Newbie shopping for spa - Canada Spa brand?

[Gibson00]

Hi all, my wife and I are shopping for a spa.  We are located on the east coast of Canada.  There are a few dealers around, but the spas we like the look of the most are from the brand 'Canada Spa'.  But I can't seem to find much mention of them on here.  They are priced better than most other brands, but seem to have nice features.

Two we were looking at are the Thunder Bay model, and the Toronto model.  Can anyone comment on these??

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/canadian-spa-thunder-bay-hot-tub/10283548?rrid=PersonalizedClickCPInCategory|item_page.rr1|2|0

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/canadian-spa-toronto-44-jets-5-6-person-spa-with-led-lighting-and-speakers/6000024129702

I believe one of the big differences between these two is the Thunder Bay has two motors..

Thanks for any help!!

[Sam]

Not familiar with the brand but I would never even consider spending over $6k on a spa from Walmart

[Gibson00]

This brand is also sold by Home Depot and Kent.  Not sure if that makes a difference! 

[Sam]

 

Really my point is that you can get a reputable brand with local service and support from a hot tub retailer in that price range.  It's easy to undervalue the expertise that a hot tub retailer brings.  When you buy from a box store there is rarely anyone that knows a single thing about the product. Including the companies that they subcontract delivery and/or warranty work out to.  If you read the fine print, it says that you get curbside delivery.  That means that some general trucking company that knows nothing about hot tubs will drop it off at the end of your driveway.  You will need to figure out how to get it to your backyard without damaging the spa or someone getting hurt.  You will be on your own trying to figure out how to operate it and treat the water, etc...

If you are a handy guy, that might not be a big deal.  But you still are looking at an inferior product with a lesser warranty.  That price range or maybe just a little bit more will get you a much better product at a hot tub retailer.

Just my personal opinion and I happen to be a hot tub retailer, so take it for what it's worth.

[Tman122]

I'm not a retailer but agree with the above. Being a plumber and eventual independent tub/pool/sauna maintenance guy these were my bread and butter. Not saying they are junk but they should be had for 3500-4500 tops when you get no dealer, less warranty and less service. And expect a shorter life expectancy. You will have 2-3 of these to one higher end 8-10g tub. They are easy to work on and have generic easily accessible parts but they also have less/noisier jet power, less insulation (higher operating cost) poorer engineered plumbing and lower end components with shorter longevity.

Plus how do you know you will like the comfort/feel/sound? That seems rather important.

[Gibson00]

Hi all, thanks for the replies.
I guess I was hoping to hear some experiences about this particular brand.
Here's the thing...I do have a couple of specialty shops local to me.  They carry Beachcomber and Arctic Spa brands.
To get one with what appears to be equivalent features to the 'Thunder Bay' model I referenced, ie. 40+ jets, 2 pumps, etc.  they are literally twice the price. 
For example, the Arctic Spa 'Klondiker' model, with 45 jets and 3 pumps, is 12500 + tax.  That's a difference of about $7000 after taxes.  That 7k would pay for a lot of -possible- repairs to the less expensive spa, no? 
If I'm way off base, tell me!    I'm new to this, but $12500 + tax just isn't going to happen for me.. 

[Quickbeam]

I think Tman’s post above summed it up pretty nicely. You don’t have to spend $12,500 to get a good spa. Most good manufacturers have second or even third tier lines, that I’m betting would be better than what you’re looking at.

And one big component of buying a spa is to wet test. You will see on this forum over and over again that this is highly recommended. The spa may look nice and have all kinds of bells and whistles, and it may even feel good if you sit in it dry, but if you get it home, get water in it and the jets running, and you don’t like it, then you are really out the $6,000 or so you’ve spent.

One other quick thing to take note of is that it is not the number of jets in a tub that’s important, but rather how the jets feel once you’re in the tub. The number or quantity of jets does not necessarily mean a better massage.

[Tman122]

I'd take 20 well placed high end jets with well engineered plumbing behind them over 40 poorly placed bullet jets with crappy plumbing that make you itch.

[Gibson00]

BTW, another brand sold locally (still expensive) is the Twilight series by Master Spas.
But from what I've read, this seems to be a brand to avoid??

