Editorial Policy

Wild Sauna UK is intended to be a trustworthy reference for two audiences: people looking for a wild sauna to visit in the UK, and people considering buying a sauna for their own home or garden. This page describes how content is researched, what counts as a source, and how reviews are scored.

What is our research process?

Specification first. For any home sauna, infrared cabin, sauna heater or accessory, we start with primary sources: manufacturer spec sheets, official certification (CE, UKCA marking, and where relevant EN 60335-2-53 for electric sauna heaters), retailer warranty terms, and delivery / installation details published on the retailer's own site.

Owner signal. We then read long-form owner accounts - UK and international Reddit threads, sauna-specific forums, garden-design communities - looking for installation issues, after-two-year feedback, warranty experience and recurring complaints. We do not quote owners verbatim in published content; we summarise what we found in our own words and cite the source.

Venue listings. For wild sauna venues, we list operators with a verifiable booking channel (a website or established booking platform), an explicit operating area, and consistent operating history. Pop-ups without a reachable operator do not get listed.

What do we score on?

Home sauna reviews are scored against a consistent rubric:

• Build quality - wood species and grade, panel thickness, joinery, and weather resistance for outdoor units.
• Heater - kW rating, stone capacity, recovery time, and certification.
• Total UK cost - list price plus delivery, plus the realistic cost of base prep, electrics (where applicable) and any planning considerations.
• Warranty and support - length, what's covered, UK-side returns experience.
• Suitability - how well the unit matches a stated use case (1–2 person indoor, 4–6 person garden, year-round outdoor).

How do we cite sources?

We cite sources for non-obvious claims, especially price ranges, certification standards, planning rules and statistical claims. Where regulations differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we say so. Where a figure is an estimate, we say that too - we'd rather flag uncertainty than imply precision we don't have.

How do we handle conflicts of interest?

Wild Sauna UK earns money primarily from affiliate links (see the affiliate disclosure). To keep recommendations honest:

• We do not accept payment from manufacturers or retailers in exchange for inclusion in any guide.
• Affiliate revenue does not influence which products are chosen for "best of" lists.
• Where a retailer has a higher commission than a competitor, that does not move it up the rankings.
• Where two products are similarly matched and we recommend one, we say why.

How does AI fit in our workflow?

AI tools assist with research, drafting and editing. A human editor reviews every published piece for accuracy before it goes live. We do not publish fabricated statistics, invented first-person experiences, or claims we cannot trace to a source. See the AI use disclosure for the long form.

How do we handle corrections?

If you spot a factual error - a wrong spec, a venue that's closed, a regulation we've described inaccurately - please flag it through our affiliate disclosure page's contact route. We correct errors promptly and note significant corrections on the affected article.