Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: imbarbra6 on January 01, 2006, 08:25:34 pm
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Don't know if my questions will be appropriate and if not I apologize in advance but my husband and I are frustrated and confused. Since looking at only a few hot tubs (so far) our heads are spinning. Tubs we've looked at to date are only three.. Jacuzzi, Hot Springs and Sundance. They all claim to be the leader in the industry with Jacuzzi claiming to be the only hot tub certified by the medical profession for use in hospitals etc, and I'm still trying to understand why less jets are better.
At this point the only thing we know for sure is we don't care for the Jacuzzi brand cabinet because the pickets are not uniform and although this has no bearing on spa performance, for appearance sake we don't like it.
If's it's ethical, we'd love to hear pros and cons regarding different brands.
Thanks a bunch! :)
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In a nutshell - HotSpring is made by watkins MFG Corp. in Vista , CA. Watkins is the largest maker of portable hot tubs on the planet, bar none.
Jacuzzi is by far the most recognized name in the tub industry, and they purchased Sundance not too many years ago.
Which one is the best? You should find the one that fits your yard, your desired number of relaxing folks, and then arrange to take a wet test, or at the very least see one in full operation so you can take time to put your hand/arm in front of the many various jets. Switch the various jets around: you want to see how many types of jets there are and how easily you can swap them in and out and how much adjustment you can on them.
The brands you are looking at are generally considered to be the 'major league' spas.
Enjoy.
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Well...I'm of course going to suggest you look at the Marquis brand. We have an Epic and absolutely love it! I know the Epic has gone up in price quite a bit from when we bought ours in April 05, but it is a great therapeutic spa.
Our choice came down to the J385 and the Epic and we felt the Epic had better therapy.
My best advice is just to look at as many brands as you can and wet test, wet test, wet test. You will find the spa that suits you best. Good luck!
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Become familiar with the individual dealers in your area as well. Service after the sale is important too. The best spa is the one that fits your list of needs the best. It may be a big name or a smaller company.
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So many here would love to jump up tell you what they really feel is the best...most likely it would be what they own or what they sell....but I think most are polite enough to refrain from doing that.....I think you need to find whats best for you....As for jets there is no secret to adding jets in the end more are not better as they most likely will be smaller which offer less real therapy value ....unfortunately many spas are marketed to appeal to the bigger or more is better.... when someone who is "seasoned" as a owner or a spa professional knows it is untrue ......just rememeber this most spas will run off of 50 amps and a few off of 60 amps of electrical power .....and for the most part genuine horse power from spa to spa is 'ABOUT" the same ....( number of pumps vary)...meaning 50 or 60 amps will power only so much.....focus on the therapy and feel of the jets and forget about the sheer number of them and do not worry about what some sales person tells you their horse power is......let a wet test be your guide .....and if all else fails buy a Marquis and all will be right......OK OK....I just teasing about the Marquis part...... ;)
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What's being said is true. The one that YOU like is the best. My best is not your best.
Hopefully with any brand you choose, you'll get many years of trouble free service out of it. But make sure that you like the dealer too, reguardless of price or brand - the dealer can make the difference in a good experience or bad!
Good luck
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All previous post, I am sure have been helpful and come from sincere sellers and consumers willing to assist and help you sift through the shopping trauma and dilema. We all stand ready to answer specific questions that you may have, or to clarify any conflicting issues that arise. If anything is said or is brought up, someone will prompltly offer a counterpoint, or correct misinformation.
In the end, you evaluation will determine exactly which Hot Tub is the BEST for you and your family.
As you shop around, everyone wants to win your interest and your business. As for which spa is "the only spa certified by the medical profession", I personally find the claim to be outlandish and it is the first time that I have heard that one. But then, if this is what you should base you decisions making on, then you should be driving a Ford because Ford is the largest auto manufacturer on the planet and they are the biggest supplier of Ambulance's for emergency medical providers to boot.
The three brands you mentioned are amongst some of the better choices that compete for your business. You will come to learn that others such as LA, Marquis, Dimension One, Coleman, Dynasty, Artesian, Cal Spa et al, the list is 140+ long with maybe 10 or 15 represented in a 50 mile radius of your home.
Look around, listen and learn, follow the board and and ask questions to learn even more. Product, Price, Dealer, Size, Features are all important issues. I am sorry to say, this can be a deep subject, but yet a purchase you and your family will never regret.
Good luck and welcome to the on board. :)
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I found that shopping for a spa was much like shopping for a car. Every manufacturer and every model will have different features. You need to decide which features are important to you.
