mre Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Ready to buy a new spa. Artic seems to have best reviews and quality. I would like feedback as to whether other brands are worth considering. I could not readily find this information on another forum. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trigger Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Ready to buy a new spa. Artic seems to have best reviews and quality. I would like feedback as to whether other brands are worth considering. I could not readily find this information on another forum. Thanks! Other names that are consistently on the top of the lists are Hotsprings, (and thier sister companys Tiger River, and Caldera). I h ave had experience with these companies and thier tubs and would highly recomend them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Ready to buy a new spa. Artic seems to have best reviews and quality. I would like feedback as to whether other brands are worth considering. I could not readily find this information on another forum. Thanks! If I had to narrow it down to a handful I would add Caldera, D1, Hot Spring, Jacuzzi and Sundance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIALDA Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Ready to buy a new spa. Artic seems to have best reviews and quality. I would like feedback as to whether other brands are worth considering. I could not readily find this information on another forum. Thanks! What sources did you use to determine that Arctic has the best reviews and quality? Also what city and state are you in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart A Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Try and wet test as many as you can. There a many good makes and some not so good. A particular make and model might feel great for one person and another person would dislike it. Buying a spa is personal choice, and there is a lot of options out there to suit everybody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mre Posted December 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 I appreciate this feedback. I live in Chandler/Temp Arizona. In looking through the posts on this site as well as others, Artic continued to come up. Another factor for me is a high sensivity to chlorine (dry, itchy skin), therefore I liked the salt option. Have experienced that type of water at different results and could sit in the water for as long as I liked without the consequences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mre Posted December 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 One more thing - different way to ask the question - are their brands that I should stay away from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIALDA Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 I appreciate this feedback. I live in Chandler/Temp Arizona. In looking through the posts on this site as well as others, Artic continued to come up. Another factor for me is a high sensivity to chlorine (dry, itchy skin), therefore I liked the salt option. Have experienced that type of water at different results and could sit in the water for as long as I liked without the consequences. Be cautious with what you read as a "review" on a forum. In all honestly, most of them I have seen are from someone who works for or sells a particular brand. take them all with a grain of salt. Arctic is not actually making there salt generator. There are salt generators that can be added to any spa if that is the way you choose to go. Talk to the dealer that you choose about chemical options. Anyone with sensitive skin needs to be concerned with the spa itself first. soaking in warm water draws the oils out of your skin. In many cases it is the warm water itself and not nessessarily the chemicals causing itching. there are was to set up a chemical program where there are no chemicals in your spa when you are using it.. again ask your dealer to explain all the options to you as well as skin treatments after the spa. So, what is the best spa...Honestly I believe that varies from location to location. Although someone may say Joe blow spas is the best made, that may actually be the worst choice for you. What major brands are around Chandler Arizona. What dealers are around that area that have a good reputation. Which one has been in business for a while with the same brand that you are considering. Check on if they have a service dept, or if they sub out there service. Acme Super brand X may make a good spa, but if there is no dealer around you or no good dealers around you that may not be a wise choice. All the brands are only as good as the companies that represent them. First search out the dealers and brands that you feel comfortable with in your area. Then choose there best models that fits your needs and wet test them. Take what someone like me tells you on the internet as a best choiceas addl advice only. Look for a reputable dealer and do not be afraid to ask for referances, Date of incorporation, number of employees, service vans, delivery crew, etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIALDA Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 And by the way, I truly believe the best quality spas made in the world are made right here in The United States, right where the spa industry started. I hope you can find a quality U.S. made spa with a great dealer in your area.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mre Posted December 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Thank you for taking the time to respond! The obvious sometimes eludes me and trying to take a short cut generally has not worked well. I will take the time and make an informed choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted December 18, 2008 Report Share Posted December 18, 2008 Arctic is not actually making there salt generator. Kialda, very good post. Of course, IMO the best cold-weather spas are made in Canada, but I'm biased... To clarify your comment above: Arctic makes Onzen, which combines salt generation (either Br or Cl) with Ozone. It is the only factory-installed salt system on Arctic Spas. Do we "actually make" it? We assemble the units here at the factory from components manufactured to our specifications by various suppliers. I'd say yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weanut Posted January 2, 2009 Report Share Posted January 2, 2009 Arctic is not actually making there salt generator. Kialda, very good post. Of course, IMO the best cold-weather spas are made in Canada, but I'm biased... To clarify your comment above: Arctic makes Onzen, which combines salt generation (either Br or Cl) with Ozone. It is the only factory-installed salt system on Arctic Spas. Do we "actually make" it? We assemble the units here at the factory from components manufactured to our specifications by various suppliers. I'd say yes. Tom are your familiar with Beachcomber Spas (Vancouver Based Spa company)? And if so, what's your opinion about this product? TY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Tom are your familiar with Beachcomber Spas (Vancouver Based Spa company)? And if so, what's your opinion about this product? In my opinion, Beachcomber makes a good product (I've owned one). However, I believe Arctic's design and construction are better, and what did you expect me to say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizdoc Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Mre: I second the advice about carefully looking at the local scene. Your overall experience is going to be significantly influenced by the quality/service of the dealer. It is similar to autos and other major appliances. You can usually find several brands that offer closely competitive quality, but you will have to "live" with the local service. I recently replaced my 19 year old spa. Over that span I had learned quite a bit about servicing the spa, so in looking for another one I was interested in good quality but "off the shelf" components. I didn't want to be wedded to one manufacturer for their proprietary electronics, jets, etc. It is unfortunate that there is no impartial rating of spas (of the Consumer Reports type), so we are all relying on anecdotal data from web sites. In that case, a local dealer's reputation is some of the best resource. One advantage you have is that being in AZ the insulation isnt quite as much of an issue as those of us in northern climates. Then again, you dont get to enjoy a soak in the water when it is 10 degrees outside. Enjoy your selection... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerimiahR Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Mre: One advantage you have is that being in AZ the insulation isnt quite as much of an issue as those of us in northern climates. Then again, you dont get to enjoy a soak in the water when it is 10 degrees outside. Goodness! No hot tubbing at 10 degrees? Folks up here use theirs spas @ -20F all the time! Gotta love it! MRE: I grew up in the Phoenix Metro area! So it's cool seeing someone from Chandler on these forums. Reminds me of home. Big advantage for you is that you're bound to find a dealer for just about every brand possible in the Phoenix Metro area. With the housing market the way it is, I imagine you can look for some pretty good deals right about now too! Though you may not necessarily NEED the extra insulation, I'm definitely a huge fan of the Hot Spring brand. Course I'm a bit biased, but frankly they're a spectacular product. Your local Hot Spring Dealer (should you wish to visit them) is: WOW Indoor Outdoor - Tempe 1746 W Ruby Rd #104 Tempe, AZ 85281 480-899-5599 One thing to keep in mind. Come summer, any spa you get you may want to activate a "Summer" setting. Those Phoenix 110-120F days will heat things up pretty well! And keep in mind you can turn down the water temperature during the summer, and cool off in your Cool Spa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordmars Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Ready to buy a new spa. Artic seems to have best reviews and quality. I would like feedback as to whether other brands are worth considering. I could not readily find this information on another forum. Thanks! Remember one of the top rules of sales. "If you leave a good impression the customer will tell 3 people. If you leave a bad impression they will tell 10." I looked at the available spas in my area and chose Vita because they had the most jets and HP. Reviews on blogs aree often writen by Irate customers. Make sure that they service what they sell and they have service techs on the payroll. Many dealers will sell you the spa but will refer you to the factory for service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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