Finnish Heater Makers Mondex and Narvi Preview 2026 Product Updates
Mondex is launching updated Teno and Kalla models with faster heating and better efficiency. Narvi continues to focus on traditional loyly quality.
Two of Finland's most respected heater manufacturers, Mondex and Narvi, are rolling out product updates for 2026 that show two different ways of thinking about what a sauna heater should be.
Mondex: Faster Heating, Better Efficiency
Mondex, a Sauna from Finland member company known for its design-forward heaters, is launching updated versions of its popular Teno and Kalla models this spring. The updates focus on the internals: new technical solutions that heat the stones faster, use less energy, and give the bather more time to actually enjoy the session rather than waiting for the room to come up to temperature.
Mondex has been pushing the design envelope in recent years. Their Rakka heater, which wraps natural stones around the exterior of the heating body, is one of the most visually striking heaters on the market. The company also launched WiFi-controlled heaters in 2022, making it one of the earlier Finnish manufacturers to embrace smart connectivity.
Narvi: Tradition First
Narvi takes a different approach. The company's philosophy starts with the basics: a well-ventilated wood room, heat from stones, and loyly (the steam created when water hits hot rocks) that lets you control both temperature and humidity. Their heater designs prioritize stone mass and airflow over flashy features.
The contrast between Mondex's tech-forward approach and Narvi's traditionalist stance is a healthy dynamic in the Finnish heater market. Both companies are producing excellent heaters; they just disagree about how much technology belongs in a sauna room. That's a debate the industry will be having for a long time.
Arlene Scott
Senior Wellness Correspondent & Hospitality Consultant
Arlene Scott brings over fifteen years of reporting and consulting experience across energy infrastructure, sustainable design, and thermotherapy-focused hospitality.
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Arlene Scott is a Senior Wellness Correspondent for SaunaNews.com, bringing over fifteen years of experience at the intersection of energy infrastructure, sustainable design, and thermotherapy. Her work focuses on the physiological benefits of passive heat therapies and the sustainable integration of sauna culture into modern wellness routines.
Arlene's background is rooted in the clean energy transition. She was a founding writer at MicrogridMedia.com, where she covered the technical and economic viability of desalination projects, microgrid deployments, and distributed renewable energy systems. During the mid-2010s, she was a regular contributor to Greentech Media (GTM) during its independent era — prior to the Wood Mackenzie acquisition in 2016 — reporting on the early integration of thermal energy storage and sustainable infrastructure.
Transitioning her focus from macro-energy systems to human-scale wellness, Arlene now applies her technical background to the hospitality sector. She operates as an independent consultant, advising boutique hotels and eco-resorts on the design, energy efficiency, and historical authenticity of commercial sauna and thermal spa installations. Her consulting work ensures that high-end wellness facilities balance traditional Nordic bathing principles with modern sustainable engineering.
Arlene holds a specialized certification in Applied Thermic Wellness from the Nordic Institute of Passive Heat Studies (NIPHS) and is a recognized associate member of the International Sauna Association (ISA). When she isn't reviewing the latest innovations in infrared technology or consulting on a new resort project, Arlene can be found tending to her own traditional wood-fired sauna in the Pacific Northwest. You can read her complete archive of essays on energy, wellness, and sustainable living at www.arlenescott.com.
