What do you love? What would you change?

[searchinginfl]

I'm curious about the features people really love on their spas, and what they might change if they could. This may help buyers looking for certain features.

I have a Caldera Niagra. I LOVE the variety of seating and how each seat is different. I love how the foot ridge keeps me in any seat no matter how powerful the jets are. I Love the lighting. I love the euphoria foot jet...the strongest I felt in my testing. I love the above the water neck jets. I love the big footwell and how there is no big hump to trip on.

Things I might change....I would add another foot jet on the other side of the tub, because that is everyone's favorite. I would add another above water neck system. I would also make the above water system a little stronger (though if I divert the power to just that system, it is pretty darn strong). I would like the ability to have JUST the foot jet on, and move the waterfall control next to the waterfall.

No spa can be totally perfect, can it? There has got to be something everyone would like to change a little. I still say mine is as close to perfect as I looked at (for me), and would absolutely make the same purchase again.

[Zep]

I love my foot dome.
I love my rock side panels.
I love my "smoothe white granite" finish
I love my lights that change colors
I love the waterfall!
I love my jets and more jets

If I could change stuff:

Hello? Earth to tub manufactures?....Are ya listening?....

Fully automatic draining....the hell with clumsy sump pumps, drains, ect....

Controls that were lots bigger and easier to read....
who wants to wear their reading glasses in the freakin hot tub?....LOL

Controls that could be easily read in bright sunlight

Controls that rotate so you never have to read upside down.
(I think some makers have a control that you can rotate?)

Better, deeper drink holders......

A cover lifter that doesn't look like hell, block view, or just generally be in the way

Fully automatic water quality control....the hell with test strips...

Offer extended warranties?

Probably will think of more later......

[dax]

Nice idea!  I have a Sundance Cameo.

Love the lounge seat and its neck, back, and foot jets along with its pulsator jets for the wrists.  Only thing I would change about it is that the right wrist jet is at a little different angle than the left.  Guess it's because it's along the outside.  Not a big deal, but if I had to change something, that would be it.

Therapy seat is great too.  Features 14 different jets along the shoulders and back which you can adjust from a gentle massage to a deep tissue massage.  While sitting in this seat, whirlpool jets in the footwell massage your feet.  The only drawback to this seat is that if you want the deep tissue massage, the diverter control takes that water away from the footwell's whirlpool jets.  Would be nice to get a deep-tissue back massage at the same time as a whirlpool foot massage, but oh well...

Like having a cool down seat as well.  Not so much for getting in, but to sit in before getting out.  Waterfall and lights are a nice WOW-factor too, but if I'm in it alone I usually don't even turn them on.  Unless I'm just sitting without any jets on.  Then I like to hear the waterfall for its tranquil effect.

We do have a drink tray on top of our filter cover, but it isn't within reach of any of the seats except for the cool down seat.  It would be nice to have drink holders incorporated at the different seats as some other tubs do.  I built a couple tables out of some extra trex from our deck that combats the problem.  So it's a non-issue, but it still would have been nice.

Without experiences with other tubs, except for the 15 minute wet tests, I can't really compare it to anything else.  So I guess I don't know what I'm missing.  But other than those few issues, I really don't have any complaints.  At least nothing that has caused buyer's remorse.  I'm very happy with my tub and would make the same choice if I was to do it now after 7 months of ownership.

[anne]

I have a Arctic Summit Legend.

LOVE:

Contoured seating (I'm a small person).
Jet arrangements in the three heavily contoured chairs- all offer unique massage.
cedar cabinet. (even smells great when wet)
Layout of "loveseat" area for two people to sit together (This tub has the perfect blend of open and fitted seating for me.)
Controls are easy to use, intuitive.
Orca jet for me feet, and if sitting on the bottom of the tub, for my lower back (but see below).
Cooldown seat, and one other shallowish seat as a partial-cooldown seat, when I just need a little break from the heat.
Lots of convenient cup holders
Bubble jets!


DONT LOVE, but certainly dont mind that much:

Head rests are a little awkward (I'm only 5'4", and they are barely high enough for me!)
Diverter valves are very hard to move if the pump is on (I move them where I want them, THEN turn on the pump)
Waterfall is noisy and not all that great (I leave it so a tiny trickle of water ensures chlorination in there, but never really use it.)

SORTA DISLIKE but no deal breakers:

Orca jet is placed so that many seating positions CAN use it, but none are really well positioned to use it perfectly. I'd have preferred a foot dome in the center, or having the orca jet more maneuverable/aim-able. This complaint is partially due to my height. If I were taller, my feet could reach it more easily.  

Pumps are a bit loud.

Jets and their placement in the non-contoured seats (Loveseat/mini lounge) are poorly therapeutic and not well placed. This is a minimal complaint, since I generally only sit there if BF and I are cuddling, watching the stars, and we usually want it quiet anyway.

Cover lifter feels like if I dont baby it, it would break, or would tear the cabinet.

