Latest Costco

[Muffley]

OK, so I have been thinking about a hot tub for some time and been lurking around these boards for the past few months...so am very familiar with the sordid history Costco has had with hot tubs. Moreover I have no desire to (re)start an argument about how Costco is selling $10k tubs for $4-5k (I don't believe this at all). Nor do I want to engage in a discsussion of the value/importance of local dealer support (I believe this is very valuable).

Instead, what I'd like is to hear some people weigh in on the latest Costco offering: the Aquaterra Eternity . This tub is selling for $2400 and appears to me to be exactly the type of tub Costco should have been selling all along. It appears to be:

• simple (round, no frills)
• well insulated (full foam but that's another argument I'd prefer to avoid)
• versatile (plug n' play OR 220V, ozone-ready)
• good-quality (stainless steel, decent warranty)

Below are the specs from the Costco website. Note that in the above I highlighted the word "appears"...that is because I'd be interested in all of your opinions on how this tub "appears" to you. Thanks in advance.

Specifications:

Seating: 5 adult seats

Dimensions: 78" x 78" x 33.5"

Jet Pump: 1.5 hp, 2-speed pump; our pump draws fewer amps on low speed, using less energy to heat and filter

Jet Count: 17 stainless steel jets

16 adjustable hydro therapy jets (4 rotational)

1 ozone jet

Weight Dry / Filled: 350 lbs. / 2,620 lbs.

Water Capacity: 280-gallon water

Electrical: 115 V/220 V: 115V for plug and play convenience; Plugs into standard outlet with dedicated circuit OR 220V (115V conversion kit included no extra cost)

Heater: 1kw (115V) / 4kw (220V) stainless steel heater

Filter: 50 sq. ft.; intelligent filtration with customized programming for optimized filtration cycles

Full foam insulation for maximum efficiency and long term heat retention

Color: Artic shell / mahogany synthetic skirt

Place on concrete slab or properly supported wood deck

Made in the USA

Features:

Light with colored lenses

Includes digital LED controls

Aromatherapy crystals to take relaxation to a new level

Made of durable Unicast Polyethylene

Bottom drain for easy maintenance

RokSolid™ advanced polymer Artic color shell and synthetic mahogany wood skirt provides beauty and strength

Cover: High quality, ASTM approved covers with insulating baffles and locking safety clips" in Mahogany (Slate) color to match your spa

Warranty:

Lifetime – Structure

5 year shell

1 year parts

1 year labor

[UK Arctic Dealer]

OK, so I have been thinking about a hot tub for some time and been lurking around these boards for the past few months...so am very familiar with the sordid history Costco has had with hot tubs. Moreover I have no desire to (re)start an argument about how Costco is selling $10k tubs for $4-5k (I don't believe this at all). Nor do I want to engage in a discsussion of the value/importance of local dealer support (I believe this is very valuable).

Instead, what I'd like is to hear some people weigh in on the latest Costco offering: the Aquaterra Eternity . This tub is selling for $2400 and appears to me to be exactly the type of tub Costco should have been selling all along. It appears to be:

• simple (round, no frills)
• well insulated (full foam but that's another argument I'd prefer to avoid)
• versatile (plug n' play OR 220V, ozone-ready)
• good-quality (stainless steel, decent warranty)

Below are the specs from the Costco website. Note that in the above I highlighted the word "appears"...that is because I'd be interested in all of your opinions on how this tub "appears" to you. Thanks in advance.

Specifications:

Seating: 5 adult seats

Dimensions: 78" x 78" x 33.5"

Jet Pump: 1.5 hp, 2-speed pump; our pump draws fewer amps on low speed, using less energy to heat and filter

Jet Count: 17 stainless steel jets

16 adjustable hydro therapy jets (4 rotational)

1 ozone jet

Weight Dry / Filled: 350 lbs. / 2,620 lbs.

