Nurecover Sauna: 7 Alarming Issues Based on Real Reviews

What is Nurecover sauna? It’s a China-made plastic box with a steam generator, and is only called a sauna for marketing purposes. In reality, it has nothing to do with saunas.

If you’ve been wondering whether or not to get that kind of steam booth, this post is for you.

Let’s see what real reviews have to say about Nurecover sauna.

7 Alarming Issues Taken from Nurecover Sauna Reviews

1. Poor instructions and skin burns

These two go hand in hand because the latter is often caused by the previous one: in this YouTube video, the guy reviewing Nurecover sauna says he couldn’t tell where one of the hoses should’ve gone, and when testing how hot the air was near the hose, he ended up burning his hand.

He also mentions the steamer keeps going even after being turned off.

Several other users say the same:

Yet another reviewer confirms the lack of instructions and the burning hazard, but shows there actually is a safer way to hook up the hose, although the instructions say nothing about it and feature the device being hooked up incorrectly.

The fact that people have to ask Google for Nurecover sauna instructions and how long in a Nurecover sauna, for instance, instead of getting these answers directly from Nurecover is mind-boggling.

If you’re looking for Nurecover sauna instructions, this video is the most helpful.

2. Potential fire hazard

Several reviews mention how hot the steamer and the plug get, warn others of cheap Chinese electronics that aren’t even allowed to be used in all countries, and talk about the smell of burning electronics when using the device.

Some people have also witnessed the steam machine smoking:

Virtually every user who comments on the steamer functions says that pressing the buttons doesn’t turn the steamer off, so you have to unplug it after each use.

3. Too low temperatures

Nurecover says on their website the maximum temperature is 130 F.

That is very low and nowhere near the ideal sauna temperature range that is 140-185 F (60-85 C), with 160-180 F (70-80 C) being the most optimal for health benefits.

To make matters even worse, most users don’t manage to heat their plastic boxes to as “high” as 130 F, showing temperatures of 114 F (46 C), or less than 100 F when placed outside, no matter how long you leave the steamer on.

After going through dozens of reviews, the highest temp I saw anyone claim to have achieved is 120 F.

It should be noted, though, that although you never reach actual sauna temperatures in steam booths like Nurecover, real steam rooms in a spa, for instance, always have lower temperatures anyway.

This is because hot steam and higher humidity always make the air feel hotter than it actually is, making higher temperatures unnecessary.

4. Leaking problems / no ventilation

Many reviewers feature their Nurecover sauna outside so that they don’t have to worry about water leaking out.

But many prefer or have to use their steam booth indoors, and are forced to create their own contraptions (like towels, tarps, and bowls placed strategically) to combat all the leaking that countless Nurecover sauna reviews mention.

Why is there so much leaking in the first place? Because there’s so much steam that translates into water, dripping down the walls.

You never experience leaking problems in real saunas since they either have a sloped tile floor (indoor saunas), carrying water to the existing drain in the bathroom, or a raised and slatted floor, allowing the water to drain effectively on its own, just like in my outdoor sauna.

The one thing to fully understand with plastic steam booths is that most of the work a real sauna does is outsourced to you.

In other words, you have to dry, wipe, and mop your steam booth because it doesn’t and can’t get rid of the moisture by itself like a real sauna.

Real saunas have ventilation which protects the sauna and your house or apartment from all the humidity that would potentially lead to mold if you just let the steamy air (löyly) out, letting it enter your home where such humidity doesn’t belong.

5. Cheap, China-made materials

You may think everything’s made in China anyway, so what’s the issue here? Actual saunas are, in fact, very rarely or even never made in China, including electric sauna heaters, most of which are made in Finland.

With Nurecover sauna, numerous reviews report that:

the tent itself is very thin and poorly insulated; one reviewer says that if his cats so decided, they could easily scratch the material, resulting in holes

the poles are bendy and flimsy; in all the video reviews, you can easily see it for yourself

the chair is child-sized and very low to the ground: when sitting, one reviewer has his knees almost at the same level as his chest, all hunched up; he also mentions it’s made out of cloth, absorbing your sweat and body oils, which is far from ideal

zippers don’t always function that smoothly and aren’t of good quality

6. Breaking parts

Based on reviews on YouTube and Reddit, the steam generator is the weakest link, sometimes breaking just after a few uses. Some people have received replacements after weeks of waiting, and then they’ve broken too!

7. Smaller than claimed

This reviewer clearly demonstrates that while the claimed dimensions of Nurecover sauna are 6’1 (height), 40.5″ (depth), and 48″ (width), it’s significantly shorter and narrower than claimed.

