I agree with you, I did alot of online research before buying my tub and you really dont know who to trust. I found this site and it seemed less biased than most. True, there are a few guys on here that come on to talk up Brand A or B but I beleive most on here are enthusiast and at least you can take all the advice you read, decipher it and come into a dealer a bit more educated to make a decision.
The best advice on here is to wet test different tubs and to find an established dealer that you feel comfortable with. Do a BBB search on the ones you are considering, see or ask how long they have been in business. The warranty is only as good as the company you are buying from and the dealer that will hopefully be around to service you if you need it.
I am a novice, been on here a few months and have only had my tub up and running for less than a week but the guidelines I spell out were the same ones given to me by other members here. Not to attempt to steer you in any direction, only to give my opinion, but the Jacuzzi J-335 (lounger) or J-345 (no lounger) is a helluva tub in the under $7000 range. We paid $6495 for ours and have enjoyed it very much in the short time we have had it. Took awhile to get here but it was worth the wait.
Good luck in your search.