We're stuck...!

[Trenden]

My wife and I have visited four dealerships so far wet testing and we’ve found at least one tub at each that we like in our price range.  So… I’m hoping to find some feedback on what the forum thinks regarding brand quality.  The tubs we’re considering are: Arctic Cub Signature ($7,500), Coleman 471 ($7,800), Sundance Hamilton ($7,500), and HotSpring Envoy ($8,800).  Since the HotSpring is about a thousand more than the others I’m leaning away from it.  

Anyway, these all seam like great tubs and feel great to my wife and I and each brand seems to have advantages and disadvantages.  All the salesman we talked to were very professional and none really bad mouthed any others.  In fact, the Coleman also mentioned that Sundance and Hotsprings were good brands and that we should check them out too before making a purchase.

Here are my impressions so far and I’d love to hear your feedback:

Arctic: Attractive real wood exterior, solid construction and dealer tells a great story, forever floor seems good, heat lock system makes sense to me as an engineer, dealer willing to negotiate pricing, can add more jets later, ozone option $700 extra

Coleman: Very comfortable design; not as many jets; includes ozone; seems very well built with steel frame and solid base; I like that the dealer has some models open so you can see inside; everything accessible by removing panels may make maintenance easy; exterior look is frankly not as nice as the others

Sundance:  Very beautiful tub; wife thinks the lighting on the 2007 model is cool; seem to have a great filtration system; price doesn’t include ozone but the option is not very expensive; seems well built; plastic waterfall looks cheap… like my kids would probably break it within a week; beautiful fake wood exterior is probably the best looking I’ve seen; salesman was good but got weird vibes from store manager which worries me a bit

HotSpring:  Everything about the external appearance looks first class but as an engineer it bugs me that their brochure and website doesn’t say much at all about the interior construction and neither would the dealer -- I’m sure the inside is high-quality too but I want to see!  moto-massage is unique; ozone and filtration system seem fantastic, overall it just looks like a great high-quality tub

I’m currently leaning towards the Sundance or Coleman but I’m just not sure.  Any advice???

[anne]

WET TEST! Take the family out and get wet! You've narrowed it down to quality units, so let your comfort/enjoyment of each decide for you. I cannot comment at all on the prices- perhaps someone else can.

[Trenden]

Yes, we’ve been wet testing.  I’ve been dragging my poor 7-months pregnant wife all over this city wet testing.  The four tubs I listed all feel good to us.  That’s why I’m down to pricing, perceptions of quality and “gut feel” about the dealers…

[Vinny]

Arctic and Coleman are built under the same principle of thermopane insulation.

Personally, I have been impressed with the Arctic tubs heat retention. Not a dig on Coleman but Arctic is represented here a little more. I think you can forget the "add jets later" as I think most people buy the tub "as is" and live with it however they buy it.  When I saw a Coleman tub, I liked it (except for the limited color choice)but didn't like the dealer so I didn't go further.

Sundance has a lot of happy owners as does Hot Springs. Don't let the $1,000 steer you away from a tub ... remember you'll have this tub 10+ years so that's $100 a year or less.

Don't get caught up in the insulation method as both if made correctly will be energy efficient.  And based on your selection all 4 are made correctly.

Since the wet tests have proved positive then the other criteria is the dealer - buy from the one which you feel the most comfortable from. There are horror stories out there about dealers but judging from the dealers represented here and my own dealer  - there are some great dealers out there!!!

[In Canada eh]

Trenden,

    All 4 tubs you mention are quality hot tubs.  Since you feel that they are roughly equal in quality I would look at the dealer as a possible deciding factor.  Look for a dealer that has been in business for a number of years, check with the BBB for their track history or talk to some of their past customers.  Your going to own this Hot Tub for 10 plus years, make sure the dealers going to be there with you


                                                               Good luck

[wmccall]

Keep looking, keep notes and take them with you.  Make sure the dealers know you are looking around and a serious buyer.  If you could live with any of those choices, perhaps one will shake loose with a deal to stand out.

[East_TX_Spa]

HotSpring:  Everything about the external appearance looks first class but as an engineer it bugs me that their brochure and website doesn’t say much at all about the interior construction and neither would the dealer -- I’m sure the inside is high-quality too but I want to see!  moto-massage is unique; ozone and filtration system seem fantastic, overall it just looks like a great high-quality tub

I'm not sure what you're looking for regarding the interior, but here's a recent post by Chas that might give you some more information:

Just a quick note about foam - HS uses many different types of foam built up in layers. They install a very dense foam on the back of the shell in a layer about an inch thick. This helps to support the shell, keeps the seats and floor areas from flexing when you walk on them etc. This layer is installed by a computer-controlled robotic spray arm in an environmentally-controlled tunnel. It is done before the shells are plumbed. After plumbing is installed and pressure checked twice, then a less dense foam is added around the plumbing to support it. That foam is about 10 pounds per square foot, and adds strength to the plumbing but also acts as a bond beam around the perimeter of the tub itself.

