HUUM HIVE 18 18kW Electric Sauna Heater
HUUM HIVE 18 18kW Electric Sauna Heater
- Regular price
- $3,356.00
- Regular price
- Sale price
- $3,356.00
- Unit price
- per
Found it lower? We'll match it, before or after you buy.
Send us a link to the lower price. If it is the same model, new and in stock at an authorized U.S. online retailer, we match it. Already ordered? If it was lower on your order date, claim the difference within 30 days.
Excludes sale pricing, marketplace sellers and later price drops.
Read the full price match terms →Round heater rated for 636 to 989 cubic feet, the most of any HUUM electric.
- Needs 7 2/32″ to the walls, 36 7/32″ wall to wall
- 22 1/16″ across, 29 17/32″ tall, 53 lbs empty
- 240V on 2 circuits, licensed electrician required
Width × height of each glass or tile surface, added together. A 2 × 6.5 ft glass door is 13 sq ft.
Measure the inside of the room, in feet. For a barrel sauna or a sauna kit, go with the heater size the sauna’s manufacturer recommends.
Room volume is length x width x height in feet.
Couldn't load pickup availability
How does delivery work?
How does delivery work?
Ships from Wheeling, Illinois. Free to the contiguous 48 above our free shipping threshold. A small accessory can fall below it and then a flat charge applies, shown at checkout before you pay.
How it arrives. The DROP comes by ground parcel, with no appointment and nobody home. CLIFF, STEEL, HIVE and CORE come palletized by freight, including the wall mounted Mini models: the carrier calls to book a window, someone has to sign, and it is a curbside drop rather than inside.
Stone ships in its own boxes. A heater takes 3 to 16 boxes at 33 pounds each. Stone added from a HUUM heater's own page ships free with that heater; ordered on its own it is charged per box at checkout. The quantity is set by the heater, not the room.
When it ships. The estimate on each product page is the distributor's usual dispatch time for stocked items. Stock moves, so we confirm the current position when you order. Working to a deadline? Ask us first.
If it arrives damaged. Note it on the delivery paperwork, photograph the carton and the contents, and tell us the same day. Report damage within 48 hours of delivery, with photographs and before the heater is installed: that is our window, and because it is shorter than HUUM's 7 days it is the one that applies to the HUUM warranty too. Refuse a carton or pallet that is punctured, crushed or structurally damaged.
Where we ship. The contiguous 48 states. We do not ship HUUM to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.
Not included: the electrical work. A HUUM heater is hardwired by a licensed electrician, and the clearances and cable entry are set by the model, so book the electrician for after the heater arrives.
What does the warranty cover?
What does the warranty cover?
Private use. 3 years on electric heaters, wood stoves and controls, and 1 year on spare parts, running from your purchase date. Keep the receipt and your electrician's invoice.
Commercial use. 1 year on all of them. HUUM treats it as commercial if a business uses the product commercially, if a private owner uses it commercially, or if a private owner runs it more than 1,500 hours in any 12 months, so a gym, studio or rental is commercial from day one.
What is covered. Defects in materials and workmanship. HUUM decides whether to repair, replace, refund or, with your agreement, reduce the price, and it arranges and pays for any transport it needs. A replaced part does not restart the clock.
Excluded, the ones that matter most. Heating elements, all sensors, sauna stones, accessories, and a wood stove's door glass and ash grate. Also normal wear, damage from poor ventilation or constant damp, power surges and overheating, non-HUUM parts fitted without written approval, and a heater that was the wrong size for the room. Until it is installed it must be kept indoors, dry, ventilated and above freezing.
Two conditions decide most claims. The heater must be installed and connected by a licensed electrician, to HUUM's manual and your local codes, and HUUM can ask for proof. Damage found on delivery must be reported to us within 48 hours and claimed with photographs before the product is installed. Any other fault: report it within 30 days of finding it.
If the fault turns out not to be covered. HUUM's terms let it charge for the work of diagnosing it. We will tell you as soon as HUUM tells us.
Who handles it. HUUM OU in Estonia is the warrantor and we file the claim for you, so you deal with us rather than with Estonia. Call (888) 500-5675 with your order number, the model and its serial number and photographs.
