Roto-molded vs Acrylic?

[Cbythesea]

I'm still searching for a small corner spa and now wondering since this is my FIRST venture into "spa world" does anyone have feedback on the roto-molded spas?  Dream maker Fantasy or the AquaRest AR-300 are tubs that are possibilities.  Although I LOVE the Hot Spring TX the dealer in my area is difficult to work with, I've had to leave up to 6 voice mails before I get a return call!  Leaves major concerns that if I bite the bullet and pay $5100 (new quote today) for a tub in a previous years color, although they say it's brand new and never been opened I'll have problems if I ever need service.  Now I'm seeing the Dream maker and/or the AquaRest at 1/2 the price but wondering if I'm just asking for trouble if I start with a roto-molded???  Like I said I'm new to hot tubs/spas PLEASE HELP me with any feedback.  Any do's and don't's would be appreciated.  I hope to soon join your world of relaxing, removing aches and pains and much better sleeping :-)  Thanks so much!

[The Wizard of Spas]

You're dealing with apples and oranges here:  Roto-mold spas and acrylic are not very comparable.  I am a dealer who sells both types of spas so I have no agenda other than to point out that (generally speaking) these two tub styles are bringing two different things to the table and should not be compared straight up, per se.

Roto-mold focuses on lower cost and being fairly simple and easy.  There are pros and cons to that.  Acrylic can be simple and easy and low cost but you tend to get more out of them in terms of jets, motor/motor size, features, options, etc. from acrylic spas.  Additionally:  Most Roto-molds are 110v while most acrylics are 220v. 

Again- I am speaking in very broad and general terms here, as there are 110v acrylic units and you can always convert a 110v to 220v when looking at Roto-molds. 

Thus:  When trying to distinguish between Roto vs Acrylic, look at the *why* they different and see if there is something that stands out in the plus or minus column.  If that eliminates one type over the other, then you have your answer.

I hope this helps.  I really didn't dive into the nuts and bolts of the specific brands as I prefer for you to determine first if you want roto or acrylic.  I'll leave it to others to discuss the virtues of each product you've mentioned, as I do not sell any of those particular manufacturer's products.

Good luck moving forward.

[Cbythesea]

Thank you so much!  At this point I'm at a loss because of my small space and what the dealers in my area are offering.  One dealer has a Bahama Bimini that I'm told is manufactured by Dynasty (reviews on Dynasty haven't been promising) but they also offer the Dream maker Fantasy.  Another dealer is Hot Spring, they have the Hot Spot TX (great Hot Spring reviews...HORRIBLE dealer) which I love the looks of but they're extremely unresponsive which sways me from even wanting to work with them.  Neither of the dealers in my area offer a wet test, they have the spas on their floor but are not filled and when I asked they both said that wet tests are not an option UGH!  The only one I can do a wet test with is the Dream maker, you'd think if they have the Dream Maker filled they'd fill the Bahama Bimini but not the case :-(  Space is a huge concern but I also want to make sure I don't just buy a 300 pound lawn ornament. 

[The Wizard of Spas]

Those are are valid concerns:  50% of your purchase is the dealer, as they will provide warranty and out of warranty service work.  Sorry you are getting bad customer service. 

When you are limited on size you are limited on options as tubs under 7' are not the norm.

I'd do an extensive search online to see spa dealers in a, say, 100 mile radius of you and tell them your story.  See what their service radius is and if there is an upcharge of out of area.  Tell them you are having trouble with your local dealers and you really want to purchase a hot tub.  If they have any sense in their heads they'd try to earn your business.  See what they can offer you.

Heck- You never know until you ask.

[Cbythesea]

I'm going to do a wet test on the roto-mold Dream maker today we shall see.  I also found a Mira (the M200) that will work space wise, the dealer I'm going to sells Mira as well but when I looked at the Bahama Bimini at the same place they never mentioned the Mira spa.  My goal is to try to do wet tests today and take the plunge.  I've been looking at spas for about 5 weeks and doing as much research as possible we shall see what happens.  This particular dealer has been extremely responsive which is a PLUS but still a bit nervous, at this point I feel like all I can do is see what feels the best and GO FOR IT :-)  I'm sure I'll be  back with water chemistry questions hahah!  Thanks again for your feedback, I'll let you know what I decide on!

[Pimmsie]

Did you get one? hope it's all going well