10/07/2025
Meet Aatos, the only one of his kind - an AI sauna elf.
Aatos is our dedicated team member, available 24/7 on our website. He’s there to help you: reliable, polite, and focused. Not much of a small talker, but a genuinely nice guy. Quietly helpful, always present. You can ask Aatos anything about our saunas or sauna-bathing in general: construction details, löyly temperature tips, or even traditional Finnish sauna rituals.
Aatos is curious, fast-learning, and surprisingly insightful. But like any team member, Aatos makes mistakes from time to time. So, let’s be kind and patient with him and help him grow smarter with your questions and feedback.
What’s a sauna elf, anyway?
The term sauna elf refers to a playful, friendly figure rooted in Finnish tradition. In old folklore, the sauna had (or should we say it still has...?) its own quiet guardian, the "saunatonttu", who kept the space clean, warm and respected. And it truly was a sacred space.
For centuries, the sauna wasn’t just for bathing. It was where life began, and sometimes where it ended. A place of warmth, stillness, and care, watched over by a presence you couldn’t see but could always feel.
But the elf wasn’t just a silent observer. According to folk belief, he made sure the sauna was treated with respect. Loud voices, careless behavior or slamming the door could offend him. He might respond with a creak in the bench, a sudden puff of steam, or simply an uncomfortable löyly. If disrespected repeatedly, he might even leave, and with him, the soul of the sauna.
These stories weren’t just superstitions. They were ways to pass on values: silence, cleanliness and deep respect for space and its warmth.
At Hetki, Aatos is our digital version of the sauna elf. Born not from the smoke and soot of a traditional smoke sauna, but from code and curiosity. Aatos embodies the spirit of thoughtful sauna culture: helpful, respectful, and quietly present.
And of course, Aatos is not working alone. Beside him are his human colleagues at Hetki and our trusted resellers, always ready to help you in person.