Newbie needs help, please!

[Silent Water]

Hi, all!
After years of waiting, I'm finally going to do it.  I've never been one to buy anything for myself and a hot tub always seemed... well, so indulgent!

Now that it's time to "take the plunge" I can't help laughing at myself: here I am agonizing over all the different spas on the market. I'm stressing out over the very thing that's supposed to help me relax! How beautifully ironic. People like me NEED a hot tub! <grin!>

I've done some reading, some web-surfing, heard lots of opinions about brands.  I've seen cheap tubs, pricey tubs, flashy tubs, understated tubs, and downright scary tubs. I've been to several dealers and heard so many "stories" that my head is spinning (one kid even told me that I should get an ozonator because it would reduce my ELECTRIC bill! It's OK, I know better.) So now I'm trying to sort out how much of the information I have is accurate, how much is dealer propaganda and how much is just irrelevant to my needs.

I've already learned more from the helpful people in this forum than from all the brochures and salespeople I've consulted to date. So, in gratitude, here I am asking for more of your time and help! Nice, huh? I'll try to keep my questions limited to one per post.  

First though, here are the 5 basic things that I'm looking for in a hot tub:

1) COMFORTABLE - I promise to wet test - often! If it's not comfy for my son, my wife and me, then we won't use it.
2) ECONOMICAL - Ontario winters are hard on the electric bill. I need a tub that has great insulation and won't cost a fortune to heat/run.
3) QUIET - Screaming sweet nothings in my wife's ear isn't my idea of romance. And I don't really want to hear pumps cycling up under my window at night either.
4) RELIABLE - I'd like a tub that relieves tension, not causes it. If I have to fix something else around here, I'll resent it and the money I spent.
5) FUN - I'm not looking for a tub loaded with gadgets, but some entertainment essentials would be nice - cupholders or coloured lighting, for example.

That's it!  So here comes my first question...

FULL FOAM or AIR POCKET insulation?
There are lots of opinions on which is better (ie: future repairs, density of foam, etc) so I just would like some facts. For cold winter use, which will help my electric bill more?  Which manufacturers produce tubs with noticeably lower operating costs in cold conditions?

[drewstar]

Oh oh....the sound of dead horses being beaten in the distance is  heard. \



You've got the right attitude.! Don't forget this is supposed to be a fun thing.

The "noise" from a TP (or as you said "Air pocket) tub is noticable, IMHO compared to that of a ff, but don't be lead to think it's "Screaching". To folks wanting the quietest tub possible, it's annoying.   The pump (s) in both style of tubs make the same amount of noise, (In a full foam, the pump is not isolated by the ff it's in a cabinet) There is some dampning of the noise, and vibaration. It's more noticaable when the TP tub is on a deck.).  It' more that the a TP tub will cycle the large pumps on low speed when you are not using the tub. As I said. it's more of an annoyance to those that are particuliar to it.  Does that make sense?

You will be very hard pressed to get solid data on electric rates and efficeincies compared to one tub to another. It's a fun debate, but a difficult shopping point.  

I belive in quality first. Stick with a major brand name, 220 volts and you'll be fine.  I personally prefer Full Foam, but the folks who own Artic, Coleman and....(there's on more quality player in the TP area that I can recalll...Marquis?) All state and report comprable electric usuage.  Among the quality manufactuers, it's not a wide margin.  I'd stay away from the lower end TP desings, they seem to have the most flucuation  in efficeniecy. Hell, stay away from the low end makers period.

Focus on your other points....size, comfort, brand name, dealer.  

If you really want to read the arguments, debates and such on FF and TP go over to the Dead Horse Section of this forum. It's all been saved and you can bring yourself up to speed on some of the finer points of the debate.

Who have you looked at? what do you like?

[Rayman]

I live in Ontario so I am comfortable enough stating that my Fullfoam tub with a circ pump running @ 102 degrees did not push my electrical bill up too much.  My Winter bill in relationship to my summer bill is $30 less.  The tub is quite and made in Canada.  Good luck in your hunt.

Rayman

[Silent Water]

I think that I've got some of the general stuff figured out. (HA!)

SIZE:
I'm looking for a 6 person tub (aprox 8'x8') - comfy for 4 or fewer to relax and more space for the party times when "crammed in" is half the fun!

LAYOUT:
No lounger. I'd rather be facing friends or looking out at the yard than trying not to float off of my seat.  A good foot well is important and I've seen raised foot ridges that made sense.  Variable height seating is a must for my wife and 8 year old son.

POWER:
Definately 220 volt; prefer 50 amp circuit; might have to upgrade to 200 amp for the house since only at 100 amp right now.  Heater has to have a good rating for that volume of water (is 5kW adequate?)

DEALERS:
Good ones and bad in my area of course - more than I would have believed for a city of London's size 400K.  I spoke to sellers of Beachcomber, Caldera, Cal Spas, Coast Spas, HotSpring, Hydropool, Hydro Spa (yikes!), and MAXX (Coleman).
Those that impressed me the most so far were Beachcomber and Caldera - each for very different reasons.
 
(BTW - who makes your tub, RAYMAN?)

[ORANGEPEEL]

We are in No. Wis. and bought a canadian made tub; Pacific Spa made  by Aber Mfg. in B.C..
Reason is that it is supposed to be designed for cold weather, full foam and what seems to be a very good cover.
Have it now for about 3 months and it has worked great so far, but can't comment on cold weather performance yet, although we are cooling down now.
We have the Saturn model with ozonator, serenity lighting, 24/7 circ. pump and water fall.
We are very happy with it so far. No problems, fits us well.
You can find info. at www.pacificspas.ca. Have no idea about their distribution in Ont.
Ya-eh

[Rayman]

(BTW - who makes your tub, RAYMAN?)

Beachcomber