Tips for Buying the Right Hot Tub

You’ve decided to purchase a hot tub, but you’re not sure where you should put it, which one you should buy and where you should buy it from. What now?

Next, you’ll have to weigh your options and make a few preliminary decisions before you can purchase the hot tub of your dream.

Here, we’ll show you the top tips you need to know to purchase a hot tub that’s right for you:

• Choose the right seller.
• Consider your budget.
• Know your space.
• Keep maintenance in mind.

Ready to learn how you can choose the perfect hot tub for you? Let’s dive in.

Chose the Right Seller

 Even if you buy a top-of-the-line hot tub, your experience will likely be soured if you go with a seller that offers poor warranties, doesn’t treat its customers well or has proven itself to be unreliable in any way.

That’s why it’s essential for you to find a seller that:

• Offers generous warranties.
• Can provide in-person services in a brick and mortar store.
• Carries only high-quality hot tubs, ideally ones that are made in the U.S.
• Carries both affordable and luxury hot tubs.
• Has plenty of industry experience.
• Receives consistently good reviews from customers.

While this is only the first step of the hot tub buying process, it’s also one of the most important. If you choose a great seller, the rest of your buying experience will be a breeze.

Consider Your Budget

 Before you start looking at specific hot tubs, take a look at your budget and some general price guidelines to ensure that you won’t get a nasty case of sticker shock.

Although hot tubs’ prices can be affected by a variety of factors, such as capacity, features and design, they can usually be grouped into three general categories: 110V, 220V and swim spas.

See this chart to find out how each category is typically priced:

Once you understand these general pricing parameters, it will be much easier for you to determine the type of hot tub you can afford. To learn more about hot tub pricing, check out our previous blog post  on the topic.

Know Your Space

 While looking at hot tubs, it’s crucial that you take into account if and how your hot tub will fit into the space you have.

For example, if you have a roomy backyard but no fence, this can make it difficult to create the sense of privacy you want without spending extra money.

Or, if you have a small backyard but plan on installing a whole new gazebo for your hot tub, you may find that the space you have is simply too small.

Here are some of the questions you can ask yourself to streamline the process:

• Will I need to do any additional work to ensure that I have enough privacy?
• Will my backyard accommodate the type of hot tub and layout I’m looking for?
• Will my yard be easily accessible during the installation process, or will I have to make temporary modifications?
• Do I have enough ground space cleared out to place my new hot tub?

Remember, all of these issues will be much easier to work around before you’ve made a purchase than they will be afterward, so do yourself a favor and think ahead.

Keep Maintenance in Mind

 Always keep in mind that hot tubs require regular maintenance in order to stay clean, perform well and last for years.

At the very least, you’ll be looking at a maintenance schedule like this:

• Weekly: Testing the water’s pH, calcium hardness, sanitizer levels and alkalinity, as well as removing any visible dirt and debris.
• Monthly: Cleaning your hot tub’s filters.
• Every three to six months: Replacing your hot tub’s filters, as well as draining the hot tub’s water, cleaning the interior and filling up the hot tub with fresh water.

While none of those tasks are particularly difficult, they do take a bit of time and will have to become a regular part of your schedule.

If you neglect to perform them, you’ll end up with a dirty hot tub and may even risk reducing its lifespan, so it’s important to keep this in mind when making a purchase.

Also remember that the larger and more complex the hot tub is, the more maintenance you’ll have to do. So, if you want to minimize your cleaning and maintenance tasks then a smaller hot tub will probably be best for you.

To read more about hot tub maintenance, read through our support pages on how to clean filters , as well as our guide to hot tub chemicals .

By choosing the right seller, considering your budget, taking your space into account and knowing the kind of maintenance you can expect to perform, you can be sure that the hot tub you decide to purchase will be perfectly suited to your needs and provide many years of enjoyment.