 DISLIKE:

Darned jet tab thingies keep breaking, and it is a hassle to get new jet since I have no local dealer!

[IL Parrothead]

Hey Ivie, did you ever post pics?  :-?

[wmccall]

Love the power
Love the jets are movable, after 6 months I had them where I wanted them and have made few changes.
Love the layout.
Footblaster jet in bottom is great.

Would change

Wrist jets worthless
2 smaller floor jets badly designed, almost no water comes out.
Jet layout on lounger is poor (hits heals not rest of feet and jets behind kness and none behind thighs. ) There are a couple of other reasons this lounger is poorly designed. I like loungers, they could hve done better on the design though

[dax]

I like loungers, they could hve done better on the design though

Out of curiosity, which tub do you have again?

[hottbpete]

I also have a Caldera Niagra.  Love it overall.  

Things I love...:
Captain chair with the neck blaster....the reason I bought the tub
the foot well that holds you in
The volcano blast ...really strong.  helps with the calves.

The things I would change
Cover closer....it's tough to pull it up out of the open position from inside the tub.
I should of put my volume control closer to the tub!!
I hate drinking out of cans.....and the aluminum bottles are really expensive.
I think I would like the lounger.....90% of the time there is only 2 people in this monster.  I am one of them.....I would like to take a nap in the tub....ok I have, but I think it might be a little more comfortable in a lounger.
 

[Spatech_tuo]

The things I would change:

I hate drinking out of cans.....and the aluminum bottles are really expensive.

LOL, I've never seen that type response relative to what someone would "change" about their spa. Are you suggesting some type of "kegerator" built into the spa with a tap at every seat?   Maybe Term could "design" one for you.

[Tom]

I have a Arctic Summit Legend.
Darned jet tab thingies keep breaking, and it is a hassle to get new jet since I have no local dealer!

Anne, email me, please.  We will take care of this for you.

[searchinginfl]

Hey Ivie, did you ever post pics?  :-?

Yeah, a long time ago.....I'll post again tomorrow. I've added an umbrella since then.

[searchinginfl]

Love the power
Love the jets are movable, after 6 months I had them where I wanted them and have made few changes.
Love the layout.
Footblaster jet in bottom is great.

Would change

Wrist jets worthless
2 smaller floor jets badly designed, almost no water comes out.
Jet layout on lounger is poor (hits heals not rest of feet and jets behind kness and none behind thighs. ) There are a couple of other reasons this lounger is poorly designed. I like loungers, they could hve done better on the design though

What kind of spa are you talking about?

[Josh]

What I have:  LA Spas Heet

What I love:

The lounge. Best lounge I've ever been in.
4 Giant foot jets.  Most tubs I tried have 2 in the floor, this one has those, plus 2 in the lounge.  Foot massage heaven.
Neck and Shoulders chair:  Sorta like the Caldera Neck Massage thing, except the jets are bigger and positioned a little higher above the water level. It's wonderful.
Almost all of the 61 jets are adjustable I can sit in there tweaking all of them to the perfect setting and then turn them up as high or as low as I want.  
3 different pumps Horsepower conversations aside, it's cool to be able to turn on the different strengths depending on how many people are in there. Generally...I only use two...but I like that I can really turn it up when I want to.
Layout: This tub has 4 seats that are perfect for me, and the two that aren't seem comfy for the shorter friends I have.   I also like that it has a cooldown bench....because when you're out there for an hour or so, you need it.
Fountains and waterfall I know these don't "Do" anything, but it's fun.
The light show  See above. I know I don't need the hundreds of little LEDs around the edges, but at parties, it's been great.

What I'd change

Cupholders.  How come most spas don't have these? They should be like cars, at least one per chair.

Dimmer on the lights  I know I can just turn them off, but it would be nice to have really subtle lighting sometimes, in any color.

The pillows:   Softer pillows wouldn't hurt

TV and stereo  I didn't want one when I put this together, and I probably wouldn't use this if I had it...but it's the only option I didn't get....so if I had to change something, that would be it.

[Pathfinder]

Deep cup holders are cause for stagnant water and we dont want bacteria crawling along the ledge of the tub.

[Gomboman]

Hotspring Envoy:

Love:
Spa Layout
Moto-Massage® DX Jet Lounger
Every seat has a different feel/experience
Depth of the spa
Tri-X Filters
Filter Chamber
Spinning Jets
BellaFontana®
IQ 2020 Control Panel
NEW COVER
No Fault Heater
WaveMaster 8200
WaveMaster 8000
SilentFlo 5000 Circ Pump
New Style Aux Panel
Covercradle Lifter
Pearl Shell
Luminescence lighting system
Soothing Seven® Jets
Everfresh Water System
FreshWater® III Corona Discharge
Full Foam
Efficient use of energy
Very well laid out equipment Compartment

Improvements:
Ability to crank up the jets until they hurt
Foot jets and back jets do not function at the same time in one seat