lazyboy or hot springs?

[dogdjour]

I'm torn, we are looking at a Lazyboy Refresh.  It has 2-3hp pumps. I'm also looking at a Hot Springs Relay which has 2-1.5hp pumps. Same amount of seating roughly. Both are clearance models for about the same money. The Hot Springs is a little hhigher. Any recommendations? ?

[Hot Spring Ace]

I'm torn, we are looking at a Lazyboy Refresh.  It has 2-3hp pumps. I'm also looking at a Hot Springs Relay which has 2-1.5hp pumps. Same amount of seating roughly. Both are clearance models for about the same money. The Hot Springs is a little hhigher. Any recommendations? ?

This is something that is discussed here fairly often as some of the listings out there fool people. If you look at the Hot Spot web page you'll see the pumps bon that spa listed by both their brake HP and their running HP.

1.5 HP Continuous Duty
3.2 HP Breakdown Torque

You only care about the continuous or running HP but the other brand is only listing the pump by the brake HP which can be very deceiving.

[Chartreux]

You'll probably have a better warranty with Hot Springs. Have you done a wet tests of either of these? Schedule a wet test if you can. Keep us posted on which one you decide on....

[Vinny]

If you like the Hot Springs then I would go with that. I personally never heard of Lazyboy and I would worry about what happens if or when they go out of business.

[Hottubguy]

You'll probably have a better warranty with Hot Springs. Have you done a wet tests of either of these? Schedule a wet test if you can. Keep us posted on which one you decide on....

Actually in this case the lazy boy would have the better warranty then the hot spot. Lazy boys are nice tubs but are usually priced very high. They are made by a company in canada called hydropool who has been around for a long time. I agree they are deceiving with their hp claims but for the same money I would pick the lazyboy over the hot spot

[Chas]

Be aware: a Hot Spot is not a HotSpring Portable spa. I can't tell you how many times we would have a customer chose one of the Hot Spots, very good spas in their own right, but they thought they were getting a HotSpring.

Hot Spot tubs do NOT have:
Circ pump. This is a killer if you don't happen to like hearing the jet pump kick in on low speed all the time. All.The.Time. A circ pump is an option on the SX and TX (we charged $200 and it didn't cover our costs).
Multi-filters. They DO have bypass arrangements, just like any other tub on the market, so once the filter gets dirty, it gets bypassed.
One-piece shells. The tubs are acrylic backed with fiberglass. Just like Hot Springs has sold against for thirty years...
Spray foam insulation. They use "Fiber Core," and it works fine. It just doesn't add any strength.
Bottom drain fitting.
Factory fitted Ozone.
Advanced control panel. I'm not saying you NEED an advanced panel, just that the Hot Spots don't have one.
Warranty is shorter - here's the meat of the Hot Spot warranty from their site:

2 Year Shell Surface Warranty
Watkins warrants the acrylic ... surface material of the Hot Spot spa to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years.

2 Year No Leak Plumbing Warranty
Watkins warrants the Hot Spot spa against leaks caused by defects in manufacturing and workmanship for two years. This warranty specifically covers leaks from the wall fittings, jet fittings, internal plumbing, internal glue joints, drains, hoses, and all bonded parts.

2 Year Component Warranty
Watkins warrants the electrical components, pump(s), Moto-Massage® jet, and other Hot Spot spa components against defects in materials and workmanship for two years. Some parts, most of which can be changed out without the use of tools, such as filter cartridges, filter lid, spa pillows, and cover locks, are not included in this warranty, but are warranted to be free from defects in materials and workmanship at the time of delivery. Spa covers and other spa accessories are specifically excluded from this warranty, although they may be covered by other warranties. Please check with your Hot Spot dealer for details.

2 Year No-Fault® Heater Warranty
Watkins unconditionally warrants the No-Fault heater to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for two years. This warranty defines unconditional, with exclusion of commercial or industrial use, and improper installation as warranty coverage without exception provided that the component has failed to operate properly within the spa’s system.

A HotSpring Portable Spa has the number 5 in place of all of those numbers 2.

HTH
 

[dogdjour]

OK we went with the LaZ Boy. They're now built by Hydropool, not Tatum which went out of business.
We called a "dealer" acting interested in one and they quoted us twice as much w/o steps and cover lift.
I also did not pick up on the fact that the Hot Springs Relay was really a Hot Spot Relay built by Hot Springs... so Thanks for that nugget!
Putting it in soon. Thanks for the help.

BTW if you buy one of these tubs you MUST use a Siemens GFCI breaker.