You’re excited to own a personal infrared sauna! No more trudging to the gym, spa or IR salon. It’s the luxury health item you’ve been waiting for, and you’ll finally be able to enjoy it in your own home. Nothing could be more convenient. While browsing the internet you learn there are a variety of brands and models to choose from. Once you narrow it down to two or three that seem to fit what you need, it’s time to make a decision. So, the next question is, which do you choose? When buying new vs. used saunas, there are definite pros and cons to weigh.
Before you buy, consider the following key elements.
Product Warranty
One of the most important aspects to consider when you make a large purchase or investment is product warranty coverage. In the case of infrared saunas, you want to consider the heaters, electronic units, and the actual wood itself.
When you buy a new Health Mate infrared sauna, we offer a generous warranty that covers all these things. It’s much like buying a car—if something dysfunctions within the first year or two or even beyond, you want to feel secure knowing you won’t incur huge expenses.
However, buying a used sauna means all that warranty coverage is lost! The person selling the sauna may believe that because they’ve only had the sauna a short while, it transfers. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. A used Health Mate sauna, whether it’s 1 year old or 20 years old, only covers the original owner under warranty. The result could be large cash outlays you hadn’t expected for repairs.
Maybe you’ve been expecting to replace an item or two. What about getting new parts?
Replacement Parts
Imagine you found this great deal on a used sauna–$1800 for what was originally a $5,000 or $6,000 infrared sauna. Wow, it sounds like a bargain! And it is. However, what if you get it home and realize that the simple control panel you were told was a little…wonky…is completely kaput? The seller may have chosen to omit this key detail. If the sauna is already 12-15 years old, the part you’re looking for could be discontinued.
Now your bargain investment is nothing more than a beautiful wooden storage closet rather than a fabulous infrared sauna.
With a new Health Mate sauna purchase, parts are generally replaceable up to 15 years or so should anything go wrong. This means you could get another 10-15 years of enjoyment out of your sauna.
Even if the seller feels they’re being upfront, there’s a chance it hasn’t even been used in years. The bottom line is, be aware that you may need to fix more than you expected on your used sauna and it’s important to know ahead of what parts you’ll need.
The Mystery History
You finally get your new used sauna perfectly situated in your living room or den, and all you need to do now is wait for it to heat up. But what if after a few minutes, the heaters don’t seem to quite get to the right temperature?
Or maybe you assembled it and noticed there was a strange discoloration on some of the panels? It looks curiously like water damage, something you didn’t notice in your haste to take ownership.
Purchasing a used sauna is always a gamble, even if the seller sounds like they’re being transparent. Was there a power surge one time and suddenly the electronics are unpredictable? Maybe it was kept on the patio and it got flooded in the last rain storm?
It’s hard to know the history of your sauna when it’s used, and some sellers want it off their hands so badly, they fail to disclose this pertinent information. It’s safer to not take a chance on a used sauna, even if it’s been passed down from a friend or family member.
But even if it has a solid history of regular upkeep, there’s that other little issue…
You’re Soaking In It
An infrared sauna is designed for maximum sweat at a comfortable temperature. And if you use your sauna properly, with towels or clothing between you and the wood benches and panels, you can protect it from stains.
However, even the most conscientious sauna user will inevitably pass some perspiration onto the sauna wood. So, do you really want to be sitting on something that might be less than sanitary? It’s similar to sleeping on a mattress owned by someone else.
You really don’t want to take the hygiene risk, especially when a sauna is designed to improve and enhance your health. Starting fresh with a new sauna ensures the most desirable conditions. You can ensure it’s properly cleaned on a regular basis as well, something you couldn’t do with a used sauna.
Are There Any Benefits To Buying Used?
Buying a high-quality sauna is a significant investment and it’s understandable with inflation and economic uncertainty that you might consider saving some money by investing in used rather than new.
So, what type of due diligence should you do before buying?
The best case scenario when purchasing a used sauna is to ask for the original receipt from the seller. This can help verify the age and model information. From there, you’ll know whether you can still obtain any parts or support.
Health Mate cannot service, provide replacement parts for or upgrade saunas made prior to 2004. This is one of the tradeoffs and may be more costly in the long run. While we pride ourselves on amazing customer service and support, we’re also innovative and constantly making improvements, and like cars, some features just naturally become obsolete.
If you’d like to know more about our infrared sauna selection, feel free to contact our support team. There are always financing options for your Health Mate as a way of offsetting upfront costs.