HUUM HIVE Electric Sauna Heater
Floor-standing HUUM HIVE electric sauna heater, 12–18 kW for 424–989 cu ft rooms, holding 551 lb of stones; needs a UKU control and the UKU Extension Box (at 240 V; HIVE 15 and 18 at 208 V too)
- 551 lb (250 kg) stone capacity around a stainless-steel air tunnel
- 12, 15 or 18 kW for sauna rooms of 424–989 cu ft
- App control with the HUUM UKU Wi-Fi and the UKU Extension Box
What Customers Say About This Product
“5-Stars HUUM HIVE Electric Sauna Heater”
“The Best Löyly, Period. If you prioritize authentic, mild, and humid steam, the HIVE is unmatched. The huge stone volume holds heat beautifully for extended…”
- Description
- Specifications
- Installation
- What's Included
- Documents
- Warranty
What is the HUUM HIVE electric sauna heater?
The HUUM HIVE is a floor-standing electric sauna heater from HUUM of Estonia: a round stainless-steel heater, 22.05" across and 29.53" tall, that holds 551 lb (250 kg) of stones laid around and between its heating elements. It comes in 12, 15 and 18 kW for sauna rooms from 424 to 989 cu ft at 240 V, and runs on 240 V or 208 V single-phase power on two supply circuits. It needs a HUUM UKU control, 16 boxes of 33 lb stones and the HUUM UKU Extension Box (every HIVE at 240 V, and the HIVE 15 and 18 at 208 V as well), all sold separately.
Every current HIVE ships with HUUM's stainless-steel air tunnel in its center. HUUM's manual says the air tunnel moves air through the heater to shorten the time the sauna takes to heat, keeps the heating elements from overheating and supports them. The full stone load is still required.
How do you control the HUUM HIVE?
The HIVE has no built-in controls: it runs from a HUUM UKU control. The UKU runs electric heaters up to 11 kW on its own and up to 18 kW with the HUUM UKU Extension Box, so every HIVE needs the Extension Box at 240 V, and the HIVE 15 (11.25 kW) and HIVE 18 (13.5 kW) need it at 208 V as well. UKU Local heats the sauna from the wall panel; UKU Wi-Fi adds the HUUM app, so you can start the sauna on your way home and schedule sessions ahead. The HUUM app is available for iPhone on the App Store and for Android on Google Play. Topture also sells the HIVE as a package with the UKU control, the Extension Box and the stones included: the HIVE 12, HIVE 15 and HIVE 18 packages. The HUUM HIVE collection has all three sizes, as heaters and as packages.
HUUM HIVE key features
- 551 lb (250 kg) of 2–4" stones laid around and between the heating elements
- Stainless-steel air tunnel, included with every HIVE since 2025
- Floor-standing on four adjustable legs, or set partly into the bench with the HUUM Flange H embedding flange
- 240 V or 208 V single-phase supply on two circuits
- Designed and made in Estonia
- SGS listed to UL 60335-1 and CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60335-1
Which HUUM HIVE size fits my sauna?
Choose the HIVE by the volume of your sauna room. For every square foot of uninsulated brick, tile or glass wall, add 3.3 cu ft to the room volume before choosing. HUUM's warranty does not cover a heater whose output does not match the room volume.
| 12 kW | 15 kW | 18 kW | |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUUM model | HIVE 12 | HIVE 15 | HIVE 18 |
| Sauna room volume | 424–636 cu ft (12–18 m³) | 530–813 cu ft (15–23 m³) | 636–989 cu ft (18–28 m³) |
| Current at 240 V | 50 A | 62.5 A | 75 A |
| Circuit breaker | 30 + 30 A | 50 + 50 A | 50 + 50 A |
| Minimum wire size | 10 + 10 AWG | 6 + 6 AWG | 6 + 6 AWG |
| Heater weight | 48.5 lb (22 kg) | 50.7 lb (23 kg) | 53 lb (24 kg) |
| HUUM part number | H1003012 | H1003022 | H1003032 |
On a 208 V supply the same heaters give less output, so they suit smaller rooms:
| 12 kW | 15 kW | 18 kW | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output at 208 V | 9 kW | 11.25 kW | 13.5 kW |
| Sauna room volume | 318–495 cu ft (9–14 m³) | 389–601 cu ft (11–17 m³) | 477–742 cu ft (13.5–21 m³) |
| Current at 208 V | 43.27 A | 54.09 A | 64.9 A |
| Circuit breaker | 30 + 30 A | 40 + 40 A | 40 + 40 A |
| Minimum wire size | 10 + 10 AWG | 8 + 8 AWG | 8 + 8 AWG |
HUUM HIVE dimensions and stones
| Dimensions | 29.53" H × 22.05" diameter (750 × 560 mm) |
|---|---|
| Stones | Not included. Capacity 551 lb (250 kg) of 2–4" (5–10 cm) stones; HUUM's stone table lists 16 boxes × 33 lb (15 kg) |
| Power supply | 240 V or 208 V, single phase, 60 Hz; two supply circuits |
| Control | Not included: a HUUM UKU control, plus the HUUM UKU Extension Box (every HIVE at 240 V, and the HIVE 15 and 18 at 208 V as well) |
| Heat-up time | About one hour in a well-insulated, correctly sized room (HUUM) |
| Materials | Stainless steel, including the air tunnel (HUUM) |
| Made in | Estonia |
| Warranty | 3 years private use, 1 year commercial use (HUUM); heating elements, stones and sensors are excluded |
How is the HUUM HIVE installed?
