Golden Designs Sauna Review: Every Line Explained (Dynamic, Maxxus, Reserve, Outdoor)

Golden Designs builds most of the infrared and traditional saunas we sell, split into four families: Dynamic (the entry carbon far-infrared line), Maxxus (the step-up line with Canadian red cedar and Near Zero EMF options), the Golden Designs-branded Reserve Edition and PureTech full spectrum models, and a range of traditional and outdoor saunas. This golden designs sauna review explains what each line includes, what it costs in our catalogue, and who each one suits. It is built from Golden Designs' own spec sheets and our live listings, not from lab testing, so every number below is the manufacturer's figure or our current price.

Golden Designs Sauna Review: The Short Answer

Choose Dynamic if you want the lowest entry price and a compact 1–2 person cabin; the Dynamic Gracia 1–2 person Low EMF sauna (from $1,999) is one of our lowest-priced Golden Designs models. Choose Maxxus if you want Canadian red cedar or a carbon far-infrared cabin rated Near Zero EMF. Choose Reserve Edition if you want full spectrum heat, Himalayan salt bars and a touch screen panel in one package. Choose a traditional or outdoor model if you want a stove-heated sauna or a cabin that lives in the yard.

Every line shares the same basic build: clasp-together wall panels, tempered glass doors and wood cabins. The differences that matter are the heater type, the EMF tier, the wood and the electrical service, and those are what the rest of this review compares.

How Golden Designs Organizes Its Sauna Lines

The model number tells you the family before you read the title: DYN for Dynamic, MX for Maxxus and GDI for Golden Designs-branded models. Our Golden Designs model number guide decodes the suffixes (Elite, FS, ZF, CED, HEM) in full. Here is how the four families line up in our current catalogue.

Dynamic Saunas: The Entry Point to Golden Designs

Dynamic is the line to start with if price and footprint lead your decision. Golden Designs' Dynamic spec sheets list natural reforested Canadian hemlock, a tempered glass door, a chromotherapy lighting system with a red light feature, an interior LED control panel and Bluetooth/MP3 speakers. They give 118–132°F as the ideal temperature range, with the cabin able to reach 140°F.

Most 1–2 and 2-person Dynamic spec sheets call for 120V/15A plug-and-play service with a dedicated outlet recommended, which is why these are the easiest Golden Designs saunas to place in an apartment or spare room. The 3-person Dynamic spec sheets we reviewed step up to a 120V/20A dedicated receptacle. Our sauna electrical requirements guide explains what that means for your panel.

Dynamic models worth a look: the Barcelona Edition 1–2 person (from $1,999) and Avila 1–2 person (from $1,999) for solo use, the Heming 2-person corner (from $2,699) for tight rooms, the Bergamo 4-person (from $3,299) for families, and the Dynamic Monaco 6-person (from $6,895) at the top of the line. Elite versions (for example the Cordoba Elite (from $2,499)) move the same cabin up to the Ultra Low EMF tier, and FS versions such as the Cordoba full spectrum Near Zero model (from $3,299) add near infrared elements.

Maxxus Saunas: Cedar and Near Zero EMF Options

Maxxus is the line to choose if you want wood or EMF options that Dynamic does not offer in our catalogue. Many Maxxus models come in two woods: the Maxxus 3-person in Canadian hemlock (from $2,999) and the same 3-person cabin in Canadian red cedar (from $4,299) are separate listings at separate prices.

Maxxus also carries the ZF models, which Golden Designs titles as Near Zero EMF (Under 2MG). The Maxxus 2-person Near Zero EMF in hemlock (from $3,099) is the lowest-priced carbon far-infrared Near Zero cabin in our Golden Designs catalogue. Golden Designs' Near Zero Maxxus Seattle and Bellevue spec sheets also list a floor (feet) reflexology heater as standard.

For full spectrum heat in cedar, the Maxxus 2-person full spectrum in Canadian red cedar (from $4,299) and the Maxxus 3-person corner full spectrum Near Zero (from $5,299) are the options. Our Dynamic vs Maxxus comparison lines the two families up model by model.

Reserve Edition and PureTech: Full Spectrum With Himalayan Salt

Reserve Edition is Golden Designs' packaged full spectrum line. Golden Designs' Reserve Edition spec sheets list PureTech Near Zero EMF carbon far-infrared panels (under 3 mG measured 2 to 3 inches from the panels) combined with near infrared elements, two Himalayan salt bars, bronze privacy tempered glass, chromotherapy lighting with a red light feature, exterior accent lighting and a touch screen control panel with Bluetooth and FM.

