Overview: the column heater as a steam-burst specialist
Harvia has been building sauna heaters in Finland for decades, and the Cilindro is the best-known face of the column design: instead of a flat stone tray, a stainless steel casing surrounds a tall stone column that is accessible from all sides. In our big sauna heater buying guide, the PC70 tops the recommendations, and this Data Check explains in detail why. It is aimed at anyone who wants to equip an existing or planned cabin with a heater where the steam burst takes centre stage. That is exactly what the concept is built for: lots of stone mass means lots of stored heat, gentle radiant heat instead of harsh direct heat, and reserves when the sauna session runs longer.
In terms of price, the PC70 sits in the upper mid-range of sauna heaters. The target group is owners of mid-sized cabins, for example in the classic home sauna format, who value gentle radiant heat and rich steam bursts over fast heat-up.
The data at a glance
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type | Column sauna heater, freestanding |
| Output | 6.8 kW |
| Stone capacity | around 90 kg according to the manufacturer, stones sold separately |
| Control | integrated, controller on the heater |
| Material | Stainless steel casing |
| Power connection | 400 volts, only by a qualified electrician |
| Cabin size | mid-sized cabins according to manufacturer approval |
| Price range | upper mid-range |
| Editorial rating | 4,5/5 |
All technical data comes from manufacturer and retailer information as of July 2026; we have not carried out our own laboratory measurements.
Strengths in everyday use
The key strength is the stone mass. According to the manufacturer, the Cilindro holds around 90 kilograms of stones, many times what compact wall-mounted heaters can carry. This mass works twice over: it releases the heat as gentle, even radiant heat, which many find more pleasant than the direct heat of small heaters, and it holds huge reserves for steam bursts. Ladle after ladle evaporates richly and softly without the heater faltering, even with several steam bursts in a row.
Then there is the column principle itself: the stone column is accessible all around, the steam burst works from every side, and the heater stands freely in the cabin instead of hanging on the wall. The stainless steel casing also makes it a timeless design element. The integrated controls with the controller on the heater keep the installation lean; a separate control unit is not needed.
The large stone capacity comes with a small maintenance plan: check the stones about once a year, replace porous, brittle ones and restack the rest loosely so that air keeps circulating between the heating elements. That takes half an hour and preserves the quality of the steam bursts for years.
Honest limits
The stone mass has its price, and it is paid in minutes: it takes longer for around 90 kilograms of rock to warm through than with a small wall-mounted heater. Anyone who wants to sit at 90 degrees spontaneously after work has to start the heater correspondingly earlier. The operation also has a quirk: the controller of the integrated controls sits at the bottom of the heater, which means bending down in the hot cabin. As a freestanding heater, the Cilindro also needs floor space in the middle of the cabin, including the minimum clearances specified by the manufacturer; in very compact cabins, a flat wall-mounted heater is the more sensible choice, and where children join the sauna, a heater guard belongs in front of the stone column.
Second, the obligations: the PC70 requires a fixed 400-volt connection, and this must be planned, installed and inspected exclusively by a qualified electrician, including supply line, fusing and residual current protection. The sauna stones are not included; only diabase or olivine diabase are suitable, and with this fill quantity, several bags belong on the order. What running a heater of this class costs per year is worked out in our article on the electricity consumption of a sauna.
Who the heater suits and what alternatives there are
The Cilindro PC70 suits sauna fans who celebrate the steam burst and run a mid-sized cabin whose volume matches the manufacturer approval; as a rough rule of thumb, around 1 kilowatt per cubic metre applies. The column heater is also a pleasure in a well-insulated garden sauna, as long as the cabin volume stays within the approval. If you want simpler and cheaper heating, the Data Check of the Harvia Vega BC60 shows the proven wall-mounted heater classic with 6 kW and an integrated control unit.
You will find the matching diabase stones and the rest of the accessories, from the steam bucket to the thermometer, in our accessories overview; there you will also find the proven 20-kilogram bag of sauna stones from Harvia, of which you should plan on several for the Cilindro.
Conclusion
The Harvia Cilindro PC70 is the heater for everyone to whom the steam burst is sacred: the large stone column delivers gentle radiant heat and reserves that compact wall-mounted heaters cannot match. In return, it does not forgive impatience during heat-up and demands a professional connection plus separate stones. The rating of 4.5/5 is the highest we currently give to a sauna heater, and it is deserved. Plan the project as a package of heater, stones and professional connection, and there will be no surprises afterwards. If you are still undecided on output, controls and stones, read our big heater buying guide first.
Harvia Cilindro PC70
- Around 90 kilograms of stones according to the manufacturer: stores heat and delivers soft, long-lasting steam
- Steam can be thrown from all around, because the stone column is accessible from every side
- Integrated control with no additional control unit, stainless steel casing in a timeless design
- 6.8 kW suits medium-sized cabins according to the manufacturer, the classic in home sauna format
- The controls are at the bottom of the heater, the full stone mass lengthens the heat-up time, stones must be ordered separately