I rarely write reviews. It takes an experience either so negative or positive to motivate me to do so. With only one review of this model thus far, I felt compelled to share my experience in detail - because I'm thrilled with this Sauna. So here is the review I wish was here when I purchased. TLDR; We love the Vienna. If you're looking for a simple 2 person barrel, particularly if you like the canopy style, this is perfect. (Compare it to the Salem - Same sauna but this one has the "canopy" with benches on the outside for resting small items) Note that this is a true 2 person experience. Don't plan to try and squeeze 3-4 people in here. Two people can sit quite comfortably, with their feet on the floor, on the opposite bench or with their legs slightly tucked if you prefer to sit with their whole bodies on a bench, each. My wife and I are 5'10" and find all three positions comfortable. Again, I intended on a 2 person experience, and it perfectly meets that expectation. If you're over 6 feet tall or want to lay down or sprawl out, then choose a full 4 person model or larger. Otherwise, this will NOT disappoint in terms of size. Small but mighty as they say. It's intimate and comfortable and heats up very quickly. Ok, now for the Pros/Cons list...
Pros:
• Amazing customer service via both phone & chat. Knowledgable, helpful, and personable. I had about 4 calls with them for questions and everyone was a pleasure to speak with and helped me make the best decisions for my needs - no pressure or hard-selling. I loved that.
• Fast build and shipping times. While this might depend on the time of year, my experience was short and sweet. Great delivery. Very kind and professional. Everything arrived in one piece.
• Very easy to build. I'm relatively handy, but not a craftsman by any means. I assembled this completely by myself in a few hours. No challenges in terms of the directions for the barrel itself.
• Smells fantastic. Beautiful, high quality cedar wood.
• Extra staves. I love extra parts and rarely get them, but Almost Heaven includes extra wood in the event you ever need to replace a stave for some reason.
• The included Harvia 6k Wall heater is more than powerful enough to heat this sauna.
• The included all-glass door provides great visibility and keeps in the heat, contrary to what you might think.
• Upgrades are more based on preference in the case of this model, versus required. You can buy the Sauna with only what's included without spending more and be all set. No "gaming" of the system by Almost Heaven so to speak. They make it easy to enjoy for the base price they sell it for. That's a great way to start a relationship with your customers.
Cons:
I had to think hard here, but no product is perfect, so if I must...
• The nails included to be used to keep the lower staves in place as you begin the build are terrible. So much so, that I found it to be such an awkward contrast from the rest of the experience. Why have such a high end material list build quality only to have cheap, flexible nails? I recommend getting your own, or better yet, using a nailer. All said, not worth deducting a star by any means.
• Personal opinion here, but with the full self-awareness that this doesn't make it a fact - I believe the rain jacket is much too expensive. I 100% recommend covering the top as every barrel (based on the design) will take on even trace amounts of water after hard rain or lots of snow). But I think it can, and should be done for less. So, I purchased a 5x7 marine-grade canvas, small bungees and hook eye screws of my own and it was a fraction of the price. While not designed and manufactured specifically by-and-for Almost Heaven Saunas - after assembling, it looks and works great - and this is coming from someone who cares very much for aesthetics.
• (IF) and this a BIG if -- you're someone who lives in a freezing climate (Northern US/CA) you might notice a variation in temperature at the floor of the barrel. This isn't necessarily as much of "con" per se, as it is normal for this format. In the dead of winter the floor remains (not cold,) but cooler than the rest of the barrel, as heat rises. We haven't used the barrel in the summer yet, but I have to imagine it is significantly less noticeable as the weather warms up. So most of the year, or if you live in a generally warmer climate, probably not even an issue. Regardless, worth noting for the purists here. This doesn't bother us at all as we love the barrel design and I read about it before choosing to move forward. Again, not worth a star deduction, and relatively common knowledge, but worth a mention for those who might care.
All-in-all, I did a ton of research, reading everything from people who loved their barrels to those whodiscredit barrels as illegitimate and I will tell you from experience that I absolutely love and recommend the Vienna -- AND buying it here versus a big box store. The experience has been ...