When Is the Best Time to Buy a Sauna?

The best time to buy a sauna is during Black Friday and Cyber Monday in late November, when discounts run deepest across the year. You do not have to wait for a holiday, though. Financing works in any month, and some HSA/FSA plans may reimburse a purchase with a Letter of Medical Necessity. Here is how to time the purchase and pay less.

The short answer

If your goal is the single lowest sticker price, the best time to buy a sauna is Black Friday through Cyber Monday, followed by New Year wellness sales in January and end-of-season clearance events. Seasonal discounts on home saunas usually land between $200 and $400, and some retailers take up to about 35% off select models during their biggest events. That said, the sale date is only one lever. Because a sauna is a considered purchase that most buyers research for weeks, the smarter question is not just when a sale runs but how to secure the lowest total cost regardless of the calendar. Financing spreads the cost, and some HSA/FSA plans may reimburse with a Letter of Medical Necessity, though that is not automatic and your plan administrator decides.

Do saunas go on sale? The 2026 sauna sale calendar

Yes. Saunas follow a predictable promotional rhythm, so knowing the calendar helps you plan a weeks-long decision around the right window. Here are the events that tend to carry the best offers.

Sale event	Typical timing	What to expect
Black Friday and Cyber Monday	Late November	The deepest discounts of the year, often $200 to $400 off, up to roughly 35% on select models
New Year wellness sales	January	Resolution and recovery bundles, free accessories, occasional model overstock deals
Presidents Day and Memorial Day	February and late May	Mid-year promotions and holiday bundles, a common second-best window
Mother's Day and Father's Day	May and June	Gift-focused offers, popular for cold plunge and recovery buyers
Spring and summer	March to August	The strongest window for outdoor and barrel saunas, before peak backyard season
End-of-year and model clearance	December and whenever new models launch	Clearance pricing on prior-year or discontinued units

One planning note for outdoor buyers: demand for outdoor and barrel units climbs in fall and winter, so shopping in spring or early summer often means better availability and pricing. For a full walkthrough of features, sizing, and specs to compare before a sale hits, our sauna buying guide covers the details.

How much can you really save on a sauna sale?

Set expectations by the price band you are shopping. Home sauna prices vary widely by type, size, and materials, so a percentage that sounds large on a premium unit may be modest on an entry model. Current U.S. ranges look like this, per home-services cost data from Angi:

• One to two person infrared sauna: about $1,000 to $3,500
• Three to four person infrared sauna: about $3,000 to $6,000
• Infrared saunas overall: about $1,500 to $7,000, with an average near $4,200
• Traditional electric saunas: about $2,000 to more than $10,000
• Custom or built-in rooms: $20,000 and up

Against those numbers, a typical seasonal discount of $200 to $400 is meaningful on a $1,500 unit and smaller in proportion on a $6,000 one. A 35% event on a premium model can save close to a thousand dollars. Remember that operating cost also separates the categories: an infrared sauna runs roughly $0.25 to $0.75 per session, while a traditional electric heater is closer to $1.25 to $2.50, so the long-run savings of infrared can outweigh a one-time sale on a traditional unit. If cost is your main concern, a compact or one-person model keeps both the purchase and the running cost low. You can browse space-saving options among our portable infrared saunas.

Here is a quick worked example. Say you are considering a $4,000 infrared sauna. A strong Black Friday event at 15% off would cut it to about $3,400, a $600 saving, but you would wait weeks and risk the model selling out. Now compare the pay-less levers you can use today: saunas are not automatically HSA/FSA eligible, but some plans may reimburse with a Letter of Medical Necessity, and your plan administrator decides. That is why total cost, not the sticker discount alone, should drive the timing decision on a purchase this size.

Should you wait for a sale or buy now?

Waiting makes sense for some buyers and wastes time for others. Match the choice to your situation rather than the hype.

Waiting for a sale is worth it if: your timeline is flexible, you are eyeing a premium three to four person or full-spectrum model where a percentage discount is large in dollar terms, and a major event like Black Friday is within a month or two. In that case the wait can pay off.

Buying now is the better move if: you want the sauna for a specific date, the model you want is low in stock, or the retailer offers financing that already delivers the value of a sale. Holding out for a deeper cut on a limited-stock unit can mean it sells out or the next-year price rises. For a young or expanding catalog, the model you want may not return on the next sale.

What actually drives a sauna's price (so a deal is genuine)

To judge whether a sale price is real, understand what sets the base price. The three biggest drivers are heating system, size and capacity, and materials. Infrared cabins tend to cost less to run and often less to buy than large traditional rooms. Bigger cabins use more wood and heating and cost more. Wood species matters too, with cedar and Nordic spruce priced above basic pine. Electrical work can add $350 to $1,750 depending on whether the unit is plug-and-play or hardwired. A genuine deal discounts a fair base price on a quality build, not an inflated list price. Comparing several quotes on similar specs, and reading our guide on whether you can negotiate the price of a sauna, helps you tell a real discount from a marketing number.

How to pay less without waiting for a sale

These levers work in any month and often beat a seasonal promotion, especially when stacked together.

• HSA/FSA funds. A home sauna is not automatically an eligible medical expense; some plans may reimburse it with a Letter of Medical Necessity from a licensed clinician, and your plan administrator decides. Saunas are not on the standard IRS list of automatically qualified expenses, so a letter is usually required; see IRS guidance on medical and dental expenses and confirm eligibility with your plan administrator and clinician. Details on our process live on the HSA and FSA page.
• Financing. Spreading the cost over monthly payments through Shop Pay Installments, with the rate and approval set by the lender at checkout, can make buying now more manageable than waiting months for a modest discount. Compare the total interest before you commit.
• Buy from an authorized retailer. Authorized retailers back the manufacturer warranty and offer real support, which protects the value of the purchase far longer than a one-time sale price.

Related reading: Why Are Infrared Saunas So Expensive? · What Is a Used Sauna Worth?

Frequently asked questions

When are saunas cheapest? Saunas are usually cheapest during Black Friday and Cyber Monday in late November, with New Year and end-of-season clearance events close behind. Outdoor and barrel models are often best priced in spring and early summer before backyard demand peaks.

Do sauna prices go up over time? Prices can rise year to year with materials and shipping costs, and popular or limited-stock models can sell out between sales. Waiting for a deeper cut sometimes costs more than buying now with financing.

Ready to compare models and lock in a price? Explore our infrared saunas for sale, and reach out any time if you want help matching a sauna to your space and budget.