I'm relatively new to hot tub ownership, as I have an (antique) Jacuzzi acquired last year that now has to be retired. It leaks and considering its age, I'm not sure it's worth the expense for repairs.
As far as replacements are concerned, I'm on a tighter budget than many of the posts I've seen here ($3000-$4000 preferred), and I'm not going to fall into the trap of going in with that budget and walking out with a $10,000 tub
So my list:
1) $3000-$4000 out the door (I already have supplies and a nice set of steps purchased last year). My plan was to put down $1500 and finance the rest. While I have enough to pay cash outright in that price range, I'd like to take advantage of the 18 months same as cash deals that pop up in my area rather frequently.
2) 110v Plug & Play is mandatory. I have a licensed electrician in the family who has agreed to install dedicated service for free as long as I purchase the wiring and other items. The available outdoor 110 outlet is not dedicated, and we've had some issues with that. I don't want to go to the expense of going the 220v route.
3) Seats at least 3. My partner is 6'5" and 250 pounds, so he displaces a LOT of water. I'm 5'2" so we need something that can adequately serve despite our height discrepancy.
4) I have fibromyalgia so I anticipate daily use, probably 30 minutes to an hour a day. It would have plenty of time for reheating every day.
5) At this time, I'm not sure if I'd be using it heavily in the winter. I live in Kentucky, and some winters are pretty mild. The last one was NOT. While my aches and pains tell me I'd use it year-round, I'm not sure I could find a plug & play model that could withstand active use when we have weather like that. There's a possibility we just won't want the hassle of dealing with it in the winter so we'd just winterize it. Thoughts?
I've already checked out the majority of our local dealers. One is primarily a Hot Springs dealer, and they carry the Fantasy spas line from HS. I'm not coming up with much in the way of reviews for the Fantasy line though. The Cascina model in the Freeflow brand looks very similar, if not identical, to the Drift model in the Fantasy line. The Hot Springs dealer is about 20 minutes from my house, whereas the nearest Freeflow dealer is about 90 minutes away. The FF dealer is not accredited with the BBB and their online reviews via several sites are not very flattering (mostly warranty squabbles). The Hot Springs dealer is BBB accredited and most of the online complaints have been about the pools they sell, not the hot tubs.
If I'm reading correctly, Freeflow and Fantasy are both Hot Springs lines. If so, what's the difference?
I've still got several dealers to check out (they carry Nordic and Bahama brands that have plug & play models). I have absolutely no clue what the price range is on those. There's also a Maax dealer in the area, but again I haven't been out to look at their selection yet either. Same goes for the Sundance dealer.
After perusing the boards, I understand the importance of wet testing. Like most folks, I have a feeling I'd get the side eye from my local dealers for that. They only seem to fill the $10,000 & up models, not the p&p). After using hot tubs on various vacations, I know I'm not super picky. Even the ones with 10 jets were fine for me. Since I'm short, I can always be underwater. My partner? Not so much, but he's not the one that hurts.
He sat in the Drift model dry and was fine with it.
Up to this point, we've both agreed we like the Drift. The current offer is just under $3000 out the door (delivery, cover, steps I don't need, supplies) and they're offering 18 mos SAC. I'm leaning more toward waiting until Spring though. The electrical service will be installed this fall before the ground freezes, but since I'm not sure we'd use a new spa in the winter, I would rather just sit back and accumulate some more cash in my savings account, then see what's available come Spring.
I think that about does it. Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions based off the above? Opinions on p&p spas in general? Fantasy/Freeflow in specific? Are there other brands that offers a p&p in this price range? Any help would be appreciated.
