Almost Heaven Patterson 6-Person Traditional Steam Sauna Review: Is It Worth the Corner Space?

A Sauna That Actually Fits Real Homes

Do you love the idea of a home sauna but keep hitting the same wall? Most 6-person rooms need a huge rectangular footprint, and not every basement or bonus room has that kind of space.

I get why that’s frustrating. You want the real, high-heat, steam-your-worries-away experience, not a compromise.

That’s why I dug into every spec sheet, warranty page, and owner review I could find for the Almost Heaven Patterson 6-Person Traditional Steam Sauna. I’ll walk you through what it actually offers, where it might fall short, and whether it fits your space and your goals.

Product Overview

The Patterson is a corner-design traditional steam sauna built to seat up to six people without needing a long, rectangular room. Instead of one long bench wall, the upper bench wraps around two walls, and the lower bench is retractable, so it tucks away when you want more floor space.

It’s built by Almost Heaven Saunas, a West Virginia-based manufacturer that has been making saunas since 1977. The Patterson comes as part of their Element Series, constructed from high-grade Nordic spruce with 1-3/8″ tongue-and-groove wall panels.

On Wayfair, where the model is listed at $7,899.99, it currently holds a strong 4.9 out of 5 stars across 21 customer reviews. That’s a meaningful sample size for a big-ticket item like this.

Key Features and What They Mean for You

Corner-Design Layout

The biggest practical difference between the Patterson and most other 6-person saunas is the L-shaped, corner-oriented bench layout. If your available room isn’t a perfect rectangle, or you’re trying to fit a sauna into an awkward basement corner, this shape gives you options a standard box-style sauna can’t.

The lower bench is retractable, so you can fold it away and open up the floor when you’re not using the sauna for a full group session.

8kW Harvia Heater

The Patterson pairs with an optional 8kW Harvia electric heater that can bring the room up to 195°F in about an hour, according to the manufacturer’s specs. If you like the option to prep the sauna in advance, it also has a delayed-start feature of up to eight hours, so you could start it before work and walk into a hot room when you get home.

Traditional saunas like this one heat the air around you, typically reaching 150–195°F, compared to infrared saunas, which usually top out around 120–140°F because they warm your body directly rather than the room, according to GoodRx’s comparison of the two types. If intense, all-encompassing heat is what you’re after, that higher ceiling matters.

Solid Nordic Spruce Construction

The walls use 1-3/8″ tongue-and-groove spruce panels with both horizontal and vertical wood elements, plus stainless steel hinges and fasteners. Spruce is a lighter, budget-friendlier wood than cedar, and it’s a common choice for saunas that don’t need cedar’s natural moisture resistance since this is an indoor-only model.

Tempered Glass Door and Window

The 5/16″ tempered and tinted glass door lets in natural light without leaving you feeling boxed in. If you’ve ever felt claustrophobic in a small wood room, a glass door might make a real difference in comfort.

Pre-Assembled Sections

Wall sections, roof panels, benches, and backrests ship pre-assembled from the factory, with holes pre-drilled. Most Almost Heaven models, including similarly sized units, take roughly 4 to 8 hours for two people to assemble, though the Patterson’s corner geometry could add some time versus a simpler rectangular room.

Weight and dimensions:

Note: all dimensions are approximate and sourced from the manufacturer’s product specifications.

Pros and Cons

Here’s an honest breakdown of what stood out, both good and not-so-good, based on the specs and available owner feedback.

Verdict

The Patterson is a well-built, thoughtfully designed traditional sauna that solves a specific problem: fitting a 6-person sauna into a room that isn’t a perfect rectangle. It’s not the cheapest option in its category, and it does require real electrical work, but the build quality and warranty terms line up with what you’d expect from an established manufacturer.

Who Is This Sauna Actually For?

This might be a good fit if you have a corner-shaped or non-rectangular room, want to host multiple people at once, and are comfortable arranging a dedicated 40-amp electrical circuit. It could be less practical if you’re working with a small apartment, renting rather than owning, or want a plug-and-play setup with minimal electrical work.

• Homeowners with a spare room, basement corner, or dedicated wellness space
• Families or groups who want to sauna together rather than solo
• Anyone who prioritizes high heat and steam over the gentler infrared style

What Customers Are Saying

The Patterson holds a 4.9 out of 5 star rating from 21 reviews on Wayfair, with the large majority landing at 5 stars. Reviewers seem to focus most on build quality, ease of setup relative to the sauna’s size, and how the heat holds up once the room is fully warmed. As with most big-ticket wood products, a smaller number of reviews flag delivery logistics and the electrical setup as the more demanding parts of ownership.

Reviews paraphrased from customer feedback for clarity.

FAQ & Additional Tips

Where can you buy the Patterson?

It’s available through Wayfair as well as directly from Almost Heaven’s authorized dealers.

How long does delivery take?

Wayfair lists free delivery with an estimated window of several weeks from order date. Almost Heaven’s own site notes most saunas ship within 2 to 4 weeks, depending on model and inventory.

How hard is assembly?

Since wall, roof, and bench sections arrive pre-assembled with pre-drilled holes, two people can typically complete setup in a handful of hours, per Almost Heaven’s own assembly FAQ. You’ll need a cordless drill and, ideally, a second person to help align panels.

What’s the warranty?

The sauna room carries a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, while the heater comes with a 5-year warranty covering most components (1 year specifically on heating elements). Normal wear, minor splintering, and discoloration aren’t covered.

Who shouldn’t use a sauna like this?

If you have unstable angina, have had a recent heart attack, have severe aortic stenosis, or are pregnant, medical sources recommend avoiding sauna use or getting clearance from your doctor first, according to WebMD’s guide on sauna safety. If you have any cardiovascular condition, it’s worth a quick conversation with your doctor before regular use.

What does regular sauna use actually do?

A long-running Finnish cohort study found that men who used a sauna 4 to 7 times per week had a 63% lower risk of sudden cardiac death compared to those who used one just once a week, according to research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. That’s a striking number, though it’s worth noting this research is observational, not a controlled trial, so it shows an association rather than guaranteed cause and effect for every individual.

Final Verdict

If your space is a corner or an irregular room, and you want a genuine high-heat, multi-person traditional sauna experience, the Almost Heaven Patterson 6-Person Traditional Steam Sauna is worth serious consideration. The build quality, warranty coverage, and strong customer ratings back that up.

If you don’t have a dedicated 220V/40-amp circuit available, or you’re working with limited floor space or a rental property, it might make more sense to look at a smaller Almost Heaven model or an infrared alternative that needs less electrical infrastructure.