What if I need to return it?
What if I need to return it?
30 days from purchase. New, uninstalled and resalable, in the original packaging with all parts. A heater that has been wired in, fired or loaded with stones counts as installed and cannot go back, and so does a control that has been wired in.
What it costs. Full credit for the product, less a repackaging fee of 20 to 50 dollars depending on the item. There is no percentage restocking fee on a standard return.
Who pays the freight. You do on a change of mind. We cover it when the cause is shipping damage or our error. Shipping you paid at checkout is not refunded on a change of mind return.
Damaged on arrival. A different and faster process. Note it on the delivery receipt before signing, photograph the carton and contents, and call us the same day. Report it within 48 hours of delivery, with photographs and before the product is installed.
Stones and spare parts. Stone is sold by weight and is not returnable once a box is opened. Heating elements, sensors and other spare parts cannot be returned once fitted.
Cancelling before it ships. No fee at all before we send the order to the distributor. After that an administrative fee of up to 5 percent may apply, and we waive it when we are not charged ourselves.
To start a return. Call (888) 500-5675. A Return Authorization number is required before anything ships back. Refunds go to the original payment method within 7 business days of the return being received and inspected.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Jump to7 sections
The largest HUUM electric heater
The HUUM HIVE 18 is a 18 kW floor standing electric sauna heater for rooms of 636 to 989 cubic feet
Eighteen kilowatts for rooms of 636 to 989 cubic feet. Nothing in HUUM's electric range heats a bigger room.
The room
636 to 989 cu. ft.
Length by width by height, in feet. Add 3.3 cubic feet for every square foot of uninsulated glass, tile or brick wall, then size from the adjusted number.
Rated current
75 A at 240 V
HUUM's manual calls for two circuits, each on a 50 A breaker with 6 AWG cable. It is hardwired by a licensed electrician, who sizes the circuit to the National Electrical Code. On this model HUUM's breaker figure is below what the Code's continuous-load rule gives for its rated current, so your electrician and inspector decide the breaker and cable, and they may be larger than HUUM's figure.
The rest of the order
Control and 16 boxes of stone
Neither is in the carton. A HUUM UKU control runs the heater from outside the room, with the UKU extension box at this output, and this heater holds 528 lb (240 kg) of sauna stone.
Sizing
Will the HUUM HIVE 18 heat your sauna?
Sauna heaters are sized on room volume, not floor area. Measure the room in feet and multiply length by width by height, then pick the heater whose published range contains that figure.
HUUM rates the HIVE 18 for 636 to 989 cubic feet on a 240 volt supply, and its manual warns that the warranty does not apply if the heater and room are dimensioned incorrectly.
Cold surfaces change the answer. HUUM's manual says to add 3.3 cubic feet of volume for every square foot of uninsulated brick, tile or glass wall in the room. It does not say whether a glass door counts, so counting it is the cautious choice.
| Model | Rated room | Output |
|---|---|---|
| HIVE 12 | 424 to 636 cu. ft. at 240 V, 318 to 495 at 208 V | 12 kW |
| HIVE 15 | 530 to 813 cu. ft. at 240 V, 389 to 601 at 208 V | 15 kW |
| HIVE 18 This heater | 636 to 989 cu. ft. at 240 V, 477 to 742 at 208 V | 18 kW |
A worked example for the HIVE 18
Take a room 13 feet by 10 feet with a 7 foot ceiling: 130 square feet of floor and 910 cubic feet, inside this heater's 636 to 989. Count a full glass door, take 13 square feet as an example and measure your own, and at 3.3 cubic feet a square foot the room behaves like about 953 cubic feet, which is still inside the HIVE 18's range.
The minimum sauna room height for a HIVE is 77 inches (1950 mm). HUUM recommends 79 to 91 inches and asks for 44 to 51 inches between the top bench and the ceiling. For a taller room, HUUM advises lowering the ceiling to reduce the volume.
Not sure which way a borderline room goes? Our sauna heater finder walks the same arithmetic, the sauna heater buyers guide explains what the numbers mean, or call and we will do it with you.
