# of jets is a poor metric of a hot tub's quality and ability to give you therapy/relaxation/enjoyment/whatever. Many people say that small "pinpoint" jets hurt or irritate and are used to artifically inflate "jet count" for people looking for such a number.
Wet testing is the key here, as even reputable dealers and manufacturers will make tubs that just do not hit you right.
A few things to be careful about when first starting to look:
1. Don't buy off a whim.
2. Wet test any tub before you buy it (and do so more than once!) Bring a friend or two to see if adjacent seating is crowded. Bring a notepad. Stay in for at least 15 minutes to get a real feel for all jets. Don't be afraid to move around in a seat to try and find it's sweet spot.
3. If you get overwhelmed, buy from a reputable manufacturer. In my area, that is solidly sundance and hot springs. Caldera, Marquis, Coleman are others that get high marks here. I'm sure others can toss up their favorites.
4. Read the warranty! See what is and is not included. Make sure the company has a reputation of honoring the warranty. For example, the Marquis warranty is transferrable if you sell a tub. Watkins (makers of Hot Springs) has done some pretty big customer-service for people out of warranty. Cal Spas has a reputation of poor warranty servicing (though the Cal Spa dealer on here swears it is a dealer-to-dealer issue).
Know that "lifetime" (as a legal term in warranties) usually means between 5-7 years, depending on the state.
5. Ask about prices. $10k for a HS grandee sounds a little high. See if there is any wiggle room once the dealer knows you are both a serious and a comparison-shopping customer. I love my grandee, it's a quality tub that won't given you much headache from a reputable company.
6. Don't be fooled by # jets or by pump horse power. A powerful pump attached to too many jets can be just as bad as an underpowered pump (and more expensive to run).
Some good debates to search for on here (with my 2 cents added, of course):
1. Do you get a full-foamed hot tub or a thermal-pane hot tub. Short answer? Both can do OK, Both can be done poorly. It's probably harder to do TP "correctly".
2. Circulation pump or jet pump for filtration. Circ pumps inject ozone 24/7. Jet pumps move more water (but only when running a filter cycle).
3. Ozonator or not? Ozone may reduce the amount of chemicals you need and ease maintenance of the tub. Get a CD not a UV, and make sure the CD doesn't need a charge after 9000 hours. Make sure the tub has a sufficiently sized ozone mixing chamber.
