The essential
KOLO 1-Gallon Sauna Bucket and Ladle
A leak-proof bucket and ladle that won’t crack.
About $135–$149
Check priceSauna Accessories: What You Actually Need (2026)
Sauna accessories worth buying, from bucket and ladle to backrests and stones, what traditional and infrared saunas each need, and what to skip.
The only sauna accessory you truly need is a bucket and ladle, for a traditional sauna. The rest is comfort, and some of it is worth it.
Sauna accessories are the tools and comforts that go in the hot room: a bucket and ladle for löyly, a thermometer, a backrest, fresh stones and a hat. As of October 2026, “sauna accessories” draws about 2,100 searches a month in the US, and “sauna thermometer” and “sauna rocks” about 1,100 each. Sauna regulars on r/Sauna are blunt about how little you need. As one put it, fabric to sit on, a bucket and ladle, and a vihta: “Nothing else needed.” Here’s what’s worth buying, by sauna type.
Complete set
SaunaLife Bucket, Ladle, Timer and Thermometer Set
Bucket, ladle, sand timer and thermometer in one order.
About $270
Check price
Best comfort upgrade
Finnmark Ergonomic Cedar Backrest
A free-standing cedar S-curve for flat, hot walls.
About $89
Check price
Replacement stones
Harvia AC3000 Sauna Stones (44 lb)
The stones Harvia specifies for most of its heaters.
From about $59 a box
Check priceWhat each sauna needs
- Traditional sauna: bucket and ladle, thermometer, towel or linen seat cover. Optional: backrest, sand timer, hat, oils, vihta.
- Infrared sauna: towel to sit on, backrest or cushion, water bottle. No bucket: never pour water in an infrared sauna.
- Sauna blanket or tent: a cotton liner or towel, and a hat for tents.
| Pick | Accessory | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The essential | KOLO 1-Gallon Sauna Bucket and Ladle Check price | Bucket and ladle | About $135–$149 |
| Complete set | SaunaLife Bucket, Ladle, Timer and Thermometer Set Check price | Bucket, ladle, timer, thermometer | About $270 |
| Comfort | Finnmark Ergonomic Cedar Backrest Check price | Backrest | About $89 |
| Lying down | SaunaLife Alder Headrest Check price | Headrest | About $60 |
| Maintenance | Harvia AC3000 Sauna Stones (44 lb) Check price | Heater stones | From about $59 a box |
Prices checked October 2026 and change often. Tap a product to jump to its review.
Best Sauna Bucket and Ladle: KOLO 1-Gallon Sauna Bucket and Ladle
Best for a bucket and ladle that will outlast the sauna
A leak-proof aluminium bucket with a curved bamboo handle and matching ladle. It's the cleanest-looking bucket set we found, and it won't dry out and crack like a cheap wooden bucket.
- Capacity
- 1 gallon (5L)
- Material
- Aluminium bucket, bamboo and aluminium ladle
- Design
- Designed and engineered in Finland; leak-proof
- Price
- About $135–$149
A bucket and ladle are how you make löyly, the burst of steam from water on hot stones, and they’re the one accessory every traditional sauna regular agrees on. KOLO’s aluminium bucket holds a gallon, doesn’t leak, and won’t crack if you forget to dry it, a known weakness of wooden buckets. Finnish commenters favour a metal ladle, and KOLO’s has a bamboo grip that stays cool.
What we like
- Leak-proof aluminium
- Bamboo handle stays cool
- Black or white
What we don't
- Expensive for a bucket
- Less traditional than a wooden kiulu
What owners say
Finnish commenters recommend a metal ladle, especially copper, and warn wooden buckets need to dry properly after each use. Aluminium sidesteps that.
Skip it if: You want a traditional wooden kiulu.
Best Sauna Accessory Set: SaunaLife Bucket, Ladle, Timer and Thermometer Set
Best for kitting out a new sauna in one order
Everything a new traditional sauna needs to start throwing löyly, in a matching modern finish. Buying the four pieces separately costs about the same, so this is mostly about convenience and a matched look.
- Includes
- 1-gallon aluminium bucket, bamboo-handled ladle, glass sand timer, round thermometer
- Finish
- Black or white powder coat
- Made in
- Bucket designed and made in Finland
- Price
- About $270
If you’ve just bought an outdoor kit like the SaunaLife CL5G, this set covers the basics in one matching order: a 1-gallon Finnish aluminium bucket, bamboo-handled ladle, glass sand timer and wall thermometer.
What we like
- Matching set
- Aluminium bucket won't crack or leak like old wood
- Bamboo handle stays cool
What we don't
- Pricey versus basic separates
- Aluminium lacks the look of a wooden kiulu
What owners say
r/Sauna regulars agree a bucket and ladle are the one essential accessory. Several say anything beyond that is optional.
Skip it if: You only need a bucket and ladle. The KOLO set alone costs less.
Best Sauna Backrest: Finnmark Ergonomic Cedar Backrest
Best for kit saunas with flat, hot walls
A free-standing S-shaped cedar backrest that supports your lower back and keeps you off hot wall boards. It moves along the bench, so you don't drill into the sauna.
- Material
- Canadian red cedar
- Size
- 15.5″ W × 20.5″ H, 7 lb
- Design
- Free-standing S-curve, movable along the bench
- Price
- About $89
Kit sauna walls get hot and flat benches are hard on your lower back. Finnmark’s red cedar backrest stands on the bench in an S-curve, so it supports your lumbar spine and keeps your skin off hot boards. It’s movable, so there’s nothing to screw into the wall.