What makes it a HIVE
Why the HIVE 18 is round
HUUM modeled the HIVE on a wild beehive: stainless steel arcs hold the stone in an open round form, so the stone is what you see.
An open cage of stone
It holds 528 lb (240 kg) inside stainless steel arcs. HUUM describes the large stone load as the source of the HIVE's gentle, long lasting steam.
The air tunnel
Every HIVE ships with an air tunnel inside the stone bed. HUUM's manual says it moves air through the heater to speed up heating, prevents the elements from overheating and gives them structural support.
Four legs, or sunk in
The heater is 22.06 in diameter x 29.53 in H and stands on 4 adjustable legs. It can also be partly sunk into the bench or the floor with the HIVE embedding flange, as long as at least 13.8 inches (350 mm) of it stays above the surface.
What the HIVE 18 asks of the building
It draws 75 amps at 240 volts across two circuits, each on a 50 amp breaker with 6 AWG cable in HUUM's manual. On a 208 volt supply it makes 13.5 kW and the rated room falls to 477 to 742 cubic feet, so a commercial building on 208 volts sizes from that row.
It asks for 7.06 inches to the wall beside it and 36.22 inches wall to wall across it, holds 528 pounds of stone, and needs the UKU extension box.
The whole order
What a working HIVE 18 takes, beyond the heater
A sauna heater is several purchases, and the others are easy to miss. Nothing here is padding: the heater will not run without them.
| The heater | This page. |
|---|---|
| A certified control | The control unit goes outside the hot room. HUUM's matched control is the UKU, and it is the controller the heater was certified with: the HUUM UKU Local control or the HUUM UKU Wi-Fi control. |
| The UKU extension box | Required at this output: the UKU main module carries heaters up to 11 kW. HUUM UKU extension box. |
| 16 boxes of stone | 528 lb (240 kg), 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm). HUUM olivine diabase sauna stones come in 33 pound boxes. |
A guard is a code item, not an upsell
The International Residential Code asks for sauna heaters to be protected from accidental contact by a guard made of a material with low thermal conductivity, such as wood, without blocking the heat. You can build one or use the HUUM safety rail made for this heater. HUUM adds that when the guard is a flammable material such as wood, the heater's minimum safety distances still have to be kept to it. Check what your local code has adopted.
Optional
The reflector panel is the part HUUM makes for a tight space: HUUM states it halves the heater's safety distance to the walls, and the heater manual's own distances still decide the layout until your inspector agrees. The embedding flange is only needed if the heater is sunk into a bench or the floor.
Buying the heater, the control and the stone together settles the order in one go: our HUUM HIVE 18 sauna heater package is exactly that, priced at the parts added together. Or call and we will price the heater, control and stone together.
Electrical
The breaker and wire size the HUUM HIVE 18 needs
Settle this before you buy, because it is the line item that surprises people. The heater is hardwired on two supply circuits by a licensed electrician.
The figures below are HUUM's, from its US manual. They are the manufacturer's minimum, not a design for your house: sauna heating is a continuous load, so the National Electrical Code can require a larger breaker and heavier conductors than the manual's figure, and local amendments differ. Your electrician sizes the circuit. On this model HUUM's breaker figure is below what the Code's continuous-load rule gives for its rated current, so your electrician and inspector decide the breaker and cable, and they may be larger than HUUM's figure.
This heater takes two supply circuits, each on its own breaker and cable, which is why the figures below come in pairs.
| Supply | What HUUM specifies | Rated room |
|---|---|---|
| 240 VMost homes | 18 kW, 75 A, 50 + 50 A (two circuits) breaker, 6 + 6 AWG minimum cable | 636 to 989 cu. ft. |
| 208 V | 13.5 kW, 64.9 A, 40 + 40 A (two circuits) breaker, 8 + 8 AWG minimum cable | 477 to 742 cu. ft. |
What the manual requires
The supply cable has to meet UL 62 in the United States or CSA 49 in Canada. Crimping the cable ends is mandatory. Cable with non heat resistant PVC insulation is not allowed, and the junction box must be waterproof and within 20 inches (50 cm) of the floor. HUUM's HIVE manual says only certified control panels designed for the control of an electric heater may be used.
