STEAMCORE-SPA-2-AND-STEAMCORE-SSB-SERIES-STEAM-GENERATOR---6-KW-TO-18KW-STEAM-GENERATORS STEAM REVIEW SITE - COMPARE MR. STEAM - THERMASOL - STEAMCORE - STEAMIST - ELITE STEAM - AMEREC STEAM GENERATOR - STEAMSPA - STEAM SPA GENERATOR - STEAM SHOWER GENERATORS

Steamcore Spa II Series Steam Bath Generator from Raymond Nicolini on Vimeo.

Steamcore surgical steel generators must be talked about which are a totally different breed of steam generators when comparing to closed tanks like Mr. Steam or Thermasol. I am going to go in detail why the Steamcore is the best money can buy although much more expensive what you are actually getting just incase those looking for an average priced steam generator get sticker shock.

Steamcore has an open tank and works at 1ATA and does not use pressure to make steam. It makes a continuous steam like Thermasol but works with 1 open tank instead of 2 closed tanks.

Every Steamcore generator has 304 grade surgical steel heating elements and 304 grade surgical steel boiling tanks. The Steamcore uses an open tank an their tanks are very small so it heat up and vaporizes water super fast and has the highest dryness fraction of every steam I have ever experienced. Since they use a boiling tanks that is very tiny it has a fraction of un-evaporated that a pressurized tank gives (Mr. Steam tanks that I have compared at the same kilowatt size are almost twice the size). Most single tanks let out all the steam weather the steam is 100% vaporized or not.

Steamcore should never limescale as surgical steel elements are the hardest steel and calcium and iron deposits just don't stick to it like the stainless steel or cast iron tanks. The worst are heating elements that have galvanized steel. These have to be replaced all the time. Steamcore should only need it's elements replaced once every 25 years. The inside of the heating element that is filled with baking soda typically last 25 years. It's the scaling that corrodes the heaters on non surgical steel types.

Dry Vapor from Steamcore:

The best way to describe the open tank vapor making steam without pressure is taking a very hot pan from the stove and putting it in the sink and pouring just a little water in the pan and watching 100% of the water evaporate. The steam from a pressure cooker, the best example I can use is just sticking my face over the boiling pasta water and feeling the wet steam hit my face.

STEAMCORE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS;

Where can I try the Steamcore brand?

A. Just like I did, go on on their site. They have a list of all the spas and hotels and gyms around the country that have their steam generators. Their site is Saunacore.com. Go to the steam section.

They are more expensive than what I was expecting to pay (I hear this all the time).

A. Get a demo or buy a return from someone who bought the wrong size. We get discounts on them. Also, these are hand welded in Canada and if we are having a sale we get a discount if we send in more than 6 orders at a time.

What is your next best one?

A. Well, there is no best but if someone wants a super high end pressurized type, Thermasol is my 2nd pick if someone wants steam from a pressurized steam generator. I personally don't like pressurized steam. It makes steam super quick so there are advantages that may people like about the Thermasol.

Do you sell used Steamcore generators?

A. Yes, but we get them shipped back to the manufacturer and they become certified used. This is only when someone bought the wrong size from another company and the manufacturer gets one back. I love selling these as these are often the only ones people can afford.

Is the Steamcore loud?

A. What do you think? It is not from a pressure tank. I urge people to go a step further and use 1 inch piping, even though 3/4 is suitable for most people.

What is the warranty?

A. Steam core has a 5 year warranty. The ones that have a lifetime warranty only fix it once during the lifetimes then their is no warranty on that part. If something goes wrong it happens the first month or two.

What size do I need?

A. Most sizing charts are designed for pressurized steam generators. So, if you were told you need a 9KW in the pressurized brand, you might only need a 7.5KW in an open tank non-pressurized generator. Then, if you want to upsize to make it more intense then that is a personal preference. This will create a higher latent heat index and the duty cycles of steam will be shorter since more steam is filling up the room at once.

When do you not recommend Steamcore?

A. The pressure types have a 50 50 duty cycle in a perfect scenario. Meaning it is on half the time and off half the time. I don’t like being in a room where there is just heat and no steam. Those that want to get really hot and then cool down during each duty cycle may want a pressurized single tank type generator. I can get those too but rarely recommend them.

I have cold feet. Will the Steamcore heat the entire room?

