6 Solid Reasons to Buy an IKI Sauna Heater
1. FINNISH CRAFTSMANSHIP
IKI wood-burning and electric sauna heaters are handmade in Finland. Our factory is located in Pieksämäki, where each IKI heater is crafted by hand from high-quality materials with uncompromising dedication to the trade. Our factory staff has over 40 years of experience in welding stainless steel and black iron. “We are proud to declare, these were made all by ourselves!” is one of the favorite statements made by our production manager Jarmo.
2. UNFORGETTABLE LÖYLY
The characteristic IKI steam (aka löyly) is formed by having a large quantity of sauna stones in our heaters. The robust and pleasant steam is produced after a relatively short heating time. IKI wood-burning stoves and electric heaters deliver the kind of abundant, oxygenated lingering steam that people have sought after for thousands of years. The unmatched IKI sauna experiences can be achived in saunas of any size, in cities as in the countryside, on weekdays and holidays alike.
3. ORIGINAL DESIGN
The first ever IKI sauna heater was invented by Jouni Kerrman in the late 1980’s, in Finland. That was also the first ever sauna heater with an open mesh-framed structure surrounding a large mass of stones, a revolutionary heater design which would change the market forever. At first the road was rocky, but with time not even the die-hard sauna traditionalists could deny the superiority of the new heater model. As with all successful inventions others would soon follow, and the open mesh structured sauna heater became the norm in the industry. One by one the competitors have tried to copy the legendary IKI design. But only one is the Original.
4. EXCEPTIONAL DURABILITY
IKI wood-burning and electric sauna heaters are made from stainless steel and have AISI309 resistors made for commercial use. The robust RST mesh frame and the thick steel pipe commonly used in power plants guarantee the longevity and safety of IKI heaters. Due to the round shape, thermal expansion does not cause stress to the metal eliminating the cause of premature rusting and burn-through. These characteristics make IKI one of the most durable sauna heater options.
5. ENERGY EFFICIENT
IKI sauna heaters are a great choice for both communal and home saunas because they use energy efficiently. A study by Lappeenranta University of Technology showed that IKI electric heaters help save energy, especially in commercial use. One reason is the large number of stones they contain. After the stones are heated, the heater can be turned off for a while. The stones keep releasing heat slowly, helping maintain a steady sauna temperature for a long time. As a result, IKI heaters use much less energy compared to regular heaters with the same power level.
6. CLEAN BURNING AND CLIMATE FRIENDLY
All IKI wood-burning heater models have been tested to comply with the requirements of the EU standard (EN 15821: 2010) in the KYAMK University of Applied Sciences laboratory in Kouvola, Finland. The tests include carbon monoxide (CO) emission testing, which indicates how cleanly the stove burns wood. The test result for the best-selling IKI model, the Original IKI, was 0.10%, which is 9 times below the limit (1%). IKI-Kiuas has also conducted tests for its wood-burning heaters at the German TÜV testing institute in Munich in 2011. In Germany, the standards set for wood-burning appliances are much stricter than the EU standard. IKI heaters’ fine particulate emissions were about 0.020 grams per cubic meter, with the limit set at 0.075 grams/m³.