Thermosol®-vs-Mr-Steam®-VS-SteamSpa®-vs-Steamist®---All-Steam-Generator-Spa-Fluence-Review---
Questions I get in nearly every call and I am people just aren't getting it so I decided to compare each steam generator from the top 3 brands I consider the best. I have revised this page and taken out the brands other than the ones that I have the least issues with.
Thermasol or Mr. Steam... or is Steamist better than Mr Steam since they are bot non-continuous type steam generators. The best steam generator is the one that is going to let me stay in the desired time to heat my core temperature up without me wanting to end my session. I try to keep my core temperature up at least 3 degrees for at least 30 minutes.
A continuous steam like from Thermasol or SteamSpa should heat someone's core faster than a generator that gets to the same temperature but stops and starts 3 or 4 times to get to that level. Some people like the stop and start while those that want a more "sweat lodge" type of feel will almost always choose the continuous type. People are always always asking me if a 9 kw is powerful enough or should they get a 10.5 kw that has more fluence. Some people want a 12kw and want a very short session and have no desire to heat their core temperature up and stay in 25 minutes. If getting the standard 9 kw steam generator for a standard size bath tub (5 foot by 2 foot), a 9kw is the standard size. Not too intense but way more fluence than a 7.5 kw. A 10.5 kw steamer sheds about 7 to 10 minutes off my session while a 12kw steamer takes off about 15 minutes. The reverse is exponentially different. A 7.5kw steam generator will take about 10 to 15 more minutes to heat my core than a 7kw. But a 4.5 kw will not do it at all.
Since a continuous type like the SteamSpa or Thermasol stays on the whole time, the several minutes that the tank on a Mr. Steam or any stop and start type has, I can use that time to my advantage. On the Mr. Steam, once the steam stops and the tank is refilling and boiling again, I take a quick cold rinse or use towels that I soak in a mop bucket of ice water. While the tank is refilling instead of me just sitting in the steam room like an idiot waiting for it to kick back on, thats the time I do my hot to cold session. I do this about times no matter what steam room I am in. Nearly everyone I talk to has a much better session when it is broken up in 3 cold/hot sessions instead of just one long session keeping the core temperature at 3 degrees the entire time. Talk to any Russian sauna spa and almost anyone will agree with this.
Thermasol and SteamSpa will stay one the entire time until the temperature is reached so if someone is trying to heat their core faster, that 3 to 5 minutes times 3 is just down time for some while many people want that time to steadily bring their core temperature to 3 degrees.
I made a log of my starting core temperature and wanted to see how long each generator takes to heat up my core 3 degrees. I did not eat or drink anything at least 30 minutes before the session. I wanted to see if fluence really made a difference in the session and not just feeling hot on my skin making me want to end the session quicker.
With the tests I did, the continuous type according to my rectal thermometer heated my core way faster than the stop and start type. The difference between a 9kw steam generator from one brand to another was the wetness or dryness of the steam not so much the fluence. The heavier steam seemed to be more drippy on the ceiling and feel hotter while the lighter dryer steam seemed to fill the room up more, more cloudy for longer. The continuous type since it just keeps saturating felt more heavy the higher I went up in wattage. I personally like to go one size up than the recommended wattage for the size shower I have since I am breaking up my sessions and not going to burn out with the wrong size.
Note: I do not recommend getting 2 sizes of from a 9kw as it can get very uncomfortable.
The Mr. Steam I would say will appeal to a certain type of people while the other 50% will want continuous. I will never say one is better than the other as it depends on the type of steam someone wants.
I urge those who want to pick just the right kill-o-watt size generator to get get a thermometer and let me know how long it took to get the core temperature to 3 degrees. Once I know that it took you that long based on that temperature then it's easier to pick out the right generator. Someone that is 120 pounds will heat their core up much quicker than someone that is over 200 pounds. The rectal thermometer is the most accurate way to really know which steam generator will heat someone's core up in the desired time and not be too strong or not strong enough.
Note: I always spit up my session the minute I feel I need to get out. If using the rectal thermometer in a public steam room like at a gym, I would go when no one is in there. I was at a gym in NYC a few weeks ago and some dude reported me to the manager of the gym. After he walked out I went into the sauna and they were saying some guy was sticking a thermometer up his a.. etc etc etc. I really don't care who it was but it's not cool. I do castor oil flannel cloth soaks also which gets me stares. I like to tell stories in the steam room especially when its super cloudy. When I hear people gossiping about something in there and I don't want to hear it.. I have no problem talking solo about lipolysis and rectal thermometers. They even report me for bringing my blue Persian salt rocks and putting it under the steam head. Just so tired of the bull shit.
