What I have learned so far... any advice is appreciated.

[JohnT56]

My family decided to purchase our first hot tub and I mistakenly thought I could go shopping one afternoon and find a hot tub. I quickly realized the hot tub purchasing experience is a longer process. So far I have visited a few local dealers and have done a lot of online research, the more I learn, the more indecisive I become. I have read through a lot on this site and trust many of the posters are honest and knowledgeable. I am hoping some on this forum can help me find the best hot tub for me and my family.

I live in the SW Minneapolis area and am looking for a hot tub for the whole family. We will have kids 12+ using the hot tub with friends, my wife and I plan to use the tub to unwind from long days and treat sore bones/muscles and we will occasionally entertain adult friends while enjoying a few drinks in the tub. Our budget is around $10k. We would prefer to get the best value for our money but are also willing to pay a little more for the right tub or features we will enjoy for a long time. We could pay cash but always like good financing options if available.

We are looking for a tub that will be energy efficient in harsh MN winters and is reliably built to last many years.

I originally planned to have a lounger but realized that may take up too much space, so am now leaning towards no lounger.

We are installing a stamped concrete patio in our back yard that will go under a 15' high deck. We are debating if we want to put the hot tub under the deck or out in the open air. If anyone has any experience with a hot tub under a deck, we would be interested to know if there a big positives or negatives to have a hot tub under a deck.

Brands I have looked at so far...

Arctic - Liked the local dealer and the tubs appeared to be very nice from the outside but the sales pitch regarding the less insulation is better and no need for a foundation didn't make sense to me. Threw up red flags to me, so I researched more and found many bad reviews on these tubs.

Master Spa - Neighbor has a Master and has worked really will for 12 years will minimal repair.  Price seemed to be really good also, but the Master dealer was not very professional and the tub didn't appear to be high quality. Other online reviews have scared me away from Master.

Sundance - Seemed like nice Spas but the $12500 price tag for the 880 seem a little high. The sales person at the local dealer was also more focused on me giving him a downpayment than educating me on their tubs.

After some online reading I now plan to visit with the local Hot Springs and Marquis dealers. If anyone has any suggestions of other tubs I should look at, I am open to suggestions and appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

[bud16415]

Hi John

We put our tub just a couple steps from our door on a deck I built the door is 3 steps inside the house to a bathroom. We bought a Caldera Geneva we like a lot. We had it on our open deck in cold snow country northern Pa on Lake Erie. All summer we loved star gazing and the open feeling. When fall came and we got a cold snap and leaves started falling and I started picturing snow piled on top of it and driving cold winds. I weighed the stars against the rest and built a 4 post covered pergola. As the weather got worse I rigged some tarp like wind breaks off the poles and it made winter tubbing a joy. As soon as the weather cleared for the winter they came off and the view came back. I have one low panel I keep handy that extends up about a foot higher than the tub I sometimes hook up in the winter just to keep the wind off our heads.

Whenever it is a clear star lit night I wish I didn’t have the covering. Every time it rains I’m glad I do.

You will have a lot more questions before you buy. Just ask them.   

[The Wizard of Spas]

My family decided to purchase our first hot tub and I mistakenly thought I could go shopping one afternoon and find a hot tub. I quickly realized the hot tub purchasing experience is a longer process. So far I have visited a few local dealers and have done a lot of online research, the more I learn, the more indecisive I become. I have read through a lot on this site and trust many of the posters are honest and knowledgeable. I am hoping some on this forum can help me find the best hot tub for me and my family.

I live in the SW Minneapolis area and am looking for a hot tub for the whole family. We will have kids 12+ using the hot tub with friends, my wife and I plan to use the tub to unwind from long days and treat sore bones/muscles and we will occasionally entertain adult friends while enjoying a few drinks in the tub. Our budget is around $10k. We would prefer to get the best value for our money but are also willing to pay a little more for the right tub or features we will enjoy for a long time. We could pay cash but always like good financing options if available.

We are looking for a tub that will be energy efficient in harsh MN winters and is reliably built to last many years.

I originally planned to have a lounger but realized that may take up too much space, so am now leaning towards no lounger.

We are installing a stamped concrete patio in our back yard that will go under a 15' high deck. We are debating if we want to put the hot tub under the deck or out in the open air. If anyone has any experience with a hot tub under a deck, we would be interested to know if there a big positives or negatives to have a hot tub under a deck.

Brands I have looked at so far...

Arctic - Liked the local dealer and the tubs appeared to be very nice from the outside but the sales pitch regarding the less insulation is better and no need for a foundation didn't make sense to me. Threw up red flags to me, so I researched more and found many bad reviews on these tubs.