Every seat and every lounger will have a different feel and they are designed for different body shapes so you have to test drive the ones that interest you. Then it becomes easy to make your choice.
There is no one tub that is right for everybody, it all comes down to a personal choice of what fits you and what feels best to you. Best of luck in your search.
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It comes down to comfort.
Comfort of the hot tub you are sitting in on a daily basis.
Comfort in doing business with the local retailer.
There are some good tubs being sold by bad people and there are bad tubs being sold by good people. But the majority of this industry is good people selling tubs that they truely feel are the best. The right answer is the tub you are most comfortable in so you use it and get the benefits from it.
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I was between Jaccuzzi and HS and heard the "we're the best" argument from both sides with HS pitching the moto and jacuzzi pitching the name, jets, and abs base.
Vita Spa made a late entry but the wet test and my perception of their construction and flimsy controls made a quick bolt for the exit for me.
The trip to the HS dealership was a long journey for me ad their spas are very nice and the showroom was top knotch. I was real close to the sovern but ended up with the Jacuzzi j335. I really think they are both great models but personally liked the jets in the therapy seat in the j335 the most.
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There are lots of great brands out there. Go to the websites of those you are interested in (my favs are Hot Springs, Sundance, D1, Marquis, Caldera and others are big fans of Coleman, Dynasty, Jacuzzi, Artsian, Arctic, etc.) and use their dealer locator to see where the closet dealers are. Visit them to get a feel for the dealer (as you saw with that one dealer some will say anything (never heard of them being the only spa hospitals recommend lol)), ask lots of questions, check the warranties (should be similar though some are better about following through than others) and by all means wet test your favorite 2 or 3 spas (preferably the same day).
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Does it matter where the drain is? I mean the HS drain is on the bottom while Sundance put the drain on the side of the foot well and outside. We are asking because we wonder if anyone has ever stepped on the HS drain and broken it and how difficult it may be to repair? Also, we are considering HS and Sundance shells and they differ drastically. HS is acrylic with an ABS backing while Sundance uses acrylic with a fiberglass backing (I've been researching). Not sure which is actually better but I'm kind of leaning towards the HS spa for shell quality however, I read.. to keep it sturdy this type of shell requires a lot of foam which makes servicing leaks difficult. Also, if this type of tub cracks is there a way to fix it? One website claims tubs foamed this way have cabinets that cannot be removed. #$@!&%*!! Yikes!! I need help. :'(
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just to add about the number of jets, I find it interesting that if you look at Brands like, Sun-Dance, Jacuzzi, D-1, Marquis, Hot Springs, Coleman, etc.. the number of jets in their spa are usually fairly comparable... one thing you will not see in any of them are the 70, 80, 100 jet spas as I think they have found that you will simply not get any of the deep therapy that most people want.
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Does it matter where the drain is? I mean the HS drain is on the bottom while Sundance put the drain on the side of the foot well and outside. We are asking because we wonder if anyone has ever stepped on the HS drain and broken it and how difficult it may be to repair? Also, we are considering HS and Sundance shells and they differ drastically. HS is acrylic with an ABS backing while Sundance uses acrylic with a fiberglass backing (I've been researching). Not sure which is actually better but I'm kind of leaning towards the HS spa for shell quality however, I read.. to keep it sturdy this type of shell requires a lot of foam which makes servicing leaks difficult. Also, if this type of tub cracks is there a way to fix it? One website claims tubs foamed this way have cabinets that cannot be removed. #$@!&%*!! Yikes!! I need help. :'(
Barbara,
You're getting the full court sales press. Though some like that the bottom drain gets more water out the bottom drain vs side drain is pretty irrelevent (though the comment about stepping on it being a problem isn't warranted that I know of so ask each dealer where that's coming from). I wouldn't worry about the shells, foam (BTW, both Hot Springs and Sundance are full foam) or most of the other things they're throwing at you. The reality is both Sundance and Hot Springs are very well respected and their sales people should be selling based on their own merits rather than trying to strike fear into you about the their competitor. Persoanlly, I'd tell the salespeople to try to make their presentation without the negativity and see if they're able to do so. It's not like you're considering them versus some no-name brand.
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#$@!&%*!! Yikes!! I need help. :'(
Barbara, welcome to shopping for a spa. It goes without saying, each salesperson you speak with is trying to "impresss you" with their particular product in the interest thatyou may buy it. That is what they want. Now, what do you want.
