Home › Comparison › Forge vs Salem SaunaBox Forge vs Almost Heaven Salem (2026): black cabin or cedar barrel?
By SaunaBox · Published August 3, 2026 · 7 min read
Short answer
Both are real traditional saunas with Harvia heaters, at roughly the same money. The Almost Heaven Salem seats two, comes in classic cedar, and carries a limited lifetime warranty on the room. The SaunaBox Forge is a one-person black cabin that reaches about 170 °F in 25 minutes rather than 45 to 60. If two people are using it, buy the Salem. If it is one person and you want to be sitting in heat twenty minutes after you decide to, the Forge is built for exactly that.
This is the first comparison we have run where both saunas burn actual heat on actual rocks . No infrared, no wavelengths, no red light. Just two takes on the same 2,000-year-old idea.
Heat-up 25 min Forge, to ~170°F
Capacity 2 Salem seats two
Width 29 in Narrower, the Forge
Where these numbers come from. SaunaBox Forge figures are taken from the Forge product page on saunabox.com. Almost Heaven Salem figures are taken from Almost Heaven's published Salem specifications and authorised dealer listings, retrieved on August 2, 2026. Almost Heaven sells through dealers rather than at a single published price , and listings observed ranged from roughly $4,964 to $6,200 depending on configuration and promotion, so this page does not quote one figure. Confirm with your dealer before ordering.
How do the Forge and the Salem compare?
Specification comparison, retrieved August 2, 2026. "Not published" means the manufacturer does not state the figure in its published specifications.
Specification
Almost Heaven Salem
SaunaBox Forge
Notes
Price
Varies by dealer ~$4,964 to $6,200 observed
$4,990 listed down from $5,500
Almost Heaven does not publish one price; SaunaBox sells direct
Capacity
2 person
1 person
Facing benches against a single-occupant cabin
Shape
Cedar barrel
Upright cabin
Preference, not performance
Heater
Harvia 4.5 or 6 kW
Harvia Vega Compact BU 3.5 kW
Same Finnish manufacturer. On some Salem listings the heater is an option
Heat-up time
180–200 °F in 45–60 min
~170 °F in ~25 min
The Forge heats a far smaller cabin
Max temperature
200 °F
200 °F
Equivalent at the top end
Exterior size
72 x 47 x 75.8 in
43.31 x 41.34 x 80.71 in
The Forge is 29 in narrower, and taller
Assembled weight
Not published
471.8 lb
Barrel weights vary with the heater option chosen
Construction
Rustic cedar staves, steel bands
Canadian hemlock interior, cedar frame, matte black aluminium cladding
Two different design languages
Electrical
240 V heater, 110 V lighting
240 V hardwired, 14.4 A
Both need an electrician
Ventilation
Not published
One vent
Per the SaunaBox Forge specification
Included
Heater, two benches, glass, LED lighting, hardware
Cabin, heater, benching
Check whether your Salem dealer includes the heater
Warranty
Lifetime room, 5 yr heater
Not published
Almost Heaven is materially stronger here
HSA / FSA route
Not published
TrueMed at checkout
Via Letter of Medical Necessity under IRS Section 213(d)
The two things that actually decide this
Strip away the finish and the branding and there are only two questions that matter here, because on heat itself these are near-identical. Both top out around 200 °F. Both use Harvia. Both need an electrician.
How many people? The Salem seats two on facing benches. The Forge seats one. This is not a specification you can negotiate around, and if the answer is two the comparison ends here.
How long will you wait? The Forge reaches roughly 170 °F in about 25 minutes. Almost Heaven quotes 45 to 60 minutes to 180–200 °F with the 6 kW heater. On a Tuesday in February, the difference between deciding to use your sauna and sitting in it is either half an hour or an hour.
Why the Forge heats faster on a smaller heater
The Forge runs a 3.5 kW Harvia against the Salem's 4.5 or 6 kW, and still gets to temperature sooner. That is not a trick. A one-person cabin at 43 by 41 inches contains a fraction of the air volume of a 72-inch barrel, so a smaller element brings it up faster. Bigger heater, bigger room, longer wait.
It also means a lower running cost per session, though neither manufacturer publishes energy figures, so we are not going to put a number on that.
Where Almost Heaven is genuinely stronger
The warranty, and it is not close. A limited lifetime warranty on the sauna room plus five years on the heater is among the better coverage in the category. SaunaBox does not publish a warranty period for the Forge, and on a $4,990 outdoor structure that is a fair thing for a buyer to want in writing.
