Are budget online hot tubs that bad?

Finding the right hot tub can be a wonderful experience that will bring wellness for you and your loved ones. Should you buy a budget hot tub or purchase a more expensive model?

Quality Hot tubs range from around £5,500 to £22,000. Most people recognise the difference between an Aston Martin and a Dacia in terms of build quality. But do you know the differences between your hot tub manufacturers?

Points to consider

High running costs and ongoing repairs,

Low quality components,

Thin acrylic with no reinforcement,

Limited or no warranty,

Short life span,

Stability of Manufacturer.

Hot tubs sold online will be cheaper £3-5,000. Some might say a price that seems too good to be true, It usually is. However, your cheap hot tub costs far more in the long run between running cost, repairs and life span.

You get what you pay for and deep down you know that a low cost reflects cost cutting somewhere along the line. Running and repair costs add up over the life of the hot tub, which can be a lot shorter than you would expect!

Budget hot tubs are expensive to run

More important than ever customers need to compare the running costs. Quality hot tubs should cost between £35-50per month to run depending on size and specification. But we speak to people who have purchased a budget hot tub online and are spending upwards of £200-300 per month.

This is because budget hot tubs are poorly built for energy efficiency. They don’t use efficient pumps. They don’t have good covers. And they don’t use quality insulation in the cabinet. Resulting in poor energy efficiency and a hefty electrical bill.

Budget hot tubs have Poor Shell Quality

If your shell cracks there are no economical means of repair.

The acrylic is thinly stretched, rending it only as thick, strong and chemical resistant as a standard bathtub. This will not stand up to the heat and pressure fluctuations hot tub shells are subjected to and will likely crack and leak. They have poor reinforcement with inconsistent layering resulting in delamination after a short period. In short you will need to start again and replace the hot tub.

Warranty Shortfall

Budget hot tubs have short or no warranties with many clauses which render them worthless.

Service Quality

It’s difficult to source replacement parts for budget hot tubs.

It’s not uncommon to get a ‘great deal’ on a hot tub. Only to spend the same amount (or more) on repairs and costs over a few short years.

Many companies won’t repair or service budget hot tubs

The problem with budget hot tubs is that, not only do they have poor hot tub warranties. But it is difficult (or impossible) to claim them.

Best case scenario they send replacement parts. But, as with above, not many companies are willing to carry out the warranty work for cheap online & Chinese hot tubs as repairs can turn into a ‘can of worms’ with multiple failures that can unfairly reflect badly on a professional company with long standing reputation through no fault of their own, so they kindly decline.

Budget hot tub companies offer kerbside delivery

Many online hot tub retailers deliver the hot tub to your front door i.e. ‘kerbside delivery’. You then need to move it into place, at your expense. You should be looking for a local dealer that will carry out the full installation service, Delivery, setup, fill and run through all the controls of your tub and then talk you through how to use the chemicals and look after your hot tub. A good reputable dealer will be there for you for as many years as you need them.

Stability of manufacturer

Unfortunately it is more common than thought, but companies that sell low quality hot tubs at cheap prices have a short life span, as they quickly suffer financial and operational problems and are closed or go into administration. This leaves customers with no support on an inferior product, where many professional companies will not work on as parts are not available.

In Summary

Hopefully, this has helped you understand that there is a difference between your local dealer All POOLS and SPAS and their quality hot tub range, compared with budget online hot tubs.

Whatever Hot Tub you feel comfortable and confident in buying is the one you should go with. It’s an expensive and exciting purchase, and you want to make sure you have no regrets.

But remember. If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is!

If you have more questions why not get in touch for independent advice or visit us.

Established 35 years www.allpoolsandspas.co.uk.