Steamist SM Plus SMP-7 Steam Shower Generator
Steam
$2,600

Steamist (Delta SteamScape)

Steamist SM Plus SMP-7 Steam Shower Generator

4.5(150 reviews)

Steamist is the other legacy American steam name — now also sold under Delta's SteamScape branding after acquisition, a detail worth knowing when comparing listings — and the SM Plus SMP-7 is its 7.5kW mid-size generator at about $2,600. The engineering pitch is SteadySteam, which modulates output to hold your set temperature instead of the blast-and-coast cycling cheaper generators do, plus a stainless tank and a sub-gallon water draw per 20-minute session. Plumbers and owners rate the brand's reliability alongside Mr.Steam, with the choice often coming down to which controls ecosystem (TotalSense vs. iSteam) and which dealer you like. All the steam-category realities apply: the enclosure build is the real project and the real budget, hard water is the enemy, and r/Sauna will remind you — accurately — that a steam shower is a different pleasure than sauna, not a substitute.

Price
$2,600
Heater
7.5kW
Best For
Remodelers comparing against Mr.Steam who value steadier temperature control.

Specifications

Heater
7.5kW residential steam generator, stainless tank
Heater Power
7.5kW
Dimensions
Compact generator (remote mount); sized for mid-size tiled enclosures
Type
Steam
Install
Licensed plumber + electrician: 240V circuit, water and steam lines into a vapor-sealed tiled enclosure; TotalSense controls extra
Warranty
Limited residential warranty; stainless tank carries the longest coverage
Model
SM Plus SMP-7 (7.5kW)

Highlights

SteadySteam temperature holdingStainless tank longevityNow under Delta's wing

Pros

  • SteadySteam modulation holds temperature smoother than rivals' cycling
  • Stainless tank with the brand's longest warranty coverage
  • Uses under a gallon of water per 20-minute session
  • 7.5kW handles larger enclosures than entry 5kW units
  • Delta acquisition secures long-term parts availability
  • Reliability reputation on par with Mr.Steam among installers

Cons

  • Enclosure construction dwarfs the generator price
  • TotalSense controls are a required separate purchase
  • Dual branding (Steamist/SteamScape) confuses listing comparisons
  • Scale management is mandatory in hard-water regions
  • Steam ≠ sauna; expectations must be set accordingly

Compare the Steamist SM Plus SMP-7 Steam Shower Generator

Mr.Steam eSeries MS90EC1 Steam Shower Generator
$1,799
Steam

Cross-shoppers land here after realizing their dream isn't dry 195°F air but a 115°F fog you can barely see through — a steam shower, and Mr.Steam is the name-brand way to build one. The eSeries MS90EC1 is the residential workhorse: 5kW, sized for tiled enclosures up to 71 adjusted cubic feet, about $1,799 at big-box retail for the generator. The critical education, which r/Sauna delivers bluntly in every crossover thread: steam and sauna are different animals (100% humidity at ~110-120°F versus dry 180-200°F), and the generator is the cheap part — a properly vapor-sealed, sloped-ceiling tiled enclosure plus plumbing and electrical routinely runs $5,000-$15,000 in renovation. Owners of finished installs love them daily; the horror stories are all botched enclosures, not failed generators. Buy controls, AromaSteam head, and AutoFlush as a package; à la carte pricing stings.

The name in home steam5kW residential workhorsePackages with aroma/auto-flush
5kW heater
Best for: Bathroom remodelers who want daily steam showers, not a Finnish sauna.
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Maxxus Trinity 3-Person Corner Infrared Sauna
$2,699
Infrared
4.4(250)

The Trinity is Golden Designs' clever-footprint play: a corner-format three-seater at $2,699 (list $3,833) that tucks into the dead angle of a garage gym or basement where rectangular cabins won't fit. The 'Dual Tech' pitch mixes seven ceramic and carbon emitters — ceramic runs hotter and more focused, carbon spreads gentler warmth — plus a floor reflexology heater, red-light chromotherapy, and Bluetooth. Owners report it as a meaningful step up in heat intensity from all-carbon budget boxes. The same house caveats as its Dynamic siblings apply: 'low-EMF' is the marketing tier below the brand's own 'Near Zero' models (which quote under 3 mG only when measured inches from panels), warranty terms shift by retailer, and the hemlock paneling is budget-grade. r/Sauna's take on the whole Golden Designs catalog: functional sweat boxes, priced honestly, marketed optimistically.

Corner footprint saves spaceCeramic + carbon dual heatFloor reflexology heater
3-personLow-EMF claimed
Best for: Space-constrained basements and garage gyms needing a three-person IR box in a corner.
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Harvia Cilindro PC90E 9kW Heater Package
$3,084
Traditional Indoor

The Cilindro is the heater r/Sauna upgrades to when they stop asking 'which sauna should I buy' and start asking 'how do I get better steam.' The open-grate pillar holds roughly 200 pounds of stone — triple a wall heater — so you can ladle water down the sides for soft, rolling steam or on top for a sharp blast. This $3,084 package from a US Harvia dealer bundles the PC90E, WiFi Xenio controller, and the full stone load, which matters because buying stones separately surprises people. Owners' honest notes: 200 lb of stones means a real floor and a patient first heat-up (the mass takes longer than a KIP), the MyHarvia app occasionally drops offline, and you need genuine 280+ cubic feet — in a small room it's overkill that short-cycles.

~200 lb stone mass for serious steamWiFi Xenio controller includedThe r/Sauna 'endgame' upgrade heater
9kW heater
Best for: Builders of mid-size to large home saunas who care more about steam quality than anything else.
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