Almost Heaven has also been building saunas in West Virginia for decades. That track record is worth something real when you are buying an object that will sit outdoors through winters.
Where the Salem genuinely wins
Two seats. Facing benches. The Forge cannot answer this.
Warranty. Limited lifetime on the room, five years on the heater, against no published period for the Forge.
The classic look. If you picture a sauna, you probably picture a cedar barrel. That is worth admitting.
Bigger heater options. 4.5 or 6 kW for a larger volume of air.
Where the Forge wins
Ready in about 25 minutes. Against 45 to 60. The single biggest difference in day-to-day use.
29 inches narrower. 43 in wide against 72. It fits on a balcony, a small deck or a side return where a barrel simply will not go.
One published price. $4,990 direct, down from $5,500, rather than a figure that moves by $1,200 between dealers.
Published weight and ventilation. 471.8 lb and a single vent, both stated.
An HSA / FSA route. TrueMed at checkout via a Letter of Medical Necessity, if you qualify.
Which one should you buy?
Buy the Almost Heaven Salem if two of you will use it, if you want the barrel silhouette, or if a lifetime room warranty is what makes an outdoor purchase feel safe. Those are all good reasons.
Buy the SaunaBox Forge if it is one person, if the space is tight, or if the thing most likely to stop you using a sauna is waiting an hour for it. A sauna you actually use beats a bigger one you plan around.
Frequently asked questions
How much do the SaunaBox Forge and Almost Heaven Salem cost?
The SaunaBox Forge is $4,990, listed down from $5,500. Almost Heaven sells the Salem through authorised dealers rather than at one published price, and dealer listings observed in August 2026 ranged from roughly $4,964 to $6,200 depending on configuration and promotion. Confirm the current figure with the dealer you intend to buy from.
Which heats up faster?
The Forge, by a wide margin. It reaches approximately 170 °F in about 25 minutes from cold. Almost Heaven states the Salem reaches 180 to 200 °F in 45 to 60 minutes with the 6 kW heater. The Forge heats a much smaller one-person cabin, which is the reason.
How many people fit in each?
The Salem seats two on facing benches. The Forge is a one-person cabin. If two people want to sit together, the Salem is the answer and the Forge is not, regardless of any other specification.
Which has the better warranty?
Almost Heaven, clearly. The Salem carries a limited lifetime warranty on the sauna room and five years on the heater. SaunaBox does not publish a warranty period for the Forge on its product page, so this page does not quote one. Contact SaunaBox for current terms.
Do both use the same heater brand?
Both use Harvia, the Finnish heater manufacturer. The Forge ships with a Harvia Vega Compact BU 3.5 kW. The Salem is offered with a Harvia 4.5 kW or 6 kW depending on configuration, and on some dealer listings the heater is an option rather than included.
What electrical work does each need?
Both need an electrician. The SaunaBox Forge is 240 V hardwired at 14.4 A. The Almost Heaven Salem uses a 240 V single-phase supply for the heater and 110 V for the interior lighting. Neither plugs into a standard outlet.
How much space does each one take up?
The Forge has a 43.31 by 41.34 inch footprint and stands 80.71 inches tall, so it occupies roughly the floor area of a large armchair. The Salem is 72 inches wide by 47 inches deep and 75.8 inches high. The barrel is the wider object by a considerable margin.
Is a barrel sauna better than a cabin sauna?
Neither shape is inherently better. A barrel has less air volume above the benches, which some people find reaches temperature efficiently, and it is the classic look. A cabin gives full standing height near the door and a squarer interior. It is a preference, not a performance ranking.
Is the SaunaBox Forge HSA or FSA eligible?
It can be. Eligibility runs through a Letter of Medical Necessity issued by a licensed practitioner under the IRS Section 213(d) medical expense pathway, which SaunaBox facilitates through TrueMed at checkout. Whether you qualify is determined by the practitioner and the terms of your plan.
The Forge is a one-person traditional sauna with a Harvia Vega Compact heater, reaching about 170 °F in roughly 25 minutes. $4,990, down from $5,500.
Shop the Forge
Sources
SaunaBox Forge product page, saunabox.com . Retrieved August 2, 2026.
Almost Heaven Salem published specifications and authorised dealer listings. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
26 U.S. Code § 213(d)(1)(A), medical expense definition, law.cornell.edu .
Specifications and prices change without notice. This comparison quotes each manufacturer's published figures at the date of retrieval and marks unpublished specifications as such rather than estimating them. Always consult a healthcare professional before adding sauna use to your routine. This is not a medical device and is not intended to be used as one.
