the winner of our rating for the record wall thickness (6 cm), so the heat stays in the oven for a long time. The artistic frame of the door complements the picture.

Advantages

• long service life;
• high efficiency;
• unique design of the firebox;
• artistic door frame.

disadvantages

• not detected.

Vesuvius LEGEND FORGING 28 Fireplace (205)

Rating: 4.7

Worthy competition to the leader of the rating is created by the Vesuvius cast iron stove LEGEND FORWARD 28 Fireplace (205). It can work in a steam bath with a volume of up to 30 cubic meters. m. Externally, the model looks elegant, there are no problems with transportation and installation. The cast iron firebox is divided into 3 parts; the manufacturer used a ceramic cord for sealing. The safety and reliability of the structure is ensured by the bolted connection of units and parts. A special grade of cast iron withstands strong temperature changes, it does not burst when a large volume of water hits it.

The stove ranks second in the ranking due to its higher price and thinner walls of the firebox (1.2 cm). In addition, the structure has a greater weight (178 kg) and dimensions.

Advantages

• high power;
• safety and reliability;
• resistance to temperature and humidity changes.

disadvantages

• heavy weight;
• high price.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.