info confusion

[jfish63]

aquatub,

We are going to wet test the vanguard also. I also like the open seating. The price 7700 in this area, at least there are 2 dealers in my vicinity. Does your wife find the seats high enough? How do you like the moto massage(single row)?

[In_Too_Long]

I've been in the industry about 20 years and I have owned several tubs. I owned a Grandee for 3 years and my wife and I like the rotary jets more than the moto massage. But hey that's us. You and your wife are probably different. I use a Beachcomber 750 now and I really enjoy the room and the the jets. See if the dealers that you are working with have a exchange policy, just in case the tub you buy ends up not being the right tub for you. You may try one out and then when you get it home you just might not enjoy it enough. A 20 minute test soak may not do the job.

[jfish63]

I wet tested a beachcomber this weekend. I liked the tub and the component compartment seems to be a good idea. The price of the spa seems to be kind of high as there are really no bells and whisles on this spa.

[marks]

I have had my Beachcomber 580 for over a year and love it.  I agree that Beachcomber is a no frills tub, but does a waterfall really matter.  I had narrowed my tub choices down to the Beachcomber 580/750, Sundance Optima and Hot Springs Grande.  Wet tested all 3 and liked them all.  Choose the Beachcobmer because the wife liked the look of it.  If I had to do it again I might be inclined to get teh new Beachcomber 738.  I found the pricing to be similiar.

[In_Too_Long]

Are bells and whistles important?
Generally I find that the more bells and whistles on a hot tub does not always add to the enjoyment of the tub.
Ask yourself why are you getting a hot tub.
Is it for massage and relaxation or to water a prancing water and light show?
Comfort is most important, followed by durability, ease of maintenance and having a good dealer is important also. Don't get caught up in the flash of a hot tub. Sometimes when something costs more, it could be because it was built to last longer. Opinions are nice but unless you are buying a hot tub to impress someone, look for the tub that feels the best to you.

[jfish63]

I did like the beachcomber and am looking at the new 738. The high cooldown seat was a big winner for my wife. The price of the tub 9k is holding me back. So far I enjoyed the wet test in it over Hot Springs, Caldera. I haven't seen to many people post about this brand. I am not really a fan of the bells and whistles. But for that much money I want to be sure I am getting the best for me.

[In_Too_Long]

Beachcomber has been around since 1978, but only available in the states since 2000. Keith Scott the founder and still the owner has always believed in making a hot tub to be a place for families and friends to reconnect. He doesn't believe in bells and whistles and he builds a very durable tub. I haven't heard anything negative on this forum about Beachcomber. Mainly because this is a very good group of professionals on this site. Unless you are a basher from Colorado.
I don't look at the cost to purchase the tub, but the cost of use. Let me explain. If you spend $5000 on a tub and are uncomfortable in it, you will use it less. But if you spend $8000 on a tub you are comfortable in and you use 4 times as much, your cost per use is less. I think alot of time you get a budget in mind and when you start seeing what is available in your price range, you start seeing you need to spend a little more for quality. It's better to spend a little more up front than to spend a little less and then use the tub less.

[Vanguard]

aquatub,

We are going to wet test the vanguard also. I also like the open seating. The price 7700 in this area, at least there are 2 dealers in my vicinity. Does your wife find the seats high enough? How do you like the moto massage(single row)?

She does find it comfortable.  Sometimes she sits with her legs crossed and sometimes she sits on a pillow.  The Moto is her favorite jet.

[jfish63]

In too long, do you find the spa to be energy efficient? I think the use of the steps for the spa pack a good idea. If I buy a beachcomber it will be the 738 (9.6k delivered tax inc.). My wife likes to get her feet out of the water at times and the high cool off seat was great for her.

[marks]

jfish63,

I will preface this by saying this is no way scientific.  My electric bill compared to the previous two years without a tub has gone up $10-$15 a month in the winter and about $5 a month in the summer.  I use the tub about 5 times a week.  I live in Tucson, AZ so winters are not very cold.

[In_Too_Long]

It is very energy efficent. Beachcomber has used the 4 walled insualtion method for close to 3 decades. It does make sense when you think about it. Insulation is designed to keep hot things hot and cold things cold. My step is fully insulated and it keeps the equipment warm, like others do by putting their equipment underneath the spa shell. But unfortunately no body puts insualtion on the door. That allows for heat escape. Some companies offer a insualtion kit to be put on the door. But Marks who lives in a hot climate, probably understands that during the summer months you don't want to fight the temperature creeping up over the temp you want it. An uninsulated door allows for more heat to enter the equipment compartment, which then over heats the water in the summer. many companies offer a summer mode to help the temperature stay lower. When you think of the 3 wall design it reminds you of your garage, which is hotter than your house in the summer and colder in the winter. Most companies make energy efficent hot tubs. Full foam, dead air space, 4 walled insualtion all mean nothing if you don't use it. What is the cost of a hot tub that is never used? In my northern climate in which i hooked a check meter to the tub in January of 2006, my tub cost me $15.72 at that was at 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour. There were night I used it for over a hour, there were nights I didn't get to use it. another tub may have cost $20, but the $4 difference doesn't matter if you enjoyed the time in the tub with your family.

[marks]

In_Too_Long

You are absolutely right about the summer.  I have to prop my cover open with a tennis ball to keep the tub from getting too hot.  Then again we are over 100 degrees most days in June, July and August.

[Rayman]

Beachcomber 750 owner, just thought I would give you my 2cents.  I have had the tub sinve june 2 2005.  I had some issues at the beginning and they replaced the tub with a new one and have been in spatopia ever since.  I am 6'1" and my wife is 5'4', 3 kids as well and we use it everyday.  

Good luck in your search.

Rayman

[jfish63]

Rayman,  Are you in NY? The dealer here told me a story about a tub replacement.