We thought we wanted a hot tub. So we bought a Coleman inflatable hot tub on clearance at Wally World ($200). I never felt like I could get the water correct. About 15 min was all I could stand, then it took a couple of hour to quit feeling “hot”.

It was fun for about a month or so, we ended up chucking it. I don’t misss it and am glad I was not in it 10k.

I am going to have to pay someone to haul mine away. I unplugged it more than a year go. Bring used as a table right now but it was costing a fortune to heat and I think in 9 years I’ve been in it less than 50 times.

I asked a similar question here about 6-8 months ago.
due to the recommendations here we got a Hot Springs unit. I don’t remember the model but it is a large one. We tore out some bushes and ran a 200v line in conduit under a paver patio that we built just for it.

We use it several times a week when we are home. The grandkids also use it when they visit (with adult supervision of course).

As far as cost ….well we’ve spent about double what your budget is but as the saying goes happy wife…

Also, if you happen to live in a HOA community you may need to run it by them first.

I'd suggest if you're not sure, then get a cheap inflatable to try first. They are 90% of the experience of an expensive hard hot tub without the cost to figure out if you want one long term. If you don't like a inflatable (in terms maintenance and use), you probably won't like a real hot tub either as costs and maintenance significantly skyrocket. You can just throw it or give it away if you end up not liking or using the inflatable with little regret since the costs are cheap. Plus inflatables are nice in that if you want to move it around, simply drain and move since they weight nothing.

Three years ago I had a steel 12x12 gazebo with a wood platform I put in the yard. It rarely got used by me or the wife. Then I thought I'd try something and put a 10x10 pop-up adjustable canopy with cloth sides under the steel gazebo, and put a 5 foot circular blow up Coleman hot tub inside that. I hung up RGB LED strip lights inside for lighting. While fully open air hot tubs can be nice, there are far more times when the enclosed canopy is better since it keeps hard wind and bugs out when we close the sides. In winter, it will completely fog up inside which makes for interesting light effect with the RGB lighting and regulates the air from bitter freezing to merely cold when using in winter. In summer, can just take off the side cloth panels and experience open-air if want (although we don't usually because the bugs get too bad). I ended up also sticking a bug zapper inside to get the few mosquitoes that got in.

As the soft canopy is under and tied to the larger hard Gazebo, it does not get beat up by the weather or rain/snow The only repair costs to the soft canopy, I've had were replacing one side of the cloth panels for like $15 when a side panel finally tore from a REALLY windy day. The sided canopy is loved by the women who use it, since they can get undressed and be completely naked in the tub without fear that someone is spy-glassing them from a distance.

Well three years later, it's still going great and gets used quite often. I did end up wrapping Mylar-coated bubble wrap insulation around the outside and layered on top of the inflatable hot tub air bladder cover, and it lowered winter electric heating costs significantly as it stays on 24x7. Summer heating costs are obviously much lower. It easily maintains water temp up to the 105 max even in the coldest of winter. One thing I do appreciate about the soft sides of the inflatable style hot tub is that if you slip and fall, you don't get hurt as easily as a hard sided tub. As I have this tub sitting on interlocking foam gym pads, the bottom is also nice and soft.

While it's not as pretty or featured as a real hot tub, it works great with barely any maintenance. 2x a year, I just drain and pressure spray wash it out. For Chemicals, it's just putting the little white chlorine/bromine hockey pucks into and a little shock on occasion if we haven't used for a while. We like it so much that rather than get a hard hot tub, we'll use this one till it breaks,and then can just buy a new (probably little bigger) inflatable and still be way ahead cost-wise. Does it have as many features, no, but it does what it's supposed to do well, which is to be HOT all the time. The bubble feature and water jets are nice additions, but we don't even use that feature that often. We just like to soak in it, especially in winter, and watch movies on the laptop or just listen to music.

So total costs were $120 for 10x10 canopy, and $300 for the on-sale Coleman branded inflatable hot tub. I personally think inflatable is the way to go simply because of costs versus a hard tub in terms of actual experience and usage. Like I mentioned. 90% the usage experience and 20% the cost. The cheap cloth sided canopy was the great investment in terms of privacy and bug/wind protection.

Do you have 200 amp service at your house?

Because if you don’t, you will if you’re doing a hot tub

Several years ago I built a new raised deck and wanted a hot tub installed sunk into the deck.
I did a lot of research as far as construction and found that many tubs are a disaster waiting to happen. Check for easy access for repairs, what kind and how much insulation is used, Is the bottom of the tub made of wood and will the wood selected rot after sitting in water, how much reinforcement do the molded in seats and features have, you don't want them breaking off.

I chose a Endless Pools Swim Spa. More than just a hot tub it offers accessories so you can work out with water therapy. Its also 1100 gal and 12' in length. The Grand kids love playing in it as its deeper than a regular Hot Tub and has powerful jets to swim against.
I leave mine go all year round.In Winter I turn it down to 65 degrees. If I plan to use it or guests are coming that may want to use it I turn the heater to 101. It takes about 1 degree per hour to come to temp.
Don't forget a cover. The basic cover is a floating piece of foam that will eventually get water soaked and sink. I chose a insulated roll over cover.
I like having a 1100 gal water reservoir with easy access.