HUUM recommends connecting the heater without a GFCI breaker. Its manual says it is recommended to connect the unit to the mains without one. Whether you can follow that depends on where the sauna goes and which edition of the electrical code your area has adopted: an outdoor sauna at a home may fall inside the Code's ground fault requirement for outdoor outlets at these ratings, depending on the edition adopted and how your inspector reads it, while an indoor hardwired heater usually is not caught. Where the manual and the adopted code disagree, the code and your inspector decide.
Why it is listed, and why that matters
It is listed by SGS, not by UL. SGS North America is on OSHA's list of nationally recognized testing laboratories, and it lists the HIVE 18 for the United States and Canada under certificate SGSNA/20/SUW/00067X, to UL 60335-1, CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 60335-1, CAN/CSA E60335-2-53 and IEC 60335-2-53. The listing applies on the conditions SGS records against it: the heater is used with sauna stones, run from an approved sauna heater controller (the listing was evaluated with the UKU), supplied by conductors rated to at least 90 degrees C, and carries the warning tag on the bottom rung of the frame. Inspectors differ on what they ask to see for a sauna heater, so check with yours before you buy. We can send you the certificate.
Clearances
Where the HUUM HIVE 18 can go
Clearances are set per model and generally grow with output. These are this model's figures from HUUM's manual.
| To the wall beside the heater | 7.06 in |
|---|---|
| Wall to wall across the heater | 36.22 in |
| Above the heater, to the ceiling | 47.25 in (1200 mm) |
| Body size | 22.06 in diameter x 29.53 in H |
| Weight | 53.0 lb without stone |
| Mounting | Floor standing on four adjustable legs |
Screw the 4 legs in and adjust them so all four carry the heater equally and it stands level, as HUUM's manual asks.
The room itself has to be built for a sauna, with an insulated shell, a reflective vapor barrier and supply and exhaust vents. Our traditional sauna rooms arrive built that way.
Stone
How much stone the HIVE 18 takes, and how to lay it
The stone is not a finishing touch. It is the thermal mass that turns 18 kW into steam, and the heater may not be switched on without it.
This heater holds 528 lb (240 kg), which is 16 boxes of HUUM stone. HUUM asks for stone 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) across and supplies olivine diabase in 33 pound boxes. The box count is from the manual's table of 33 pound boxes; the manual's text gives about 551 pounds (250 kg), so order the full 16. HUUM advises against decorative stone, which does not store enough heat and breaks easily.
Laying it
Wash the stone under running water first. Lay it one piece at a time rather than pouring it in, bigger stones at the bottom and the sides, smaller ones fixing them in place. Lay stone between the elements too, which supports them and keeps them apart, without pushing hard enough to bend them. Lay the stones as tightly as possible while leaving some room for air to circulate, and lay the outer face tightly so no element shows through. HUUM recommends round stone, which lets the steam water run down to the lower layers.
A sparsely filled stone bed is a fire hazard. HUUM's manual warns that if the elements are not properly surrounded by stone, its safety distances do not apply. Damage caused by unsuitable stone is not covered by HUUM's warranty.
Looking after it
HUUM asks for the stone to be checked once a year, with broken pieces taken out and replaced. Stone crumbles as it cycles, and the pieces are what block the air holes.
Watch
Building it into the bench
The optional embedding flange, from bench cut-out to finished edge.
HUUM filmed this itself. Its heater installation films are made for Europe and show European wiring, so we do not run them here: the sauna side of the job is the same, the electrical side is not.
Running cost
What the HIVE 18 costs to run
A sauna heater draws its full rated power while it heats, then cycles on the thermostat to hold temperature. That makes the ceiling easy to calculate and the real figure lower.
| Full output, one hour | 18 kW x 0.183 = about 3.29 dollars |
|---|---|
| Three hours at full draw, heat up and a session | about 9.88 dollars |
| Three of those a week | about 30 dollars a week |
Those are ceilings, not averages: once the room is at temperature the thermostat cycles the elements, so the real bill lands under these ceilings. Your own rate is on your utility bill and varies widely by state.
