BC Used Hot Tubs Greater Vancouver (604) 787-4441 bcusedhottubs@gmail.com
Things to Consider When Shopping for a New Spa
It's hard to find reliable sources when doing research about hot tubs. Most "hot tub shopping advice" articles are nothing more than a sales pitch "advising" the reader to buy their particular product, focusing on their specific brand name's strengths and special features.
Genuinely unbiased articles on the subject are most often composed by writers who only possess academic knowledge on the subject. They are usually written by people who have done some research but aren't actually in the business. Since they aren't passionate about the subject, the information tends to be ambiguous, too theoretical and insincere.
Since we deal with so many manufacturers and quality levels, we can remain objective when we compare the different brand names. This page doesn't try to prove "our tubs are the best" - the purpose is to inform, not to manipulate. We're not getting our information from some promotional material provided by our hot tub suppliers - the information on this page is based on years of hands-on experience with used hot tubs and the feedback of hundreds of hot tub owners we have interacted with.
Whether you choose to buy from us or from somewhere else, below are some things we think you should be aware of when shopping for a new hot tub. We hope you find it helpful.
1. Getting What You Pay For
A high price tag doesn’t always mean a high-quality spa, but generally speaking, a low price tag almost always means a low-quality spa.
Cheap tubs are cheap for a reason. That reason is that the factory cuts corners to save time and money. It costs more and takes longer to make a high quality spa, so obviously it costs the manufacturer, the dealer and ultimately the buyer more money.
A cheap hot tub isn't usually a better deal. A well-built hot tub will perform better, run more efficiently, feel more comfortable and outlast a poorly built hot tub by many, many years.
2. Bad Spas In Good Stores (this one's very important!)
Cheap junky tubs aren't limited to big box stores and liquidation centres. Some top quality spa stores carry them as their "economy line". Watch for the word "by".
For instance, let's say that ACME Spas are a genuinely excellent product, but their stuff is kind of pricey. So their stores also offer an inexpensive line of hot tubs that they bring in from USA which they market as "The 'ACE' Line By ACME".
Here's what happens: The salesperson shows the shopper one of their high-end tubs and explains how their line of hot tub is superior in design, quality and workmanship, and offers convincing evidence of reliability and customer satisfaction. It's all true. But the price tag is higher than the client can justify, so rather than letting the potential buyer walk away, they show them a more economical alternative to the models being featured in the sales pitch.
The potential client assumes that everything they just heard from the salesperson also applies to these cheaper spas, but it's not so!
These less expensive tubs bear the ACME logo, but these are not actually ACME products - they're just imported by ACME and offered as an option for clients who cannot afford a "real" ACME product. But since the tub has an ACME sticker on it somewhere (eg: "the Ace Line by ACME"), and since the client trusts the ACME brand name, and since they are in an ACME retail store, they don't realize that these lower priced options are basically the same kind of low-end tubs being sold elsewhere under a different brand name for even cheaper!
But don't get mad at the salesperson for trying to trick you - he or she may not even be aware of it - they're just going through the routine as they were trained to do.
3. Manufacturing Location
American or Canadian made hot tubs tend to be far superior to imported spas. Beware of misleading claims. "USA product” can actually mean “fabricated in China, assembled in Florida”.
As mentioned elsewhere on our website, for a while we experimented with selling low-end tubs because there seemed to be such an eager market for them. One of the low-end brands we used to sell had the "Made in Canada" sticker on it because it was assembled locally. But the truth was, although it had high-end domestic components and quality jets (a big improvement over what the big box stores sold), the shell and plumbing were actually designed and fabricated overseas. The hot tubs looked great but they were far inferior to the other stuff we sold. I invite you to come to our showroom and see for yourself what I'm talking about.
Note: Certain hot tub stores adamantly deny they carry imported products because legally they can get away with it, and there's no way for the consumer to know otherwise. Some trained sales staff aren't even aware of this fact.
4. Sales Staff Don’t Usually Lie, But…
While out of town, I went into a few hot tub stores to see what they were selling and how they were selling them.
A salesman from one of the top three manufacturers beamed with enthusiasm and spoke with great conviction about the advantages of their hot tubs over “the other guys”. As he spoke, he made claims about their spas and made accusations against other brand names that were totally inaccurate and it made me feel indignant.
But as he went on with his presentation, it slowly occurred to me that he wasn’t trying to deceive me – he simply didn’t know any better! After all, he was not really in the hot tub business - he was in the sales business, and just happened to be applying his skills to hot tubs.
He really wasn’t qualified to compare his store's brand name with the other brand names out there. In fact, he didn't know very much about his own company's jets, plumbing, insulation, materials, manufacturing techniques and performance, never mind the "other guys". All he knew was based on what his store had trained him to say.
