Hot Springs Prodigy vs. Jacuzzi J-325

[ndabunka]

Go with Jacuzzi.  Just MUCH better all around...

[Mez]

Actually 50 years ago it was the jetted bathtub.  The spa business is not 50 years old.

How do you know the accuracy of 80,000 spas a year?

Yes, the ozone runs with the circ pump.  Always on except when jet pump running, as with most Sundance/Jacuzzi products.

Sorry for the misleading info, you are correct, they invented a pump that fit inside a regular bathtub..they didnt create and patent the first "self contained spa until 1968...read this copied from Wikipedia..
In 1968, Roy Jacuzzi introduced the world to the "Roman Bathtub." This was the first integrated whirlpool bath. His patented jets, placed along the sides, produced a 50/50 air to water ratio providing an experience like none before. The same patented mixture ratio is still a signature feature of today's Jacuzzi jets. Suzanne Sommers, then a model, was used in some of the first print advertisements published by Jacuzzi.

In the early 1970s, the company produced larger units with built-in heating and filtration systems. This was the beginning of the spa industry as we know it today. Friends and family were now invited to share the experience of a vacation in their own backyard.

Moving into the 1980s, the company's product line expanded with models that worked in multi-use configurations as hot tubs, whirlpool baths, or both. These models could be installed indoors or outdoors or topside of luxury watercraft. On rare occasions, a Jaccuzi has been installed in a sufficiently-large airplane.

The Jacuzzi/Sundance assembly plant is located in Chino, California. This plant was the first ISO 9001 certified spa production facility in the world. It has the capability of producing up to 300 spas per day for their domestic and export business needs. Their product line has many unique features such as patented jets, rainbow waterfalls, synthetic sun-resistant siding, stereos, ergonomic seating, triple-layered shells, full foam insulation, and a solid A.B.S. pan bottom.

Jacuzzi today is the world's most widely recognized name in jetted baths and spas.

I am not sure exactly where I read the info on 80,000 units produced....you can see by this quote that the factory is geared to build 300 units a day, which is over 109,500. I doubt seriously they would have a facility geared for such volume if they didnt produce somewhere around that number. I'm sorry I cannot find the exact link I located, I beleive it was some stock market site I ran across but I am unable to find it, at least for now. (Side Note) That factory # may include Sundance spas as well...not to mislead...

[Mez]

1) Find out whether that ozone that they inlcuded is UV or preferably the CD type.

2) 80,000? Where did you find that number? C'mon, I'm not so sure I buy that!!!

The ozone is of the corona discharge type, all of their spas contain a built in line ozone injector, the CD unit is optional but according to my dealer, they install them in house on every Jacuzzi they sell without the "optional price"...

Please read my previous post on the factory capacity of 300 spas a day...I should say I mispoke when I said they manufactured over 80,000 spas worldwide, I should have said the plant in California maunfactured over 80,000 spas for sales worldwide.

[The_Pa._Lady]

The only way to tell is to wet test the ones you are interested in.  That way you will know which suits you best.  We bought a 2006 Prodigy and are truly happy with this hot tub.  The seating is great, the jets are as strong as you make them.  I like the two back side ones, they are wonderful for your neck and back, and the one on the very bottom center is great for low back pain.  We really have not noticed a great change in our electric bill, possibly $15.00/mo.  No big deal for the comfort of a great spa.  As far as noise goes, I really don't hear anything, even when we are in with the jets turned off, just enjoying the warm water, there is absolutely no noise.  I could go on and on as to why I like our Prodigy, but I guess other spa owners could do the same about their spa.  Good luck on your search.  Let us know which one you choose.

[hottubdan]

The ozone is of the corona discharge type, all of their spas contain a built in line ozone injector, the CD unit is optional but according to my dealer, they install them in house on every Jacuzzi they sell without the "optional price"...

Please read my previous post on the factory capacity of 300 spas a day...I should say I mispoke when I said they manufactured over 80,000 spas worldwide, I should have said the plant in California maunfactured over 80,000 spas for sales worldwide.