[Water Boy]

You might talk to the Arctic dealer about some of their two pump spa options. That should get the price closer to the other ones, and that way, you could still get a quality spa from a good local dealer. With Arctic Spas, all of the jets are the bigger, rotating, massaging jets. My personal spa has two pumps and 28 jets, and it is more than enough for me. I agree with the others, in that I would stay clear of that box store spa. Buy from a good local reputable dealer that sells a quality spa is my best advice. Good luck!

[Gibson00]

Funny, I just visited the local Arctic dealer an hour ago, very nice tubs.
Which model do you have?  All the ones they have in stock were the 3 pump 'legend' series.  A bit more than I planned on spending, but who knows.  It is about 2k less to go one step down with less jets and 2 pumps.  The model I was looking at was the Frontier.
The only thing the salesperson told me, that I can't help thinking is total BS, was his answer to the usual question - how much to run it.
I live in Nova Scotia, we get pretty cold winters.  He claimed that with the tub outside in the winter, it would be $40 per month.  I told him flat out I didn't believe him, but he stuck to it....

[Water Boy]

I have the Yukon Signature series. That is one of their models that doesnt have a lounger in it. I honestly think you would be very happy with two pumps in the Frontier model.

As far as running costs, the Arctics are really energy efficient. In my area (NE Kansas), we still get really cold winters. During the winter, it probably costs $30-40 per month or so. Maybe more in some really cold months, and in months where you use it more. Also, if you do a drain and refill in the winter, that can up your running costs for that month as well, so I try to avoid that. Running costs of a spa can have some many variables that can affect the running cost. How much does it filter, or how often do you use it, how cold is it there, etc. It's hard to give a blanket number across the board. But, I would say your dealer is fairly close. Many of my customers say that they don't notice a drastic difference in their bill after getting the hot tub.

One thing that you could do, Arctic Spas offers a wifi enabled system called onSpa. There is a feature as part of the app where you can monitor your monthly running costs. It lets you enter your rates from your bill, and then it will tell you at the end of the month what your running costs are. 

[Spatech_tuo]

BTW, another brand sold locally (still expensive) is the Twilight series by Master Spas.
But from what I've read, this seems to be a brand to avoid??

The Arctic and Beachcomber options you previously noted are certainly worth considering and maybe look at dealer locators on the websites for other good brands like Caldera, D1, Hot Spring, Jacuzzi and Sundance for additional options but Masters wouldn't be high on my list, especially in an area where it gets "kinds cold" come wintertime.

[Tman122]

A dealer saying it will run 40 bucks per month is likely real close. Could be 15-20 for some months or even less on a hot month with little use, 30-50 other months and maybe higher some months because of the reasons listed above. Heavy use in the spring and fall (best times to soak) can wick off a lot of heat. it's easy to drive up cost's.

[sksmoker]

The only thing the salesperson told me, that I can't help thinking is total BS, was his answer to the usual question - how much to run it.
I live in Nova Scotia, we get pretty cold winters.  He claimed that with the tub outside in the winter, it would be $40 per month.  I told him flat out I didn't believe him, but he stuck to it....

You don't get cold winters in Nova Scotia. . Try bald arse prairie where the actual temperature was -44C _without_ the windchill! I feel sorry for the amount of wet heavy snow though  and that humidity (shudder)

Our Coast Freedom tub is running $35/mo so far on equalized payments.. I will say this though. I do keep on top of the weather. If you see bad weather coming up and you know you won't be using it for a week or more (as was our case last year, 15 days straight we went without due to extreme cold) turn it right down. With that slick Acrtic interface you can hop onto your tub through wifi and turn the tub right down without burning a bunch of energy that you won't be using. I turned my tub down to 80F (the lowest it would go) off and on last winter with the wild swings in temp. It doesn't take that long to get back up to temp, so if you are even half keeping an eye out on the weather, then that number should be pretty close.  You can't go wrong with an Arctic Tub. As long as the dealer is good to deal with and the tub fits, you should be able to find something in your price range with that brand.

I'm not sure if the Coyote line from Arctic would fit what your looking for.

Do you experience any issues with ice storms and prolonged power outages? That may be something to think about as well as you'll need to keep that equipment area from freezing.