Portable Home Steam Sauna Pods

We "Test Drive" the Portable Steam Sauna

Whenever I've visited health clubs or hotels I've always enjoyed using the facilities and unwinding and relaxing in the sauna, but have never wanted to spend the 1000's of pounds needed to install a Swedish pine sauna at home. We market a wide range of Finnish health products on this site and when we came across this portable steam sauna we decided that it was a perfect companion to include in our growing portfolio of health and well-being products.

We decided to invest in one for our own home and to pre-test before introducing it to our clients. It was a tough job, and an even tougher decision - but I decided to become the first guinea pig for the treatment!

Setting it Up

The first thing that concerned me when the sauna arrived was whether it would be difficult to assemble. I decided that the ultimate test would be to give it to my husband - who's not the most practical person I've ever met. I was astonished at how quickly he'd set the whole system up. The first hurdle had been overcome with ease. It was also light and easy to carry, which is important.

He set the sauna up in a corner of the spare bedroom, the sauna isn't huge but more than big enough for its purpose. I hate clutter, but haven't felt the need to disassemble it since it doesn't take up too much space (think of the size of an armchair)

Having filled the steam generator, I turned on the power and wandered off for 10 minutes to allow the thing to warm up.

The Big Moment

Back from the bathroom and suitably attired (not a pretty sight - but at least I'm in the privacy of my own home!), I stepped into the sauna and sat down. I have to admit at this stage I was wondering what the point of all this would be - how could something as simple as this could be that relaxing. The heat was certainly intense enough to bring me out in a sweat .... um.... perspiration (I am a lady after all).

Quickly I started to get the point of what this was all about - R-E-L-A-X-A-T-I-O-N - and so I started to improve the surroundings to match the experience. I turned off the over head light, lit the candles, heated up the aromatherapy burner (with suitable relaxing oils), got some nice relaxing music playing in the background and within minutes turned my spare bedroom into a pleasure palace.

I've never been one to sit in saunas for hours, so I spent about 10 minutes in and then about 10 minutes outside on an easy chair.

I'm not a "high maintenance woman" - I'm a working lady who doesn't get time to have her lunch never mind do a bit of relaxing. So this facility offered me an ideal option - all-of-a-sudden (once I'd worked out how to make the most of this ingenious contraption) I realised that I hadn't felt this relaxed since I'd been to a professional health spa (@ £100 an hour!) - wonderful and it's in my home and ready to use whenever I feel stressed. I'll be keeping it

I've even had a few "sauna" sessions with girlfriends - we take turns for a steam and have a good old gossip and a glass of wine - bliss!

Our Tips

A few tips to improve the experience that they don't mention in the instructions!

• Use soft lighting - this is supposed to be a relaxing experience
• Choose a quiet area to setup your sauna. Keep none participants out of the way if you can, it's your time - not theirs.
• It only takes a few minutes to setup. So if you can't sleep - take a sauna and you'll sleep like a baby afterwards.
• Lots of vanilla candles look so romantic and smell lovely
• Have a nice cold drink to hand (water of course!)
• Take a shower before, during and/or after as you would in a professional sauna - it makes your skin lovely and tingly. Use all those smelly things your mum bought you for Christmas - spoil yourself - it's your special time.
• After you've finished your sauna, it's an ideal opportunity to exfoliate - and an ideal time to do the fake tan/sun beds after you exfoliate. So a home sauna would be an ideal gift for anyone who likes to keep their skin a nice shade at all times.
• Aromatherapy oils scenting the air from your favourite burner add to the ambiance of the whole experience too
• Just because you can only fit one in at a time doesn't mean you can't do it with a friend (unless you're both very small!)
• If you find it hard to relax - put a small portable TV in the room (don't touch it with damp hands) and watch a nice romantic film or video.
• Make it a part of your weekly routine, it's a super facility to enjoy.

© First Vitality International Limited, t/a 1st Vitality.