Has anyone had a steam barrel sauna installed in their backyard?
Experience? Worth the cost and install to you?

We are looking at setting up a cold plunge & sauna in our backyard in the next year or two - and wanted cost vs reward.
Thanks guys!

I have a cabin sauna in the backyard. Why do you prefer a barrel?

Sunlighten sauna in the garage. Hired a handyman to help assemble, more because it comes in large sections that are too heavy for my wife to help. Love it. Use it all the time. Has a tablet inside, so you can watch shows or if you get the app, preheat when you are running late.

Do you mind me asking ~how much that cost?

I have a plunge sauna and I love it! Might be the best money I've ever spent. I try to get in there everyday and feel like it has helped me over the past year with some health problems I was having. I found that I can't just sit in there though, I put some music on and I stretch. If you're on the fence do it, I promise it will be a game changer.

It seems like the are more available and more affordable. But don't have a preference if the price was right.

My neighbor put one in his back porch. Sits in it every night. He's invited me several times to join him but I've not done it yet. His will easily accommodate at least six people, maybe more. Want to say he paid between $7-$8k for it.

I would recommend looking into a cabin. With a traditional sauna you really want your entire body above the heater, as it's significantly cooler the lower you are. I spend 100% of the time on the top bench, which isn't an option in a barrel. I ordered mine online and had it delivered and the prices are comparable.

What are the health benefits some of you are seeing with it?

I use it at the end of the day and I would say relaxation/stress reduction and improved sleep quality are the most tangible things. I also use it for stretching after workouts which I feel has helped quite a bit. There are some studies that show it can help with muscle hypertrophy after strength training but I'm no power lifter. The studies show that the primary benefit is decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia, but I hope to not have a useful data point on that for a long time.