The Ascent

A 6-seat red cedar kit at $11,745 with a 9 kW heater and a 3-year warranty, 28 percent above the all-model median per seat.

Ascent is $1,958 per seat. The median six-seat sauna costs $7,799, so Ascent is $3,946 over it. It measures 72 by 84 inches and 89.5 tall, about 42 square feet, or 7.0 per seat, with 9 kW, 1.5 kW per seat, the typical figure.

The Sweat Cabin Deluxe is $500 cheaper with 9 kW, a similar shell and the same 3-year warranty, so the Deluxe wins on the fields we track. The Redwood Outdoors Garden seats eight for $8,699 and the Almost Heaven Seneca seats six for $6,191. The data records no shape, weight or porch for the Ascent. Sweat Kingdom is the only store we list. Ask what separates it from the Deluxe before paying the higher price.