Master Spa - Neighbor has a Master and has worked really will for 12 years will minimal repair.  Price seemed to be really good also, but the Master dealer was not very professional and the tub didn't appear to be high quality. Other online reviews have scared me away from Master.

Sundance - Seemed like nice Spas but the $12500 price tag for the 880 seem a little high. The sales person at the local dealer was also more focused on me giving him a downpayment than educating me on their tubs.

After some online reading I now plan to visit with the local Hot Springs and Marquis dealers. If anyone has any suggestions of other tubs I should look at, I am open to suggestions and appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

I'd bet most would say that Hot Springs, Sundance, Master and Marquis would be shoo-ins for higher-end units if you took a collective vote so you're looking in the right areas.  Artic gets mixed reviews in general if I am reading the tea leaves correctly.  I'd check out the Hot Springs and Marquis spas first before I made any decisions:  You may see one of the models and have a EUREKA moment and find the unit that just seems perfect for you.

You're doing it right:  Identify brands in your area, see them in person, investigate the dealer, repeat.  Play out the rest of the process and let yourself pare down the options of brands/models until you have a small handful remaining.  That may help you decide easier.  Many on this site will chime in with thoughts on the brands you mentioned so you'll be able to get a feel for what each company brings to the table.

Good luck moving forward.

[Hottubguy]

My family decided to purchase our first hot tub and I mistakenly thought I could go shopping one afternoon and find a hot tub. I quickly realized the hot tub purchasing experience is a longer process. So far I have visited a few local dealers and have done a lot of online research, the more I learn, the more indecisive I become. I have read through a lot on this site and trust many of the posters are honest and knowledgeable. I am hoping some on this forum can help me find the best hot tub for me and my family.

I live in the SW Minneapolis area and am looking for a hot tub for the whole family. We will have kids 12+ using the hot tub with friends, my wife and I plan to use the tub to unwind from long days and treat sore bones/muscles and we will occasionally entertain adult friends while enjoying a few drinks in the tub. Our budget is around $10k. We would prefer to get the best value for our money but are also willing to pay a little more for the right tub or features we will enjoy for a long time. We could pay cash but always like good financing options if available.

We are looking for a tub that will be energy efficient in harsh MN winters and is reliably built to last many years.

I originally planned to have a lounger but realized that may take up too much space, so am now leaning towards no lounger.

We are installing a stamped concrete patio in our back yard that will go under a 15' high deck. We are debating if we want to put the hot tub under the deck or out in the open air. If anyone has any experience with a hot tub under a deck, we would be interested to know if there a big positives or negatives to have a hot tub under a deck.

Brands I have looked at so far...

Arctic - Liked the local dealer and the tubs appeared to be very nice from the outside but the sales pitch regarding the less insulation is better and no need for a foundation didn't make sense to me. Threw up red flags to me, so I researched more and found many bad reviews on these tubs.

Master Spa - Neighbor has a Master and has worked really will for 12 years will minimal repair.  Price seemed to be really good also, but the Master dealer was not very professional and the tub didn't appear to be high quality. Other online reviews have scared me away from Master.

Sundance - Seemed like nice Spas but the $12500 price tag for the 880 seem a little high. The sales person at the local dealer was also more focused on me giving him a downpayment than educating me on their tubs.

After some online reading I now plan to visit with the local Hot Springs and Marquis dealers. If anyone has any suggestions of other tubs I should look at, I am open to suggestions and appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

I'd bet most would say that Hot Springs, Sundance, Master and Marquis would be shoo-ins for higher-end units if you took a collective vote so you're looking in the right areas.  Artic gets mixed reviews in general if I am reading the tea leaves correctly.  I'd check out the Hot Springs and Marquis spas first before I made any decisions:  You may see one of the models and have a EUREKA moment and find the unit that just seems perfect for you.

You're doing it right:  Identify brands in your area, see them in person, investigate the dealer, repeat.  Play out the rest of the process and let yourself pare down the options of brands/models until you have a small handful remaining.  That may help you decide easier.  Many on this site will chime in with thoughts on the brands you mentioned so you'll be able to get a feel for what each company brings to the table.

Good luck moving forward.

I definetely wouldn't put Master in the same category as the others mentioned. Wet test as many as you can and talk to the dealers. You aren't only buying the tub you are going to need support from the dealer in the future

[MarKee]

^ ditto!

[JohnT56]

I checked out 3 different brands today, Marquis, Caldera and Hot Springs.

Marquis - Really liked the 750 but am also considering the Euphoria and Promise tubs. Basically these 3 tubs ranged from $8600 to $10500. So far the 750 is my leader as a very good tub at a very affordable price.