I actually experienced the same thing with my cold plunge tub: the dimensions on the website didn’t match with what I got, the tub being several inches narrower than claimed, even though the product otherwise looked like the one in the picture.

This is common with (dropshipped) goods from China; you never know exactly what you’re going to get.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How does a Nurecover sauna work?

It’s not a sauna but a plastic booth that comes with an electric steam generator. The hot steam enters the booth via a hose at ground level, warming the booth to around 115 F with lots of humidity.

How long does the Nurecover take to heat up? Regardless of whether you leave the steamer on for 15, 30, or 45 minutes, no reviewer manages to get the temperature higher than 115-120 F.

It’s cheaply made and won’t last for decades like real saunas.

A sauna is a wooden structure with a sauna heater and sauna rocks, on top of which you throw water to produce steam. In a sauna, you can achieve temperatures higher than 200 F although it’s not necessary or recommended.

2. What does Nurecover mean?

Since this isn’t told anywhere and nurecover doesn’t mean anything in itself, my best guess is New Recover(y) that comes from the spelling NuRecover I saw some reviewers use.

My guess can be wrong, but at least it aligns with the recovery message that is strong with Nurecover.

3. Where is Nurecover based?

Nurecover is based in the UK and has most of its customers ordering from the US. This is something people have been wondering since all the products are Chinese.

Based on reviews and tracking codes, it seems that many replacement parts and new steamers are sent or dropshipped directly from China.

4. Nurecover vs. SaunaBox, is there a difference?

Since both Nurecover sauna and SaunaBox are identical-looking, black plastic boxes with steam generators, you’d quickly assume they’re exactly the same.

The video below, however, successfully proves there are in fact many differences between the two:

🔶 SaunaBox is taller than Nurecover

🔶 SaunaBox tent material is thicker and better insulated than Nurecover

🔶 Because of better insulation, SaunaBox gets hotter than Nurecover

🔶 SaunaBox comes with detailed instructions unlike Nurecover

🔶 The chair, although not great in either one, is noticeably bigger in SaunaBox kit than with Nurecover

These differences, though, DON’T mean SaunaBox is in any way a better sauna than Nurecover; both imitate saunas just as miserably. If you buy either one, just know that recommendation didn’t come from me.

5. Can you buy Nurecover on Amazon for cheaper?

While you can’t necessarily buy the exact same brand since they have their own website, the answer is still a resounding yes: you can find identical, poor quality products there for cheaper.

In fact, consider Amazon your best discount code if you think you absolutely need a Nurecover sauna equivalent in your life:

While Nurecover sauna costs $339 on their website, you can find just as questionable kits for as cheap as $119–$200 on Amazon.

6. What is the best brand of sauna?

The best sauna brands are Harvia, Narvi, Helo, Mondex, IKI, Tulikivi, Kastor, and Aino.

7. Do portable saunas really work?

If you call plastic boxes with steamers portable saunas, they can work as steam rooms if you happen to get a functioning unit that doesn’t break after a few uses. Calling them saunas is false marketing.

But if we’re talking about real saunas that are also portable, actual sauna tents come closest to traditional saunas as they have a proper sauna heater, sauna rocks, and benches that allow you to sit at a higher or lower level.

Final Thoughts

Since I’m someone with over 35 years of real sauna experience, it took me a while to understand the infatuation so many people have with fake saunas like Nurecover sauna.

But I wasn’t left wondering for too long: one thing I heard users mentioning all the time was that while Nurecover sauna comes nowhere close to a real sauna, it’s good considering how cheap it is.

Although $339 may look cheap when compared to a $3,390 sauna, for instance, I showed above that steam booths like Nurecover sauna are not cheap; they’re extremely cheap to make, but for the end-consumer, they’re actually expensive for what they are.

Amazon demonstrates this perfectly with significantly lower prices:

Unless you’re interested in a steam room, I wouldn’t even consider buying a plastic box like Nurecover sauna or anything similar. If you truly want a sauna, you’re better off with other options such as a sauna tent, barrel sauna, or an indoor sauna of your choice.

Here’s a quick recap on how to recognize a real sauna in a world full of false sauna marketing: it has wooden and sturdy benches, enough room to either sit or lie down, a sauna heater with rocks, bucket and ladle, and a thermometer.

A real sauna is never made for just one person, but is a shared experience for the entire family or a bunch of friends.

That can’t be said for Chinese plastic booths, infrared boxes, and “hot air” pods.