Water Capacity: 280-gallon water

Electrical: 115 V/220 V: 115V for plug and play convenience; Plugs into standard outlet with dedicated circuit OR 220V (115V conversion kit included no extra cost)

Heater: 1kw (115V) / 4kw (220V) stainless steel heater

Filter: 50 sq. ft.; intelligent filtration with customized programming for optimized filtration cycles

Full foam insulation for maximum efficiency and long term heat retention

Color: Artic shell / mahogany synthetic skirt

Place on concrete slab or properly supported wood deck

Made in the USA

Features:

Light with colored lenses

Includes digital LED controls

Aromatherapy crystals to take relaxation to a new level

Made of durable Unicast Polyethylene

Bottom drain for easy maintenance

RokSolid™ advanced polymer Artic color shell and synthetic mahogany wood skirt provides beauty and strength

Cover: High quality, ASTM approved covers with insulating baffles and locking safety clips" in Mahogany (Slate) color to match your spa

Warranty:

Lifetime – Structure

5 year shell

1 year parts

1 year labor

Hi Muffley,

just been on the Aqua Terra website i havent heard of this company before so cant make much of a comment. It does say on their website they are exclusive to Costco so thats probably why i havent heard of them. It looks to me a similar looking tub to the Strong Spas Antigua but with more jets on the Strong Spa. I have to admit the white plastic looks nice wasnt sure at first from the pictures if it was acrylic. How does the Strong Spa stack up pricewise over in the US, if its a similar price i would say go and have a look at a Strong Spa from a dealer.

[Muffley]

UK Arctic-

Thx for the reply. I will definitely check on Strong Spa. I have done a bit of investigating and a snear as I can tell Aquaterra is a recently formed company/brand used to sell Freeflow spas through Costco without directly competing with Freeflow dealers. Moreover it appears that the Aquaterra Eternity is the Freeflow Legend (which Freeflow no longer sells through dealers). Not 100% sure about this, but again it makes sense to me that a tub manufacturer would want to sell higher end tubs through dealers while simultaneously selling rebranded lower end tubs through a distributor like Costco.

Thx. again.

[JCE]

I'm always hip to round spas with square dimensions.

[hottubdan]

UK Arctic-

Thx for the reply. I will definitely check on Strong Spa. I have done a bit of investigating and a snear as I can tell Aquaterra is a recently formed company/brand used to sell Freeflow spas through Costco without directly competing with Freeflow dealers. Moreover it appears that the Aquaterra Eternity is the Freeflow Legend (which Freeflow no longer sells through dealers). Not 100% sure about this, but again it makes sense to me that a tub manufacturer would want to sell higher end tubs through dealers while simultaneously selling rebranded lower end tubs through a distributor like Costco.

Thx. again.

FreeFlow has no higher end tubs.

[Muffley]

I'm always hip to round spas with square dimensions.

lol, didn't catch that. For the record, that appears to be Costco's error as the Aqauterra site lists the correct dimensions (i.e. 78" diameter)

[Muffley]

UK Arctic-

Thx for the reply. I will definitely check on Strong Spa. I have done a bit of investigating and a snear as I can tell Aquaterra is a recently formed company/brand used to sell Freeflow spas through Costco without directly competing with Freeflow dealers. Moreover it appears that the Aquaterra Eternity is the Freeflow Legend (which Freeflow no longer sells through dealers). Not 100% sure about this, but again it makes sense to me that a tub manufacturer would want to sell higher end tubs through dealers while simultaneously selling rebranded lower end tubs through a distributor like Costco.

Thx. again.

FreeFlow has no higher end tubs.

Fair point. I didn't mean to imply that Freeflow has high-end tubs, what I meant to say was that within the Freeflow line-up this Costco offering is at their lower end (i.e. smallest tub, simple round, no color choice for either the skirt or shell, etc.). So I guess what I am interested in is assessing if this tub is of decent quality. It's all about trade-off and it appears to me that Costco may have finally found a tub that has enough features (i.e. 220V option) within a basic enough package (round, only 17 jets, relatively small size, etc.) to hit upon the correct quality/price trade-off. But as I know nothing about Freeflow nor how this Aquaterra sub-brand may be different from typical Freeflow products I really have no was of assessing the overall quality (i.e. components, assembly, insulation, etc.).