A. Wet steam separates more so when you are in there your lower body and feet stay colder while the heat rises to the top from the high latent heat index. Dry steam is more uniform and doesn’t form droplets and clump together as fast as their is less humidity mixed with the vapor. So, their steam will be more uniform. Getting a marine grade fan should make it super uniform so the entire room is at the same temperature, even your feet if the fan is powerful enough. It costs about 40 dollars to build it out with the pic pipes from Home Depot. One of my customers will be glad to show you how to do it. He is an engineer. He also made a shower that has a pump that keeps pumping and recycling the bath water to the shower so you don't waste any water until you want to switch to the faucet.

The cloud when you open the door in the Steamcore is a cloud that lingers. The wet type cloud just drops to the floor and doesn’t linger. Also watch what happens when I make it wet by spraying water making it wet and how the cloud doesn't linger. I cannot enjoy wet steam from most single tank generators.

I can enjoy the steam much longer if I want to go over 15 minutes in a Steamcore as it doesn't cause my heartbeat to get too fast. Wet steam causes my heart rate to reach 150 bpm much quicker. I use a pulse oximeter that anyone can get on Amazon for 10 dollars and that will tell you how fast your heart rate. I always check after 15 minutes. A quality drier steam will not cause your heart rate to get too fast too quick.

The Steamcore has a 6 degree variance so it keeps my heart rate much more steady than the pressure cooker types that get super hot where it burns my nose just to take a deep breath. I do not like steam with a high latent heat index and don't think most people will either if they experience wet and dry steam.

The Steamcore starts up in about 3 minutes. Those that are looking for 1 minute steam will have steam start but this will be a very humid steam. Most people don't know what they are sacrificing for quick steam. I would rather wait 10 to 15 minutes for dense dry steam than steam that takes less than 5 minutes to steam up to 100% humidity and sacrifice quality for quickness.

Note: for those that are comparing Thermasol to Steamcore, they are both great but different. There is another brand called SteamSpa (from China). Read my page on low pressure steam generators and make your decision based off your research. That is all I will say about that brand.

All the best manufacturers will tell you the lower the watt density the better the steam. Steamcore has the lowest watt density of any heater I have found. The also have a pro version that has 11 foot heaters instead of 2.5 foot heaters starting at 9KW. They have three 3000W heaters totaling 33 feet of heater compared to the two 4500W heaters that are 2.5 feet long. 33 feet of Surgical steel heating elements will have much more surface area than 5 feet. Those that are using their steam room or keeping it on all day will usually want the pro version. It's meant for all day use.

Picture of 2.5 foot 304 surgical steel toxin-free heater. Hand Curled, not a Chinese import -

Picture of a 2.5 foot Chinese import heater -

Cheap and gets limescaled quickly

11 foot handmade heating element - surgical steel (304 grade) - ultra ultra low watt density

Steamcore surgical steel tanks are hand made (TIG Weld) and toxin-free. These are the hardest steel elements you can get. Exceptional heat conduction. Made with no solvents and in a chemical free weld shop.

For those that have sore muscles or are using the steam room for pain, a drier steam should let most people stay in longer so they feel the heat but doesn't heat your core too quickly and your pulse rate goes up and you can't make it for a long session. There are a few hacks to staying in longer. I do EWOT during my steam. I have a 20 foot hose and run it into the steam room so my oxygen level doesn't get low.

Picture of oxygen cannula that I hook up to my oxygen concentrator. I turn it on very low as I am am not combusting oxygen. If I am not burning it and my core temp is not high enough then I do not use it. I don't use it the entire time. I turn it up higher if I am doing EWOT.

For small steam rooms, the wet type steam heats up the room too quick and it stays hot and then the steam clumps together and gets muggy. The dry steam makes the biggest difference the smaller the room is.

Considering the Steamcore...

Steamcore is about 20% points better as far as steam quality compared to the next best brand. But what it lacks is fancy digital control panels with lots of accessories to choose from. If you want the driest steam but a very simple almost outdated looking controller, this is the one to consider. UPDATE (They do make a new SSB series that has a new fancy programmable controller). This has the same generator as the SPA 2 series but with speakers and lighting. Their SSB series has the best sound system I have heard in a steam room and their mood light is full fluence with higher lumens than most of the cheap mood lights that come with other brands. The SSB series is super expensive. It takes steam rooms to the next level.

If you have questions that you want answered about my analysis on Steamcore let me know on my Steam Quiz and I'll try to get you the answers.

Best tip: These take 2 weeks to build out. I urge anyone wanting a Steamcore to let me put the order at the end of the month instead of being in a rush to get it made that day. I can give you both prices for getting it made the same or next business day or waiting till I get a group order and letting me get my discount.

The video above is a Steamcore review showing how the steam generator works.

To see if the Steamcore is recommended for your steam room take my Steam Quiz here.

