A premium hot tub should deliver better comfort, lower running costs, more reliable build quality, and long-term practicality. Whether the higher level of specification is right for you will depend on how you plan to use your hot tub, who will be using it, and how suitable your home is for a hot tub installation.
Build Quality and Seating Determine Everyday Comfort
Many hot tubs look very similar – insulated shells with seats, jets and a cover. It’s the finer points, which you may not appreciate for some time after your spa is installed, that can make all the difference to your long-term satisfaction.
Generally, you should expect a premium hot tub to offer:
- A better built cabinet
- Improved shell and plumbing insulation
- Equipment that is suited to frequent use
The above improvements will result in a spa that loses less heat and is quieter in operation – a particularly important consideration for hot tubs installed in a garden environment. When comparing premium models, it’s worth looking at brands such as Champion Hot Tubs alongside other options to see how their build quality, features and customer support compare.
It’s worth paying attention to the level of sophistication on offer with seating options too. A good spa will offer a range of seat positions and depths to suit different people, including upright seats, recliners and deeper therapy seats. If varied seating is a priority, the Jacuzzi J-345 hot tub gives you a concrete layout to assess against those needs. A premium spa should also offer jets that are intelligently placed for the best massage rather than just a higher number of jets that may prove awkward to use and impossible to aim.
Before making your purchase make sure you look beyond the showroom lighting and check out:
- Shell finish and construction
- Insulation – shell, base, pipes and cabinet
- Filtration and sanitation options
- Noise levels and pump efficiency
- Spa cover build quality and ease of use
- Serviceability – are parts readily available?
Often the best features of a premium spa are those you barely notice but that will make a big difference to the ease of owning and using your new hot tub.
Match capacity to the seating you will use
It’s possible for six adults to physically fit in some six-person hot tubs… but that doesn’t mean everyone will find it comfortable!
If you’re shopping for a spa for a family or couple a mid-sized spa with a range of seats and a lounger may be more attractive to you than a larger six- or eight-person tub with rows of bench seats. Conversely, if you regularly host friends and family look out for plenty of legroom and separate seats.
If possible, it’s worth trying out a dry spa before you buy. Bear in mind that seating can feel different when a spa is full – your body weight is partially supported by the water, which can make low seats feel even shallower. Have a good feel for contours and support as well as checking out handy features such as handholds and easily aimed and adjusted jets. All of which can make a difference in those long relaxing soaks.
If you’re only likely to use your spa a handful of times during the summer months, an expensive model with an extensive list of high-end features may be overkill. There’s every chance that you’d be better off with a simpler model – or even investing that spare cash in a different garden improvement!
Budget for Energy and Ongoing Upkeep
Your hot tub will be powered by electricity – you need energy to heat the water, run filtration cycles and power the pumps for the jets. There are also ongoing costs for hot tub chemicals (www.cdc.gov/control-legionella/php/toolkit/hot-tub-module.html), filters, servicing, the occasional replacement part, and cover care and maintenance.
Hot tubs with good insulation lose less heat, so they use less energy to maintain a constant temperature. Insulation doesn’t just refer to the spa cover (although a good heavy-duty, well-insulating spa cover is an absolute must) but also to the level of insulation fitted in the spa shell, plumbing, and cabinet, as heat can also be lost via these routes.
Find out about the level of insulation offered by different spa manufacturers and whether or not the running costs they quote assume the spa will be in use all year round. Running costs will of course vary from household to household depending on ambient temperatures, the temperature you choose, how frequently you use the spa, and local electricity rates – but build quality does make a difference.
You can keep costs under control by:
- Making sure your spa cover is on whenever it’s not in use
- Cleaning and changing your hot tub filters as recommended
- Maintaining the correct water chemistry – don’t just chuck in a load of product!
- Avoiding regularly changing the temperature setting
- Replacing your spa cover if it’s worn, torn or waterlogged
Prepare the Site and Access Before Delivery
Your chosen spot must be level, sturdy and able to support the considerable weight of a full spa – which can easily total a number of tonnes! Check with your decking supplier before installing a spa on a wooden platform as not all decks will support this level of weight. Avoid installing your spa on toppy paving slabs or soft ground.
Think practically about how your new spa will be delivered into position. Bear in mind any awkward maneuvers, steps, side access, narrow gateways, tight corners, etc. that the spa will need to negotiate.
If you’re planning to pour a concrete base, allow around 28 days for it to set before putting the weight of a full spa on top of it (unless advised otherwise by your installer/spa supplier). Don’t be tempted to ignore this – it could lead to a raft of problems, including subsidence and cracks!
Other practical considerations worth thinking about:
- Where you’ll drain the water to when you need to empty the spa
- An outside tap
- Privacy
- Lighting
- Access back into the house
Spend Extra on Performance Rather Than Frills
Where extra expense translates into improved build quality, insulation, seating, spa equipment, quieter operation and aftercare/replacement parts. Not so much, where it equates to a list of frills and fripperies that you’re not especially bothered by!
Bear your own needs in mind first and foremost when hot tub shopping and use this as the starting point from which you explore levels of build quality and finish, features and fittings, running costs, delivery and installation requirements and more.