[JerimiahR]

Check with a local Hot Spring dealer and ask about the new Hot Spot Sprint and Dash models. They're basically the same size at 78" diameter & 35" tall (excluding cover). Would be over all much higher quality product, backed by a much better company.

The difficult part with Costco, is they are very, very price oriented. It's all about price points. Now for Sony Blu-Ray players and things of that nature, it means I can buy a good player for $109 (instead of $180). In that case, it's the same Sony Blu-Ray you can buy elsewhere.

However, when it comes to stuff like hot tubs, it means the manufacturer has to find ways to make their lower end hot tub even cheaper. That usually means cut corners, less jets, lesser warranty, lower overhead, etc etc. Costco dictates what price point the spa can be sold for, and the manufacturer simply has to make it work for themselves. Anyone who decides to buy from Costco has to weigh in a lot of factors:

No Local Support

Lesser Quality/Reliability

Higher Energy Use

Less or Less expensive Insulation (not all "Full-foam" is the same)

History of Bankruptcy for 'Costco' spa manufacturers

Self-Installation & Setup of Spa

Buying a Spa you cannot see, let alone sit in

If a person is driven specifically by the dollar sign, it's a cheap way to get a hot tub. But if you'd prefer energy efficiency, reliability, technical support, local service, long term life, on and on... you really need to buy from a local dealer that sells products made by a reputable manufacturer.

[Muffley]

Check with a local Hot Spring dealer and ask about the new Hot Spot Sprint and Dash models. They're basically the same size at 78" diameter & 35" tall (excluding cover). Would be over all much higher quality product, backed by a much better company.

The difficult part with Costco, is they are very, very price oriented. It's all about price points. Now for Sony Blu-Ray players and things of that nature, it means I can buy a good player for $109 (instead of $180). In that case, it's the same Sony Blu-Ray you can buy elsewhere.

However, when it comes to stuff like hot tubs, it means the manufacturer has to find ways to make their lower end hot tub even cheaper. That usually means cut corners, less jets, lesser warranty, lower overhead, etc etc. Costco dictates what price point the spa can be sold for, and the manufacturer simply has to make it work for themselves. Anyone who decides to buy from Costco has to weigh in a lot of factors:

No Local Support

Lesser Quality/Reliability

Higher Energy Use

Less or Less expensive Insulation (not all "Full-foam" is the same)

History of Bankruptcy for 'Costco' spa manufacturers

Self-Installation & Setup of Spa

Buying a Spa you cannot see, let alone sit in

If a person is driven specifically by the dollar sign, it's a cheap way to get a hot tub. But if you'd prefer energy efficiency, reliability, technical support, local service, long term life, on and on... you really need to buy from a local dealer that sells products made by a reputable manufacturer.

Good stuff Jeremiah...thx for taking the time. It's definitely a trade-off...no question about it and the history Costco has of putting Hot Tub manufacturer's out of business is a long one indeed. I totally agree that going this route is compromising it's just that I am wondering how many of these compromises are real (certainly local support, inability to see/test)? how many are presumed (albeit fairly presumed based on past experience (i.e. higher energy use, lesser quality)? and how many are merely consumer preferences (i.e. self installation doesn't seem like a big deal for a 300lb tub that can be rolled into place).

Apologies if I appear to be a shill for Costco, not my intention. I simply wanted to see what kind of discussion I could generate as it seems like there could should be a way for a manufacturer to offer a relatively inexpensive entry level tub by focusing on volume production, simplicity of design/manufacture, limited selection of options, etc. Heck, Henry Ford started this right? I'm sure there were many custom and low volume car manufacturers that scoffed at his Model T car that was available only in black, right?

Again, I think there is a market for a Model T version of a hot tub. Maybe there is, maybe there isn't. And regardless, maybe this tub isn't it...but seeing it definitely got me thinking.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

It's definitely a trade-off...no question about it and the history Costco has of putting Hot Tub manufacturer's out of business is a long one indeed.

