What is the Best Hot Tub Under 6K?

[armydude]

I just found this forum and it looks like alot of people here have good knowledge, advice andd opinions. What I would like to know is - what the best hot tub I can purchase under 6,000 dollars with our wants/needs. The bells and whitsles my wife would like is a light that can do basic color changes and a stereo system. Other options we would like are aromatherapy and a water effect option (these are not that big an issue). The one must have is a lounger seat. We would like to be able to seat 4 comfortably in the spa. So again I ask humbly for the experience and knowledge of those here on the forum in helping my wife and I pick a quality hot tub that won't break the bank. In case it matters we are located in south eastern PA. Thanks in advance for you reponses.

[Brewman]

Avoid Costco, Sam's Club, and other non spa dealers, unless you feel real comfortable without support for setup and service.  Not sure that the spas sold at those places would have some of the bells and whistles you're looking for.
Go to several spa dealers in your area, and ask them to show you what they have in your price range.  Many spa dealers carry value priced sister lines parallel to their flagship brands- for expample, Sundance has a value priced line, which used to be called Sweetwater, but the brand has folded into Sundance using model series numbers instead.  Hot Springs has the Tiger River line, and I'm sure there are others.  
Also make sure you allow enough money for the stuff that's not included in the spa- like electrical, foundation, and other site prep.
Be sure to hop in several tubs once you narrow down your options, and try them out.  This is especially true if you're shopping for a lounger.  You need to make sure it fits and that you like the seating and jet action.

[Vinny]

Welcome!

Unfortunately, some of your requests require some money to purchase. The light is no big thing, you can get one for about $100, but the stereo can be expensive - $600 and up, some people resort to outdoor speakers or a boom box. The aromatherapy I believe requires a blower system and that's usually in premium spas ($8,000 +). As far as water effect, some tubs have waterfalls and some are optional and some have "fountains" so it really depends on what you're looking for.

For around $6,000, I would say your area (I assuming around Philly) you can probably get a Jacuzzi, Beachcomber, Artesian Island, Emerald, possibly Sundance 700 (?) series and LA Spas. There may be others but these are what I found shopping in late 2004 to have lower priced, nice units.

Hope this helps!

[Spatech_tuo]

what the best hot tub I can purchase under 6,000 dollars with our wants/needs. The bells and whitsles my wife would like is a light that can do basic color changes and a stereo system.

1) You're looking to not spend over $6k but at what cost? Not at the cost of quality so look at the better spa makers but don't get the largest spa or the ones with teh most flash.

2) Do yourself a favor, skip the stereo in the spa. It'll save you a lot of money and they're simply NOT a good value option. Often more than 10% of the cost of the spa will be the stereo alone if you go that route and even if money wasn't an option, they are a potential headache once you get past that 1 yr warranty.

[Guzz]

Check out the Tiger River Bengal and HotSpot Mallorca, both are in your price range, though you will have to sacrifice the sound system. There are lots of other choices out there, good luck in your search.

[anne]

Just to add my two cents: Spa stereos usually only have a one year warranty, and I'd REALLY recommend you spend your money on a quality spa, not bells and whistles. You can set up outdoor speakers (you'll need wiring out there anyway, right?) and a little stereo unit for a small fraction of the cost of a spa system. I'm not the expert, but my boyfriend has a home business in home theater and the like, and he was really amused by the costs of spa stereos that we saw while shopping for a spa.

I second the vote to look into Tiger River, and also recommend looking at Coleman. I started out only willing/able to spend about $6000, and both those companies have good VALUE in that range

[hottubdan]

In the Philly area a dealer to check out is Springdance.  Throughout their stores they have multiple brands.

I am on the west coast, so Springdance is not me.

[Tatooed_Lady]

and another thing that everyone here seems to agree on...the cost up front may be higher than you'd like to spend, but still small compared to the cost of repairs later on if you get a 'cheap' tub or try to cut corners where it counts.
the value, however, is not just a dollar amount, but the peace of mind of having bought a tub from a spa dealer that will be behind the product you finally purchase throughout the warranty, and after.
Find a reputable dealer in your area to discuss your wants and needs with. You may find that the stereo being part of the spa isn't necessary (they're VERY not cheap), and you can "make do" with a bookshelf style stereo, or boombox.....Many spas have "cool" lighting, and I saw a post that told you of the availability of a color changing LED light. That might be the cheapest way to go, without giving up on the idea. Ask if the light changing package is extra on the tubs you look at, to be sure.
Water features.....waterfalls, etc.....some of them run the prices of the tubs higher, but plenty of the people on this forum find them overrated.
Aromatherapy can be done by simply buying bottles of Spazzaz or other scented crystals or liquids. Use in moderation, however....there's also a fish that you can fill with the scented liquid, and it releases the stuff at a 'slow' rate...
Also, the tubs are listed at 2 voltages.....115 and 230, I believe.....the firstb plugs in to an outlet, but apparently doesn't allow the use of the heater and jets at the same time. This may or may not be issue for you.
Just a few things for you to consider that could help you figure out what's important and what you could cut costs on.
Best of luck!!

[MarKee]

Check out the Marquis Everyday line..

[armydude]

I want to thank everyone who responded. I appreciate your opinions and guidance. I heard the same thoughts about the stereo system echoed by from a dealer at the home show but though he was just trying to steer me in a certain direction (his line). Since there seems to be a concensus here about that I will move away from it. I was really interested in the Sundance Spas but they were too expensive for something that I will sell with me house in less than 30 months (the army thing). I will look at some of the suggested models from the brands suggested here. Again thanks for the responses from all who have posted.

[Tatooed_Lady]

cost of the stereo in the Hot Spring line is $1500 - $1800, from the numbers I've seen.....it's cool, but to me, ain't THAT cool.
I don't know the cost of other stereo systems in the tubs, but if they're close in price, you could get a REALLY nice system for a fraction of the price, and take it with you when you move.

[NJDave]

Armydude,
As mentioned by Vinny and Hottubdan, if you are in the Greater Philadelphia area, as I am. Locally, you could check out the Tiger River Line from Hot Springs, 700 Series from Sundance, LA Spas is also available in your area and Artesian Spas, which is the brand I sell. All of these brands offer quality spas in your price range and are backed by very good dealers. Goodluck and Happy Shoppin. Dave.

[spadude134]

the best hot tub with the features you are looking for....the Cal spa v-850....sells for $5995 with am/fm/cd player and 4 speakers

[Snyper]

In-spa radio/cd = Total waste of money! I mean TOTAL waste of money!!!!

[PaulMc]

  Snyper. No it ain't.  Might be for you. But it wasn't for me.    paul