Insulation controls this number, not the heater. HUUM's manuals call for an insulated room so the heater can run at its regular output.
What you get
In the HIVE 18 carton
- Electric heater
- 4 adjustable legs
- Air tunnel
- Installation and operation manual
Not included
The control and the UKU extension box, the stone, and the electrical work. The control and 16 boxes of stone are required to operate the heater. The rail, reflector and embedding flange are optional.
Lead time
Delivery estimates are shown on this page and at checkout. If you need a date before you commit, call us and we will confirm the current position with the distributor.
Reference
HUUM HIVE 18 specifications
Full specification tables
| Heater output | 18 kW at 240 V, 13.5 kW at 208 V |
|---|---|
| Room volume | 636 to 989 adjusted cu. ft. at 240 V, 477 to 742 cu. ft. at 208 V |
| Minimum room height | 77 in (1950 mm) |
| Rated current | 75 A at 240 V, 64.9 A at 208 V |
| Circuit breaker | 50 + 50 A (two circuits) at 240 V, 40 + 40 A (two circuits) at 208 V |
| Minimum supply cable | 6 + 6 AWG at 240 V, 8 + 8 AWG at 208 V |
| Stone capacity | 528 lb (240 kg), 16 boxes |
| Stone size | 2 to 4 in (5 to 10 cm) |
| Body size | 22.06 in diameter x 29.53 in H |
| Clearance to the wall beside it | 7.06 in |
| Wall to wall across the heater | 36.22 in |
| Clearance above the heater | 47.25 in |
| Mounting | Floor standing on four adjustable legs |
| Control | Separate certified control required, sold separately; UKU extension box required |
| Part number | H1003032 |
|---|---|
| Heater weight, empty | 53.0 lb |
| Supply | Single phase, 60 Hz, two circuits |
| Certification | SGS Listed for North America (SGSNA/20/SUW/00067X) |
| Warranty | HUUM limited warranty, 3 years for private use and 1 year for commercial use |
The range
HUUM HIVE 18 against the rest of the HIVE range
Every figure below is HUUM's own, from its US manual, and the breaker column is the manufacturer's minimum rather than a design for your house.
Scroll the table sideways to see every model.
| HUUMHIVE 1212 kW, 424 to 636 cu. ft. | HUUMHIVE 1515 kW, 530 to 813 cu. ft. | HUUMHIVE 18You are here | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output at 240 V | 12 kW | 15 kW | 18 kW |
| Rated room | 424 to 636 cu. ft. | 530 to 813 cu. ft. | 636 to 989 cu. ft. |
| Current | 50 A | 62.5 A | 75 A |
| Breaker | 30 + 30 A (two circuits) | 50 + 50 A (two circuits) | 50 + 50 A (two circuits) |
| Minimum cable | 10 + 10 AWG | 6 + 6 AWG | 6 + 6 AWG |
| To the wall beside it | 4.72 in | 5.9 in | 7.06 in |
| Stone | 16 boxes | 16 boxes | 16 boxes |
When a HIVE is the wrong heater
For a room under 424 cubic feet a full size HIVE is more heater than you need: the HIVE Mini covers 177 to 566 cubic feet on a single circuit, without the extension box.
Compare the whole range on our electric sauna heaters page, browse every sauna heater we carry, or see every model in our HUUM sauna heaters collection.
Buyer questions
HUUM HIVE 18 questions buyers ask before ordering
What size sauna will the HUUM HIVE 18 heat?
HUUM rates it for 636 to 989 cubic feet on 240 volts, or 477 to 742 cubic feet on 208 volts. Measure length by width by height in feet, then add 3.3 cubic feet for every square foot of uninsulated glass, brick or tile wall, and size from that number.
Does the HUUM HIVE 18 come with a control?
No. Every HUUM electric heater needs a separate certified control, bought separately, and the control unit goes outside the hot room. HUUM's matched control is the UKU, the controller this heater was certified with, in Local or Wi-Fi form. At this output the UKU also needs the extension box.