History will show I'm no fan of Costco's past spa offerings and maybe you didn't really mean it that way but Costco isn't the one I'd point the finger at for putting those companies out of business. Those companies just were not able to build a product at those prices with the necessary quality to stay in business.

Some might say the problem was the pricing they agreed to. Others might say they had to cut corners to make that pricing which was at the cost of quality. Still others might say they weren't companies known for quality in the first place. I'm sure the truth was a combination of all of those but I put the blame more on those manufacturers for being shortsighted enough to take those sales and just hope the rest would somehow work out.

If all those past companies held their ground and said "no, we need to sell them for this price to make it work" then maybe things would be different but Costco knows there is always another willing to make the deal on their terms for the short term gain. I don't trust that the recipe has really changed so no matter who is selling those spas I'll continue to question the product and the viability of the manufacturer just based on history.

[Muffley]

It's definitely a trade-off...no question about it and the history Costco has of putting Hot Tub manufacturer's out of business is a long one indeed.

History will show I'm no fan of Costco's past spa offerings and maybe you didn't really mean it that way but Costco isn't the one I'd point the finger at for putting those companies out of business. Those companies just were not able to build a product at those prices with the necessary quality to stay in business.

Some might say the problem was the pricing they agreed to. Others might say they had to cut corners to make that pricing which was at the cost of quality. Still others might say they weren't companies known for quality in the first place. I'm sure the truth was a combination of all of those but I put the blame more on those manufacturers for being shortsighted enough to take those sales and just hope the rest would somehow work out.

If all those past companies held their ground and said "no, we need to sell them for this price to make it work" then maybe things would be different but Costco knows there is always another willing to make the deal on their terms for the short term gain. I don't trust that the recipe has really changed so no matter who is selling those spas I'll continue to question the product and the viability of the manufacturer just based on history.

thx spatech, yes...as they say, history is a good teacher

[Kreg]

More often than not, a manufacturer that decides to sell through Costco or the like is on it's last leg.

[DK117]

More often than not, a manufacturer that decides to sell through Costco or the like is on it's last leg.

Give it a rest already guys. Most of the best manufacturers in the world supply Costco with the most sophisticated and refined products on earth. Think TV's computers and automobiles.

Do you have anything of value to add for the OP's question on Aquaterra Eternity? At least the OP is going in with his eyes open and not falling prey to a FUD campaign.

DK117

From Muffley

I totally agree that going this route is compromising it's just that I am wondering how many of these compromises are real (certainly local support, inability to see/test)?

[spatech (the unreal one)]

More often than not, a manufacturer that decides to sell through Costco or the like is on it's last leg.

Give it a rest already guys. Most of the best manufacturers in the world supply Costco with the most sophisticated and refined products on earth. Think TV's computers and automobiles.

He obviously meant SPA manufacturer!!!!

[hot_water]

Yet again an entire thread of opinions about a product that, apparently, none of the posters have any knowledge of or have even seen.

[Roger]

Yet again an entire thread of opinions about a product that, apparently, none of the posters have any knowledge of or have even seen.

Well think about it guys, Costco is a low end box store designed to supply product at a low price. Wallmart, K-Mart, Target all thos come to mind. Every product that is sold nowadays to box stores are the manufacturer left over, overstock, seconds, price point specific made products. Slapped out down the assembly line as fast as possible, with just enough corners cut to support the price point. I looked at a Sony TV at Wallmart, it was the same style, model and size of one from Best Buy Electronics I was looking at for 2 hundred less dollars at Wallmart. The part numbers on the two TV's were 4 digits different. The 4 digits on the end were different???? 2 letters and 4 digits the same and 4 digits different. Like it was made specificly for Wallmart by Sony?? What was different?? No one knows but I suspect it had 200 dollars less quality in it!

I buy allot of stuff from stores like Costco, but I also pay a little more and buy allot from places that sell specificly what I want. Because I do believe, and no one has to if they don't want, that the products box discount stores sell is different. Different to achieve a lower price. And different in quality.

No one has to think this is true, but I am sticking firm. Had to many less expensive things purchased at these type stores in my life just not last as long or work as well.

