What to look for in a new hot tub or spa!
1. Always buy a spa from a trusted dealer. Make sure that they have a service department and with a good supply of chemicals and parts. NEVER buy a spa off the internet, from a warehouse, or a store that does not have a service department. A purchase with one of these vendors will only lead to headaches and costly service calls down the road. When you purchase a spa you want the dealer to be committed to the brand and you want to feel as though they are going to keep that brand for years to come. Never buy a spa "direct" from the manufacturer. Never buy a spa from someone that wants to come to your home and sell you a spa out of a brochure. Find a good local dealer that is selling one of the top brands that has a good service department and you will enjoy your spa purchase for years to come.
2. Always buy a spa with a skimmer filter system (maintenance), a synthetic skirt (durable), and a spa that is full foam insulated (efficiency). Don't let anybody talk you out of ANY of these three features. Never buy a spa with push button air pneumatic controls, cannister filter systems, or ones that use dead air space or bagged insulation. This is all old school technology and is outdated in the spa industry. Most spas come with a 24 hour circulation pump that filters, ozonates, and maintains the heat. Your big pumps are not kicking on and off to filter your spa. The smaller circ pump is quiet and is more efficient than using the big two speed pump. Some spas have a circ pump, but they are not linked to the filter system. Make sure the circ pump is filtering as well as running the ozonator. The better spas will have a purge cycle that will kick the big pumps on twice a day for one minute each to purge the lines and totally turn all of the water over.
3. If you narrow it down to two brands and you can't decide, you might want to wet test the spas. You will never have buyers remorse if you try it before you buy it. The jetting systems are a key factor in how much you will enjoy the spa. If your not sure, get your suit and try them out. Most people will feel the jets with their hands and can tell which spa jetting systems that they like the best.
4. Ask to see their service department. Never buy a spa from a big box store that does not have their own service department. Watch out for the warehouse guys that are here today and gone tomorrow. Service will be a key issue, especially once the warranty period is over. If your dealer has gone out of business, or dropped your brand, it will be hard to get parts and service. A dealer with mulitple years of experience with the same brand should give you some peace of mind.
5. Most people want to buy ONE spa. They don't want to upgrade or trade it in a few years down the line. If you do it right the first time, you can purchase a spa that will last you for 10 to 20 years. You are better off spending a little more now rather than "saving" a little and settling for something less. A spa is generally a one time purchase, do it right the first time, it will save you money in the years to come.
6. Look for spas with good neck jets, foot jets, and whirl pool jets. The hydrotherapy is one of the most important factors when choosing a spa. Get a hot tub that delivers on the jetting systems. The better the jets, the more you will use and enjoy your spa. A good jetting system has the right horsepower combined with the right number of jets. More isn't necessarily better. You have to have the right combination of both the jets and the horsepower.
7. Avoid spas that have air blowers. They are breading grounds for bacteria and do not improve the hydrotherapy of the spa. In fact, they are generally used to mask a lack of jetting. Some companies will try to add the air blower count to the jet count, making it seem like they have more jets than they really do. If you are going to get a spa with an air blower, make sure the system has a purge cycle that will blow the lines out twice a day for one minute each. If you don't have the purge cycle you risk the growth of bacteria.
8. Never buy a spa with an extended warranty. Make sure you are getting the MANUFACTURERS warranty. There are over 100 spa manufacturers and many of them don't make their own pumps, heaters, controls, etc. Make sure they are not tacking on an extended "retailer" warranty. Retailer warranties are worthless. All good manufacturers will post their warranties on the internet for all to see.
9. Check out the accessories that your local dealer carries. There are many items such as gazebos, surround packages, umbrellas, and more that many manufacturers have to offer. Ask to see the catalogs or check out the manufacturers site on the web.
10. Buy a quality spa and enjoy your hot tub experience.
