Nook Saunas

Nook Saunas, far-infrared home saunas in Australia

Nook Saunas is an Australian company dedicated to the sale, installation and rental of far-infrared (FIR) home saunas. Its catalogue focuses on compact models designed for the home or office, with delivery and installation by its own technicians in several cities across the country.

Catalogue models and prices

The main range is the Nook Core line, available in one-, two- and three-person versions. The site showed seasonal promotional prices: AUD 2,499 for the single model, 3,199 for the two-person and 3,899 for the three-person, compared with regular prices of 3,300, 4,200 and 4,700 respectively. The company describes these units as high-performance saunas at affordable prices.

Technical features of the saunas

• Made from Canadian Hemlock wood.
• Six high-performance, ultra-low EMF carbon mica far-infrared heating panels.
• Bluetooth connectivity to play music inside.
• Plugs into a standard 10-amp domestic socket, with no special electrical installation required.
• Compact design, suitable for small spaces.
• Indicated average running cost of 0.61 cents per hour of use.

Delivery, installation and coverage

The company offers free delivery and installation within an 80-kilometre radius of Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane, and also in the immediate areas of the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Canberra. Outside that radius, shipping is billed separately according to the distance from the warehouse; in those cases delivery and installation are not offered and the customer must arrange transport themselves to collect the packaged sauna. Installation includes assembly, operational testing, a usage walkthrough and removal of packaging waste. The company states it has installed more than 5,000 saunas in Australia.

Rental to try before you buy

Through a partnership with Rent a Sauna, Nook allows customers to rent a sauna before deciding to buy. The indicated price is AUD 59 per week with a minimum six-month contract, 79 per week with three months and 99 per week with one month. The rental includes free delivery and installation with no hidden costs, and there is an option to purchase the unit at the end of the contract.

Safety and sustainability

The company highlights its NookShield safety architecture, which it says exceeds Australian electrical and safety requirements and puts the units through testing in extreme conditions. It also states that it plants three trees for every sauna sold.

Far-infrared versus full spectrum

Nook Saunas decided to discontinue its full-spectrum models to focus exclusively on far-infrared. The company maintains that far-infrared is the form of infrared therapy with the strongest scientific backing, and considers that the full-spectrum concept is often used as a sales argument to justify higher prices. According to its explanation, near- and mid-infrared have lower penetration and effectiveness compared with far-infrared.

Benefits the company attributes to its saunas

The site lists a series of effects associated with infrared sauna use: stress relief and muscle relaxation, support for detoxification through deep sweating, improved sleep, and skin benefits such as improved tone, texture and elasticity. It also notes that, by heating the body directly rather than the air, infrared saunas operate at lower temperatures (around 45-65 °C) with an impact similar to that of traditional saunas, and that they promote blood circulation.

Publications and collaborations

The company's blog includes articles on using traditional versus infrared saunas, its own study based on surveys of more than 500 home sauna owners, and a collaboration with the artist Artbyrow. Nook Saunas also mentions that its products are used by Olympic athletes, doctors and professionals, and displays a rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot.