HUUM Drop and Hive Electric Sauna Heater Review
Sauna heater units have all looked identical. And pretty boring. HUUM is here to change this, and they’re doing a pretty good job.
Hauling from just south of Finland – the sauna capital of the world, the series of heaters by HUUM has caught our eye, so decided to have a closer look.
Although this is their first heater unit, which could make some of us cautious, looks like over couple of last years everyone is praising the newcomers. Things really took off after receiving the famous Red Dot Design Award in 2015.
Often times a new perspective of a newcomer is what’s needed to kickstart an industry that seems to have gotten stuck. Looks like HUUM is doing just that and has made saunas cool again. Not to mention all it’s health benefits backed by science, which have always been cool.
The whole system is stainless steel. With the exception of stones – which are made of… stone. The overall look is very timeless and clean. After looking around for alternatives we were unable to find anything as good looking. HUUM sauna heater is also a winner of the 2015 Red Dot Design Award and seems like it’s currently on of the best electric sauna heaters around.
Table of Contents
Who is it for?
HUUM sauna heater is basically for everyone who has a sauna or is planning to build one in the future. Their line of heaters covers saunas from 9 to 114 cubic feet. This should mean that if you don’t plan on opening a public sauna for the entire town, you’re most likely covered.
The lineup is broken down into two larger categories – “Drop” and “Hive“. For these you have 3 or 4 different power options respectively, depending on the size of your steam room. Let’s break it down to easily find the best option for you:
Drop:
- 4.5 kW – for sauna room 9-19 ft³
- 6 kW – for sauna room 16-32 ft³
- 9 kW – for sauna room 16-32 ft³ (heats up faster, uses more electricity)
Hive:
- 9 kW – for sauna room 29-49 ft³
- 12 kW – for sauna room 39-82 ft³
- 15 kW – for sauna room 49-98 ft³
- 18 kW – for sauna room 49-114 ft³ (heats up faster, uses more electricity)
Do you want an app with that?
The options don’t end there. For all the heaters you get the heater itself and a local control unit. But you can also take it a notch further and get an app. This means you can start the sauna remotely and have it hot and ready when you arrive home. This can be handy as electric saunas usually take up to an hour to reach their optimal temperature. Did you think the options end there – if you did, then I have news for you! You can also choose if you want your control unit to be in a wooden or a more modern looking plastic case.
There’s also on option of heater that isn’t electric but wood-operated. We recommend avoiding this as it sacrifices both the aesthetics of the heater system and your own comfort.
Where do I get the sauna stones from?
You might have noticed that the prices of the smaller Drop heaters are higher than those of the bigger Hive ones. The reason is sauna stones. When ordering the smaller Drop heater you get the correct amount of sauna stones included and are good to go. With bigger Hive heaters you need to provide your own sauna stones.
Stones of diameter 2-4 inches are suitable to this heater. You can find these from Amazon. It’s important not to replace these with any old stones as sauna stones are specifically chosen to withstand great heat. This means you won’t have to worry about hot exploding rock chips flying around when you’re trying to have a nice relaxing sauna.
Conclusion
The HUUM series of sauna heaters is kicking off a new era of sauna heaters and this era looks really good. Not only is it pretty to look at, it provides a number of options and customisations and is suitable for almost all sizes of saunas. Having received the Red Dot Design Award in 2015 and countless number of good reviews over the years we highly recommend getting your next sauna heater from the HUUM line. This really does look like it’s the best electric sauna heater there is.
Our runner-up pick, in case you’re looking for more traditional look is pretty much any heater from the Harvia line of products. They are based in Finland, have decades of experience and if anyone knows how to build a good heater, it’s them.
Good alternatives
In case you’re willing to sacrifice on the good looks of the Huum line, here’s a few other really good options that you may consider.
![Sukeen [4 Pack] Cooling Towel (40'x12'),Ice...](https://minimalismlab.com/wp-content/plugins/aawp/public/image.php?url=aHR0cHM6Ly9tLm1lZGlhLWFtYXpvbi5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL0kvNTFZczhzSm1FeEwuX1NMMTYwXy5qcGc%3D)
- INSTANT COOL AND REUSABLE: Hyper-evaporative breathable mesh material makes it easy to activate the chilling towel when you simply soak, wring out and snap it. The unique cooling system uses moisture...
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- 【Superior Waterproof, NO Leakage】: 3D silicone gaskets (made of safe&allergy free silicone) provide comfortable buffers and perfect watertight seals against eyes. No painful chlorine or salt water...
- MAKE YOUR WORKOUT WORK FOR YOU: Elevate your next cardio, circuit, or HIIT session with the Sweet Sweat Waist Trimmer belt, designed to help you sweat and tone as you achieve your fitness goals
- SWEAT FASTER, SWEAT HARDER: Waist trimmer designed with Neo-Sweat Technology, an anti-slip, moisture-repelling interior that provides superior heat insulation to increase core temperature for a...
- CONTOURS TO YOUR BODY SHAPE: Designed to accommodate all shapes and sizes, our durable, machine-washable waist trainer has a velcro closure and adjusts to your body’s unique figure to provide a...