Help Choosing Between Artesian and Viking

[sjamedeo]

Hi all,

Just looking for a bit of advice on getting a new hot tub.

Backstory:
We were given a free Hot Tub a few years ago and the maintenance on that was about as much fun as you'd think.  I made it work for awhile but it finally died last year. So we're second time owners but first time buyers.  We're looking to grab an end of season deal and we've narrowed it down to two choices we've found locally.


The first is the tradition 1 from Viking Spas:
http://vikingspas.com/spa-collections/destiny-river-series/tradition-hot-tub/tradition-1.html

The Second is the Fiji by Artesian:
https://tropicseasspas.com/models/fiji/

I did some poking around the internet for reviews on these Spas\manufacturers and couldn't really find much out there which makes me nervous.  Both seem like pretty decent deals (6K-7K) but having owned a hand me down I certainly don't want to shoot myself in the foot in terms of quality.  These prices are right in our wheelhouse but I'd definitely go a bit higher if there was a real quality concern regarding these manufacturers.

One other concern is that we live in the Chicago land area and plan on using the spa through the winter so good insulation is a factor here.

Any advice on one of these models vs. the other?  Should I keep looking and dive a bit deeper into my pocket book? 

(also, I did some poking around on this site already.  Message received on wet testing)

[Tman122]

Neither of those are high end manufacturers but solid units non the less. They are both designed for the more value conscious purchaser.

Yes you will give up a bit in warranty, fit and finish, energy efficiency, longevity, noise level and bells and whistles. But they will be good performers for the money.

You will have to spend 3-4 more grand to get more tub. Just like anything, in most cases you get more when you spend more.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

Neither of those are high end manufacturers but solid units non the less. They are both designed for the more value conscious purchaser.

Yes you will give up a bit in warranty, fit and finish, energy efficiency, longevity, noise level and bells and whistles. But they will be good performers for the money.

You will have to spend 3-4 more grand to get more tub. Just like anything, in most cases you get more when you spend more.

basically this...on a side note, How the heck does Artesian get away with putting (1) single 50 sq. ft filter in a 500 gallon 91" x 91" spa?? geez talk about pinching pennies in the wrong places

[Sam]

Tropic Seas aren't really full fledged Artesians, so to speak.  It's a side line that they came up with so they could sell spas from multiple dealers in a single territory.  At least, that's what I suspect.  You'll notice that all of their other lines are accessible through their main web site.  Not Tropic Seas though.  Also, the Tropic Seas site doesn't mention Artesian anywhere. They're sort of like the Island Spas line but not as good.  Their Island Spas are great hot tubs that I think compare well to the best out there, especially when you factor price.

[Tman122]

Tropic Seas aren't really full fledged Artesians, so to speak.  It's a side line that they came up with so they could sell spas from multiple dealers in a single territory.  At least, that's what I suspect.  You'll notice that all of their other lines are accessible through their main web site.  Not Tropic Seas though.  Also, the Tropic Seas site doesn't mention Artesian anywhere. They're sort of like the Island Spas line but not as good.  Their Island Spas are great hot tubs that I think compare well to the best out there, especially when you factor price.

I don't consider South Seas to be comparable to Artesian Island Series. But I do see South Seas comparable to Viking.

[bradleyabell]

Hi all,

Just looking for a bit of advice on getting a new hot tub.

Backstory:
We were given a free Hot Tub a few years ago and the maintenance on that was about as much fun as you'd think.  I made it work for awhile but it finally died last year. So we're second time owners but first time buyers.  We're looking to grab an end of season deal and we've narrowed it down to two choices we've found locally.


The first is the tradition 1 from Viking Spas:
http://vikingspas.com/spa-collections/destiny-river-series/tradition-hot-tub/tradition-1.html

The Second is the Fiji by Artesian:
https://tropicseasspas.com/models/fiji/

I did some poking around the internet for reviews on these Spas\manufacturers and couldn't really find much out there which makes me nervous.  Both seem like pretty decent deals (6K-7K) but having owned a hand me down I certainly don't want to shoot myself in the foot in terms of quality.  These prices are right in our wheelhouse but I'd definitely go a bit higher if there was a real quality concern regarding these manufacturers.

One other concern is that we live in the Chicago land area and plan on using the spa through the winter so good insulation is a factor here.

Any advice on one of these models vs. the other?  Should I keep looking and dive a bit deeper into my pocket book? 

(also, I did some poking around on this site already.  Message received on wet testing)

Take a look at the Bullfrog X series as well...Those tubs would be right in your $ range.  I just purchased an X8L.