How many boxes of stone does the HUUM HIVE 18 need?
16 boxes. The heater holds 528 lb (240 kg) and HUUM asks for stone 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) across. HUUM's own stone is olivine diabase in 33 pound boxes. The heater may not be run before it is properly filled.
What breaker and wire does the HUUM HIVE 18 need?
On 240 volts it draws 75 A and HUUM specifies two circuits, each on a 50 A breaker with 6 AWG cable. On 208 volts it is 64.9 A, two 40 A breakers with 8 AWG cable on each. The cable must meet UL 62 in the United States or CSA 49 in Canada, and your electrician sizes the install to the National Electrical Code and to local amendments. On this model HUUM's breaker figure is below what the Code's continuous-load rule gives for its rated current, so your electrician and inspector decide the breaker and cable, and they may be larger than HUUM's figure.
Is the HUUM HIVE 18 UL listed?
It is listed by SGS, not by UL. SGS North America is on OSHA's list of nationally recognized testing laboratories, and it lists the HIVE 18 for the United States and Canada under certificate SGSNA/20/SUW/00067X, to UL 60335-1, CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 60335-1, CAN/CSA E60335-2-53 and IEC 60335-2-53. The listing applies on the conditions SGS records against it: the heater is used with sauna stones, run from an approved sauna heater controller (the listing was evaluated with the UKU), supplied by conductors rated to at least 90 degrees C, and carries the warning tag on the bottom rung of the frame. Inspectors differ on what they ask to see for a sauna heater, so check with yours before you buy. We can send you the certificate.
Can I install the HUUM HIVE 18 myself?
Not if you want the warranty. HUUM's warranty requires the heater to be installed and connected by a licensed electrician, with proof presented to HUUM, and HUUM recommends a specialist lays the stone. The heater is hardwired, crimped cable ends are mandatory and the manual forbids cable with non heat resistant PVC insulation. Keep the electrician's invoice.
Does the HUUM HIVE 18 need a GFCI breaker?
HUUM's manual says it is recommended to connect the heater without one. Whether you can follow that depends on where the sauna goes and which edition of the electrical code your area has adopted. An outdoor sauna at a home may fall inside the Code's ground fault requirement for outdoor outlets at these ratings, depending on the edition adopted and how your inspector reads it, while an indoor hardwired heater usually is not caught. Where the manual and the adopted code disagree, the code and your inspector decide.
Can the HUUM HIVE 18 be set into the bench?
Yes. HUUM's manual allows the HIVE to be partly sunk into the sauna bench or floor, as long as at least 13.8 inches (350 mm) of it stays above the surface, with the HIVE embedding flange covering the cut edge.
Does the HUUM HIVE 18 need a UKU extension box?
Yes. The UKU's main module carries heaters up to 11 kW, so at this output the UKU extension box is required, mounted outside the steam room near the main module.
What warranty comes with the HUUM HIVE 18?
HUUM warrants its electric heaters, wood stoves and controls for 3 years in a private sauna and 1 year in a commercial one, from the date of purchase, with spare parts covered for 1 year. Heating elements, controller sensors, stones, HUUM accessories, and wood stove door glass and ash grates are excluded, and so is damage from unsuitable stones or from a heater sized wrong for the room. HUUM counts it as commercial use if a registered business uses the product commercially, if a private user uses it commercially, or if a private user runs it for more than 1,500 hours in a 12 month period. For the warranty to apply, the heater has to be installed and connected by a licensed electrician with proof presented to HUUM, installed and operated to HUUM's manual and to local building, electrical and fire codes, and installed complete. Damage found on delivery has to be reported to us within 48 hours of delivery, with photographs and before the heater is installed; that is our window, and because it is shorter than HUUM's 7 days, it is the one that applies to the HUUM warranty. Any defect has to be reported within 30 days of discovering it. Because elements are excluded, we stock them as replacement parts.
One last thing
Get the heater, the control and the stone right
Tell us the room dimensions and how the walls are built and we will walk you through the manual's own figures for output, circuit, clearances and stone before you order, and your electrician confirms the circuit. If the room is borderline we will say so rather than sell you the bigger heater.
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