How Would You Rate The Quality Of A Hot Tub? What Specific Aspects Do You Think Are Important?

[Dr. Spa]

I'm trying to put together a chart listing all the different aspects of a hot tub (brand), in order to, in a sense, rate the overall quality. Looking for some input on what YOU feel are some important aspects. Things such as;

Frame material (pressure treated wood, non-pressure treated wood, aluminum, steel, plastic etc.)

Cover quality (thickness, foam density etc.)

Skirt material and thickness (composite, wood)

Insulation method and material

Years in business

I'm as interested in what the Pros think is important, as much as what consumers think is important. PLEASE feel free to respond with what YOU feel is an important aspect...and please mention whether your a consumer, or a professional in the industry.

Thanks!

[Dan The Spa Man]

Great topic. This will be difficult to surmise and formulate so good luck. And I am sure that it will create a backlash amongst the ill-rated brands so be prepared...

I think a good way to approach this is to first establish guidelines on what brands to include and thus, what features to consider. Do you consider 110v or only 220v? Do you consider tubs that are international or only national? Do regional brands make the cut? Do you lump in the secondary lines in with the major brands (Ala Tiger River and Hot Springs) or do you keep them in a class by themselves? What happens if a line has certain features/parts/products that are only on, say, their ultra-premium lines but not on their more modestly priced models? Which then begs the question: Do you instead rate tubs on a size/price basis instead of a brand basis? Comparing apples to apples may only work if you can limit the variables to the smallest level possible.

For the above reasons I don't necessarily see all of the points you mentioned as being on equal footing. Ex: Cabinet material seems to be of lessor importance along with cover as most are all UL & ASTM approved. However, that is merely my point of view and others may place great stock in such features. I do like that it at least generates a conversation via critical thinking and not a tit-for-tat among those who are out to hype their brand/product line.

In addition to the points you mentioned I would also include quality of parts used and quality of shell construction. Volume of water moved per minute might be a factor to consider too. (As number of jets and motor size can be deceiving. 1 inch jets do not move the same amount of water as 5 inch jets, but they both count as one jet. Massive horsepower doesn't necessarily equate to great water flow if the plumbing, impellers, manifolds, and jets can't handle the output).

Warranties are tricky. Some manufacturers have a warranty that is 100% whereas others are pro-rated. And then you have to consider who is giving the warranty: Is it the manufacturer? Or is there a 3rd party offering an extended warranty? Or is it the dealer covering additional years? This can lead to an imbalance of warranties across the nation. Does BRAND X have the same warranty in, say, Sarasota as offered in New York?

I hope this comes across as suggestions and ideas and not as snark and derogatory. I am indeed interested in the thoughts of others and to see further points of consideration that I neglected to address/think of.

Good luck moving forward.

[Dan The Spa Man]

Ooops! I neglected to mention that I am a long time dealer in the industry.

[Dr. Spa]

I wish it were only difficult :-) ... .I've been thinking about it for years, and have never come up with a viable idea. There's SO much that's subjective or just personal preference.

Thanks for some ideas! I would like to cover every brand out there.

Voltage is a "personal" preference, or desire... I don't think it's a quality issue.

Personally, I don't see any problems with regional spas. The fact that they chose to not advertise on a national level, I don't believe, has any bearing on quality.

I think a secondary line would need to be "rated" on it's own...though it should be noted whom the "parent company" is.

Maybe brands with different lines need to be split up into their different lines.

Interesting about price..perhaps MSRP should play a factor (I know, no one sells at MSRP, but it is at least a number than can be used and compared...and I think price is important as most people do have some kind of budget).

Quality of parts used is one of the tings I'd like to include....though I'm a little lacking in knowledge at the moment to figure out what is what and better than what. There's controllers, pumps, jets and ????

The cover may or not be as important depending on where you live...Florida? Minnesota?...I'm kind of thinking of setting it so a consumer can place their own importance on each aspect.

"Quality of shell construction"? How would one determine what is better quality?

I was thinking about flow rate as well, but I have a feeling most manufacturers don't really know this number...or aren't willing to disclose it.

Horse power is SO deceptive, I'd kind of like to just leave it out all together...but,. maybe can't.

Warranties? hahahahahahaha. Talked to a buddy yesterday. A friend of his set up a new dealership. Took a spa right off the delivery truck, put it on the showroom floor, unwrapped it, filled it and discovered the pump housing was cracked and leaking. The manufacturer denied the warranty saying it was caused by bad water chemistry....warranties, although a comparable published number, in the real world might be hard to compare...but, I'd throw them with a through description and disclaimer.

[Laenini]

Having just went through the spa buying process myself I know how much I would have appreciated some sort of comparision tool like you suggest. I agree though, it might be very difficult to assign a rating value to different features when there isn't necessarily an objective means to assign those values. I suggest instead to look at mearly stating an objective compilation of a tub's features and allow the reader to then weigh out the value of the features themselves based on their unique needs. For example mearly state the composition of the frame (wood, pressure treated wood, steel, etc...). The reader can then decide what is important to them (maybe someone in Minnesota like me might want a steel frame) and the chart then can help them quickly find the tubs that are available with a steel frame.

By focusing on objective information (raw, factual information) rather than subjective (opinion or value based information) you'll create a useful chart that is meaningful to all spa shoppers and is free from potential bias. I also suggest that you consider color coding to make the chart clear. For example, standard feature information could be entered in black ink, where optional or upgraded features could be entered using red ink, etc...

Good luck with this valuable project!

[PreservedSwine]

Quality is important.

What isn't important in a spa

Stereo's,TV's,and any claim of superior [non]chemical maintenance

[Spa_Guru]

I am a long time repair professional, so for me repairability is a big deal.

Removable cabinet (all four sides and corners) and base, insulation that can either be easily removed or is installed in the perimiter of the spa.

Mechanical components that are both durable and readily available (as opposed to proprietary)

Shells that are backed with a material (such as fiberglass) that doesn't crack if the acrylic cracks.

[Roger]

Good stuff