Buying a hot tub? The 8 mistakes to avoid
1) Every hot tub is the same.
Most people believe a hot tub is just a tub full of water with some jets, if we take that as an example, then every car we drive is also is the same. We know that 99% of cars have four wheels and a steering wheel, which must mean they must then all be the same as well.
This of course is not true, because we are a bit more educated on cars than we are on hot tubs, over time as the hot tub industry grows hard lessons will be learned by those people spending money on poor quality hot tubs, that simply do not last and cost a load of money to run, maintenance & repair.
2) The more jets the better
To most people, this would make sense, if a hot tub had 100 jets, and the one alongside it only had 35 jets, then the one with 100 jets in would be better, right? Probably not…
First, there are different types of jets, that give you different sensations on the body, what is important is to find the jets that suit your needs, then make they are situated to hit that sweet spot.
It is far better to find a hot tub with a lower number of jets that are more effective on your body, than being hit from every angle, which can be uncomfortable for the end-user
Some manufacture just put a load of jets into a hot tub and then also ram it with pumps, what the end-user needs to consider is those pumps will all need replacing, a cheap pump may last 18–24 months, then replacing four of them is going to cost a packet.
If a hot tub has 100 jets, then the power will be divided, making them far less powerful, for example; if you have one pump (2.5hp) and 100 jets and you compare this to another hot tub with one pump (2.5hp) and 50 jets, the hot tub with 50 jets would be twice as powerful.
The brand Jacuzzi ® is the market leader, they started the hot tub revolution, if they felt 100 jets gave great hydrotherapy then their hot tubs would have that jet count.
3) 13amp or 32amp?
Again, another mistake people make is they feel torn between 13amp or 32amp, they are unaware of the other power supplies, 16amp, 20amp, and 40amp, take the time to learn about what you are looking for from a hot tub, a good quality hot tub can last you up to 20 years, so it is worth investigating some time in research.
The bigger the power supply the more performance & features your hot tub will give you and, on most occasions, running costs will be lower than with a 13amp (plug and play) hot tub. 16, 20, 32 & 40amps are all hard-wired hot tubs.
4) You need the heater running when the jets are running….
Why, do you need the heater running when the jets are running? A lot of poor-quality hot tub providers tell you this, so the hot tub will not lose heat when you’re in the hot tub.
Go for a hot tub with great insulation, so it retains heat better, if you heat your hot tub when the cover is off, you’re heating the atmosphere, not your hot tub and it will cost you a fortune!!!
A good quality hot tub will not lose much more than ½ a degree of heat an hour, friction from the jets and your body will also help retain heat.
Your heater should only engage once you have finished, so your hot tub can re-heat back up to the temperature it is set at (if it has lost heat at all). I spent around 45 minutes in my hot tub last night (21/07/21) and lost no heat for the whole time I was in there.
5) It only costs £1 a day to run
Really, who thought that up? The first question you should ask is, “what is that based on?” most providers will try and change the topic, but it must be based on something.
When I went to look for a hot tub, the guy I spoke to told me they are all about £1 a day to run, I questioned this and asked how a 3-person hot tub could have the same running cost as a 10-person hot tub, as the water volume was different for a start. His response was “I don’t know, that is just what I am told to say”
I lost complete confidence in everything he had told me previously, I asked to speak to his boss, but he was “in a meeting”
The following things affect running cost:
The water volume
The size of the heater
Type of insulation & weather conditions
When the heater engages
Be careful when you are told about a running cost, remember the car salesperson who told you the car you purchased would do 74mpg and it actually does 44mpg………beware!
6) Saltwater is better than chlorine
You would think so, and it sounds appealing rather than using chlorine, well saltwater, if mixed with PH & Alkalinity (naturally found in tap water) creates chlorine, so you are back to using what you are actually trying to avoid.
If you use salt water then you also need titanium components otherwise the salt will corrode the parts, titanium parts are expensive so be prepared for an expensive bill when you replace them, this tends to happen just as your warranty expires!
In my experience bromine is a better chemical to use, if you have sensitive skin, then try using Oxygen, an experienced local dealer can give you more information on this.
7) Jacuzzi ® or a hot tub?
Jacuzzi ® is a brand, so not every hot tub is a Jacuzzi ®, a genuine Jacuzzi ® will have a Jacuzzi ® logo on the hot tub, there are hundreds of brands on the market worldwide, some of the other leading brands are Hydropool & Hotsprings
Whatever you decide upon I recommend going to a local dealer and view the product before you purchase and possibly try it first, it will be to late once it is in your garden, then you discover it was not what you thought it was.
8) Hot tubs are cheaper online
Yes, I have to say normally they are, they don’t need to invest in employees to look after you when something goes wrong, and most hot tubs bought online sell on there for a reason, they look cheap, if you saw them in a shop, it is likely you would walk straight past them, however online, it just looks the same as any other hot tub.
If an online hot tub is selling for under £6,000, I would be very wary, no company is going to compromise on profit, so the way to keep costs down is to manufacture cheap parts, this will have a negative effect on the end-user.
How long is that pump or heater going to last you? Buy cheap buy twice as the saying goes.
The other thing to consider, if you live in Bristol, you buy a hot tub from Blackpool, then when there is an issue, the call-out charge will be very high, you will not only get charged for the part, and the hour on-site to sort it out, but you will also get charged the travel time back and forth.
Please message me if you have any questions, I will be happy to help
Written by Robert Ralph
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