So what’s the best hot tub to buy then 🤔

[Mat]

Any suggestions as to a good quality hot tub a more permanent hot tub as opposed to the Lazy Spa brand, suggestions please. 

[CanadianSpaTech]

Speed costs money.. how fast do you want to go?

What's your budget

Where in the world are you located?

What dealers are within 40Km of you 

What brands do they sell

What are the dealers reputations

The best hot tub is one that fits your budget and family needs sold by a reputable dealer.

[ratchett]

All spas have a limited lifespan.  The lifespan however is greatly affected by care & maintenance.  Don't expect any spa to last 20 years if you use excessively harsh chemicals and fail to properly balance/change your water as needed.  

In general, flagship spas from the top name brands will be constructed to have a longer lifespan than their budget grade models at least from what I've seen.  Brands like Hotspring and Bullfrog for example utilize thicker shells, polycarbonate framing, and ABS basepans on their top-tier models, while their entry-level models have pressure-treated framing and a sheet of vinyl plastic stapled to the bottom as a moisture barrier if anything at all lol.

Note - Pressure Treated lumber (the industry-preferred building material for framing up a spa) no longer contains arsenic (since 2002) to prevent rot and pest infestations.  All new pressure treated lumber made after 2002 contains trace amounts of copper which is far more susceptible to rotting faster when exposed to water/moisture.   While many spas built before 2002 with PT lumber are still going strong, you'll see most of the top brands have started moving towards a polycarbonate tool-grade plastic framing to greatly extend the product lifespan.     Currently the industry average lifespan seems to be 7-14 years depending on care/maintenance, you can expect to be on the lower end of that lifespan with a budget grade spa or maybe even double that max lifespan with a top-tier flagship spa (to put it into perspective - some of the top-tier spas before the 80's and 90's are STILL in use today).

 

I'm personally a Hotspring Highlife fanboy, but they have their pros and cons just like any other brand of spas in the market.  Jacuzzi, Caldera, Sundance, Cal Spas, Bullfrog, Marquis, and Nordic also make some really good spas depending on your budget and availability.

Lastly - keep in mind the dealer is a really important part of your buying experience.  Be sure to research the dealer extensively as they are usually responsible for warranty labor costs on your investment.   Not all dealers are created equal, some provide much better white-glove service to customers buying a top-tier flagship spa than other dealers who have a much more cavalier "have at it hoss" approach to customer service.