Mark SC

So far, I'm happy with the single speed heat stick pump for my needs. We've had some cooler nights recently (45 degrees), and my spa is on for about 1-2 hours during its nighttime filter cycle to maintain the heat. I can live with that since it is filtering at the same time. The average temperature here (average of daily high and low) is about 40 degrees in the winter, so figure the pump is on for about 2-5 hours per day in the winter and much less than that (depending on filter setting) in the summer. Again, if you live in a cold climate and are concerned that the friction heating is "bogus", just pay $200 for the upgrade to the two-speed pump with a heater. It's great that Dreammaker added that option this year.

I bought a Dreammaker Big EZ this spring and love it (I posted a review at SpaDepot if you want to learn more). It does use forced friction to heat (contrary to what others said above), which makes it easy on the wallet. Yes, it takes longer to heat the water on fill-up, but that's not a big inconvenience to me. If it's a concern of yours, buy one of the new hybrid heat models, which have a supplemental heater--the cost is only a few hundred $ more. As an aside, Dreammaker support is awesome. They helped me with an ozonator installation problem I had (returned my call within 10 minutes). If you want a spa with lots of bells and whistles, this is not the one for you. However, if you want a reliable basic tub with adequate jets and a great price, I strongly recommend Dreammaker.