He was a genuinely nice guy, just doing his job. Based on what he knew, he was sincerely convinced that his store had the very best deal in town. I wish him all the best.
I know that sounds kind of patronizing, but it feels better to smugly pat someone's head than to spitefully paddle their backside.
5. The "Us Versus Them" Game
There is a big difference between good and bad brand names. But amongst similar quality brand names, the rivalry is usually over issues that have more to do with marketing and personal preference than performance and longevity. Usually the benefits of one over the other are not nearly as important as they claim.
If the different manufacturers you are considering make similar quality spas, don't allow these little technical details confuse you or distract you from the more important issues that you will live with every day, such as size, dimensions, seating layout, jet patterns, special features and overall design.
6. Good Marketing Versus Good Value
The ability to build a good product and the ability to advertise effectively are not necessarily related. Just because a manufacturer does an excellent job promoting their brand name doesn't necessarily mean that their product is superior. I know some great manufacturers that do a terrible job marketing their spas, and vice versa. A well-known brand name doesn't necessarily mean it's a good brand name.
Consumers are naturally drawn to well-known businesses that put out full-page ads and have cutting-edge interactive websites, nice-looking facilities in high-traffic areas and hire physically attractive staff and professionally trained salespeople. That’s why hot tub stores do all that stuff.
However, a wise shopper judges a business by their product quality, their price and their track record for integrity, not their marketing, presentation or aesthetics.
7. Different Brand Names, Same Manufacturer
Sometimes competing hot tub stores are actually selling pretty much the same product under different brand names. For instance, two manufacturers I work with actually make tubs for several different spa companies. Some of these brand names are far more popular than others, depending on how successfully they promote themselves.
Some manufacturers have a "default" brand name, but if I paid them to do so, I could have them stamp and label the hot tubs they send me with my own brand name and I could market them as a different product. If I were a very good businessman, my brand name might end up being more popular than the default name my manufacturer uses. Isn't that a hoot?
8. Guts Matter Most
Lots of things come into play when choosing the hot tub that's best for you. It only makes sense that most people make their decision based on what they can see - the exterior of a hot tub. However, when it comes to quality, workmanship and reliability, nothing is more important than the things you can't see from the outside.
The plumbing and fittings, motor, pump, thermostat, heating element, circuit board & digital controls and jets are the things that are most prone to problems in the future, so don't compromise on quality when it comes to these things. Unfortunately, most often those things aren't even addressed in the showroom.
When it comes to pumps and electronics, stay away from new, obscure and/or imported brand names, and avoid manufacturers who use "guts" that are exclusive to their own brand name.
8. Warranty Issues
Read the fine print! The policy often lets the company off the hook for the most common problems.
But more important than the wording itself is the integrity of the company. Some companies (like Beachcomber or Crystal Waters for example) may not have an over-the-top sounding warranty, but they have an excellent track record for prompt service "with a smile" and going way beyond what's legally required of them. I also know and have worked with manufacturers who make all kinds of promises but when there are problems, it's like pulling teeth to try get them to honour their warranty.
9. Standard Versus Exclusive Features
The more unique parts and features in a particular model, the more dealer-reliant you become, with model-specific parts that are eventually discontinued.
As the years go by, a hot tub with special features or brand-name-specific parts becomes increasingly more tricky to repair (have you heard of the term “planned obsolescence”?). As a result, spas with unique features and dealer-only parts tend to depreciate quickly and are hard to resell.
For example, one of the most popular brand names in BC are currently making hot tubs that come with jets that are immediately obsolete. They make them at the factory to put in their tubs they sell but we were astonished to discover that their own parts & repair store does not have replacement jets for them!
It's best to go with spas that use jets, spa packs and filters that are not unique to that particular hot tub brand name. And when it comes to plumbing, as repair guys, we love it when a hot tub uses regular plumbing parts with normal threads in standard sizes.
10. Simple Versus Complex
Many of the newer models are needlessly sophistocated (that's a nice way of saying complicated). NASA's Mars Rover was intentionally built as low-tech and simple as possible to increase reliability and longevity.
Any hot tub brand name that offers all kinds of fancy upgrades (chrome jets, stereo, LED lights, waterfalls, ozonator, multi-pump systems, etc.) as "standard features" should be immediately suspect. The most trusted brand names tend to be more conservative, less "blingy", and lean more toward the “KISS” philosophy, which stands for “Keep It Simple Stupid”.
Having said that, if you are one of those people that like cool features and fun upgrades, there's certainly nothing wrong with that if you go with a quality manufacturer.
The problem is that it's usually the cheap & trashy ones that are most flashy and show more stuff up front. They may be eye-catching and capture your imagination, but they have a poor track record for performance, reliability and integrity. Kind of like the night club scene.