Only then are the cavities filled with softer foam - which holds more air and insulates best.

Finally the bottom of the tub is sealed with a 60 pound density shell which is just about bullet-proof. It is a custom-made plastic bottom which encapsulates all but the very bottom of the pressure-treated timbers which the spa sits on.

 8-)

[tony]

My wife and I have visited four dealerships so far wet testing and we’ve found at least one tub at each that we like in our price range.  So… I’m hoping to find some feedback on what the forum thinks regarding brand quality.  The tubs we’re considering are: Arctic Cub Signature ($7,500), Coleman 471 ($7,800), Sundance Hamilton ($7,500), and HotSpring Envoy ($8,800).  Since the HotSpring is about a thousand more than the others I’m leaning away from it.  

Anyway, these all seam like great tubs and feel great to my wife and I and each brand seems to have advantages and disadvantages.  All the salesman we talked to were very professional and none really bad mouthed any others.  In fact, the Coleman also mentioned that Sundance and Hotsprings were good brands and that we should check them out too before making a purchase.

Here are my impressions so far and I’d love to hear your feedback:

Arctic: Attractive real wood exterior, solid construction and dealer tells a great story, forever floor seems good, heat lock system makes sense to me as an engineer, dealer willing to negotiate pricing, can add more jets later, ozone option $700 extra

Coleman: Very comfortable design; not as many jets; includes ozone; seems very well built with steel frame and solid base; I like that the dealer has some models open so you can see inside; everything accessible by removing panels may make maintenance easy; exterior look is frankly not as nice as the others

Sundance:  Very beautiful tub; wife thinks the lighting on the 2007 model is cool; seem to have a great filtration system; price doesn’t include ozone but the option is not very expensive; seems well built; plastic waterfall looks cheap… like my kids would probably break it within a week; beautiful fake wood exterior is probably the best looking I’ve seen; salesman was good but got weird vibes from store manager which worries me a bit

HotSpring:  Everything about the external appearance looks first class but as an engineer it bugs me that their brochure and website doesn’t say much at all about the interior construction and neither would the dealer -- I’m sure the inside is high-quality too but I want to see!  moto-massage is unique; ozone and filtration system seem fantastic, overall it just looks like a great high-quality tub

I’m currently leaning towards the Sundance or Coleman but I’m just not sure.  Any advice???

You would do fine with any one of these spas.  $700 for ozone seems expensive..I would skip it at that price.  The value of ozone is debatable.  You can add the ozonator to the Sundance anytime, so if the dealer won't add it in or drop the price, you can try it without and add later if you feel it is necessary.  As the owner of a wood exterior tub, I will warn you it takes a little maintenance, but for some of us, it is worth it.  All the spas you are looking at are quality.

[stuart]

Do you have a Maruqis or D1 dealer in your area? Another option might be caldera....

[Huggieville]

I personally don't think you can go wrong with a Arctic Spa. The Arctic Cub is what I have and it was the most comfortable of any that I had tested. I tested a Hot Spring, Cal Spa, Sundance, Master Spa, and a Emerald Spa, and the Arctic was by far the best. My wife really liked the Arctic over the others becuase the Arctic Spa was the only one that we found that had massaging jets for the legs in the lounger where all others had just air jets, and she doesn't like those. We really liked the feel of the jets, the warranty is very good, and we thougt that the forever floor was the best idea that we had seen, and the other spas we looked at didnt have that feature as well. I definetly would go with the Arctic.

[tony]

I tested a Hot Spring, Cal Spa, Sundance, Master Spa, and a Emerald Spa, and the Arctic was by far the best.

Why don't we qualify this with the addition of one of the following phrases:

1. For Me.

2. IMO.

[Rayman]

Why don't we qualify this with the addition of one of the following phrases:

1. For Me.

2. IMO.

I agree "for me" this should be in the forum rules "IMO" anyway.

Ray

[anne]

If someone says they wet tested and "xxxx" was the best, it seems pretty obvious to me that they mean IMO and "for me," without having to be so explicit......the whole point of a wet test is to establish personal opinion. It feels like PC rules are encroaching here......

[Chad]

Why don't we qualify this with the addition of one of the following phrases:

1. For Me.

2. IMO.

+2

[gillie]

Be honest with yourself.  Will you maintain the wood exterior if you get one?  I asked myself that question and the look my wife gave me made me pass on wood.