The SSB series has the same generator as the SPA 2 series but costs nearly twice as much with their fancy controller, bluetooth, speakers (best sound of all I tested) and their lighting system (higher lumens than all the mood lights I compared).

The Spa 2 series has 304 surgical steel elements and boiling tanks. Drip pans are not necessary. Please make sure you get the pressure reducer at Home Depot and 3/4 inch piping. Get 1 inch piping for super quietness. Experience super dry steam!

STEAMCORE REVIEW

The Steamcore is the one that it is hard to recommend for most people that are looking for pressurized steam or who don’t do research and understand what wet steam is, how pressurized steam is not right for every room. The Saunacore steam generators were the first to introduce the open tank generators. The boiling tanks are less than half the size of the same kilowatt size in competitor brands. The holding tank gives little shots of water, about 2 ounces, at a time as the water level drops so the water never mixes with cold water that cools down the boiling water enough to give a wait time more than 6 degrees in temperature change.

The Saunacore because of its electronic water level sensor gives the least wait time between steam times.

The Saunacore steam generators take 2 to 3 minutes to produce steam. I urge people to understand humid steam before getting excited about brands that take only 1 minute to make steam found in the pressurized steam generators. Using a very small tank and boiling a very small amount of water each time at a more continuous rate gives a very dry steam that I have no problem waiting 2 more minutes for. A 9kw Steamcore boiling tank holds about 1/2 a liter of water. The 9kw pressure tanks are normally twice the size.

The Steamcore tanks are surgical stainless steel. These do no need to be replaced frequently like the cast iron tanks found on many brands and is a step up above the stainless steel USA models. The heating elements are also 304 grade surgical steel. (Cast ironsteam generator tanks will deteriorate over time and give off heavy metals in the steam).

Surgical steel is the hardest steel and least likely to get limescale which they have. Also, their open tank flushes 100% of the water so there is not that ounce of water sitting in the bottom like the pressure cooker types. They have a double flush that flushes the tank twice with cold water that takes about 10 minutes. You don’t need to add mineral solution every 60 days to do a maintenance cleaning and they come with it so you don’t have to pay extra for it. Also, the Saunacores don’t require a drip pan so you don’t have to dump the pan all the time. No plastic valves so it is very hard for it to break unless if you need a pressure reducer and don’t have one that would be the only reason I know of that causes leaks.

Feature of the cleansing system: The Steamcore has a high end cleaning system which reduces the limescale after every session. The self cleaning mode lasts or 10 minutes. It will drain then fill and then drain and then fill a 2nd time then stay empty till the next.

Another feature the Steamcore has that the closed tanks don’t have is a separate water level controller, not just water sensors. It is a separate tanks that makes it possible to keep the steam in the main boiler dry otherwise it would just be boiling a big pot of water like the single pressure cooker type steam generators

My opinion of the Steamcore steam generator.

Once you watch this you will know why their generators are so freakin expensive!

Best way to describe their Dry Steam

LED MOODLIGHT

This has a transformer built in so you don't have to buy anything else to run it. It also can withstand temperatures above 104 degrees which sets this apart from other waterproof lights.

What to expect in a Steamcore steam room (I have compared Steamcore to Steamspa, Thermasol, Mr. Steam, Steamist and Elite Steam).

The experience in a Steamcore steam room is the closest to a sweat lodge experience. The steam is super dry, meaning that it has a higher dryness fraction since the steam is not being generated under pressure like the Thermasol and single tank pressure cooker types like Mr. Steam, Steamist, and Elite steam (and Steam Spa for those that want a similar experience like Thermasol without the big price tag.

Steamcore does not let out the entire load of steam at once creating duty cycles where you have to wait long periods of time between steam output. Steamcore has a 6 degree variance from the temperature it is set at. The next best one is no where near as continuous as 6 degrees. Many people feel the need to splash cold water to trip the sensor to get steam started again. This is the biggest way to void a warranty.

Steamcore has 100% surgical steel tanks and heating elements. There is no need to add a mineral solution every 90 sessions to get the mineral coating off the elements. It does not have galvanized steel elements that need to be replaced often either. 304 surgical steel is super expensive compared to the other brands that have regular stainless steel. Steamcore elements should last at least 25 years before replacing them.

The steam from a Steamcore generator has a smaller cluster size since the tank is very small, much smaller in comparison to Thermasol and Mr. Steam which use pressure to create steam. Steamcore has a dual tank system. It has an inlet tank and a small boiler with high surface area in ratio to the water touching the heating elements. This creates a higher dryness fraction and a steam that has the longest linger time in the industry based on all of our comparisons between brands.