11. Hot Tub Shells
Conventional hot tub shells are made of fiberglass with a thin film of acrylic over it, which gives it color and texture. For the most part, shells themselves are rarely an issue – it’s the acrylic skin that matters.
Some manufacturers use thinner gauge acrylic than others. Some use better materials and more effective techniques to properly bond the acrylic to the fiberglass to prevent blistering and delamination.
Poorly designed hot tubs and/or sloppy manufacturing techniques can result in the acrylic to be over-stretched in certain areas, especially in the deep seats and floor corners. Sometimes the film is literally paper-thin. If water and/or air get between the fiberglass and the acrylic skin, it can begin to blister or delaminate. The damage on a too-thin layer is sometimes triggered by a scratch or puncture from a foreign object dropped into the water, which can void the warranty.
12. Horsepower Specs
Horsepower rating is usually based on "peak power", which measures the initial power surge when the motor first kicks in. After that, the pressure drops off significantly. Some motors have a proportionately higher peak power than others. Several factors determine the strength of a pump, so horsepower stats don’t always accurately represent the actual working jet pressure.
Amperage is also an important indication of a pump's performance. A low amperage motor with a high horsepower rating doesn't make sense. High amperage equals high power.
13. Plumbing Efficiency
More important than brute horsepower is plumbing design. Good plumbing is all about physics. A good system has short-as-possible runs, uses high-flow pipes and hoses, and eliminates “T” joints and sharp angles. That's why some higher end hot tubs can get away with a smaller pump while other manufacturers have to compensate for poor plumbing by putting in a big motor.
Inefficient plumbing stresses the joints and strains the hoses so that there is a much higher chance of leaks developing.
14. Plumbing Quality
The physical engineering of hot tub plumbing is important, but even more crucial is the techniques and materials they use. The type of clamp (if they use clamps at all) is important, as is the quality of the hoses and pipes they install. Glue is VERY important! Cheap glue can lose its structural integrity over time and may result in everything starting to come apart after a couple of years.
15. Unproven New Theories
Marketing new tubs requires that manufacturers give the clients a sense of progress by coming up with “new features” for next year’s models. New concepts tend to draw a lot of attention but, but I believe it’s wise to stay away from buying into options based on theories that aren't tried and true.
16. Sanitizing Systems (Ozone, Saltwater, Ultraviolet, etc.)
Which system works best? Although I have done some research on the subject, I admit that I am not an expert in this field. The way I see it, as the politically incorrect saying goes, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat”.
A whole essay can be written on this subject, but to keep it simple, I’ll just say that if you're dealing with a high quality manufacturer, these new systems all seem to work pretty good, and are a great option for people who want to reduce the need for chemicals in their spa water.
17. The Insulation Controversy
Hot tub retailers have a heyday with this one! The truth is, for south-western BC weather, the difference between one style and another will not make a huge difference in your heating bill. Other things such as pumps, plumbing, outside temperature, exposure to wind and frequency of use make WAAAY more of a difference than the kind of insulation your hot tub uses.
But as used hot tub specialists, we know for a fact that foamed shells and plumbing tend to leak less and make a hot tub last longer. The foam holds the hoses still so that they don’t move when the motor kicks on and off. This helps prevent the plumbing from sagging, which over the years creates a subtle stretch at the top of the fittings and a compression at the bottom. It also seems that the airtight foam preserves the plastic, keeping it more resilient and less brittle, thus less prone to spring leaks.
18. Jet Pressure Consistency
In a poorly designed hot tub, some jets are considerably weaker than others because they are further away from the motor. For instance, a jet with an 8-foot feeder hose will be a lot weaker than one with a 2-foot hose. A good spa manufacturer has done the math and figured out how to provide equally strong pressure to each jet.
19. Horsepower Overkill
Higher horsepower isn’t always a good thing – it can create undue stress on the pump, plumbing and jets. A jet can only handle so many gallons per minute and applying too much pressure may cause them to blow out prematurely. Note that with many manfuacturers, the warranty does not cover jets - look for it - if jets are not specifically mentioned, they are not covered.
20. Number of Jets
First time buyers tend to place way too much priority on the number of jets. Most of the artfully laid out jetting nowadays is designed more for “wow’ appeal than for practical purposes. Although we do offer spa models with loads of jets for those who want them, statistics show that return customers almost always go for something more basic the second time around.
21. Jet placement
What’s the point of a hundred jets if they aren’t strategically placed for effective and soothing massage? Some spa models have jets placed in such a way that they don't make sense - they either miss your body completely or even worse, can be located at pressure points that are actually annoying. Jets that aren’t being appreciated are useless and wasteful.
22. Jet Clustering
One might imagine that a seat that sports twenty jets against your back might give you four times the massage than one with only five jets. But if you get too many gets pushing against you at the same time, you loose the massage effect. Instead of feeling twenty pressure points against your back all you feel is a general current that pushes you away from the wall – especially if the jets are placed too closely together.
