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Today is the day to know everything about hot tubs. Nothing better than taking a nice relaxing bath, especially when we are sure that we did not make a wrong purchase.
Whirlpools are products that have evolved a lot over the years. Today there are fixed or portable structures perfect for the most different budgets.
In this buying guide on whirlpool bath, you will learn about the main variations of the product on the market. As well as the average price, the best brands, among other relevant issues to buy the best model for your home.
Contents
Summary
- As well as traditional hot tubs, there are inflatable hot tubs to install anywhere inside or outside a property.
- The jet types is one of the most important things to look at before deciding on your hot tub.
- There are hot tubs in a variety of sizes, which can support anywhere from 1 to 10 people. And the differences do not end there, in this guide we will address all the details of this product.
The best Hot Tubs: Our Picks
Regardless if it’s hot or cold, a relaxing bath in a whirlpool bath is very nice. See now which are the best models on the market, and which are most successful in SPAs, hotels or residences:
Buying Guide
There is nothing better than relaxing in a whirlpool bath after a hard day’s work. It is also great to have an inflatable version for you to enjoy in the backyard or garden of your house.
Let’s now look at everything you need to find out to buy the best hot tubs.
What is a hot tub?
Another popular name for a whirlpool bath is Jacuzzi or ofuro. These structures have jets that favour the practice of hydromassage.
Usually, ordinary bathtubs are not able to hold more than two people. Whirlpools, on the other hand, can hold up to 8 people, depending on the model.
Whirlpool bath water should not be changed after each use. For daily reuse, it is necessary to use a hygienic method similar to pool care.
There are whirlpools which have a heater to keep the water hot. This type of heating is indispensable for using the hot tubs in the colder times of the year.
What are the advantages of a Hot Tub?
As a positive, we can highlight that they can be installed or inflatable, allowing the use inside and outside the house. And of course, the advantage of relaxing with massage jets is the highlight of this product.
As a disadvantage, it is worth mentioning that the maintenance can be a little expensive, and also that it increases the electrical consumption, since to work it is plugged into the outlet. Learn about the pros and cons in the table below:
Hot Tub or regular bath?
Obviously they offer different functionalities. The main differences are in the capacity, a standard bath is usually much smaller and more limited, as it is exclusive to indoor environments.
In addition, the whirlpool bath has the advantage of having the jets of relaxation, and can be used outdoors too. Not to mention that they are bigger.
Check these and other differences between the two versions in the comparative table below:
| Whirlpool bathtub | Regular bathtub | |
|---|---|---|
| Use | Indoor or outdoor environments | Indoor environments |
| Jets for relaxation | Yes | No |
| Shampoo and common soaps | Not allowed in the hydro baths with wet jets | Allowed |
| Capacity | From 1 to 8 people | Maximum 2 people |
| Use of water | It is not necessary to eliminate the water for a new use | It is necessary to eliminate the water before a new use |
What are the types of jets in the whirlpool bath?
- Directional turbo jet: It offers an output of water together with air in some parts of the body that need more relaxation.
- Turbo-jet: With pulsating and rotating effect, this feature changes the mixture between air and water. Many people believe that these versions of jets are the most relaxing in the world.
- Small jets: Also known as mini jets, these productions have an additional water flow. They are true complements to the larger jets.
- Air bubble jets: This is one of the features that are part of most hydros on the market. This jet releases small bubbles of air into the water to generate an extra relaxing sensation.
What size to choose?
When the use is for just one or two people, in a more intimate way, then the smaller choices are better. By choosing small bathtubs you can save a lot on the purchase.
The prices get higher as the capacity of people increases, but this rule does not apply to all models. After all, there are smaller versions with more special jets that cost much more than the large, basic models with just one type of jet.
The size of a whirlpool bath is measured as follows:
- Length: It varies between 80 and 300 centimeters, but it can be longer;
- Width: It can go from 80 to 200 centimeters, or more;
- Depth: This is one of the most important aspects in measuring the whirlpool bath. Many people buy the product just thinking about length or width, forgetting how deep the version can be.
The depth measurement of the hot tub should consider length, width and gallons of water. If the product is going to be used by children it is best not to buy a very deep edition.
The gallons of water that can fit in a hot tub can range from 300 to up to 1,000, or more.
Fixed or mobile hot tub?
The fixed whirlpool bath is heavier, composed of ceramic and metal. These versions are resistant and have a structure capable of working with several jets.
A disadvantage is that moving the heavy bathtubs does not represent a very easy task. Installation also requires connection to plumbing, which requires a cost of time or money.