Caldera - Considering the Paradise Salina but the price was $10,500 and did not include the cover lift or stairs. Did not seem to be much much better than the Marquis 750, which is more than $2000 less.

Hot Springs - Really liked the Grandee a lot but the cost at $14,500 is out of my budget. Sales rep showed me a basic tub around $9000 but I liked the Marquis 750 more for about the same cost.

Will plan to look into Artesian and Jacuzzi.

[JohnT56]

After wet testing and checking out a number of dealers we think the best tub for the money in are area is the Marquis 750.  We have been quoted $7635 or $7160 w/ no radio and depending on our color choices. Is these prices comparable with what others see?

[BullFrogSpasMN]

Hey John, If you are curious about Bullfrog at all swing into Minnesota Hot Tubs and I could show you around, I manage our Lake Elmo store..If you've made a decision that's fine as well...Happy Soaking!

[hotubbing]

Because of limitations our location, we had to place our tub so that half was under a deck and the other half open sky. It turned out to be the best of both worlds. There's nothing like sitting in a hot tub on a rainy day, and having the overhang to protect me from the rain in my face was awesome. And then on clear nights still felt like I was sitting under a starlit sky.

[Pers Onal]

If anyone has any experience with a hot tub under a deck, we would be interested to know if there a big positives or negatives to have a hot tub under a deck.

I have had one on an upper deck for close to twenty years.

We use it a lot in the daytime, and the sun can be brutal here. So, I made a movable awning that lasted for about ten years. When redid everything went with as motorized sun awning with remote.

Looking up at the sky during the daytime and/or the stars at night makes it really nice.

Having it a couple of steps from the master bath door makes it nice in winter time

[MarKee]

That's a really good price on the 750! 

[JacuzziJack]

The idea behind the arctic spa design is the cabinet being insulated rather than the tub, the heat from the pumps when running (quite a bit of heat) is transmitted to the fiberglass water tub and helps keep the water warm, so you're not wasting that heat. Conversely, when it's really cold out, the pumps and associated supply/return piping isn't outside the insulated envelope like on other hot tubs. If a failure were to occur with an Arctic Spa, the heat contained in the 400 gal of water (or whatever size HT you get) would keep the associated plumbing warm and preventing it from freezing, whereas, with the Hot Springs, if the pumps stop working the lines will freeze and then you have larger problems. Plus, if the lines on a fully insulated hot tub freeze, then you have the additional work of digging out that foam to make repairs. With the Arctic Spa, finding and gettng to the leak should be easier. So, those are the benefits Arctic promotes with their design.

[Tman122]

The idea behind the arctic spa design is the cabinet being insulated rather than the tub, the heat from the pumps when running (quite a bit of heat) is transmitted to the fiberglass water tub and helps keep the water warm, so you're not wasting that heat. Conversely, when it's really cold out, the pumps and associated supply/return piping isn't outside the insulated envelope like on other hot tubs. If a failure were to occur with an Arctic Spa, the heat contained in the 400 gal of water (or whatever size HT you get) would keep the associated plumbing warm and preventing it from freezing, whereas, with the Hot Springs, if the pumps stop working the lines will freeze and then you have larger problems. Plus, if the lines on a fully insulated hot tub freeze, then you have the additional work of digging out that foam to make repairs. With the Arctic Spa, finding and gettng to the leak should be easier. So, those are the benefits Arctic promotes with their design.

There's a ton of flaws in this sales speak.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

The idea behind the arctic spa design is the cabinet being insulated rather than the tub, the heat from the pumps when running (quite a bit of heat) is transmitted to the fiberglass water tub and helps keep the water warm, so you're not wasting that heat. Conversely, when it's really cold out, the pumps and associated supply/return piping isn't outside the insulated envelope like on other hot tubs. If a failure were to occur with an Arctic Spa, the heat contained in the 400 gal of water (or whatever size HT you get) would keep the associated plumbing warm and preventing it from freezing, whereas, with the Hot Springs, if the pumps stop working the lines will freeze and then you have larger problems. Plus, if the lines on a fully insulated hot tub freeze, then you have the additional work of digging out that foam to make repairs. With the Arctic Spa, finding and gettng to the leak should be easier. So, those are the benefits Arctic promotes with their design.

There's a ton of flaws in this sales speak.

I wouldn't say flaws, the foam issue is relevant (depending on brand and how dense/hard the crap is they use) but in northern climates it's super easy to sell against with 1 question..."If you had $500k and were building a brand new home would you tell your contractor to skip the insulation?" that's about the extent of that conversation...but everyone has to have something unique, I'd still buy an Artic over some brands made south of the border that get much more love around here