Things to consider:
1. How fast the steam disappears. The dry steam will linger much longer as it is much lighter. Imagine taking a spray bottle and spraying water into the air. That will make the steam more wet and humid. This is the type of steam that I try to avoid. The heating elements that have more surface area touching the steam and the wattage is spread out over more heating element the dryer the steam it should be.
Note: There are 2 way to heat up a person's core temperature in a sauna. One is having too much latent heat and it heats up the room and walls. The room is almost hot as a sauna even when the steam has all disappeared. The other is from dryer heat that has low moisture and the walls aren't as hot and the vapor in the room heats the person, not just latent heat. The driest steam comes from open boiler tanks, not closed pressured water tanks that release all the steam in one load. This type usually has a 50 50 duty cycle meaning that it is on half the time and off half the time. This is one of the biggest complaints on these types of generators.
2. Temperature variance: Some generators make the room super hot to the point where it burns my nose to breath in the steam and then the steam disappears and the steam generator kicks back on when the boiler is ready to dump. The Thermasol has a continuous steam with 2 boilers (a small and large one) so it always can produce steam. The type that has a 3 degree variance is from the open boilers and has the driest steam. Too wet of steam does not feel good and feels muggy as it has less vapor and more water moisture.
The pressurized type based on every room I have ever tested has more drippiness from the ceiling. This is another reason why getting the right size generator helps so the room does not get to 100% steam and then the steam clumps into moisture since there is no where for the extra steam to go. With dry steam, there is less to worry about since there is less moisture to start with.
People ask me all the time what is wet steam and what is dry steam. Imagine pouring water on a rock sauna. That is super dry steam. Imagine boiling a large pot of water for some pasta. That steam is super wet. The latest steam generators allow just enough water to enter the boiling chamber to become steam and it is digitally controlled. This type is the latest type that has the 3 degree variance.
3. How to get the driest steam.
Having a non pressurized open tank is the most important thing I look for if I want dry steam but to take it to the next level it can be very expensive. The best selling size is the 9kw and 10.5kw for most homes. 90% of all people coming to my site buy this size.
Comparing two generators that have the same wattage. This is how I tell the difference.
Most steam generators have 2 to 3 two foot heaters curled up in the boiler. A 9 kw steam generator can have 3 heaters that are 3000 watts each or it can have two 4500 watt heaters and or it can have one 9000 kw heater.
The generators that have more heaters with more surface area and less wattage per heater should make the driest heat.
For those that want to experience the driest steam I have found in all the steam generators I've reviewed are the ones that have 11 foot heaters curled up instead of the 2 foot heaters. The average 10.5 kw generator has 2 two foot heaters. The top end models have three 11 foot heaters. The driest steam generator at the lowest size comes in 9kw if someone wants to get three 11 foot heaters and have an open boiler.
3450
5400
Which steam generator best serves You? I compile useful information to help you make a decision.
Steam Spa - Steamist - MR. STEAM - KOHLER - Amerec - STEAMBATH - THERMASOL -Whirlpool - ROMA - STEAMCORE
Take the
Dry Steam VS WET Steam Generators
The Most important page on this site
How to choose between the 2 Types
Don't buy without reading this page.
Thermasol is my dryist Steam Generator. Super heated and slightly less water output, super high fluence over all generators.
Need advice, call Sharon or Alex at 1-877-310-8385
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Confused on How to Choose a Steam Generator
Are you comparing Tier1 brands like Steamcore, Mr. Steam, and Thermasol?
Our newest guide to choosing the right size and brand.
This is the Steamcore 9kw Pro steam generator.
It is the most expensive 9kw starting size generator that has the three 11 foot heaters. Most 9kw generators that have pressurized boilers with two 2 foot heater have steam that is totally different than this type with way more surface area vaporizing the steam. The 9kw pro version is about 15 pounds heavier than the average 9kw versions. Heaters in the pro versions should last 20 years before servicing in a residential setting. The average steam residential grade steam generator should last about 10 years.
Ask about my demos and scratch and dent Pro series steam generators from people that have bought the wrong size and size up or size down after realizing they bought the wrong size. These will be heavily discounted
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