Get the Benefit of a Steam Sauna in Your Own Home with the SaunaBox SmartSteam Pro

Wellness is in the air for 2026, but paying for access to a sauna can be expensive. The SaunaBox SmartSteam Pro offers an affordable alternative to gym memberships or wellness centers. The best part is that you can set it up in your own home and can get the benefits of heat therapy without braving the cold.

Note: The SmartSteam Pro is out of stock in some places, but the 2-person version is available.

My husband and I bought our SaunaBox last winter and have used it regularly since then. We love the ability to turn it on and use it for relaxing after a workout or before bed. 

SaunaBox SmartSteam Pro

$320.00 from Dick's Sporting Goods $320.00 $231.97 from Amazon $349.00 from SaunaBox

Where Should You Set Up the SmartSteam Pro?

SaunaBox recommends putting the SmartSteam Pro indoors or in a covered area outside. We set ours up in a bathroom and use the bathroom fan to help pull the steam out of the room when we’re done using it. 

Setting Up the SaunaBox SmartSteam Pro

The Instruction Manual gives clear directions for setting up the SaunaBox SmartSteam Pro. To get started, my husband and I pulled out all of the pieces and followed the diagram to put the frame together. Once the frame was assembled, it was easy to pull the cover over it, hook up the tubes, and start sweating!

We keep ours in a downstairs bathroom, and it’s a little bit of a tight squeeze. I like to clean under and around it periodically and am about to pull the cover off and get it all back together on my own, so a one-person setup is definitely doable.

Turning It On and Heating It Up

Before turning the heating unit on, zip up the door flap and make sure the steam unit is filled, then close the lid tightly. You can use the remote to turn it on or use the controls on the unit itself.

I usually let it run for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the steam to build up. It defaults to level 7 with 45 minutes on the timer, and you can adjust both from the remote or the unit.

When I started using the SmartSteam, I kept it at level 4 or 5 and would stay in for 10 to 15 minutes. The manual says not to use level 7 unless you can’t break a sweat on the lower settings, but now that I’m used to it, I like to leave it at 7 and hop in for around 10 minutes.

Using the SmartSteam Pro

This is the best part. The sauna comes with a chair, so all you have to do is hop in and sit down. I put in earbuds and leave my phone outside of the sauna. Ours didn’t come with a phone holder, but some models do.  

After Use

Because ours is in a bathroom, I turn on the bathroom fan after I’m done as well as an oscillating fan to help dissipate and remove the steam. I keep a clean towel handy and wipe it down to remove some of the water.

Cleaning

The SmartSteam Pro is designed with anti-microbial materials, and I haven’t seen any mold or mildew, which is impressive for something exposed to so much moisture. There haven’t been any smells either.

There was some residue buildup in the bottom of the heating unit, so I followed SaunaBox’s Cleaning Your Kit instructions and used vinegar, warm water, and baking soda along with a toothbrush. I waited too long, so there was a fair amount of buildup, but a couple rounds of soaking it with the vinegar solution and some scrubbing removed most of it.  

I’ve also washed the floor mat a few times in the washing machine and then let it dry outside. We have a top-load, so the first time, I folded it to get it to fit. After it was finished, I noticed some of the rubber on the back had rubbed off where it was folded. Now, I roll it and haven’t noticed an issue.

What I Love

This is one of the best things we’ve bought for our home. It’s so easy to use and to clean, and I get the benefits of a sauna in my own home which, honestly, I thought would be much further in the future.

The size works perfectly in the bathroom, and I like that I can use the bathroom’s exhaust fan to get rid of some of the steam. Using the sauna is something that I really look forward to and usually do it after training a few times a week and occasionally before bed.

It heats up quickly, so I’ll start it halfway through my workout, so it’s ready to go when I’m done. Then I put on a podcast and just sit for a little bit. Honestly, it’s fantastic.

Earlier this year, I was at a gym and decided to sit in their steam sauna for a bit. It was nice until I realized I was sitting in other people’s sweat. I quickly hopped out and decided I would stick with my at-home version.

My Biggest Tip

The biggest tip that I have is to make sure the lid of the Pro Heating Unit is on correctly. The lid to the heating unit has tabs that fit into the slots on the actual unit. To keep the heat in, the lid fits tight.

A few times, I didn’t make sure that the tabs and slots were aligned and twisted the lid on. When this happens, the steam can’t build up and move into the sauna, so the room got steamy, but not the inside of the sauna.

I thought this was unique to me, and then my husband made the same mistake. This is an “us” problem and not a design flaw or anything.

SaunaBox SmartSteam Pro

$320.00 from Dick's Sporting Goods $349.99 from Scheel's $349.00 from SaunaBox

In My Expert Opinion

If you’re in the market for a sauna, this is the way to go. You get to reap all of the benefits of steam and heat therapy without paying for a gym membership or going all-in on a multi-thousand dollar version. It’s compact enough to fit in small spaces, but the inside is spacious enough to sit comfortably in a chair while you relax in the steam.