How to Choose Your Sauna and Ice Bath

Creating your own wellness space is about finding what fits your style, lifestyle, goals, and home. Whether you’re drawn to the deep heat of a traditional sauna, the refreshing chill of an ice bath, or the enhanced benefits of moving between both, this guide will help you navigate your options and choose what works best for you.

Traditional Sauna

A traditional Finnish-style sauna heats the air to around 70–100°C using heated rocks. Water is added to the rocks to create steam that envelops the user in an intense and beneficial warmth. Benefits include improving cardiovascular and brain health, aiding circulation, enhancing muscle recovery, and promoting deep relaxation.

Being able to sit in the discomfort of the intense heat also helps build resilience.

A traditional sauna is sometimes called a dry sauna (even though water is used to create steam). This differs from a steam room, which maintains constant humidity and feels wetter and heavier in the air, whereas a traditional sauna offers a drier heat experience with bursts of steam when desired.

Ice Bath

When we talk about an ice bath, also known as a cold plunge or cold-water immersion, we mean a bath of chilled water maintained between 0–15°C using a chiller system. The water temperature can be adjusted to suit your goals, making it ideal for daily recovery or contrast therapy alongside sauna use.

Cold-water immersion helps manage inflammation, supports mood regulation, and can enhance energy and alertness.

Contrast Therapy

Alternating between heat and cold - known as contrast therapy - amplifies the benefits of both extremes as you move between your traditional sauna and ice bath.

Increasing the temperature difference heightens the response from invigoration to relaxation.

Space and Style: What Works for You

Your sauna or ice bath setup will depend on both your space and your preferred style.

Sometimes the available space determines what will fit best; other times, the style you love helps define the space you create.

Whether you’re designing a backyard sanctuary or a home wellness corner, both indoor and outdoor options are possible.

Quick tip: If you’re choosing between two locations, one closer to your power source may simplify the electrical connection. Electrical setup is specific to your space and should be discussed with an electrician, but it’s worth keeping in mind when planning your setup.

Ice Bath Style and Setup

When choosing your ice bath, we offer two main styles - timber and steel, or acrylic - in a range of sizes to suit your space and preference.

Each option comes ready to be placed in your desired location, whether that’s beside your sauna, on a deck, or in a dedicated recovery space.

Both options are paired with a chiller system designed to maintain a consistent water temperature between 0–15°C. All chillers are supplied with quick-connect fittings and setup instructions for simple installation, and every ice bath and chiller setup is backed by a 2-year residential warranty.

Chiller Options

Each chiller is designed for different needs - from home recovery through to professional performance. All are built to handle Australian conditions and operate continuously when needed.

Each chiller is built for efficiency and long-term use, providing reliable cooling and durability to support daily recovery routines.

Comparing Your Ice Bath and Chiller Options

When researching ice baths and chillers, it helps to compare key features side by side. Use the table below as a reference when looking across different brands and models.

Sauna Styles at a Glance

All our saunas are made from Japanese cedar and designed for aesthetic appeal, comfort, function, performance, and longevity.

Cabin (Indoor or Outdoor)

• Wall Build: Framed structure with insulation and vapour barrier
  
• Timber Lining: 12 mm Japanese clear-grade cedar
  
• Interior: Two-tier L-shaped benches
  

Cube (Outdoor - or Indoor if preferred)

• Timber: Japanese rustic cedar
  
• Timber Thickness: 38 mm solid full-length staves for improved insulation and a sturdy build
  
• Interior: Two-tier L-shaped benches
  

Barrel (Outdoor - or Indoor if preferred)

• Timber: Japanese rustic cedar
  
• Timber Thickness: 38 mm solid full-length staves
  
• Interior: One-tier bench due to circular shape
  
  *Any outdoor sauna could be used indoor

Comparing Your Sauna Options

Why Timber Quality Matters

Japanese cedar is a premium sauna timber known for:

• Natural mould and moisture resistance
  

• Superior heat behaviour - it doesn’t get as hot to touch, so you feel the warmth primarily from the stones and steam
  

• Durability and longevity
  

• Lightly aromatic quality - a naturally pleasant scent that enhances the sauna environment
  
  

Why Thickness Matters

Thicker 38 mm timber staves (as used in the Cube and Barrel) and the 60 mm framed wall design (used in the Cabin) increase insulation, strength, and overall thermal and structural performance.

What’s Included

Every Peak Sauna comes complete with:

• Harvia “The Wall” heater (WiFi controllers and other Harvia models available on request)
  
• Bucket and ladle
  
• Thermometer and hygrometer
  
• Sand timer
  
• Sauna hats
  
• Essential oils
  
• LED lighting
  
• Bitumen roof shingles
  
• Delivery and expert installation
  

Expert installation ensures every detail is taken care of - so your new space is ready to enjoy from day one.

What to Compare Across Brands

When researching saunas or ice baths, it helps to look at key features side by side.

Ready to Create Your Space

Whether you’re drawn to the steady heat of a traditional sauna, the invigorating chill of an ice bath, or the enhanced benefits of both, each Peak Sauna Ice space is crafted for life - designed with care, installed by experts, and made to enhance your wellbeing every day.

Your sanctuary, crafted for life.

Take A Peak

Want to see our range of saunas and ice baths? Shop here.

Need to speak to an expert? Book a chat here.