Difficult Decision To Buy A Spa In Europe, Please Help

[bugster7]

Dear All from the "land of spa",

We want to buy one of the above mentioned spa´s and we have big problems to decide which one. The price for a littlebit bigger spa in Austria is so high that you can also buy a new car.

The last days I really studied this forum to get more cost-benefit information and price range ot these spa´s in America.

We did also some wet tests and get different meanings of these manufactors.

Please let me explain our experience:

HS Envoy: Nice pool, perfect optical caracteristic incl. all the lights, but we think the technique is really simple: No possibility to switch off of seperate jets, no special possibility to use more air mixed to the water stream. There are only that two valves to switch between the seats. For me the massage pressure was ok but my wife wants less pressure and this was difficult to set up. The moto massage is great and I think the 100% of filtration is useful. Is it true, that HS only uses the 24h circulation pump and didn´t start the jet pumps for filtration or anti freeceing. We would prefere the Grandee because of the more open space.

SD Cameo: For us too small but we dry tested the Maxxus and felt that the Maxxus is too big for this only 4 massage places. The massage in the Cameo was ok, advantage for me are the non rotating jets and the dealer company in Austria. For my wife was it difficult to get a neck massage without keeping the ears dry. Is it better with the ergonomics of the maxxus to get a good neck massage? The lighting of the SD looks like "old fashioned".

The same SD dealer offered us a Jacuzzi J480 from stock without possibility of wet testing. He promised us, if we will not like it we can take another SD spa. From the size the 480 is between the Cameo/Optima an the Maxxus and fits our view.

Artesian: We tried the Grand Bahama 62 and the platinum elite Dove Canyon. The neck seat in the Bahama was the best for my wife, but both were floated out from the lounge. Both pools were ok with the massage and the possibility to regulate water pressure, air and to regulate the seperate jets. I also liked the dynabright of the Dove Canyon. But I´m afraid of the possible technical problems of the seperate control devices. I was also shocked that Artesian spa´s will run in the worst case every two hours the jet pumps agaist freeceing.

D1: Optical our favourite is the Amore Bay, but first we had wet tested the chairman II and was littlebit disappointed about the massage power. To get a good pressure to the rotating jets I had to turn of several other jets. The neck massage is fine because of the adjustability of the pillows. Do all the D1 spa have no possibility to mix more air to the water stream? The variety of the different jets is similar less closed to the the hotspring jets, not so fine for us. We will test the amore bay next week and hope to get a better massage than from the chairman.

Now I post some offered prices vs. the US price I got from the forum:

(All are calculated back to US Dollar incl. tax with ozone, stairs, lifter, chemical starterset and build up. Some with stereo)

HS Grandee: 22300 $ (US 11000) no stereo (new)

SD Maxxus: 26000 $ (US 13500) with stereo (showroom model 2009 dry)

Jacuzzi 480: 25500 $ (US 12000) with stereo (stock model 2009)

Pelican Bay: 23200 $ (US 11500) no stereo (showroom model 2009 wet)

Dove Canyon: 22700 $ (US 11000) no stereo (stock model 2009)

Grand Bahama: 17400 $ (US 7500) with stereo (showroom model 2009 wet)

D1 Amore Bay: 25400 $ (US 13000) no stereo (showroom model 2009 dry)

If some of you check this prices, you hopefully could imagine that we haven´t it easy in Europe.

Please give us your experience by focus on the cost and benefit for the following points:

Which spa is the best in:

Energy efficiency (consumption):

Powerfull massage:

Adjustable massage / varity of jets:

Water quality (filtration):

Low maintenance:

Technical equipment:

Low errors:

Manufactor reputation:

I´m interested in your statements. Thank you in advance and please excuse my english.

Chris

[Roger]

HS Grandee: 22300 $ (US 11000) no stereo (new)

SD Maxxus: 26000 $ (US 13500) with stereo (showroom model 2009 dry)

Jacuzzi 480: 25500 $ (US 12000) with stereo (stock model 2009)

Pelican Bay: 23200 $ (US 11500) no stereo (showroom model 2009 wet)

Dove Canyon: 22700 $ (US 11000) no stereo (stock model 2009)

Grand Bahama: 17400 $ (US 7500) with stereo (showroom model 2009 wet)

D1 Amore Bay: 25400 $ (US 13000) no stereo (showroom model 2009 dry)

Energy efficiency (consumption):

Powerfull massage:

Adjustable massage / varity of jets:

Water quality (filtration):

Low maintenance:

Technical equipment:

Low errors:

Manufactor reputation:

I´m interested in your statements. Thank you in advance and please excuse my english.

Chris

I think YOU need to decide which is the best for YOU. They are all good brands. If money was no objest I would take the Amore Bay....cool tub.

[d1dennis2009]

I definitely like the Amore Bay from D1 Spas, and not just because I work for them either..!

Great spa.

HS Grandee: 22300 $ (US 11000) no stereo (new)

SD Maxxus: 26000 $ (US 13500) with stereo (showroom model 2009 dry)

Jacuzzi 480: 25500 $ (US 12000) with stereo (stock model 2009)

Pelican Bay: 23200 $ (US 11500) no stereo (showroom model 2009 wet)

Dove Canyon: 22700 $ (US 11000) no stereo (stock model 2009)

Grand Bahama: 17400 $ (US 7500) with stereo (showroom model 2009 wet)

D1 Amore Bay: 25400 $ (US 13000) no stereo (showroom model 2009 dry)

Energy efficiency (consumption):

Powerfull massage:

Adjustable massage / varity of jets:

Water quality (filtration):

Low maintenance:

Technical equipment:

Low errors:

Manufactor reputation:

I´m interested in your statements. Thank you in advance and please excuse my english.

Chris

I think YOU need to decide which is the best for YOU. They are all good brands. If money was no objest I would take the Amore Bay....cool tub.

[bugster7]

Thank you for your replys.

Today we tested the Amore Bay. Its a real nice spa but i was disappointed about the high of the seating bench. I was out from water with my complete shoulders.

Now my dealer will give me more information about the Serena bay.

I´m afraid that the Serena will cost much more money every day for heating.

Do someone have experiance with the energy consumption difference?

Best regards,

Chris