Production capability:

Even if Wikipedia info is to be accepted as fact following is an extrapolation of what they can produce.  Assumption is 300/day with no hic cups.  Also no holidays.  No shut downs for retooling.  So, you can see the assumptions are going to come up with a number higher than reality.

365 days in a year
104 week end days
261 working days (remember with my assumptions they are working 4th of July, Christmas, Cinco de Mayo ...
300 spas a day
300 * 261 = 78,300

So, even if all goes well, the most that can be built there is <80,000, and that is both Sundance and Jacuzzi as they are both built in the same factory.

[drewstar]

Interesting.

Watkins manufacturing, which sells the most hot tubs, says this:

" Watkins has manufactured more than 650,000 spas since its inception over 25 years ago."

That works out to be 26000 hot tubs per year.

[hottubdan]

Interesting.

Watkins manufacturing, which sells the most hot tubs, says this:

" Watkins has manufactured more than 650,000 spas since its inception over 25 years ago."

That works out to be 26000 hot tubs per year.

You have to factor in the early years when they were making 1st hundreds, then 1000's.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 After all this just go try them both and pick which one you like the best.

Form a quality stand point they both work and perform great.

[Spatech_tuo]

You have to factor in the early years when they were making 1st hundreds, then 1000's.

Who has got the graph?

[drewstar]

You have to factor in the early years when they were making 1st hundreds, then 1000's.

Absolutely.

But my point is (reinforcing yours) that the 8000 year number is crazy and 300 per day capacity was probably pulled out of some marketing assistants butt.

 IfWatkins, which represents several lines, and sells the most tubs, has only put out half a million in 25 years,  I doubt Jaquzzi has not even come close to makeing 300 a day. That capacity number is fictious.

[Mez]

Absolutely.

But my point is (reinforcing yours) that the 8000 year number is crazy and 300 per day capacity was probably pulled out of some marketing assistants butt.

 IfWatkins, which represents several lines, and sells the most tubs, has only put out half a million in 25 years,  I doubt Jaquzzi has not even come close to makeing 300 a day. That capacity number is fictious.

Okay, to end the debate I called Customer Service at Jacuzzi located in their Chino, CA production facility. She put me in touch with a production manager that told me they have the capacity for 300 per day and have actually exceeded that number before. He said they are currently producing in the neighborhood of the low 200's per day and that number fluctuates depending on time of year, promotions, etc. They do work weekends too Hottubdan so you will need to recalculate your numbers.
BUT....lets just say they do 200 per day and work 365 days per year....that still equates to just 73,000 units, not the 80,000 I had originally was quoted.  He did not have access to total units manufactured last year. When you call their customer service, they do claim to be the worlds largest producer of acrylic spas...those numbers do reflect both Jacuzzi and Sundance combined as well.

[drewstar]

They make 200 hot tubs a day?  Not stamping out "spa shells" (which could be anything and any size) but complete full sized plumbed  spas?  Assuming round the clock shifts that's  a complete hot tub every 7 minutes or so.

That's ALOT.   I find it hard to belive??

[Mez]

They make 200 hot tubs a day?  Not stamping out "spa shells" (which could be anything and any size) but complete full sized plumbed  spas?  Assuming round the clock shifts that's  a complete hot tub every 7 minutes or so.

That's ALOT.   I find it hard to belive??

I don't find those numbers hard to comprehend...how many cars do you think come off an assembly line daily? I guess we could settle this once and for all since you guys still dont beleive it...send me a round trip plane ticket to Chino, CA and I will go out there with a video camera and check out there facility as well as take photographs of their sales figures in a given year

[104 degrees]

They make 200 hot tubs a day?  Not stamping out "spa shells" (which could be anything and any size) but complete full sized plumbed  spas?  Assuming round the clock shifts that's  a complete hot tub every 7 minutes or so.

That's ALOT.   I find it hard to belive??

The faster some companys make somethings,the more mistakes can be made

[Chris_H]

Yes, most of the manufacturing plants can do 80,000 spas a year if they run, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  Watkins does not run 24/7 and neither does the Jacuzzi/Sundance plant.