We installed the Backyard Discovery Paxton 4-Person Sauna this winter, and living in the Midwest, it has been one of the best additions to our home. When the temperatures drop and the snow starts piling up, stepping into the warmth of this sauna feels like pure luxury. What I love most is how it brings a bit of Finnish culture into our backyard. The ritual of heating up the sauna, sitting in the deep, dry heat, and then stepping outside into the cold air feels both invigorating and grounding—exactly the way sauna was meant to be experienced. There’s something incredibly satisfying about going from a 180° sauna into crisp Midwestern winter air. The Paxton sauna is the perfect size for our family or a small group of friends. Four adults can sit comfortably, and the layout makes it easy to relax without feeling cramped. The wood interior gives it that authentic sauna feel and smell, which really adds to the experience. It also holds heat impressively well—even on the coldest Midwest days. Once it’s warmed up, the temperature stays consistent and creates that deep, enveloping heat that sauna lovers appreciate. Assembly took some time, but the instructions were clear and the quality of the materials was solid. Once it was up and running, it quickly became part of our winter routine. If you live somewhere with real winters and appreciate the Finnish tradition of sauna culture, the Backyard Discovery Paxton sauna is absolutely worth it. It turns even the coldest days into something to look forward to.

When I bought this unit back in mid-December of 2025, there were no reviews yet, so I decided to take a chance and buy it and have not regretted it for one second. I like to use a product for a few months before giving it an honest review so here goes. When I started researching Sauna's a few months ago, there were several things that drew me to this unit. First of all, I loved the look and feel of the Barrel Saunas. I liked that it was a Dry Sauna with the ability to pour water over the lava rocks and create a more humid and steamier environment. I liked the fact that it has the 9KW Heater (which is larger than most of its competitors) and holds 4 people even though it's just my wife and me. I felt that this unit would be more efficient and hold the heat better due to its barrel design. And last but not least it was the best price comparatively that I had found. Between the Installation Manual and the Provided Videos, the assembly was very straight forward and accurate. All parts were there, with the exception of one pack of screws that were mailed to me promptly, and everything was in great shape. I am an Electrician so getting it hooked up was not an issue. Upon completion, I fired up this unit and was immediately impressed at how quickly it came up to temperature and its ability to hold the heat. I love the different light scenarios as well as the ability to control the unit locally or remotely. My wife and I have used this Sauna almost daily since install and I have to say that I see nothing else out there that I would rather have. This thing is awesome! I would highly recommend this Sauna to anyone, and the Health Benefits are amazing.

that’s the best sauna ever it took us about 8 to 10 hours to put together. We love it. We use it every day. Please don’t forget to oil it inside Thank you.

I am happy to leave a review for the Paxton Barrel Sauna. It was better than expected. In terms of operation it heats up fast and provides a great experience (used 3 times so far). But beyond that was the setup. The instructions and packaging could not have been better. I spread out the boxes and plucked from each as I went along and kept referring to packing lists to find the components. Not what they suggest but it worked for me. I highly recommend this product and the company. One call to Backyard Discovery and I received 20 screws that I seemed to have misplaced. I am going to order a greenhouse next!!

Unparalleled value for money. I am writing this review after my sensor went out, I called backyard discovery and they had everything referenced from my order and shipped it to arrive this week so I could keep my sauna going, free under warranty! They even registered it for me and didn't hassle me about failing to do that step. I cant believe in this day and age there are still both great values and unbelievable service. You get more than you pay for with this sauna! It does have a hard time getting to the ultra hot temps, but it's plenty warm. I use for heat training / heat acclimation post run for plasma volume increase amongst the litany of literature that points to heat exposure being beneficial with heat shock protein generation and general longevity and health. it took a total of two people 8 hours to build with the right tools and a motivation to sweat.

DIY here. Assembly instructions were straight forward. A couple of the boards were warped but I managed to straighten them out with a bit of force. The sauna heated up quicker than I thought (in the Spring). I would have given this a five-star rating however the control panel is a bit clunky to use. There's definitely room for improvement with the functionality within the control panel. I highly recommend using the app to bypass the control panel all together.

Bought this a couple weeks ago and put it together myself, the instructions were fairly straightforward especially using the app. Advertised 4 hr build time with two people but it took me around 8 because I took my time. Love the way it looks and smells. It did have a small leak coming in the roof on the first rain so I siliconed around where the metal meets the trim on the front and back and hasn't leaked since. Still waiting on my electrician to show up so make sure you plan ahead! Not in a rush because it's July in North Carolina! Still happy with the product so far.

I love the look of it, and inside layout. However... I have had it for just a month and it is growing mold inside and out. Even keeping it clean, and following the after use instructions. The control panel touchscreen doesn't work consistently.

If it worked, id love it. I will say- even though we bought it at Sam's, the BYD customer service and tech support has been the best we've ever seen. They are still trying to help us. We paid for a professional electrician to put the outlet for it in, and install the wiring. It was also professionally assembled. 1st time using it, the entire control box blew. And the touch panel wasn't working. Had the electrician come out, check the power outages, it was fine. BYD sent us another control box and panel. Had that installed professionally. Cant get the app to stay connected even though its 10 feet from my house. Bought 4 wifi boosters, and 2 extenders. Still won't connect unless we hard reboot it. It stays paired a few hour's then goes offline. I cant turn it on manually either. I have to play with the touch panel (very sensitive) to get it to turn on. Last night, the heat would not stop at the set temperature, it got to 215. Then this morning it won't heat at all. If it worked without problems, this would be a dream. Im hopeful BYD can help work out the kinks. Its great when its working. Good quality wood, big inside. Such a bummer.

This product does not work. The touch screen to control it is complete dysfunctional. I ordered a replacement touch screen and that doesn’t work. The WiFi connectivity does not work and there is no way to pair it with Bluetooth. There is no way to turn this sauna on or off or control it. The structure is decent, but water and snow get through the cracks. It was incredibly difficult and time consuming to assemble. It is clear they did no quality assurance or any testing whatsoever before they released this to market. Save yourself a lot of trouble and get another product. After speaking to their customer service, it is clear that my issue is not a one off issue. They have a long list of other clients with these same issues.