Imagine: you come home from a long day. Kick off your shoes, fix a drink, and slip into your private back yard hot tub – letting the stress slip away. Sounds great, right? But, then you remember you have bills to pay and the dream slips away…
But wait! Before the dollar signs start flashing in front of your eyes, there is a way to make this dream a reality for you. In 2022, hot tubs are no longer a luxury item thanks to the increase in popularity and design of inflatable hot tubs. In this article, we will assess the pros and cons of inflatable hot tubs and help you decide on the perfect jacuzzi for your lifestyle!
Picks at a glance:
1st Choice: SaluSpa Miami AirJet Spa
2nd Choice: Coleman SaluSpa 4 Person
3rd Choice: Intex PureSpa Plus
Our Top Pick – The Best Inflatable Hot Tub For Most People
SaluSpa Miami AirJet Spa
Product Info:
This tub is 177 gallons, has 120 bubble jets, and can reach temperatures of 104°f.
The absolute best at-home, inflatable hot tub you can get is the SaluSpa Miami AirJet. With over 3,600 5-star reviews and an extremely affordable price tag, this inflatable hot tub is the best all-around home spa for 2-4 people.
Alternate Pick – The Best Durable Inflatable Hot Tub For 4 People
Coleman 15442-BW SaluSpa 4 Person
Product Info:
The Coleman 15442-BW SaluSpa is made for up to 4 people, heats up fairly quickly to 104°f, and 3 ply inflatable walls for a more durable inflatable tub then our top pick.
Coming in at a close second we have the Coleman Saluspa 4 person inflatable tub. This hot tub has a slightly higher price point than the Miami AirJet, but with slightly more durable materials and a fun square shape!
Alternate Pick – The Best Inflatable Hot Tub for 4-6 People
Intex 28441EP PureSpa Plus
Product Info:
- 65 x 65 x 28 Inch (inner dimensions)
- 140 jets
- Rechargeable wireless touch display
If you are open to spending a few bucks on your inflatable tub and want something with a bit more pizazz, look no further than the Intex PureSpa Plus.
With the higher price tag you get a larger footprint – much better for families or having a few friends over, built in LED lights, and a more robust motor to handle colder weather.
Is an Inflatable hot tub worth it? Things to Think About When Buying your at-home spa
While we believe these options for the best inflatable hot tubs are all great choices, there are other things to keep in mind when you are choosing your backyard tub.
#1 – Be Realistic
The best advice we can give when selecting your inflatable hot tub is to be realistic about your expectations for the product. It is easy to get caught up in the cost of an inflatable hot tub vs. a traditional fibreglass style, but this might be one of those situations where you get what you pay for.
Inflatable hot tubs are fairly new technology, and are making a home-spa experience accessible to more people than traditional tubs. The ease of set-up, ability to easily transport them, and the smaller size are all very attractive qualities.
While these are all great things, keep in mind that an inflatable hot tub is not going to have the same durability and functionality as a traditional tub. They don’t get quite as hot, the material is less durable, and the parts are more exposed and therefore more susceptible to damage. A traditional tub, while less mobile and more expensive, will last years and years with proper care.
#2 – Consider your Hot Tub’s Placement
Both inflatable and traditional hot tubs require careful planning regarding placement in your home.
- Placement on your property
For Inflatable hot tubs, you need to consider:
– The traffic area. Is your tub on a walkway? If you are moving lawn furniture or walking around your yard, are you at risk of hitting the tub and puncturing it?
– Water flow. If you were to get a leak, where would the water flow? Would it damage your or other property?
For traditional hot tubs, you need to consider the above, as well as:
– Weight. Fiberglass hot tubs are considerably heavier than inflatable tubs. If you want to place it on a patio or grass, you will need to find ways to support it properly. - Check your Home Insurance!
If something were to happen to your tub and it caused damage, would you be covered under your current home insurance policy? Some policies do not permit pools or hot tubs over a certain volume, so be sure to do some investigating before you purchase your hot tub! - Consider your Climate
Obviously, a hot tub is best enjoyed in cooler weather. Who doesn’t love rolling in the snow when hot tubbing? However, as anyone who grew up in the north knows, there is such thing as too cold. The cold weather will affect how long it takes the water to heat up, how hard the heater has to work to keep the water warm, and if it gets cold where you are, you might need to worry about the hoses freezing up too. For cold weather locations, a traditional hot tub is a safer choice than an inflatable.
Getting a cover for the motor or adding foam covers to the hoses are some ways you can protect your inflatable hot tub against colder climates!
#3 Consider the Extra Costs of Owning a Hot Tub
Remember that actually purchasing your hot tub is only the first expense! Once you get your tub up and running, you will need to maintain it which has an economic cost as well as a learning curve. Consider:
- Electricity
Your inflatable or traditional hot tub will always be plugged in! Factor this into your monthly utility bill - Chemicals
You will need to learn about maintaining the chemical side of your tub and the tools that go with it. PH strips, bromine or chlorine tablets, as well as special cleaning supplies to use between fills. - Weatherproofing.
To increase the life of your inflatable hot tub you will need to add weatherproofing. You might want to put it on a platform, wrap the hoses and heater items in foam, get additional covers, etc.
Best Inflatable Hot Tub Alternatives
If you are thinking an inflatable hot tub might not be the best fit for you after reading this article, here are some alternatives!
Best Hard-Sided Portable Hot Tub
A compromise between an inflatable hot tub and traditional fiberglass is a hard-sided “plug-and-play” tub. The Okanagan 10 is the best rated in this category.
Best Foam Portable Hot Tub
Yet another mid-way option is the foam-walled hot tub. Still portable, but more durable than an inflatable, a foam tub is also a more affordable option than a full-fledged traditional tub. Softub is a well-regarded brand to purchase your portable foam tub from!
The lure of the at-home spa is a hard one to resist! Inflatable hot tub, traditional fiberglass, or somewhere in-between, from which hot tub will you be soaking in this winter?
Hi, I’m Carmine, the guy behind Helpful Tiger. Tired of crappy search results? Me too. That’s why I started this website. It’s a one-stop shop for simple tutorials and guides on a little bit of everything. Have questions? Reach out, and I’ll do my best to help!
