The sauna accessories you actually need depend on your heater. A traditional sauna with a stove and stones needs a bucket and ladle, a thermometer and a timer. An infrared cabin needs none of the water gear, because it has no stones to steam. After that, comfort pieces like backrests, a bottle shelf and towel hooks work in either type. Below: what each item does, what heater makers say about safe use, and the pieces we carry.
What do you need for a home sauna?
| Accessory | Traditional (stove and stones) | Infrared (panels) |
|---|---|---|
| Bucket and ladle | Yes, for steam | No, never pour water on emitters |
| Thermometer | Yes | Optional |
| Hygrometer | Nice to have | Rarely needed |
| Sand timer | Yes | Yes |
| Backrest | Yes | Yes |
| Bottle shelf and towel hooks | Yes | Yes |
| Sauna essence | Only sauna-rated products, in the water | No |
If you are still deciding between the two heater types, our infrared vs traditional sauna comparison covers temperatures, wiring and cost.
Sauna bucket and ladle (traditional saunas only)
The bucket and ladle are how you make steam, or loyly, by tossing water onto hot stones. Harvia’s KIP heater manual sets clear limits:
- Do not use a ladle with a capacity of more than 0.2 liters (6.8 oz), and do not throw too much water at once.
- Throw water only on the stones, never on the heater when someone is standing near it, and never when the heater is cool or switched off.
- Use only clean water that meets domestic water quality. Chlorinated water (pool or spa) and sea water are listed as prohibited.
- If you add fragrance, use only fragrances made for saunas and follow their instructions.
Harvia’s Forte manual gives the reason: too much water does not all evaporate and can splash on bathers as boiling water.
On materials, LeisureCraft’s accessories page describes two styles: cedar buckets with a plastic liner, and its Narvi Black series in painted steel.
We carry the Dundalk LeisureCraft Bucket and Ladle ($64.00). Our listing gives the bucket as about 10 in high and 10 in wide and the ladle as 14.25 in long. It does not state the ladle’s capacity, so if you want to confirm it against your heater manual’s limit, call us before you order.
Infrared saunas: skip the water gear
An infrared cabin heats you with panels, not stones. The owner’s manual for a Dynamic carbon infrared sauna (DYN 6209) says infrared saunas do not require hot rocks, water or steam, and warns not to pour water or any other liquid onto the infrared heat emitters. A bucket and ladle have no job in that room.
Sauna thermometer and hygrometer
A thermometer tells you when the room is ready and how hot your bench actually is. A hygrometer reads relative humidity, which changes every time you throw water. Harvia’s Forte manual notes that thermometers and hygrometers made for saunas are available, but says there is no exact bathing temperature or humidity that suits everyone: your own comfort is the best guide.
Placement matters because heat rises. Our suggestion: mount the thermometer on a wall at about head height for someone sitting on the upper bench, away from the heater and not directly above it, so it reads the air you are breathing rather than the stove’s radiant heat. Put a hygrometer beside it. Do not move or cover your heater’s own temperature sensor; Harvia’s manual gives exact positions for it.
We stock the cedar-framed Dundalk LeisureCraft Thermometer ($19.00, about 7 in high by 5.5 in wide per our listing). We do not currently list a standalone sauna hygrometer; ask us if you want one sourced.
Sauna backrest and headrest options
A loose cedar backrest sits on the bench, keeps your back off the hot wall boards and lifts out after use. LeisureCraft makes two shapes:
- Comfort: a convex curve for sitting upright. Our Dundalk Comfort Back Rest ($75.50) is model BR04, cedar, about 17.5 in wide by 20.5 in deep by 4.5 in high per our listing.
- Elite: a concave shape for reclining. Our Dundalk LeisureCraft Elite Back Rest ($80.00) is listed at 17.5 in wide by 19.5 in deep by 5 in high.
Lying flat on a long bench? A reclining backrest or a folded towel under your neck does the job of a headrest.
Sand timer, bottle shelf and towel hooks
Sand timer. It is easy to lose track of time in the heat. LeisureCraft describes its sand timer as a 15-minute timer. Harvard Health’s saunas and your health page suggests keeping each visit to at most about 15 to 20 minutes and drinking two to four glasses of cool water afterward. Our Dundalk Wall Mount Sand Timer ($25.00) is model SAND1, about 12 in tall with a cedar frame.
Bottle shelf. A small wall shelf keeps a water bottle off the floor and away from the stove. The Dundalk Cedar Bottle Shelf ($45.00) is wall mounted cedar, sized for a bottle or a small essence jar.
Towel hooks. The Dynamic infrared manual suggests using two towels, one folded to sit on and one to wipe sweat, so you need somewhere to hang them. Mount hooks outside the hot room or on a wall far from the heater. Our Dundalk LeisureCraft Towel Hooks (3 Peg) cost $17.00.
Lighting and flooring
Ordinary fixtures are not built for sauna heat and steam. Harvia’s KIP manual says the room light must be a vapor proof, wall-mounted type, installed at least 6 in below the ceiling, not directly over the heater and not over the upper benches; it can go under the benches. We list the Dundalk LeisureCraft Electric Sauna Light ($129.00); our listing does not give its heat rating or wattage, so check with us before you buy, and have an electrician wire any hardwired fixture.
For the floor, LeisureCraft sells slatted cedar mats (duckboards) that let water drain and air move underneath. Harvia’s manual calls for floor coverings made of rock materials below and near the heater, so keep wooden mats away from the stove itself.
Sauna accessories bundles vs buying pieces
If you are outfitting a new traditional sauna, a bundle saves picking items one by one:
- Dundalk Starter Sauna Accessory Package ($98.00): bucket and ladle, cedar thermometer and a 4 oz eucalyptus sauna essence.
- Dundalk Deluxe Sauna Accessory Package ($325.00): adds a cedar bottle shelf, wall mount sand timer, Comfort Back Rest and Elite Back Rest.
Shipping is free on orders of $999 or more and a flat $200 below that, so small accessories ship most economically with a sauna or heater order. See the full range on our Dundalk Leisurecraft brand page, and our return and refund policy.
What to skip
- Any water on an infrared sauna’s emitters.
- Pool, spa or sea water, and household oils not labeled for sauna use.
- Standard household light fixtures inside the hot room.
Care and cleaning of these pieces is covered in how to clean a sauna. To match a heater to your room first, see sauna heater size, and for the big picture, our home sauna buying guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a sauna bucket and ladle for an infrared sauna?
No. Infrared cabins have no stones, and the infrared manual we read says never to pour water or other liquids onto the heat emitters.
How much water should I put on sauna stones?
Harvia says to use a ladle of no more than 0.2 liters (6.8 oz) and not to throw too much at once. Your heater manual comes first.
Where should a sauna thermometer and hygrometer go?
We suggest the wall at seated head height by the upper bench, away from and not above the heater, with the hygrometer beside the thermometer.
Can I use essential oils in a sauna?
Harvia says to use only fragrances intended for saunas, following their instructions. Add them to the bucket water, not straight onto the stones.
Saunas are not for everyone. Harvard Health says people with uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart disease should check with their doctor first; if you have any health condition, talk to your doctor before regular use. Questions about accessories? Call 866-777-2590, Mon to Fri, 9AM to 6PM PST.
