Newbie Needs Help Deciding On A Spa

[ezdraftcohibas]

Hi Everyone, I am new to this forum. I am looking at a hot tub, I have four questions:

1. My local dealer that everyone buys from sells hot springs and caldera spas, should i look at any others? Should I actually try out the spa? I am interested most in the Tahitian my dealer is asking 9k is that a good price?

2. Caldera spas look like they work with a frog spa system, it seems these are optional, anyone know how much more it would cost?

3. I am going to sink my spa in my deck. That is why the calderas are more attractive as the controls are on the top. The dealer recommended the hot tub should stick up from the deck so that its easier to get in and out, how much should it stick out?

4. I have an option on where to put the 7x7 spa on a 12x20 deck, my thought is to put the spa 1-2 feet away from the railing (edge of the deck) since that would leave 3-4 feet on the side closer to the house to walk by, any thoughts?

[rontl]

We are currently shopping for our first spa, and the one thing I can say is that you should go to as many dealers and sit in as many tubs filled with hot water as possible. We visited our Caldera dealer first, and were impressed, and came back with our suits, and found it very comfortable. Then we wet-tested:

Dimension 1, LA Spas, Sundance (2 models), Limelight, Hot Springs (2 models).

Still like Caldera best, trying to decide between the Geneva and the C45.

Some people think that broadening your search to more brands leads to "analysis paralysis" where you have so much information that you can't make a decision. I claim the opposite is true: you'll find one that you like best so far, and every time you get in a new one, you'll compare it to your favorite so far. Over time, you'll notice that you like the foot jets on this brand a little better, or whatever, and figure out what feels the best, and what is most important to you.

Maybe you'll end up with Caldera, but if not, it's because you found something that fits you better.

I was leaning toward the C45, because it's $1700 cheaper, but like the recirculating pump, and some of the other features. Neither one is exactly cheap, (I mean really, does anyone absolutely have to spend $7000 to sit in hot water?), but way cheaper than the $14,000 Sundance we sat in, and we found Caldera much more comfortable. But if we do spend more, we're going to be using it for at least 10 years, so you don't want to spend 10 years wishing you'd spent a little more for whatever it was.

Good luck.

Ron

[Goodwing]

G'day,

I'm in the same boat - SPA? as you. Spa hunting. I've been to loads of stores and sat in many SPA's (all dry tested so far). I've written a post to chronicle my search so far. Because I live in a cold climate, I had other considerations (jets and initial cost aside). My suggestion to you would be to consider the insulation, particularly if you live in cold weather as I do.

Keep us posted... even after you've made your choice and have had your spa.

Good luck,

Mike

PS. Can't believe that I'm gonna spend between $7 and $9k to sit in hot-water myself. Seems completely nuts.....

[ezdraftcohibas]

G'day,

I'm in the same boat - SPA? as you. Spa hunting. I've been to loads of stores and sat in many SPA's (all dry tested so far). I've written a post to chronicle my search so far. Because I live in a cold climate, I had other considerations (jets and initial cost aside). My suggestion to you would be to consider the insulation, particularly if you live in cold weather as I do.

Keep us posted... even after you've made your choice and have had your spa.

Good luck,

Mike

PS. Can't believe that I'm gonna spend between $7 and $9k to sit in hot-water myself. Seems completely nuts.....

I am in NJ, which spas have you looked at? 9k sounds like so much money, i use to see them in costco for 3k but i guess they are crap

[rontl]

Insulation is important, but here in Nevada, every tub has an estimated electrical usage sticker on the side (CA laws mandate it, and we're 10 miles from CA), so it's easy to estimate the energy usage for comparison purposes. But like anyone on this forum would say, never buy a tub without wet testing. Jets look impressive, but there's no way to know how they feel, how they hit the places you need relief in most until you feel the bubbles.

Ron