23. True Jetting Versus Manifold Cheating
A well built tub has dedicated hoses to each jet, but some hot tubs cheat with a manifold behind the shell, essentially creating a “shower head” effect.
24. Skirting
Some cheaper tubs have tongue-and-groove panels that are literally one quarter as thick as a high-quality spa would use, and they are often glued or stapled on very sloppily.
Artificial wood is considerably more durable and lower maintenance than real cedar but there's a huge difference between the good stuff (plastic or composite) and the bad stuff (foamy or cardboard-ish).
25. Sealed Bases
These are meant to keep out moisture rodents and insects but some manufacturers use soft chewy plastic and/or, thin-gauge sheets which are easily gnawed through. The moulded "tub" style sealed bases are better than the ones that consist of a sheet of thick plastic stapled to the bottom of the frame. It's like a rubber boot compared to a sandal.
26. Comfortable seating
Hot tub marketing research has shown that people are more prone to buy a spa that feels comfortable when they sit in it on the showroom floor.
Sometimes features like foam padding, detailed "ergonomic" sculpting, and "lean back" seating are introduced to give the spa model "comfort appeal" when you sit in them without water. Salespeople gush about "see how comfortable it is" because it sells tubs.
But it's extremely important to keep in mind that everything changes when it's full of water because of the buoyancy factor and jet currents. Try to imagine neutral buoyancy while you sit in the different seats and how that would effect how it feels.
27. Great For One or Two, Good Enough For a Crowd
When you’re in a hot tub alone, it’s great to close your eyes and really focus on the massage. When two people are in a hot tub (usually the owners), it’s nice to have a couple very comfortable, nicely jetted seats to sit in and chat while enjoying a massage. But when the hot tub is full of people, they’re not there for therapeutic massage – they’re there to socialize. So the more people in a tub, the less important jetting becomes. Hot swirling water is usually good enough for group tubbing - not every seat has to offer an amazing jet cluster.
If budget is an issue, you can get away with a simpler tub that takes that into consideration. Instead of having eight incredibly-jetted seats, you might consider choosing a simpler spa that only has a couple of really nicely jetted seats, with more modestly jetted “overflow seating” for guests. That way you can save money and entertain guests without compromising your own comfort.
Note: It's always best to have more seats than the number of people using the tub, or else it can feel claustrophobic.
28. Seating Heights and Contours
Poorly designed tubs don’t take into consideration different body-types. Some tubs are uncomfortable for tall people or too deep for children and short people. Large people sometimes feel squished by restrictive contours. A good tub has a variety of heights and widths that accommodate different sizes and shapes.
29. Levitating Recliners
A poorly designed recliner combined with poorly planned jetting may feel great when you sit in the dry shell at the showroom, but when you fill it with water, you float up and away. A well-designed recliner keeps you seated in the recliner when it’s full of water with jets going full blast.
30. Cooling Stations Versus All-Or-Nothing
When the body is submerged up to the neck in hot water, it's only a matter of time before the body overheats and needs to cool off. When that happens, a person has to take part of his/her body out of the hot water to cool it down. When a hot tub only has deep seats, the person has to sit on the edge of the tub, exposing pretty much all of their body to the elements. In cold weather, this can be too much, too fast. Plus it can be uncomfortable and even dangerous to sit on the narrow ledge of a home spa.
A well laid out hot tub has places to sit inside the tub that can serve as "cooling stations". These can be higher seats, access steps and/or the calf/feet section of the lounger that allow different percentages of the body to be exposed to the cooling air.
31. Deluxe Hot Tub Cover Upgrades
After two inches of foam, the thickness doesn’t make any difference when it comes to insulation – most of the heat escapes through the seam and the contact line between the shell and cover. An extra-thick cover may be stronger but they are heavier and actually tend to have a shorter lifespan.
32. Surface Skimmers
The surface skimmers are supposed to sip the “floaties” (dandruff, hair, body oil, etc) from the water surface. A poorly designed tub has contours and water currents that create back-eddies that trap the floaties in the corners and seat contours, creating a “ring around the tub” instead of being slurped into the filters, while a well-planned water flow intentionally creates a current that sweeps the surface floaties into the surface skimmers.
33. Priorities for Colors & Patterns
The interior shell is the main visual focus when shopping for a hot tub in a showroom, but keep in mind that once it’s installed, the shell itself is almost completely covered with water and the crown can only be seen when the hot tub is in use, which is usually after dark. Almost always, the hot tub is seen with the cover on, which means the cover and skirting combination are far more important than the shell’s color and pattern.
If you have any advice or insights about choosing a hot tub that you would like to share, please let us know. If it makes sense, we'd love to add it to this web page.
Phone us at (604) 787-4441 or email us at bcusedhottubs@gmail.com |
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