A barrel sauna is a common way into an outdoor traditional sauna. The Watoga and E6 listings put assembly at about a day for two people.
This comparison covers four barrels under $5,000, all sold through Select Saunas. Three include an electric heater; one doesn’t. For indoor cabins and higher budgets, see Best Traditional Saunas.
Short answer: the Almost Heaven Watoga is the best all-round pick, seating up to four with a heater and a lifetime room warranty. The Almost Heaven Salem is the same idea for two at a lower price. The Golden Designs St. Moritz adds the biggest heater and a set of accessories. The SaunaLife E6 is the tallest, but you buy the heater separately.
At a glance
Specs are from each Select Saunas listing. Prices and check dates are in the table below.
Almost Heaven Watoga: Best Overall
The Watoga is a 6x5 ft cedar barrel with two facing benches, for 2 to 4 people. A Harvia electric heater and stones come with it, and Almost Heaven gives the sauna room a limited lifetime warranty. It’s also listed for indoor use; the other three are listed for outdoors.
You give up certainty on the heater: the listing says 6kW in one place and 4.5kW in the specs. Ask which ships before you order. The heater needs a 240V/30A hardwired circuit.
Best for: a household of three or four that wants one barrel to share.
Almost Heaven Salem: Best Value
The Salem is the 2-person version of the same approach: North American cedar, a 6kW heater included with dial or app control, and the same limited lifetime room warranty. At $4,176 it’s the lowest price here.
You give up seats. The interior is 39¼” deep, so it suits two people sitting, not reclining. The heater needs a 240V/30A circuit, and the listing gives a 6 to 8 week lead time.
Best for: a couple who wants a heater-included barrel at the lowest price. Measure your yard against its 78” x 47” footprint first.
Golden Designs St. Moritz
The St. Moritz is a 2-person Pacific cedar barrel with a Harvia SWS80 8kW wall heater, the largest heater here. A sandglass, thermometer, bucket, and scoop come in the box, so you don’t buy accessories separately.
Here’s what the spec sheet won’t tell you: an 8kW heater draws about 33A at 240V, our arithmetic, yet the listing asks for a 30A circuit. Have an electrician size the circuit from the heater’s manual. The warranty is 5 years, shorter than Almost Heaven’s lifetime room coverage.
Best for: a couple who wants everything in one order.
SaunaLife E6
The E6 is a 3-person Thermo-Spruce barrel, 81” in diameter, with a 6’5” interior height, so most people can stand. The staves are 1.65” thick, and a shingle roof kit and Wi-Fi LED lighting are included.
You give up a heater: it isn’t in the package, so add its price, and its circuit, to the $4,390. The listing doesn’t state a warranty term. Sauna Heater Included or Not? shows how to compare prices fairly.
Best for: taller bathers who want to choose their own heater, electric or wood.
The circuit is part of the price
Every electric heater here needs a 240V circuit run to the sauna. Get an electrician’s quote before you compare barrels on price alone. The traditional sauna buying guide covers heaters, wiring, and barrels for two in more depth.
Which one should you buy?
- Up to four people, indoors or out: Almost Heaven Watoga.
- Two people, lowest price: Almost Heaven Salem.
- Heater and accessories in one box: Golden Designs St. Moritz.
- The most headroom, your own heater: SaunaLife E6.
Bottom line: the two Almost Heaven barrels give the most for the money, with heaters included and lifetime room warranties. Pick by how many people will use it.
Sources
- Prices, specifications, and warranties: Select Saunas listings for the Almost Heaven Watoga, Golden Designs St. Moritz, and SaunaLife E6, checked October 18, 2026, and the Almost Heaven Salem, checked October 1, 2026