Maybe the best manufacturers in the world have figure out how to sell box stores like Costco close to the best and most refined products in the world for less?? Why would Costco care, they just want to be able to name there price. The product is fine, just not as good.

[DK117]

More often than not, a manufacturer that decides to sell through Costco or the like is on it's last leg.

Give it a rest already guys. Most of the best manufacturers in the world supply Costco with the most sophisticated and refined products on earth. Think TV's computers and automobiles.

He obviously meant SPA manufacturer!!!!

So when Samsung, Hewlett Packard, and Toyota sell through Costco, they are utlizing multiple distribution models and successfully moving product at a profit. But when a spa manufacturer sells through Costco it necessarily dictates that they are at or near bankruptcy.

Obviously.

DK117

[spatech (the unreal one)]

More often than not, a manufacturer that decides to sell through Costco or the like is on it's last leg.

Give it a rest already guys. Most of the best manufacturers in the world supply Costco with the most sophisticated and refined products on earth. Think TV's computers and automobiles.

He obviously meant SPA manufacturer!!!!

So when Samsung, Hewlett Packard, and Toyota sell through Costco, they are utlizing multiple distribution models and successfully moving product at a profit. But when a spa manufacturer sells through Costco it necessarily dictates that they are at or near bankruptcy.

Obviously.

DK117

Based on history, YES! I'm not saying every future endeavor will end up like this but the past has not yielded good results relative to spas.

You act like we're making things up but we are not; just look at Keys, Hydro Spa, Infinity, Tatum (who have I missed?). Basically all the manufacturers doing the major spa business from like 2004 to 2009 have gone under after doing business with Costco.

What do Samsung, Hewlett Packard, and Toyota have to do with anything related to spas? Jut because Costco has had good business results with these other companies you list does NOT

white wash the very public results with those spa makers.

[pkillur]

Yet again an entire thread of opinions about a product that, apparently, none of the posters have any knowledge of or have even seen.

Well think about it guys, Costco is a low end box store designed to supply product at a low price. Wallmart, K-Mart, Target all thos come to mind. Every product that is sold nowadays to box stores are the manufacturer left over, overstock, seconds, price point specific made products. Slapped out down the assembly line as fast as possible, with just enough corners cut to support the price point. I looked at a Sony TV at Wallmart, it was the same style, model and size of one from Best Buy Electronics I was looking at for 2 hundred less dollars at Wallmart. The part numbers on the two TV's were 4 digits different. The 4 digits on the end were different???? 2 letters and 4 digits the same and 4 digits different. Like it was made specificly for Wallmart by Sony?? What was different?? No one knows but I suspect it had 200 dollars less quality in it!

I buy allot of stuff from stores like Costco, but I also pay a little more and buy allot from places that sell specificly what I want. Because I do believe, and no one has to if they don't want, that the products box discount stores sell is different. Different to achieve a lower price. And different in quality.

No one has to think this is true, but I am sticking firm. Had to many less expensive things purchased at these type stores in my life just not last as long or work as well.

Maybe the best manufacturers in the world have figure out how to sell box stores like Costco close to the best and most refined products in the world for less?? Why would Costco care, they just want to be able to name there price. The product is fine, just not as good.

So as someone who specifically deals with Walmart and Costco puchases gone wrong, another point of view to add. Both stores exist for the same reason as said above : JIT (just in time) production to the customer at the lowest marketable and profitable price point possible. I had the same experience as the above poster with a router, 1 digit difference between the Linksys model numbers. The difference was about 5 bucks and the omittance of a fan, which didn't seem like a big deal, until the 150 dollar router broke about 10 days after the warranty expired... I love costco for jeans and produce type stuff, but I would not buy a spa from them.

[DK117]

More often than not, a manufacturer that decides to sell through Costco or the like is on it's last leg.

Give it a rest already guys. Most of the best manufacturers in the world supply Costco with the most sophisticated and refined products on earth. Think TV's computers and automobiles.

He obviously meant SPA manufacturer!!!!

