First time hot tub buyer here! Help Wanted!

[CHAR-brew]

Hey everyone.
I am soon to be a first time hot tub owner. I grew up with a hot tub at my parents all through school but this will be the first one I own. We are a little limited here in South Dakota for brands, but I have narrowed it down to a few. I am really curious what you guys recommend and if you think the price they are giving me is fair. there are two tubs my wife and I are stuck between and I know both are made by the same manufacturer and are nearly the same. I am curious if anyone had had either tub and knows who offers better service and which tub is best.
Looking at a Caldera Marino ($7500), or a Hot Spot Relay/Rhythm($7400). 

Has anyone tried a Free flow tub? Thoughts? Looked at one to this last weekend but not sure how they will hold up.

Any input would be fine as I have looked in person at both models and they seem great. Hoping to close the deal soon!
thanks in advance for everyones help! I
I really want my families first tub to be great and your input will be very helpful.

[bradleyabell]

Hey everyone.
I am soon to be a first time hot tub owner. I grew up with a hot tub at my parents all through school but this will be the first one I own. We are a little limited here in South Dakota for brands, but I have narrowed it down to a few. I am really curious what you guys recommend and if you think the price they are giving me is fair. there are two tubs my wife and I are stuck between and I know both are made by the same manufacturer and are nearly the same. I am curious if anyone had had either tub and knows who offers better service and which tub is best.
Looking at a Caldera Marino ($7500), or a Hot Spot Relay/Rhythm($7400). 

Has anyone tried a Free flow tub? Thoughts? Looked at one to this last weekend but not sure how they will hold up.

Any input would be fine as I have looked in person at both models and they seem great. Hoping to close the deal soon!
thanks in advance for everyones help! I
I really want my families first tub to be great and your input will be very helpful.

My advice, and probably the best you will receive is to wet test!.  You may think you love a tub, but until you actually get in it with the water hot and jets running you never know! 

[bud16415]

We did a similar comparison and ended up with a Caldera Geneva. At each level of the comparable tubs between the two I think it is a coin flip. As mentioned above test them both and maybe one will speak to you more than the other. I read a lot on forums about Caldera being south of the boarder and Hot Springs still being made in the states. If that is important to you. I read some comments they moved south as the type of fiberglass they can use down there is hotter and supposedly is a better stronger bonding glass.

I personally would have been equally as happy both ways in my town we like the Caldera dealer a little better and he worked on pricing a little better.

Both are great. It is a little bit like picking between a Chevy or GMC truck.     

[CHAR-brew]

Hey everyone.
I am soon to be a first time hot tub owner. I grew up with a hot tub at my parents all through school but this will be the first one I own. We are a little limited here in South Dakota for brands, but I have narrowed it down to a few. I am really curious what you guys recommend and if you think the price they are giving me is fair. there are two tubs my wife and I are stuck between and I know both are made by the same manufacturer and are nearly the same. I am curious if anyone had had either tub and knows who offers better service and which tub is best.
Looking at a Caldera Marino ($7500), or a Hot Spot Relay/Rhythm($7400). 

Has anyone tried a Free flow tub? Thoughts? Looked at one to this last weekend but not sure how they will hold up.

Any input would be fine as I have looked in person at both models and they seem great. Hoping to close the deal soon!
thanks in advance for everyones help! I
I really want my families first tub to be great and your input will be very helpful.

My advice, and probably the best you will receive is to wet test!.  You may think you love a tub, but until you actually get in it with the water hot and jets running you never know!

It would be great to do a wet test but none of the dealers have either model available with water in them. They only have the more expensive tubs with water in them to test and that just is not an option for us as this is our first tub. I do agree it would be the best way to test it.

[castletonia]

Both the Caldera and Hot Spot are made in Mexico.  They are as close to identical spas as you can have.  I sell both brands and I floor the Caldera Vanto / Marino over the Hot Spot Relay / Rhythm.  My reasons are I like the in-line sanitation on the Caldera's, I like the look of the cabinet better, and I sell quite a bit of the Midnight Canyon shell which Caldera offers and Hot Spring does not.  Manufacturer support will be identical.  If they are from different dealers, then look into the dealers reputation.

A Freeflow is in my opinion a huge step downward from what you are looking at.  Yes, they are all made by Watkins, but they are not the same spas.  Freeflow has a shorter warranty, less powerful pump and less jetting so the performance will be a little underwhelming compared to the Caldera / Hot Spring, and different components.  Not to mention being made out of a rotationally molded plastic, which is less expensive and in my opinion not as aesthetically pleasing.  The Freeflows should also be about 1/2 the price.