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
1-877-310-8385
Open from 8am till 10pm
Ask for Alex
SteamReviewed.com
1-877-310-8385
Open from 8am till 10pm
Ask for Sharon
The 2 best sellers of non continuous steam generators since I started this site are the Mr. Steam and Steamcore models. (Steamist and Amerec are also non continuous types that I have compared Mr. Steam and Steamcore to.
Those that want high fluence will want one type over the other. Mr steam's E series uses less than 1 gallon of water during a 10 minute session. Steamcore uses a lot more than 1 gallon during the same time session and give a huge difference in density of steam. I get the most returns on steam generators that have a low density vapor cloud and does not get as hot. So many people don't know the choice they have to make which is do they want a heavier thicker cloud of steam but not has hot or do they want a hotter steam where it feels like a sweat lodge but the density of the cloud is nearly half what someone expected, like to the point where you can still see everyone naked in the steam room. (or you could keep pouring cold water on the thermostat but this is not good for it).
The auto flush can get so backed up if it is producing more steam than the auto flush can flush out. Steamcore has the best auto flush system I have found. There is never any mineral smell or rust in the water. If not using distilled water in homes that have really bad water, people don't know till about a year later that their steam generator's flushing capacity can't handle their water type.
Both Mr. Steam and Steamcore use surgical steel. (there are some, and I won't mention names, that claim they have surgical steel but they don't have it inside and out).
Note: So many people think they know which kilowatt size to get when picking out a steam generator but get it wrong and then want to return the steam generator for a different size. Most of the steam generators are rated for rooms that are made of acrylic or fiber glass. Some people have glass walls and need to add 10% more power based on the size of the steamroll.
If using natural stone such as those who have the walls made of amethyst and rock built in, then 100% is needed. Some people will need to put their steam generator at least 50 feet away and 20% more power is recommended. If ceramic tiles are in the steam room only, then 25%. So, if someone has ceramic tile and the steam generator is over 50 feet away and they have a glass door it can be tricky. I urge people to take the steam quiz first. I can help pick out the right size based on your answers.
Steamcore and Mr. Steam are my best selling non-continuous steam type generators. Those that want continuous, Thermsol is the best made continuous type. See my original Thermasol VS Mr. Steam VS Steamist review here.
SteamCore VS Mr. Steam: Review of the most popular non-continuous (Thermasol) steam generators
Low fluence Steam - the worst is when the density is low and the temp is real high and the beneficial steam is above your head and your feet and core never feel the intense steam.
Anyone that has ever been in a sweat lodge will know what I am talking about. Steamcore SSB series is the closest I have found to a sweat lodge.
Note: I am comparing apples to apples (Mr. Steam to the SteamCore models but not the SB2 series. These are about twice the price of the standard Steamcore models if comparing kilowatt to kilowatt.
Steamcore's non SSB models are still the priciest steam generators on the market over Mr. Steam.
For those that can afford the SSB 2 series models, this is the best quality steam I have ever been in besides a sweat lodge.
Some of the stories and lectures I have heard in my sweat lodge experiences will never be forgotten. When I went in the Steamcore SSB2 steam I knew right away that this was something different. I do get scratch and dents from the manufacturer sometimes that I can give a deeper discount on. Contact me for these. This helps if someone really wants the SSB series model.
When to use a Steamcore over another brand -
The dryer hotter steam vapor with less moisture coming out of the Pro 2 and SSB series is more of a steam I would recommend for those who want to have an easier time breathing in the steam room. These have the lowest latent heat and don't heat the room as quickly. The steam stays in the room nearly the entire time. There is a 3 degree variance so there is never a time where you have to wait with little to no steam in the room till it kicks back on again. There is always water in the tank and when 3mm of water is gone it cues more water back in.
Those that have sore muscles from lactic acid producing workouts will appreciate this hotter dryer steam. With the dryer steam, especially if the steam room has more than 1 sitting level, the steam near the ceiling gets super hot and the dryness helps so it doesn’t burn my noise like the wetter types that feel like its boiling my nostrils. With the Steamcore models, I get the benefits of my session in 10 minutes and don’t really need to stay in longer. I don’t like steam rooms that I can stay in longer and my heart rate has not gone up to 150 beats a minute. Most people undersize and always get a mild steam and never intense enough. With dry steam, a little goes a long way. With wet steam, too much heat can be dangerous for some people. There are some people that call me up and want to “enjoy” their steam room and stay in 20 to 30 minutes. They want to read their newspaper in there, socialize, etc. On my quiz, let me know if you are the type that wants to stay in there for 10 minutes or have really long steam sessions. Those that want a wetter steam with more moisture in room should look at steam generators with a different psi that have a lower dew point. These will heat up the room quicker but I will experience less steam and just more down time when the steam is not coming out and the room is hot from the steam that just stopped steaming.
Steamcore steam has a low latent heat due to the pressure of its boiling tank and low density low wattage heating elements. I do not like steam rooms that have high wattage heaters. This can make really wet steam.
Steamcore has the highest dew point of any steam generator I have tested creating the driest steam I have ever felt. I really like how the steam stays on most of the time. I don't like waiting for steam when the room is still hot and there is no steam.
These are the prices for the SSB Series models. For those that can't afford the price the Spa 2 series below are my second best steam generators I have compared. Or, call me and I have brand new scratch and dents or returns from people that either want a more intense steam or milder steam. These are from people that bought from other dealers who don't want to pay their huge restocking fees and double shipping fees. It is usually best to get a brand new one that is a scratch and dent as they will be around the same price. Ask for Jake at 1-877-310-8385 to see what is available at the scratch and dent discount.