So when Samsung, Hewlett Packard, and Toyota sell through Costco, they are utlizing multiple distribution models and successfully moving product at a profit. But when a spa manufacturer sells through Costco it necessarily dictates that they are at or near bankruptcy.

Obviously.

DK117

Based on history, YES! I'm not saying every future endeavor will end up like this but the past has not yielded good results relative to spas.

You act like we're making things up but we are not; just look at Keys, Hydro Spa, Infinity, Tatum (who have I missed?). Basically all the manufacturers doing the major spa business from like 2004 to 2009 have gone under after doing business with Costco.

What do Samsung, Hewlett Packard, and Toyota have to do with anything related to spas? Jut because Costco has had good business results with these other companies you list does NOT

white wash the very public results with those spa makers.

No doubt Costco's suppliers in the spa business have had a rough go. I'd simply argue that you indeed have come to the conclusion that every present/future endeavor will fail. I'd also assert that there's nothing unique about the hot tub as a product. Done properly, there's asolutely no reason why Costco can't move a spa at a profit for themselves and the manufacturer. The Costco business model is proven. If local dealers or manufacturers themselves had a Costco business model, there would be a big box D1 store in every mall in America.

I think the bottom line here is that you think the hot tub industry is intrinsically unique. I do not. That's an opinion argument and we can agree to disagree.

I also disagree that a rational study of the Costco business model (hot tubs and all) would yield anything other than awe at their success.

DK117

I do acknowledge that it will be interesting to see how Strong and now Aquaterra will fare in 5 years.

[hot_water]

And once again a thread degenerates into a bandwidth-wasting and never-to-be concluded discussion of business models of a large retailer. All of which has absolutely nothing to do with the spa in question.

This logic seems a lot like this:

Everyone who has died has at one time eaten a pickle.

There is a 100% correlation between pickle-eating and death.

Therefore pickles will kill you.

Wouldn't it be nice if someone actually had something relevant to say *about the spa in question*? And if they don't, avoid discouraging and negative posts?

Heck, just the fact that no one has seen one of these might well prove discouraging enough for the OP that asked the question.

Btw, I agree with DK. The Costco Evolution is a great example. It's a good value but not super cheap at $5400 ($4800 on sale). It represents good value in that you get a nicely made product, which isn't perfect and is a bit light on features, but at a very fair price. It's far from a giveaway. Yet, it seems like the actual users AND the manufacturer are happy - at least so far. Costco is basically marketing the product, providing the satisfaction warranty, and taking a commission on each sale. But they never touch it - it goes from the manufacturer direct to the end user. Pretty efficient. I don't know what Strong is clearing on each unit but for what it is I would bet they're doing ok. And, I've got one of those in my yard, -- it's not my first spa -- so yes I am talking from first-hand experience on this product.

Unfortunately I have not seen the subject spa and so have no legitimate comments to offer on that one either way. Might be a gem, might be a brick.

[spawn]

Instead, what I'd like is to hear some people weigh in on the latest Costco offering: the Aquaterra Eternity . This tub is selling for $2400 and appears to me to be exactly the type of tub Costco should have been selling all along. It appears to be:

• simple (round, no frills)
• well insulated (full foam but that's another argument I'd prefer to avoid)
• versatile (plug n' play OR 220V, ozone-ready)
• good-quality (stainless steel, decent warranty)

Muffley - Like you, I am a fan of the simple round tubs. You can decide for yourself if a tub from Costco works for you, but regarding the particulars of this tub, I'll give my two cents.

It looks like there is a little bit of variation in seating depth but it is a little hard for me to tell how much. I like having variation as sometimes it is nice to sit up tou your neck, sometimes higher, sometimes in the cool down seat /step. My wife is 8" shorter than me and we have found a couple of round tubs where the height variation works better for us. I like the foot jets - some people don't care but my wife and I are on our feet much of the day between work and exercise.

