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Hey guys, I am looking to buy my first hot tub and am looking or some help. I live in Edmonton and have access to most major Canadian brands/dealers. From word of mouth I have heard mostly good about beachcomber and bad about arctic spa, but have been frustrated trying to find consumer feedback on most spa brands online before finding this forum. I am hoping you guys can give me some experienced feedback which brands best suit what I am looking for. I have been in beachcombers before but really lack exposure to other brands. My first priority is the most reliability you can get from a hot tub in Edmonton's extreme cold and temperature swings. Inside the warranty window and beyond, I don't want a hot tub that is constantly broken down or that will need to be replaced within the next decade. I would like a 6 seater minimum, to seat family and friends but do not want to spend more than $14k CAD on a spa. Jet power and massage aren't super important to me, I just want a spot to relax. So far my favorite is the Beachcomber 590 Hybrid4. I like the simplicity (minimal electronics to fail) and seating layout although it is right up against my budget and I understand the risk the pump location under the steps carries. I have read that the dealer and service provided under warranty is very important and I will be sure to do that research once I can get it narrowed down to a few brands. Thanks for any help!

I just thought I would share that my search for a spa had ended! After getting frustrated when despite talking to several D1 dealerships in the Twin Cities I was unable to secure a chance to wet test a tub from their Reflections line, I noticed Dolphin Pool and Spa on the side of the highway as I was heading home from another, unhelpful D1 dealership. I decided to pull over and stop in. Right away I noticed their low key attitude and I liked that. My salesrep, Margo was friendly and helpful. She seemed to answer questions honestly and in a straight forward manner. Since I liked what I saw, I made arrangements to come back the next day to wet test the Cantabria, the largest tub in their luxury line, the Utopia series. So yesterday, with a friend along for the ride, we went to test out the Cantabria. This is a big tub with lots of features. Some key points for me was that I seemed to stay in the lounger and the deep captains seats. Often, I feel like I'm floundering around in tubs, trying not to bounce around like a superball! Caldera was smart in their design and there always seemed to be a place for my feet where I could brace myself gently in place. The jets were vigorous and seemed to hit me in the right places to sooth some of my worst trigger points. Margot gave us an initial orientation to the jets and diverter functions so that we knew how to control the tub, and then left us to enjoy it. She handled that perfectly in that she was helpful but not intrusive. There are a lot of hot tub salesmen in the Twin Cities who could learn from her example how to make a customer happy! After the wet test I talked with her about price. She told me the initial prices they had set for the two Cantabria models they had available without special ordering. I told her which one I was interested in and where I needed the price to be as this tub is being covered on an insurance claim and the insurance company has given me a budget. She excused herself, then came back and said they would accept my price! So I signed papers and wrote a check right then and there. I am now the proud new owner of a Caldera Cantabria with all the bells and whistles! The price Dolphin accepted is a very reasonable price for what is Caldera's flagship, top of the line, luxury tub! At so many dealerships, I would get this uneasy feeling that I was being manipulated and taken advantage of, particularly because I was a woman shopping alone it seemed. At other dealerships when I would try to negotiate with them for a spa in their luxury lines they would act very snooty and direct me to their mid-level line. There was a HotSprings salesman in particular that looked very angry at me when I tried to discuss price on their Grandee tub, and they had it tagged thousands of dollars higher than what I have read on this board is a good, honest price for a new Grandee. I will never forget that man's face! And needless to say I walked out of there and didn't bother to return. If someone is going to be angry that I will not allow myself to be taken advantage of, then I don't need to have anything to do with them. Another dealership didn't want to bargain on their price as they said the State Fair is coming up and they needed their new tubs to bring to the fair, so it wasn't worth it to them to bargain at all. I thought that was an odd way to look at the situation to say the least, especially when the fair is still 6-7 weeks away! At Dolphin, I felt like I was respected, appreciated, and given a good price and an honest deal. They seemed to be happy to treat me well! In fact, Margo described herself to me as a people person who got her job satisfaction from making people happy. Well, she did make me happy, without a doubt! Dolphin not only sold me a spa, but as a pool and spa owner they won my loyalty for purchases for years to come!

Hello: New to group, but hope I can get some helpful input. I want to buy a hot tub for my home in NH and have been looking at: HotSprings,Nordic and Premium Leisure brands. Noted there were a lot of older post regarding PL, and was hoping to get an update on company, product reviews. Thank You