The sauna bucket and ladle are the cheapest things in a cabin and the ones you handle every session, so the difference between a good set and a bad one shows up quickly. Three things separate them: the material, whether there is a liner, and whether the ladle is long enough to keep your forearm out of the plume.
Timber, stainless or plastic
Timber buckets look right and are traditional, and like any cooperage they need to stay damp or they shrink and leak. Stainless is indestructible and needs a wooden or heat resistant handle so it can be carried. Plastic is cheap, warps at cabin temperature over time and is the one to avoid despite being the one most often bundled free with a heater.
The liner
A plastic or stainless liner inside a timber bucket is the detail worth paying for. It stops the staves drying out between sessions, it makes the bucket easy to empty and rinse, and it means a bucket left dry for a fortnight does not leak the next time you fill it. Almost all the frustration with timber buckets comes from not having one.
Ladle length
Long enough that your hand is well clear of the steam coming off the stones, which means most short ornamental ladles are the wrong tool. A wooden or heat resistant handle is not optional, because a metal one left resting on the bucket rim near the stove gets hot enough to burn. Check the bowl sits level in the bucket rather than sinking.
Looking after them
Empty and rinse after each session and store them out of the hottest air, not on the heater guard. A timber bucket that has dried out can often be revived by soaking it full for a day. Never leave water standing in the bucket inside the cabin between sessions: it is the fastest way to a musty smell.
Questions people ask about sauna bucket and ladle
Do I need a liner?
In a timber bucket, effectively yes. It stops the staves drying and shrinking, and it is why most timber bucket complaints exist.
Is a plastic bucket fine?
It works and it warps over time at cabin temperature. Timber with a liner or stainless with a wooden handle both last much longer.
How long should the ladle be?
Long enough to keep your hand clear of the steam off the stones. Short ornamental ladles put your forearm in the plume.