The Steamcore Pro series is the one with the 11 foot heaters (the Spa 2 series has 2 two foot heater in their 9kw model. The Pro has 3 3000W heaters and are 11 feet long and have more surface areas vaporizing the steam. The Pro starts in the 9kw size and gives the most vaporized steam I have ever experienced. It is the closest to being in a sweat lodge where all the water gets vaporized. The Spa 2 series with its open tank is still dryer than any pressurized steam tank. When water comes out of the steam head and has not been 100% vaporized it is moisture that makes the steam quality lower. Many people buy the wrong size and return it to get the right size. I urge people to contact me before choosing their final size. I discount the returns that people bought that were one size too big or one size too small. Ask for Jake at 1-877-310-8385 to see what is available..
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.
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.
Dryness ratio: This is the biggest concern I get. Those who want a steam generator that gets really hot then cools down then gets hot then cools down may want the pressurized boiler types. These are the original type. Many people do not like having to wait for the steam to kick back on each time and want a more continuous steam. This is when many people like the Thermasol or the Steamcore. These 2 are very different. One brand has dual boilers, a large main one and a smaller one so their is continuous steam. This is a pressurized type too kinda like a pressure cooker in the kitchen. The Steamcore is different than the Mr. Steam and the Thermasol as it is an open tank. It lets just enough water to come in when there is a 3 degree variance. This makes the driest steam and is similar to what people can experience in a sweat lodge.
Example of wet steam: Boiling a pot of water for pasta and breathing in the steam coming off. That is steam that is very damp and not 100% vapor
Dry steam: Taking that same pot and pouring all the water out and heating it up. If the pot is dry and it is put into the sink and you put just a little water into it, you can see the water evaporate in front of your eyes. That is dry steam, 100% evaporated. Pressurized tanks similar to a pressure cooker dump all the steam at once. Open tanks are the type that give the most vapor and less moisture.
For those who don't quite understand wet steam, if I go in a steam room with an open steam tank that has the 11 foot heaters and I take a water bottle and start spraying, it will eventually become humid and the steam will become wet steam and clump together. When a generator dumps the steam before it is all vaporized when the steam room temperature goes down, the boiled steam is not ready to release but releases anyway since the sensor told it to. These steam rooms are the drippy type where their is way too much dripping from the ceiling and the room is hot but with less steam vapor.
Note: There is nothing wrong with the single boiler type like the Mr. Steam or the double boiler continuous type like Thermasol. The latest generation open tank types with digital timed water is the only type I found to give consistent dry steam the entire time. Those who buy the first two types that have the need to splash water on the sensor will only trip the sensor and let out the steam before it is ready to go out and all this does is give out even wetter steam that has not evaporated yet into vapor.
Drippy steam - this is another complaint. The wet steam types usually cut of the steam and there is a long enough window for all the steam to go away. The open tank gives the closest to the 100% vapor and the low drippiness is due to the low latent heat index rating of that generator. If the room heats up too quick it has a higher rating. If there is less moisture and more vapor the room can hold more steam.
Surface area of heaters: It is out of most people’s budget but the steam generators that have larger heating elements have more surface area. Most models have two 2 1/2 foot heaters and some have three 11-foot heaters. A 9kw generator that has 3 3000W heaters that are 11 foot long versus the same 9kw model that has 2 4500W heaters that are only 2 foot in length close the gap between nearly 100% dry and the next noticeable difference. This is comparing only the open tank types.
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.
Need advice, call Sharon or Alex at 1-877-310-8385
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1. How long are you planning to keep the steam generator on at one setting)?
2. Whats the main reason you want steam therapy?
3. Where are you putting the steam room?
4. How big is the room you are trying to steam?
5. Do you want that itchy feel quick or not from fluence dry steam?
6.Do you care where it is made?
7. Are you sensitive to EMF)?
8. How dry do you want your steam (cluster size of water (vapor size)?
9. The mineral content of water has an effect. Suspended solids makes a poor quality steam and can rust the elements
10. Do you care if it is UL listed, CE and NOM certified.?
11. Will the steam room be where there is lots of heat loss?
12. Is noise level an issue where you plan to steam?
13. Do you want a continuous or pulsed steam?
14. How intense do you want the steam?
15. Are you going to put salt rocks under the steam head?
16. Are you going to be connecting a gravity fed 5 gallon water bucket to the generator?
17. Which grade of steamer do you want?
18. Do you prefer a particular brand?
If other, which one?
Name
Email
Number
Best time to call
Time Zone
24. How far will your generator be from your steam room?
19.What price range are the steamers you want to stay within?
31. Most important question of the quiz: Check off any that will be in your steam room.
26. Would you prefer a scratch and dent generator or returned generator from someone that bought the wrong size?
20. Are you ceilings going to be slanted or flat?
21. How tall will your ceiling be in the steam room?
22. How long do you want to stay in before your core heats up too much before you want to get out?
23. Do you prefer a wetter or dryer steam?
If the steam is too wet and the latent heat is too high it will be harder to enjoy the steam longer. Heart rate will go up to fast.
Steam that is from low pressure boiling tanks are the drippiest. Drier steam is more gassy and less drippy.
27. Are you installing a marine grade waterproof fan for a more uniform steam?
There is really needed if the ceiling is over 7 feet. 12 inches makes a huge differences where the fan brings that steam down from over your head.
28. Are you sensitive to any odors or metallic smells?
Cast iron has the worst smell over time. Galvanized stainless steel can also leach down the road. Surgical steel is the purest steel for steam generators.
29. What kilowatt size steam generator were you recommended to get?
If you don't know leave blank
30. If you have been in a sauna where you pour water on the hot rocks, do you like the feeling of that dry steam?
25. Do you like your steam so dense that you can't even see the person in front of you?
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Latest SSIII controller for Spa 2
