The heater is the heart of your sauna. Everything else — the wood, the benches, the roof — is the setting. The heater is what creates the experience. Choosing the right one for your sauna and your lifestyle makes a significant difference to how your sauna performs and how much you enjoy using it.

At Revival Health Labs, all of our barrel saunas come with a choice of two world-class Harvia heaters: the M90 electric stove as standard, or the M2 wood-burning stove as an upgrade. Both are manufactured by Harvia, one of the most respected and trusted sauna heater brands in the world, produced in Finland and used in saunas across Scandinavia, Europe, and beyond.

The Harvia M90 is the most practical choice for most residential customers. It heats your barrel sauna to operating temperature in approximately 30 to 45 minutes. It runs on a standard 230V single-phase power supply which is compatible with most Irish homes. Once it reaches temperature, it maintains heat automatically without any attention from you. You can pre-heat your sauna from the house, set a timer, and arrive to a sauna that is ready to use.

Electric heaters are also the cleanest and most low-maintenance option. There is no firewood to source, no ash to clear, and no chimney to maintain. For customers who want to use their sauna regularly without adding complexity to their routine, the Harvia M90 is the straightforward and highly effective choice.

Installation note: The M90 requires connection by a certified electrician to a dedicated circuit. It cannot be plugged into a standard domestic socket. We recommend arranging this before delivery so the connection is ready on installation day.

The Harvia M2 produces a heat that electric stoves simply cannot replicate. The warmth from a wood-burning stove is softer, more enveloping, and more atmospheric. The gentle crackle of the fire, the scent of burning wood, and the radiant heat build an experience that feels genuinely Nordic.

With a maximum output of 16.5kW, the M2 is a powerful heater that performs particularly well in the larger M, L, and XL models. It also requires no electricity to operate, making it ideal for gardens without a nearby power supply or for customers who prefer complete independence from the grid during their sauna sessions.

The M2 upgrade includes the full chimney system with a weatherproof rain cover and the necessary fireproof plates for safe installation inside the barrel.

Installation note: The wood-burning stove requires no electrical connection to operate. A clearance of at least 50cm must be maintained between the stove and any combustible material. The chimney exits through the roof of the sauna via the included system. No planning permission is typically required for a domestic sauna stove in Ireland, but local regulations should be confirmed if in doubt.