SAUNAS
Saunas in Des Moines: traditional and infrared
Wood-fired and electric cabins, infrared saunas and Maax spa saunas, from Finlandia and Helo, set up on the showroom floor.
Chapter 01
Traditional saunas, wood-fired or electric
A traditional sauna heats the room itself. Stones sit on top of a heater, the cabin air gets hot and dry, and a ladle of water on the stones gives you a burst of steam. Water World sells traditional saunas in two forms: wood-fired, where you build the fire, and electric, where you set the heater and wait.
The choice between the two is mostly about how you like to spend the first half hour. Wood-fired is a ritual, with kindling, a chimney and the smell of burning wood. Electric is closer to turning on an oven. Neither is the wrong answer, and the showroom is the easiest place to talk through which one fits your yard, your habits and your patience.
Cedar cabins with glass doors are set up on the showroom floor, so you can step inside, sit on the bench, feel the ceiling height and see how much room two or three people really get before you commit to a size.
Cedar sauna cabins with glass doors, set up on the showroom floor
Infrared saunas, a different kind of heat
An infrared sauna works differently. Instead of heating the air to a high temperature, it warms you directly with radiant heat, so the cabin itself feels milder and many people find it easier to stay in for a full session. It is a good fit for people who find a traditional sauna too intense.
Water World carries infrared saunas alongside the traditional cabins, which means you can sit in both on the same afternoon and compare them honestly. Ask the staff what you should expect and what you shouldn't expect from each type. That is how the shop has talked about hot tubs since 1978, and saunas get the same treatment.
If you are weighing infrared against a hot tub for the same corner of the house or the patio, bring that question with you. They sell both, so there is no pressure to steer you toward one.
Chapter 03
Maax spa saunas, Finlandia, Helo and the accessories
Water World is the authorized Maax Spas dealer for Iowa, and that includes the Maax spa saunas. If you already like the idea of a Maax hot tub, a Maax sauna is the natural companion piece.
Two sauna brands round out the range: Finlandia Sauna and Helo Sauna, both on the list of what the shop sells. Sauna accessories are stocked too, so the bench, the stones and the small things that make a cabin usable do not have to come from somewhere else.
The military and first responder discount applies to saunas as well as hot tubs. It cannot be combined with other offers and restrictions apply, so mention it at the time of purchase and ask the staff how it works.
Saunas are on display in the showroom at 3619 Douglas Ave, Des Moines. Walk-ins welcome Tuesday to Saturday, appointments accepted.
Sitting in a cabin beats reading about one
Not sure whether a sauna or a tub suits the space? Look at the hot tubs and swim spas on the same floor, or plan a showroom visit and walk through all of it in one trip. You can also ring Water World on (515) 277-6066.