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American Whirlpool is a Maax Spa company. Maax is not high on the list of manufacturers that I would consider. The steel stand is because the shell is not self supporting, meaning a thinner shell. For the most part, they use Gecko electronics, which most consider not as good as Balboa.However, if the price is right AND the dealer has good reviews and an in house service department, then you can still get many years of enjoyment out of one.What other dealers are in your area? Do you have a Sundance, Jacuzzi, Artesian, Marquis or Bullfrog dealer within an hour or so of you?
From the looks of American Whirlpool's website, they have changed to Gecko.
Quote from: babs75 on May 27, 2022, 04:37:08 pmFrom the looks of American Whirlpool's website, they have changed to Gecko.this should be the farthest item down on your list of 'reasons to buy this model' 99.9% of consumers don't even know what brand of controls are inside the spa. I've sold Gecko, Balboa & Private Label stuff over the past 15 years and they both work just fine and carry similar/same failure rates imo, don't even worry about it, it's the least of your concerns when buying from a reputable dealer carrying a reputable brand. Top sales pros won't even bring this up on the sales floor because it is so insignificant in the grand scheme of a hot tub purchase.
Agreed. Gecko has improved significantly over the years. It honestly feels more reliable than Balboa to me lately, but either way it shouldn't be a reason to avoid purchasing a hot tub from a reputable dealer. And this is coming from someone who absolutely hated gecko 15 years ago.The problem is that guy in Canada who insists certain things are important that really aren't. Just like he said waterway jets were the only way to go, until master spa switched to cmp. Then cmp became ok. Unfortunately the guy has a huge reach and people think he knows everything about every hot tub ever made and every component manufacturer. It's frustrating that people take his word at gospel.
The problem is that guy in Canada who insists certain things are important that really aren't. Just like he said waterway jets were the only way to go, until master spa switched to cmp. Then cmp became ok. Unfortunately the guy has a huge reach and people think he knows everything about every hot tub ever made and every component manufacturer. It's frustrating that people take his word at gospel.