If you are still not too sure where to install, it is really best to choose mobile, inflatable or solid bathtubs. Check out their main features:
Mobile and inflatable
The advantage is that you can take these PVC and plastic products to different indoor or outdoor locations. You can fill the inflatable bathtub in a few minutes using air. The water filling happens with a hose.
This hot tub edition also has heating and relaxing jets. The downside of the inflatable product is that it doesn’t look very professional for use in a spa, for example.
Mobile and solid
This type of hot tub is also called an ofuro, which is very popular in Japanese homes. It is a solid structure, meaning that you don’t have to do the work of filling it with air.
In this version there is an intermediate weight. This product is not as light as an inflatable tub, but also less than a metal and ceramic tub.
In some versions these whirlpools are made in the shape of a wooden barrel. Structures of this size make the decoration of the spa more rustic or natural. The product also has hydromassage jets and heating.
In the following table you can learn a little more about the differences between fixed or mobile bathtubs:
| Fixed whirlpool bath | Inflatable whirlpool bath | Solid and mobile whirlpool bath | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use | Indoor locations | Indoor and outdoor locations | Indoor and outdoor locations |
| Flexibility | Low | High | Medium |
| Resistance | High | Medium | Medium |
| Material | Ceramic or metal | Plastic | Wood, ceramic or plastic |
| Jets | Moist and (or) air | Moist | Moist |
| Water filling | Without external hoses | With external hoses | With external hoses |
| Regulation of water temperature | From low to high | From low to medium | From low to medium |
How much does it cost?
The versions of less famous brands, with few types of jets and smaller cost an average price ranging from £700 to up to £1,000.
Large whirlpools that have several different jets are perfect products for hotels, motels and 5-star SPAs. These structures have prices ranging from £3,000 to £10,000.
Buying criteria: Factors to compare hot tub models
There is no shortage of good offers on the Internet. With so many different adverts for hot tubs, it can be a bit tricky to choose one, can’t it? Not if you take the following points of view into account:
- Heating
- Jets
- Water pump
- Waterfall
- Kits
Below, see the explanation of each of these factors:
Heating
If you live in a place in Brazil that is hot almost every day, you don’t have to worry too much about the heating power of the hot tub. Some parts in the country are colder, so they require a very heated hydro.
What defines the heating power of bathtubs is the water heater motor. A heater is one of the most expensive parts of the hot tub. The heating power in these devices can range from 1,000 to 10,000 watts.
Keep an eye on it! The more watts there are in the heater, the better the hot tub’s ability to generate heat in the water.
Jets
The number of jets in a hot tub range from 1 to 10 or more. The number of jets is important, especially in larger hot tubs that fit more people.
However, the number is not the only important factor. It is also worth choosing hot tubs with different types of jets.
The best whirlpool baths in the world have many jets of different varieties. There are also cheaper productions with 3 or 4 jets that work well for two people and cost popular prices. Evaluate your need before deciding on a purchase.
Water Pump
Water pumps are important parts for whirlpool baths of different types.
They have the capacity to evolve the power of the water jets, besides allowing a safer use, saving electricity.
The more powerful the water pump, the better the overall characteristics of a whirlpool bath. A water pump in power can go from 5,000 to 15,000 watts.
Waterfall
The waterfall for whirlpool bath is one of the special differentiators to the customers. With the cascade, people in the bathtubs have as a benefit a waterfall similar to the cacheira.
The water outlet opening in the cascade ranges from 10 to 80 centimetres. Another advantage of this accessory is that it oxygenates the water in the hot tub better. As a result you have superior relaxation.
Some structures of this kind even have a led lighting function, the environment becomes more relaxing and romantic. The main lighting colours are: yellow, blue, pink and red.
Normally the brass waterfalls have a 10-year guarantee. The chrome versions, on the other hand, are guaranteed for 2 years, according to the average of the main manufacturers.
Kits
There is no denying it. Most of the whirlpools do not allow the use of common shampoos or soaps. They have too many chemicals that are harmful to the functioning of the relaxing wet jets.
To use the most popular whirlpools it is necessary to buy shampoo and soap with special compositions. Add this to the need to treat the water for reuse, and the cost certainly gets a little high.
Don’t forget to investigate whether it is easy to find these special soaps and shampoos on the market according to the characteristics of the tubs you wish to buy.
There are also bath tubs on the market that accept the use of any shampoo or soap. If you are keen on using your favourite cosmetics you should take a bathtub with air jets only.
This was the shopping guide that teaches you how to buy a whirlpool bath without making a mistake. Consider all the information in this text to find the best deals with less cost and more benefits.
(Source of the highlighted image: Pezibear / Pixabay)
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