The brand names that you have mentioned and those that have been suggested are ALL GOOD and worthy of your consideration as well as being in the top 20% of this industry. I have been in this business for 22 years and have never seen a shell crack open. The warranty is the confidence indicator and D-! will warranty their endural shell as long as you own it. The Industry has pretty well worked all of these horror issues out of the past 30 years. But then there are only two ways to sell you a product, make my features and benefits BETTER than others, OR "create fear in your mind" about some alternate choice.
Frankly, if one HotTub was significantly better than another, they would dominate the business. While some may say HS is such a company, why do the others even continue to exist 30 years later. They are competitors, and d#@m good ones at than. This is where the 80/20 rule applies. HS is not the only dominant manufacturer, as other very large competitors that have been named do exist and are worthy of consideration. 80% of the business done in this industry, or any other industry for that matter, is done by 20% of the leading manufactures.
They are all good and worthy of consideration. Shop around, listen to learn, find what fits your needs and your willingness to spend and BUY it. You will not regret it. ;D
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HS is not the only dominant manufacturer, as other very large competitors that have been named do exist and are worthy of consideration. 80% of the business done in this industry, or any other industry for that matter, is done by 20% of the leading manufactures.
;D
Interesting I spoke to someone from another company last week and they told me that they were now the #1 in terms of annual sales....I am not looking to stir something up here but I was surprised to hear that they claimed to have past Watkins for annual sales volume...in either case that alone is not indicative of a better spa....but I would also say that both the other company and Watkins are respected makers and have rightfully earned this by taking care of their customers ....but there are others who also do a equally good job.....Marquis....D-1.....Coleman.....Beachcomber among others all are company's who also provide top notch service.....
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I just purchased my spa in August of 2005. I did not want a lounger in my spa. I had it narrowed down to 3 finalists: Beachcomber 580/730, Hot Springs Grande and Sundance Optima. I also looked at Dimension One, Coleman, Artesian and LA Spas. After wet testing the final 3 we went with the Beachcomber 580, another big factor was that my wife liked the look of the Beachcomber.
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I believe that once you start wet testing, the tub that you feel most comfortable with will be the tub that you think is the best.
Wet test wet test wet test. Get in, you will be suprised just how different these tubs feel when you get water in them. I have read posts here where people bought on impressions of others and the regreted it so much. What feels good for one person is so different then the next.
I think the other thing that you have to consider is the dealer and brand reputation. All of these tubs that are being mentioned are top end companies. They all build a great product so if you are able to look in the price range of Sundance, Coleman, Hotspring, Arctic, Jacuzzi, Hydro pool, etc etc etc..... then you are going to get a great bang for you buck.
Think about the things that you want and narrow your search down from there.
Also think about what the tub is going to be used for. Party tub or therapy tub or both. I found that the jacuzzi was an open tub and not very threaputic (To me in my wet test. im not knocking the brand, it just did not fit my needs). I ruled out a lounger, I did not want one, no need for me. I loved deep water, enclosed seats and lots of pressure. Naturally, after wet testing the Arctic Tundra, I felt that this tub was my best fit for my needs. The dealer is two blocks away from me and they have a great customer service policy.
I think the feel of the tub is 75% of your decision, and the dealer is the other 25%. If you have a crappy dealer then you are going to have problems down the road. It is the little things that help. For example, the other day I was out and about and needed to pick up some chemicals for the tub. I went in and forgot my wallet. My dealer said take this dont worry about it. I think this is great. Not to mention a huge blow out bash for customer recognition.
Arctic Spas Hamilton Ontario, Randy and Phil, thanks for all your support last year.
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The local Sundance dealer meant with us after hours and we wet tested our first two spas lastnite. The Cameo and the Optima. We tested the Cameo first. Not sure if I like the lounger. It may be something we can do without, although my husband may have enjoyed it.
Both spas were equally pleasing and the salesman was very knowlegable and answered all our questions.
When we were done, my head was pounding and felt a little light. A few minutes later I had a headache. Maybe the water temp was to high? Maybe I was in it to long? Regardless, I still enjoyed the experiance. We have scheduled a wet test with the HS dealer Wednesday.
:)
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I don't know if this helps but, until I got the water chemistry in control (I mean shocking, bromine levels), I also got bad headaches the morning after I was in the tub. I think maybe I was sensitive to the bromine that was often way too high. Tubs in dealer's showrooms probably have higher levels of sanitizer and maybe that gave you the headache. Now that I can hardly smell the chemicals, no more headaches...good luck