The steam from a steam core is pleasant to breath in . Wetter steams that have more unevaporated water in the steam can sting the nostrils as the water can be too hot to breath in. It is much easier to breath in steam that has a high vapor percentage rather than a high moisture percentage. When the suction a fan on the tile and have it blowing on us, the Steamcore feels great while the wet steam stings and is not as comfortable.

Also, the steam from a Steamcore since it has a lower heat co-efficient heats up the walls less and doesn’t stick to the walls like wetter steam, especially those who plan on having ceramic walls and over 7 foot. When all the steam goes up to an 8 foot ceiling and is ceramic, it is like a super sponge, wicking up to 30% of the steam and condensing it on the walls.

Notice: for older people who want to enjoy longer times in their steam room, dryer steam makes it easier to not get the heart rate up to 150bpm like wetter steam that makes people want to get out of the steam room way before the steam has heated up the core 3 degrees. Most people don’t realize it but what is happening that makes people feel good is “heat shock proteins”. Most people don’t stay in long enough to do this and can’t because they are like “get me out of here” prematurely before the get that benefit of the proteins.

The only thing people complain about with Steamcore is that it takes a little longer for the steam to heat up. It takes just about the same time it takes to boil a tea kettle of water on the stove. The pressure cooker types can do it in 1 minutes. This can take up to a 6 to 7 minutes. If heat up time is that important than getting better steam, that is the customer’s choice. But, once the steam starts, then it is continuous there after and I believe it is worth waiting for.

Steamcore also doesn’t have really any bells and whistles like Thermasol and Mr. Steam. There are 2 types of customers. Either people want one with fancy technology or they want better steam. Many people like to use Alexa. Many people like to have pre programs between users and want their control panel to show videos. If that is important to you, Steamcore doesn’t have any of this. It doesn’t even work with any phones either like the others.

The biggest complaint about Steamcore is the price. There are many un-authorized dealers that sell them (many plumbing stores, etc.) but if they are buying from a distributor locally and reselling it, it will not have a limited lifetime warranty. All of our Steamcore generators have a serial number that can be verified. You may want to verify that the generator you are getting has a serial number that is from a generator that was just built, not one sitting around from a distributor for a long period that eats up the warranty period. (There is one distributor that bought generators over 5 year ago and most of their warranties are void.

I like the Steamcore the best since it is a slow burn generator, meaning that it doesn’t produce a huge blast of steam in a duty cycle. A pressurized generator may produce 100 grams of steam in 25 seconds while this one may take twice as long to put out the same steam. When too much steam is released at once it creates that loud noise that many people complain about. Steamcore is whisper quiet in comparison to other brands at the same wattage. Since the steam is a slow burn, I can stay in longer without my pulse rate going up too quick and I can heat my core up and get the heat shock proteins that my body craves.

Also, since Steamcore makes a drier steam it minimizes drippiness and it is not as sticky as wet steam causing the walls and ceiling to absorb more of the steam.

Please see all of our auctions for this size generator and other sizes. We have returns on a regular basis from people who did not size their generator correctly who bought on their own. Those with the 3 most popular red flags not in their favor are 1. Having a ceiling over 7 foot. All generators are sized based on a 7 foot ceiling. 2. Having ceramic or porcelain tile. If either of these are your tiles of choice, this can wick up too much steam like a huge sponge. This is most noticeable when it is super hot near the ceiling and the feet stay colder. 3. Glass door. With all of these 3 factors (high ceiling, ceramic or porcelain tile and a glass door), this already will add 40% to the sizing.

When going up a size due to adding 40%, this messes with the duty cycle on pressurized types. I strongly urge people to really know the type of steam they will expect before making their purchase. The best steam rooms have a ceiling temperature and a floor temperature that are closer. With wet steam, the walls and ceilings can get super hot and the floor temperature is way cooler than the type of steam that doesn’t heat up the walls but lingers in the air. Nothing compares to soothing steam with a low moisture content and that comes out in a light, fluffy cloud that just feels good on the body.

Steam quality Comparison between Steamcore, Thermasol, Mr. Steam, and Steamist.

1. Steamcore cloud lingered almost twice as long as the lowest of the 4 brands.

2. Time the steam duty cycle was on compared to the other 3 brands was over 70% from 6kw to 10.5 kw sizes we tested

3. Variance in temperature as 5 to 6 degrees compared to up to 18 degrees on the least continuous steam brand.

4. Steamcore had the least drippy ceiling and the scale weight from squeegee’d water from ceramic walls had the lowest weight.

