Anyone know anything about Artesian?

[Cajun_Mike]

I just saw an ad in the local newspaper that a dealer of patio equipment here is selling their spas.  I went to http://artesianspas.com/showroom/platinum/piper.asp   and really like the layout of the piperglen.  Anyone know anything about the quality of the spas being produced by this company today, how they compare to the Sundance Optima, Dimension One, etc. etc.  

I'm going to go give them a look, just want some background from some of you in the know.  

I really like the looks of the Piper Glen, the Emerald and the Opal...  not too many spa manufacturers make a spa without a lounger the size of that Opal, 83X83.

[wmccall]

If you look, please let us know what you think.  5 3hp pumps, plus a circ pump wow, interesting.  One thing I did notice on their site is they use the same interchangable stainless jets my spa uses.  From experience, if you can get the pulsating jet shown in the front of this image, its wonderful on the lower back. I have one seat with two of these, one hits the lower back and one hits right between the shoulders.  (of course that would probably hit Lori in the back of the head  )

 

To those of you dealers, do you recognize who makes these jets?  I'd love to look at a catalog and see what else is available.  

[Gary]

They are cheap spas and poor quality. They lie about pump horsepower and others things and they have no idea what the what the flow is of the pumps. I called their techincal department one and asked how do claim to have 12 total HP in a spa and still run it on a 50-breaker, the answer I got "I don't know".

Gary

[jessoakin]

They really look great and seem to have a lot of excellent features.  The Heron Bay is very interesting to me because of my space limitations.  I have not heard of them before this and a search of this site on "Artesian" turns up nothing.  It seems odd to me that they have received a "Best Buy" rating from Consumer Digest on one of their tubs and they haven't been discussed here in the past.  Could it be that they are a fairly new company?  I couldn't find any company history on their web site.  Gary, what is the basis for your statement that they are cheap and of poor quality?  That doesn't seem consistent with a Consumer Digest award.  Do you have one or know someone who does?  I found that there is a somewhat local dealer and will  try to visit him this weekend.

[priceofone]

I do have an Artesian.  Unlike our panning friend (whom may very well sell a cometing spa line) I have first hand experience.  The Piper Glen is in the Platinum Line of spas.  From what I have learned prior to purchase, the Platinum line was like the Porsche of Spas.  I asked for some figures and they report a 1.4% or less problem rate with their spas.  Industry wide that is great.  As for HP - I shopped long enough to know that all rate their pumps what they want basically.  They rate at break speed.  I am not sure that the Direct Flow individual control pump is rated at break or at standard, but, I have used one, and I can tell you that there is nothing like it.  I spent some money on that spa, but there is not another one like it, and I am sure of that.