You’re ready to improve your life and your home with a hot tub, but you’re not sure where to start your search. You might have questions, like, “How much will it cost? What features are am I looking for?” To answer these questions and more, Hot Spring Spas created a Hot Tub Buyer’s Guide — a simple, printable guide that guides you through every step of shopping for a hot tub. The guide takes you through the following:

Spa Basics

• Initial questions you should ask yourself
• Hot tub water care basics
• Discovering what hot tub features matter to you
• What to look for in spa filtration systems
• Estimating your monthly operating costs

Buying Advice

• Selecting a hot tub brand
• Finding a hot tub model
• How to avoid common hot tub buying mistakes

Here is a checklist of things to consider:

• Learn about the spa’s specific features, quality of components, ease of use and maintenance.
• When the spa is not in use, does the water always remain hot and clean?
• Do the jets and jet systems allow you to customize your hydro massage experience?
• Ask about the filtration system; is the water filtered 24 hours a day?
• Can you adjust the filtration cycles to meet your needs?
• Is the heating and filtration system automatic?
• Are the spa controls user-friendly?
• How is the seating configured; are you able to move about easily?
• Get into the spa; does it feel comfortable to you without water?
• Take a tub test soak to get the full effect.
• Learn how the tub is constructed and its energy efficiency.
• The components should be backed by the manufacturers warranty.
• How long does the manufacturer been in business?
• How long has the dealer been in business?
• Does the dealer have local service or do they have to travel a long distance? This can be important in the middle of winter if your spa requires immediate attention.

How much should I spend? How much do you want to spend? There’s a hot tub for every budget! However, don’t kid yourself – compare apples to apples. You get what you pay for! A spa with a separate high efficiency filtration pump, full foam insulation, or multiple jet pumps will cost you more than a spa built without these features.

Beware of the inexpensive flashy no name spas sold by some of the big box variety stores. These spas are normally built to a price spec, not a quality specification. Who is going to service it? Service should be a major concern when you purchase a spa. When you buy a spa off the Internet or stores that don’t have factory trained technicians you’re gambling with a lot of money.

 Download Hot Tub Buyer’s Guide