5. Noise: Steamcore had the lowest decibel level compared to all pressurized steam generators.

6. Steamcore had the highest heat co-effecient and lowest latent heat compared to all the wetter steams at the same temperature.

Note: Dry steam feels much hotter than wetter steam at the same temperature at a room at 100% humidity on our meter. Steamcore puts out 1.5 quarts of water while the same size generators in all 3 other brands put out nearly 2 quarts. The extra quart of saved water in the Steamcore doesn’t have extra unevaporated water so it uses less. This is the reason why it has a lower latent heat index and doesn’t stick to the walls and ceiling and the heat stays in the air instead of the most of the heat absorbing into the ceiling. (Any water that is suspended in the steam will rise from the steam. Brownian motion is the physics terms that can explain this. This is the reason if the steam is too wet from pressurized steam and the room is over 7 foot tall and has ceramic or porcelain and worse a glass door, this will help starting with a dryer steam fraction in the first place.

7. Towel Whirl Test: The best way to tell if the steam is too wet is to twirl a towel around like a helicopter. If it stings the person next to you, the steam coming out has too much moisture. Dry steam with a twirling towel feels amazing. You can also use an Attwood wireless fan and this is what I use to show people the quality of steam. Wet steam blowing down on you feels horrible. Steam with the highest dryness fraction feels amazing.

8. Green laser test: Most people have ceilings over 8 foot or over. This is fine if the steam is dry but if the steam is a wet type of steam, the green laser beam from a laser pen at head level looks totally different when shining it on steam with a high moisture content.

9. With the Steamcore, you should never feel the need to pour ice water on the sensor to kickstart the steam.

10. If a ceiling is 8 foot tall, nearly 20% of the steam will be lost above the head. A Kona fan and a dryer steam eliminates the problem.

11. If a 9 foot ceiling, nearly 40% of the steam cloud is over the head, I recommend 2 Kona fans and a dryer steam fraction.

12. If the ceiling is 8 foot or over and the room has ceramic, porcelain or natural stone and a glass door, I strongly urge the user to use a generator that makes dryer steam. (Most sizing charts are designed for 7 foot ceilings, not just the cubic feet. Most people buy the wrong size when they have over a 7 foot ceiling and walls and glass doors that require upsizing. If upsized even 1 size too big this can effect how long the duty cycle is and even the best generator will have a long duty cycle with no steam since the steam came out too fast and heated up the walls too much making the sensor think the room is still hot with steam. It is all about homeostasis. The steam should be made at the same speed it falls to the floor or as close as it can get.

SteamSpa VS Steamcore VS MR. Steam "in a nutshell"

Before deciding on a Mr. Steam, Steamcore, or Steamspa make sure you really know the differences.

The Mr. Steam has a shorter duty cycle while Steamspa and Steamcore have a constant steam that you don’t have to wait with no steam. The vapor in the Steamcore is the driest and most dense while the old style single tank pressure cooker types let out steam with more moisture that is not evaporated into steam yet. The steam cloud on a Steamcore or Steamspa lingers and doesn’t drop to the floor as quick and there is way less drippiness. The latent heat index is lower with less moisture in the steam so the steam stays in the air and doesn’t stick to the walls and ceiling. If someone has a ceiling over 7 foot tall, I would only go with a drier steam so the steam doesn’t rise to the ceiling from the high latent heat. Lag time on the Mr. Steam is much higher since it only has one tank.

Another thing is the noise. Steamcore doesn’t work like the pressure cooker type so it is very quiet. With high pressure steam generators you may need to buy a drip pan and empty it out all the time. Not with Steamcore. Those who don’t want to pay to replace heating elements and pay for a new boiling tank in the future may want to have a surgical steel tank and heating elements. More expensive up front but a lot less maintenance. With surgical steel you don’t need to buy a gallon of solution to clean the tank every 90 sessions if your water is hard.

For those that want the short duty cycle type, Mr. Steam is the best single tank generator. Comparing it to Elite steam (Steamist), which is my 2nd best single tank. Steamcore and Steamspa have the 2 best steam qualities I have tested of all the generators so far. As far as Steamspa and Steamcore, Steamcore has a denser steam and has the least maintenance. It is more expensive than all the others but for those that do just one session with a Steamcore it is hard to go back to any other steam. I discount Steamcore to make it closer to the prices of Mr. Steam and Steamspa. Please take my steam steam quiz or call me if you want to research deeper into the different brands.

Getting just the right size steam generator

Low pressure steam generator complaints

Avoiding Steam Drippiness

Avoiding Cold spot and hot spots

Sizing Charts - I disagree with most of them

Avoiding Condensate and Wet Steam

NOISE COMPLAINTS