The HIVE stands on the sauna floor on its four adjustable legs, levelled so that all four carry the weight. It can also be set partly into the bench or floor, with at least 13.8" (350 mm) of the heater above the bench surface; the HUUM Flange H embedding flange covers the cut edges. HUUM recommends ceramic tile with dark grout under and around the heater, because stone chips and stone dust wash onto the floor and can stain light grout.
HUUM's manual says the electrical connection of the HUUM HIVE must be made by a licensed electrician. It wires to two supply circuits (terminals V1 U1 and V2 U2), with a heat-resistant power cable meeting UL 62 (US) or CSA 49 (Canada), never PVC-insulated cable, and crimped wire ends; the cable enters through the heater's bottom cover. Your electrician sizes the breaker and wire from the manual that ships with the heater and your local code.
The HUUM UKU Extension Box mounts outside the sauna room near the UKU main module, and HUUM's wiring instructions put the main module and the Extension Box on separate circuit breakers.
If you control the HIVE with a HUUM UKU, the UKU 4.2 manual puts the UKU safety sensor on the ceiling, directly above the heater and centered over its stones, no more than 50 ft of cable from the UKU main module, because every HIVE size has a minimum safety distance of more than 1 9/16" (40 mm).
HUUM HIVE safety distances
Keep at least these distances from the HUUM HIVE to walls, benches and anything that can burn. The letters match the drawing.
| 12 kW | 15 kW | 18 kW | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.72" (120 mm) | 5.91" (150 mm) | 7.09" (180 mm) |
| B | 31.5" (800 mm) | 33.86" (860 mm) | 36.22" (920 mm) |
- A: minimum distance from the HUUM HIVE to the walls and to the bench, on every side
- B: minimum width from wall to wall across the heater (its diameter plus A on each side)
- At least 47 1/4" (1,200 mm) from the top of the heater to the ceiling
- The distances apply only when the heating elements are fully covered by stones
HUUM requires a sauna room at least 77" (1,950 mm) tall, recommends 79–91" (2,000–2,300 mm), and puts the top bench 44–51" (1,100–1,300 mm) below the ceiling.
HUUM's manual asks for about six air changes an hour: a supply-air pipe 2–4" (50–100 mm) across, an exhaust pipe twice its diameter and a drying vent under the ceiling. Sauna doors should open outward.
Stacking and caring for the stones
HUUM recommends that a specialist lays the stones in the HUUM HIVE. Wash them, then lay them one by one by hand, larger stones at the bottom and sides and smaller ones between the heating elements, so that no element shows through; a too sparsely filled heater is a fire hazard, and elements left visible void the safety distances. Use natural sauna stones 2–4" (5–10 cm) across, such as olivine diabase, and avoid decorative stones, which break easily and can block air holes. Check the stones once a year and replace broken pieces.
Ladle about 2 3/4 oz (80 ml) of clean, warm water at a time onto fully heated stones, never onto metal surfaces, and never while someone is right beside the heater.
What's in the box with the HUUM HIVE?
- HUUM HIVE electric sauna heater (12 kW, 15 kW or 18 kW)
- Four adjustable legs
- Stainless-steel air tunnel
- Installation and operation manual
What you need separately
- A HUUM UKU control: UKU Local, UKU Wi-Fi, UKU Glass or UKU Mirror
- The HUUM UKU Extension Box, which a UKU needs to run any HIVE at 240 V, and the HIVE 15 and 18 at 208 V
- 16 boxes × 33 lb of HUUM Stones 24, rounded 2–4" stones
- A heat-resistant power cable, connected by a licensed electrician
- Optional: HUUM Rail H safety rail, HUUM Flange H embedding flange or HUUM Reflect H reflector
HUUM warranty periods
HUUM's limited warranty (Limited Warranty Terms and Conditions, US, v2) covers new HUUM products bought from HUUM or its authorized dealers, such as Topture, against defects in materials and workmanship. The period starts on the date the end user buys the product.
| HUUM product | Private use | Commercial use |
|---|---|---|
| Electric sauna heaters | 3 years | 1 year |
| Wood-burning sauna stoves | 3 years | 1 year |
| Control units (UKU) | 3 years | 1 year |
| Spare parts | 1 year | 1 year |
HUUM counts as commercial use a business using the product commercially, a private owner using it commercially, or a private owner using it for more than 1,500 hours in 12 months.
What the warranty does not cover
- Heating elements of electric heaters
- HUUM accessories, such as rails, reflectors, flanges, protective bedding and chimney parts
- Door glass and ash grate of wood-burning stoves
- Sauna stones
- All controller sensors
- Damage from a heater that is the wrong size for the room, from unsuitable stones, or from installation, use or maintenance that does not follow HUUM's manuals
What keeps the warranty in effect
- Inspect the product when it arrives and report any visible damage within 7 days, with photos, before installing it.
- Install it following HUUM's manual and local building, electrical and fire codes. An electric product must be connected by a licensed electrician, with proof of the installation.
- Report a defect within 30 days of finding it. For products bought from Topture, report it to Topture, which passes the claim to HUUM and helps with troubleshooting.