What we like
- Lumbar support
- No installation
- Tall enough for longer torsos
What we don't
- Takes up bench depth
- Cedar scent fades over time
What owners say
A curved backrest is one of the few comfort upgrades r/Sauna regulars list alongside the essentials.
Skip it if: Your benches are shallow. A backrest pushes you forward.
Best Sauna Headrest: SaunaLife Alder Headrest
Best for lying down on the upper bench
An alder headrest with a flexible cloth sling for your neck. Alder stays cool to the touch, which makes lying flat on the top bench more comfortable.
- Material
- Alder wood with cloth neck support
- Size
- 10″ L × 3″ W × 2.75″ H
- Price
- About $60
If your upper bench is long enough to lie on, an alder headrest with a cloth sling makes it far more comfortable. Lying down also evens out the temperature across your body, since your feet rise into hotter air.
What we like
- Alder stays cool
- Light and movable
- Cloth sling is comfortable
What we don't
- Cloth needs drying between sessions
- Only useful if your bench is long enough to lie on
What owners say
We found few owner reports on headrests. r/Sauna regulars treat backrests and headrests as nice-to-haves, not essentials.
Skip it if: Your benches are too short to lie down on.
Best Replacement Sauna Stones: Harvia AC3000 Sauna Stones (44 lb)
Best for replacing worn stones in Harvia electric heaters
The stones Harvia's manuals specify for most of its electric heaters. Angular split-face olivine diabase holds heat well and leaves air gaps between stones, which protects the elements.
- Stone
- Split-face olivine diabase, 2–4″
- Box
- 44 lb (20 kg)
- Fits
- Harvia KIP, Cilindro Half, Virta, Club, The Wall, Vega Compact
- Origin
- Finland
- Price
- From about $59 a box
Heater stones crack and crumble with repeated heating, and broken stones block airflow around the elements. Harvia’s manuals specify AC3000 split-face olivine diabase for the KIP, Cilindro Half, Virta and Club. One box is the KIP’s full load. HUUM heaters take HUUM’s own rounded stones, so use those for a Drop or Hive.
What we like
- The stone type Harvia specifies
- Dense olivine diabase handles repeated heating
- Sold in one-box loads
What we don't
- Wash before use to remove dust
- Use HUUM stones for HUUM heaters instead
What owners say
Owners advise rearranging stones and replacing crumbling ones every few years, more often with heavy use. Broken stones block airflow and shorten element life.
Skip it if: You have a HUUM or wood stove. Use the stones its manual specifies.
The rest of the list
These small accessories don’t need a premium brand. A basic version works, so we link to Amazon searches rather than one listing.
- Thermometer and hygrometer. Shows temperature and humidity, so you know when the sauna’s ready. Mount it at head height, away from the heater, for a useful reading. Shop sauna thermometers
- Sand timer. A 15-minute sand timer keeps rounds sensible without bringing a phone into the heat. Shop sauna sand timers
- Linen seat covers (pefletti). A towel or linen cover to sit on keeps benches clean, and it’s standard etiquette in Finland. Finnish commenters recommend linen. Shop linen seat covers
- Sauna essence. Add a few drops to the water in your bucket, never neat oil onto the stones. Some Finnish commenters skip artificial scents entirely. Shop sauna essences
- Vihta (birch whisk). A bundle of leafy birch branches you soak and gently beat on your skin. It’s traditional in Finnish sauna, and it smells wonderful. Shop birch whisks
- Sauna hat. Keeps your head and ears comfortable in very hot or low-ceiling saunas. See our best sauna hats.
The upgrades that matter more
If you’re spending real money on your sauna, these make a bigger difference than any bucket:
- A better heater. Stone mass and airflow decide how a sauna feels. See best sauna heaters.
- A fan for stratification. Barrel and kit owners fix cold feet with a small circulating fan or an exhaust fan on the lower vent. See barrel vs cube saunas.
- Fresh stones. Rearranging or replacing stones every few years keeps the heater working properly.
What to skip
- Gadgets with batteries. Phones, speakers and smart devices aren’t designed for 180°F and up. If you want music, keep the speaker outside the hot room.
- Plastic buckets and ladles. They can deform near a heater. Use metal or wood.
- Anything in an infrared sauna’s heaters. No water, no oils.
Why you should trust us
We compared accessories from the retailers that sell the saunas we review, and read r/Sauna and r/Finland threads, including “Favorite sauna accessories”, “Must have sauna accessories?” and “Must have Finnish sauna accessories”. We haven’t tested these hands-on. We earn a commission through our links, which never changes what we report. How we make money.
Frequently asked questions
What accessories do you need for a sauna?
A traditional sauna needs a bucket and ladle to pour water on the stones, and a thermometer helps. A towel or linen seat cover to sit on is good etiquette. Everything else, including backrests, timers, hats and oils, is optional.
Does an infrared sauna need a bucket and ladle?
No. Infrared saunas use electric panels, not hot rocks, so you never pour water in them. Useful extras for infrared are a towel to sit on, a backrest or cushion, and a water bottle.
What is the best sauna bucket and ladle?
The KOLO 1-Gallon Bucket and Ladle is our pick. The aluminium bucket is leak-proof and won't dry out and crack like a cheap wooden one, and the bamboo handle stays cool. A traditional wooden kiulu looks lovely but needs drying after every use.
Can you put essential oils in a sauna?
Yes, in a traditional sauna, sparingly. Add a few drops of sauna-specific essence to the water in your bucket, never neat oil straight onto the stones or heater. Never use oils in an infrared sauna's heaters.
How often should you replace sauna stones?
Rearrange your heater stones once or twice a year and replace any that crack or crumble. Owners replace the full load every few years, sooner with heavy use. Broken stones block airflow and can shorten heating element life.