Caldera or Hot Springs ?

[mhraracing]

Hi, I am new to the forum and new to the idea of a spa.  We just returned from a home show and compared Hot Springs and Caldera.  Knowing they are the same manufacturer, we were hoping to find honest answers about the differences between the two.  Of course each dealer tooted his own horn, and downplayed the spas they were not selling
Has anyone compared these two spas ?  Quality? Maintenance ? Performance ?  Comfort? We are leaning specifically towards the HS Envoy or the Caldera Geneva Utopia.... and the big question - is it worth the BIG $$$$ ?
Thank you in advance for any advice  :-/

pantherkat - We just ordered a Caldera Geneva Utopia - from a dealer that carried 3 of the Watkins brands - HotSprings/Caldera/Tiger River and can attest that wet testing is a must.

On the Hot Springs tubs we Tested - Vista and Envoy  - We really liked the Moto Massage but the Soothing 7 jets didnt do anything special for us.  The design was really nice but in the Envoy I was a little cramped in the shoulder area, but Im 6'3" and have broad shoulders.  With the pumps 'juiced' up - it kinda pushes you out of your seat without anything to put your feet against.

On the Tiger River - we tested the Siberian model - I really didnt care for the 'egg' shaped seats - as I am a big guy - I really didnt fit right in the seats...so we didnt spend too much time in this tub. - But liked the foot dome with Jets.  Also didnt like the "love seat" - can only sit in it if you are a couple.

On the Caldera tubs - Geneva and Tahitian - We REALLY liked the Ecsta Seat with the Neck Message on the Geneva.  Also the 4 foot jets on the lounger were nice. I fit really well in the Geneva - but my shoulders kinda stuck out of the Tahitian.  The two main things that sold us on the Caldera line was the Foot Ridge and the Air Jet system.  I know many people will probably disagree with me - but I really liked those options.

As you can see I am not an expert or a dealer -  I would highly suggest you wet test all models to see what you like the best. One word of advice....We chose to stay away from dealers that spoke negatively about competitors products - especially same Watkins brands.

Make sure you do plenty of research and these great people on this site are really helpfull......remember - Sitting in the Tubs DRY is NOT the same as sitting in them WET !!!!!!!

[pantherkat]

  Wow,great information, thanks so much for the details.  We wet tested the Geneva and Tahitian tonight, the Niagara and the HS Envoy are next.  So true, sitting in the tub dry is totally different.  Wet test is the way to go!  

[tonyp]

I use my HS Envoy with the diverters in the 6 o'clock position.  This give power to all jets without pushing you out of the seats.

[ladwighome]

Hello from cold Wisconsin- We just made the leap today and purchased the Caldera Niagra after having wet tested numerous tubs including the hotsprings and sundance brands, as well as master spa and Vita.

What sold us was the wet test the Caldera far exceeded everything else we tried so we ponied up the extra cash and feel it will be well spent.

Just so you know I tried my best to get the price reduced but the dealers dont budge much on the Caldera brand.

Todd

[mhraracing]

Congrats on your new purchase ladwig.....Hope you enjoy it !!

We are anxiously awaiting our new Geneva.....should be here next week.... :-/

What sold you on caldera brand ?

[Chas]

Congrats -

May you soak long and prosper.

[pantherkat]

Hello from cold Wisconsin- We just made the leap today and purchased the Caldera Niagra after having wet tested numerous tubs including the hotsprings and sundance brands, Das well as master spa and Vita.

What sold us was the wet test the Caldera far exceeded everything else we tried so we ponied up the extra cash and feel it will be well spent.

Just so you know I tried my best to get the price reduced but the dealers dont budge much on the Caldera brand.

Todd

Congratulations on your new Niagara - we ended up buying the exact same one - wet test sold us and helped us dig a bit deeper into our pockets too.  Happy bubbles to you!

[Bill_Stevenson]

I tried both and liked both quite well.  It is a tough choice and should be made subjectively on the basis of wet test.  I our case the Caldera was better for us, but I can fully understand why someone else would choose Hot Spring.  Somewhere in the archive you probably can find my analysis of the Envoy versus the Geneva Utopia.  

I liked the stronger jets of the Caldera better than the Motomessager of the Hot Spring.  My wife is 5-feet tall and I am 6-feet, the small ridge on the bottom of every Caldera helped my wife stay anchored better than any other brand.  Frankly I find it helps me too.  In addition to these two, we also considered Marquis and Jacuzzi Premium, which are also fine products.  

The Envoy and Geneva are very similar in many ways and are obviously made by the same company.  The fitration systems are quite different, but in the end I decided that this did not matter as both have sparkling clean water when used in accordance with the instructions.  Heaters, pumps, and other features also seem to be quite similar.  The shell finish in white pearl looks identical and presumably other colors would be very similar too.  The warranties are the same.  

In truth these two brands are really top notch and you can't go wrong with either.  Pick the one that feels best to you, or pick the dealer that seems better for your area.  In my area the price was about the same, but if there is a significant difference where you are, that factor should be weighed carefully in making your decision.  

Regards,

Bill