In our catalogue that means the Reserve Edition 2-person full spectrum sauna (from $4,499) and the Reserve Edition 4-person full spectrum sauna (from $5,499). The related PureTech salt bar models, the 3-person full spectrum PureTech Near Zero sauna (from $5,499) and the 6-person version (from $7,499), cover larger groups, and the Monaco Elite 6-person PureTech Near Zero far-infrared sauna (from $6,999) is the far-infrared-only option at that size. If you are unsure whether you need near infrared at all, read far infrared vs full spectrum first.

Golden Designs Traditional and Outdoor Saunas

Golden Designs' traditional saunas are stove-heated cabins, and its outdoor range adds barrel, flat-roof, barn and outdoor-indoor designs. These are not rated by EMF tier in their titles, so you choose them on heat style, wood and placement instead.

Indoor traditional: the Sundsvall Edition 2-person (from $5,999), Copenhagen Edition 3-person (from $6,999) and Osla Edition 6-person (from $8,499) are all Canadian red cedar, and the Forssa 3-person corner (from $6,999) fits a room corner.

Barrel: the St. Moritz 2-person (from $4,999), Arosa 4-person (from $5,999) and Klosters 6-person (from $6,999) are Pacific cedar barrels; our barrel sauna buying guide covers sizing and heaters.

Cabin and hybrid: the Arlberg 3-person traditional outdoor sauna (from $5,999) is our entry outdoor cabin in Canadian hemlock. The Carinthia 3-person hybrid (from $6,999) and Gargellen 5-person hybrid (from $7,999) are titled "Full Spectrum IR or Traditional Stove", and Golden Designs' hybrid spec sheets state the infrared and stove do not run at the same time. At the top of the range, the Karlstad 6-person outdoor-indoor PureTech hybrid (from $18,999) and the Kaskinen 6-person barn hybrid (from $18,999) are the largest hybrids we carry. If you are deciding where the sauna should go, see indoor vs outdoor sauna.

What a Golden Designs Sauna Review Should Check: EMF, Power and Space

Three spec-sheet lines decide whether a Golden Designs sauna fits your home: the EMF tier, the electrical service and the footprint. Check all three before you compare finishes.

EMF tier. Golden Designs rates its infrared panels in three tiers: Low EMF at 5–10 mG, Ultra Low EMF at 3–5 mG and Near Zero EMF below 3 mG, measured about 2 to 3 inches from the heating panels. Our guide to Low vs Ultra Low vs Near Zero EMF saunas puts those numbers in context and lists every model by tier.

Electrical service. Golden Designs' 1–2 and 2-person spec sheets typically list 120V/15A plug-and-play. Several 3-person spec sheets, including the Reserve Edition 3-person and Maxxus S-Line 3-person, call for a dedicated 120V/20A receptacle and breaker. Golden Designs' indoor hybrid spec sheets list 240V/30A to 240V/40A service, so plan an electrician visit before ordering one of those.

Footprint. Golden Designs' 1–2 person Dynamic spec sheets list exteriors around 39 x 36 x 75 inches (W x D x H), and 2-person Dynamic and Maxxus cabins around 48 x 42 x 75 inches. Measure your ceiling as well as the floor, since these cabins stand about 75 inches tall.

Which Golden Designs Sauna I Recommend

As a trainer and stretch therapist, I weigh how a sauna will actually get used: who is in it, how often and where it sits. For most people buying a first infrared sauna for one or two users, I recommend starting with a Dynamic Elite model such as the Barcelona Elite (from $2,299). It keeps the compact Dynamic footprint and steps up to the Ultra Low EMF tier for a modest premium over the base model.

If you want cedar, or the lowest EMF tier without paying for near infrared elements, go to Maxxus: the Maxxus 3-person Near Zero EMF (from $3,699) is the one I would shortlist for couples who like room to stretch. If you want full spectrum heat and salt bars in a finished package, the Reserve Edition is the simplest path. And if you want a classic hot, stove-heated sauna in the yard, start with the barrel or Arlberg models above. For the benefit side of the decision, our infrared sauna benefits article covers what the research says.

Build Your Golden Designs Setup

Browse the full Golden Designs collection to compare every model side by side, or narrow it down with our infrared saunas, traditional saunas and outdoor saunas collections. If you want contrast therapy at home, pair your sauna with a cold plunge from our cold plunge and ice bath collection or the Dynamic Cold Therapy range, and read our contrast therapy setup guide. Orders include free freight over $999, certain exclusions apply.

About the author: Jacky Chan is a certified personal trainer, stretch therapist and massage therapist who works with clients on training and recovery, and the founder of Peak Flow Fitness.

Related reading: Which Sauna Should I Get? · Far Infrared vs Full Spectrum Sauna · How Much Does a Home Sauna Cost? · Dynamic vs Maxxus Saunas