I am not sure what the shell material is but some tubs seem to be "pressed' and others seem to be "cast" - others can correct me on this but that is my perception based on appearance and no research on this aspect. As far as comfort and appearance I prefer the "cast" tubs - the jets seem to be set in better whereas on the "stamped" tubs the jets are more on the surface. Perhaps this is not a big dealas you sit more upright in the round tubs and don't really lean back as much as in the shallower tubs.

I think the 33.5" is the shallowest depth I have seen for a round tub which may or may not matter - it all comes down to seating and water depth when you are in the tub.

The whirlpool jet doesn't appear to be different that the other jets. The round tubs I have looked at usually have a bigger stronger jet or multiple jets to produce the whirlpool effect.

Thansk to Jerimiah for mentioning the Hot Spot round tubs - I did not realize the Watkins / Hot Spring had a round tub - I'll take a look as we have a good Hot Spring dealer but I preferred other tubs. Other round tubs to check out are the Marquis Envy, D1 Journey and the line of round tubs from Nordic. I also lthink that I would like the round tubs from Jacuzzi and Sundance, but I have not seen them.

[Bobs Gone Coatal]

OK, so I have been thinking about a hot tub for some time and been lurking around these boards for the past few months...so am very familiar with the sordid history Costco has had with hot tubs. Moreover I have no desire to (re)start an argument about how Costco is selling $10k tubs for $4-5k (I don't believe this at all). Nor do I want to engage in a discsussion of the value/importance of local dealer support (I believe this is very valuable).

Instead, what I'd like is to hear some people weigh in on the latest Costco offering: the Aquaterra Eternity . This tub is selling for $2400 and appears to me to be exactly the type of tub Costco should have been selling all along. It appears to be:

• simple (round, no frills)
• well insulated (full foam but that's another argument I'd prefer to avoid)
• versatile (plug n' play OR 220V, ozone-ready)
• good-quality (stainless steel, decent warranty)

Below are the specs from the Costco website. Note that in the above I highlighted the word "appears"...that is because I'd be interested in all of your opinions on how this tub "appears" to you. Thanks in advance.

Specifications:

Seating: 5 adult seats

Dimensions: 78" x 78" x 33.5"

Jet Pump: 1.5 hp, 2-speed pump; our pump draws fewer amps on low speed, using less energy to heat and filter

Jet Count: 17 stainless steel jets

16 adjustable hydro therapy jets (4 rotational)

1 ozone jet

Weight Dry / Filled: 350 lbs. / 2,620 lbs.

Water Capacity: 280-gallon water

Electrical: 115 V/220 V: 115V for plug and play convenience; Plugs into standard outlet with dedicated circuit OR 220V (115V conversion kit included no extra cost)

Heater: 1kw (115V) / 4kw (220V) stainless steel heater

Filter: 50 sq. ft.; intelligent filtration with customized programming for optimized filtration cycles

Full foam insulation for maximum efficiency and long term heat retention

Color: Artic shell / mahogany synthetic skirt

Place on concrete slab or properly supported wood deck

Made in the USA

Features:

Light with colored lenses

Includes digital LED controls

Aromatherapy crystals to take relaxation to a new level

Made of durable Unicast Polyethylene

Bottom drain for easy maintenance

RokSolid™ advanced polymer Artic color shell and synthetic mahogany wood skirt provides beauty and strength

Cover: High quality, ASTM approved covers with insulating baffles and locking safety clips" in Mahogany (Slate) color to match your spa

Warranty:

Lifetime – Structure

5 year shell

1 year parts

1 year labor

I recently purchased the Aquaterra spa you are talking about (a division of freeflow). It seemed like an good spa at the right price. One of my requirements is that the vendor truck the spa to my remote location, and Costco vendors always seem to be willing to do this, and costco is very good about returns. Once the spa arrive curbside, I had to hire a crew to help me lug it up to my deck. I'm at the top of a bluff, so access is a problem. This spa is light by most standards, so 4 of us were able to carry it to the deck.

