Starting to figure out what I like

[hkc]

So... after a lot of online and in store looking, and spending half the day measuring and re-arranging the deck I'm a little closer to figuring out what I want. Any opinions on tubs with the following features- or what you would buy if you had the following wish list:

No more than 7' x7' square
4--5 seating positions with different jet options (if my husband and I are both in I don't want to have one "good" spot and one so-so spot)
Dedicated foot jets
lounge is not a deal breaker but preferably with foot jets
ACE system or something like it (the fewer chemicals the better)
High quality spa from a solid manufacturer with a nice long warranty

I really liked the Marquis Mirage on paper, but that's as close as I'm going to get to one in person. I drove an hour to have the guy tell me he just sold the one he had and snippily say "sorry, I can't keep all models in stock and you just missed it." If I'm spending that much money I want to at least get in one dry. The thing I like best about it is the curved front. Any other models have that?

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

aside from any other costs (electrical hookup, etc.) what is your budget for the spa itself?

[hkc]

That's a good question. If you asked me a week ago it would have been much lower. Now I seem to understand that to get into the kind of tub I want and the size I want I'm looking at about two tiers in pricing. Once seems to be around $6500, one around $8500. What I'm trying to decide now is how much negotiating room dealers have with initial quotes.
I was quoted $6500 on the South Sea Spas Deluxe 748 L, which I will wet test tomorrow.
Quoted $6500 on the Sundance Peyton. I wet tested the Edison (non lounge version) today and liked it very much. I also wet tested a Chelsee from the 780 line to stand in for the Montclair, but after looking at the layout of that I'm not sold. Also tested a something from the 880 line but I hated the lounge and now I'm wondering if I even want one.
Quoted $7299 on the hotspring Relay and @8999 Prodigy. I'm getting quotes on the Flair and Glow models tomorrow, and wet test on Wednesday.
I dry tested the Jacuzzi J-235 and J-335 and from that alone they were my favorite, but I couldn't get a quote today.
I feel like I'm getting to the end of the quest. Tops in my mind are the Sundance, Jacuzzi and Hot Springs- and part of that is name and a longer warranty. The Hot Springs are giving me sticker shock though!
Also, what is this about the the sundance jets being bearing-free, which others don't seem to be. Is this a big issue?
I'm also looking into any option that would reduce or eliminate the need for chlorine.

[Hottubguy]

Don't let any of the chemical worries sway you from one brand to another. Sounds like you ae the perfect candidate for a nature 2 system which can be used in virtually any hot tub

[Tman122]

No more than 7' x7' square
4--5 seating positions with different jet options (if my husband and I are both in I don't want to have one "good" spot and one so-so spot)
Dedicated foot jets
lounge is not a deal breaker but preferably with foot jets
ACE system or something like it (the fewer chemicals the better)
High quality spa from a solid manufacturer with a nice long warranty

I'm not sure why people think systems like the ACE system are chemical free or any different than adding chlorine. It is a chlorine generator and it makes chlorine for your water instead of you adding it. Either way you have chlorine in your water.

[hkc]

I'm not sure why other people think so but that's what I was told. I'm sensitive to chemicals. It's a concern. And the secone I bring that up everyone has a system that's different and better than whatever you just mentioned. And when you're a consumer looking to make a purchase of a product that is foriegn to you you talk to a lot of people. Everyone is pushing a different system, different features and different set ups. And it's not like you can relate to it because if you've never owned a hot tub before this is all new. I can test drive a car and compare it to the car I own. But I can't do that with these. So when someone tells me the salt water system replaces chlorine, or is more natural or less drying than chlorine I can either believe them or not. All I know is one smelled like the basement of the Hoboken Y I used to belong to and one didn't. I prefer the one that didn't.

I think more people would own hot tubs if the industry itself was more forthcoming. I'm just trying to educate myself and make a smart decision, and half the time I feel like I'm being fed bullshit. It's like when I purchased my first car all the saleperson wanted to do was show me the cupholders and the lighted mirrors. I don't care about what color the damn tub is until I know I'm going to get that particular one. And a salesperson should appreciate the fact that I come in with a binder of research and scale drawings of my deck. I just want someone that's going to be straight with me.

[Chas]

I'm not sure why other people think so but that's what I was told. I'm sensitive to chemicals. It's a concern.

HotSpring "Highlife Series" tubs come with a good ozone system. The "Limelight Series" tubs are ready to add one on. Once in place, you add a Mineral purifier stick every four months, and you can soak chlorine free. The tub needs a good chlorine "shock" about once per month, and you will want to add a little chlorine when you are having a crowd in. Also, you do add an oxidizer (which is odor-free, and which leaves the water in about five minutes or less). Some people toss a tablespoon of the oxidizer after every use, others put in a couple of ounces once per week. Both seem to work fine, and it's about the equivalent of mild hydrogen peroxide.

When you consider that the only other thing you need to do is keep the water in "balance," which is actually adjusting the pH and TA - which makes the tub water better than your tap water - you will have a nice, odor-free, chlorine-free soak every day except ONE day per month. I find that all of my customers who demanded "as few chemicals as possible" just seem to love this system, which is standard on most of the tubs I sell.

And alternative is to simply add your chlorine AFTER you soak. If you get it right there should be little to no chlorine in the water as you come back to soak the next day. At the very least, there will be less than most tap water. That's the big deal with all public pools and spas: they have to have WAY too much chlorine in the water. With a tub of your own, you do not have to keep the ridiculous levels to be safe.


HTH

 

[hkc]

thanks Chas. I had a pool growing up and it was always my job to dump the chlorine in every night...and scoop the dead animals out of the filter in the morning. At least with a cover there will one less step with a hot tub!

Wet tested the south seas 748 tub tonight. It felt...ok. Kinda bland after the Sundance. It had 48 jets vs 35 withthe same power- is that why?

It's currently in second place out of two with Hot Springs and Jacuzzi left to test. Hot Springs is coming in about $1000 - $1500 over comparable tubs from the other companies, but they also have a big sale coming up this weekend so perhaps this is so they have some room to come down during the sale. Still, their signature line is a bit out of reach. I might be able to justify the Limelight Flair, but it's gotta blow me away on the wet test. I'm also testing the Relay- I think that's their entry-level line, which is more in my budgetary comfort zone. Jacuzzi I'm testing the 235 and 345.