The first problem was that Aquaterra forgot to include a filter and Weir, so I had to wait to fill it with water until my next trip to the coast. The folks at Aquaterra were very nice, and sent me an extra filter, and a chem set to get me started (nice gift for my trouble). The second problem came when I filled the spa and started the pump. It became apparent that the tub leaked in two places, and neither were accessable from the equiptment area. The leaks are at the jets on the opposite end. The problem is that this spa is a one piece design and there is not access to most of the jets. You would have to remove the skirt, cut holes in the glass, and dig out the foam to make a repair. When the pump is off, the tub does not leak, but when it's running the tub loses 2 inches overnight. One addition issue you should be aware of is that there is no vibration dampening under the motor/pump, and loud vibration hum travels through my deck and into the adjacent walls of the house. I have a 220 circuit for the spa, but temporarily used 110v until the electrician could get over to convert. On 110/115v the tub took nearly 2 days to arrive at 100 degrees from a start temp of 53. I know the heater is running on the low side, and that I had too add water twice to keep it obove the jets due to leak, but that seemed really slow. I can't say this is the trend when it comes to the aquaterra Eternity, just my personal experience. One more thing, Aquaterra will let you upgrade color for $100.00. I upgraded to the coastal Grey/artic white.

Costco has requested that the vendor pick up the spa, but I will have to hire a crew again to bring it down off my deck, and I will have to package the spa on the pallet it was shipped on. It's quite a process and expense to get it ready to go back.

[Muffley]

Bob, sorry to hear about your issue but thanks for sharing. Having heard similar stories about Costco spas in the past this is exactly what I feared and why I started the thread.

Spawn, thx for weighing in. I take a LONG time to make these decisions (my guess is that I won't be buying until this time next year) and Nordic and D1 Journey are already on my short list (no local Marqis dealer unfortunately).

Jeremiah, thx for pointing out that Hot Spot has a round tub line...I have been on their site many times but had never seen these tubs until I googled them...they still don't appear to be on their main site...why are they hiding them.

DK, thx for being a voice in the wilderness as I too believe that Costco SHOULD be able to offer a decent quality hot tub and absolutely believe they WANT to do so...just seems like they haven't been able to yet. I was hopeful this might be that tub, but given Bob's experience they may be off to another bad start (though hoping Bob's experience isn't typical).

hot_water, thx for getting the thread back on track...much appreciated.

Roger, over the last few months I've been reading your posts on your Nordic experience and have had similarly good interactions with the Nordic folks via email over the past few weeks. Definitely looks like the kind of line-up I'm looking for.

And thx to all the rest of you who have shared so much knowledge in this and the many other threads...great stuff and I hope this thread might continue as others share first-hand experience on this company/tub.

Best.

Muffley

[Bobs Gone Coatal]

Bob, sorry to hear about your issue but thanks for sharing. Having heard similar stories about Costco spas in the past this is exactly what I feared and why I started the thread.

Spawn, thx for weighing in. I take a LONG time to make these decisions (my guess is that I won't be buying until this time next year) and Nordic and D1 Journey are already on my short list (no local Marqis dealer unfortunately).

Jeremiah, thx for pointing out that Hot Spot has a round tub line...I have been on their site many times but had never seen these tubs until I googled them...they still don't appear to be on their main site...why are they hiding them.

DK, thx for being a voice in the wilderness as I too believe that Costco SHOULD be able to offer a decent quality hot tub and absolutely believe they WANT to do so...just seems like they haven't been able to yet. I was hopeful this might be that tub, but given Bob's experience they may be off to another bad start (though hoping Bob's experience isn't typical).

hot_water, thx for getting the thread back on track...much appreciated.

Roger, over the last few months I've been reading your posts on your Nordic experience and have had similarly good interactions with the Nordic folks via email over the past few weeks. Definitely looks like the kind of line-up I'm looking for.

And thx to all the rest of you who have shared so much knowledge in this and the many other threads...great stuff and I hope this thread might continue as others share first-hand experience on this company/tub.

Best.

Muffley

Muffley,

Have you and anyone else on this thread looked into the OC spas by Calspas that Costco.com is offering. I called Calspas to find out what the differences were and according to the Rep the molds, frames, and equiptment packs are the same. Any opinion on the OC Majestic series.

Thanks in advance,

Bob