We had one, it was great for relaxing after work. After a few years it got to be too much of a hassle. Probably wouldn’t do again. I have an infrared sauna in my garage now, much less maintenance.


If you do decide to get one, don’t go cheap on the wiring. Getting zapped and then stewing for a few days till someone comes around missing you is a nasty way to go. I spoke with one of the guys who responded to this years ago. Said it was a nasty crockpot on steroids kind of a deal…


https://www.seattletimes.com/s...ub-wiring-suspected/

I am just north of you and have a buddy in Beaver County who says his happy place is neck deep in his hot tub with a cold beer during a snow storm. That appeals to me but I always thought the same thing about RV's. Romantic draw and grossly under-utilized.

The endless swim idea might be great.

(My wife loves to swim, and it’s one of the few forms of endurance exercise my joints can take.)

Had one when we bought our house a long time. Used it alot in the beginning, Mostly used it in the cooler temps. But if/when you go to sell it. You darn near have to give it away in order to get rid of it.

My old house came with a hot tub, I had never had one before and thought it really added value. I was excited to have one.

After a short while the novelty wore off and the maintenance became a pain. In addition, I started reading white papers on how sitting in a bubbling cauldron of hot water treated with bromine or chlorine and breathing in the fumes of that is not exactly healthy.

I had to pay some guys to haul it away.

I moved into a new house and as I am always researching health & fitness topics, I decided to get an infrared indoor sauna. There are tremendous documented health benefits to sauna.

Be aware, you do NOT want to buy a cheap sauna as they are made with glues that off-gas and the heater panels put out high EMF - all of which is counter to good health. I bought a Radiant health sauna as they have the lowest EMF in the industry:

https://radianthealthsaunas.com/

There are about 2 other manufacturers that make an acceptable quality sauna.

What I recommend is buying this book:

"Sauna-Detoxification Using Niacin" by Dr David E Root on Amazon, then going to his son's website and watching some of the videos:

https://www.getdetoxinated.com/

I did the 30 day protocol after I got my sauna and the crap that came out of my body was amazing.

A Sauna and a hot tub can both relax you and both be fun, but a sauna - if used with the protocol described in the book, a sauna can actually help detox you from a lifetime exposure to chemicals and heavy metals and make you feel great while improving your health!

Here is a good intro to how the detox works:

https://youtu.be/DCq8q8scVow?si=VSWAtHymJKjtrQch

Cheers,

-i8mtm

I think others can relate.
The first year we used it constantly.
In the second year 50%Less
After that we were paying for chemicals and heating it to the point where it was used so occasionally. It was now just added expense...

I just allow myself to take an endless hot shower when I need it. Waste of water and natural gas perhaps, but it's therapeutic. Maybe I can pay my gas bill out of my FSA.

Had one for the 10 years we lived in Vegas. Used it fairly consistently.
Currently setting up a new home in the high desert of Utah. Debating if we want to bite the bullet and get one there. I'm leaning yes, but not sure yet.
We also spent some time in Pittsburgh. If I lived there I wouldn't even be considering one. That is based on your weather there. Vegas and Utah provide ample opportunity of nights where the Hot Tub is very nice. Combined with sore muscles from outdoor activity, the tub will come in handy.
I wouldn't use one much at all living in Pittsburgh. Not knocking your location but it just doesn't having me in a lifestyle where I'd use the tub.

I had one in my old house.
LOVED the damn thing!

I think it also might be dependent upon where you live and who you are too.


I beat myself up a lot in my impetuous youth, and didn't learn from some of those mistakes as I got older. Chicago get's cold and damp around Oct. and doesn't let up until about March/April. There's times where there's a nice reminder of every ding and dent that your body picked up over the years.

To wit:
-"Toys for Tots" motorcycle ride the 1st Sunday in December? Hell yeah this is a great idea and a great cause! What the hell, it's only 35F! LETS RIDE!
-Sitting on some crime scene all night in 40F and raining.
-Sure, I'll take the truck or the Bobcat without heat to snowplow in.

The hot tub helped.
Depending on where the retirement casa is going to be- probably get a new one.

We used to satisfy our hot tub desires by renting a room or cabin that has one a couple times a year when on vacation… Then about 8-10 years ago on vacation in a good sized cabin with several family members, over half got the shits, all the ones that used the tub, and none of the ones who didn’t. No proof it was the hot tub but was enough to turn me off them. The cabin rental said it was drained and cleaned fresh for each new rental…

The good-

If you have body aches, amazing!
Cold chills, amazing!
Sitting with spouse in winter watching snowflakes fall amazing!

The bad-

Temperature preference. Me, 98-100. Wife, 104+
Cost versus longevity. I was told 10 years expected life.
When is it going to break down, every time it’s 30 below zero!
Stress. Trying to troubleshoot a power, heater, electronic issue in the dark at -30 degrees.


I look at hot tubs like campers. Add up the original cost, maintenance, repairs and monthly expenses. Divide by the cost of taking the bride to a nice hotel or resort with pool, hottub, bar, restaurant ect.

13 degrees here tonight. Amazing how good you feel after getting out.

quote:

I think it also might be dependent upon where you live and who you are too

We used to own a house on the California coast, and did short-term rentals as many owners did. A hot tub was a huge draw--many folks won't rent a house there without one.

Because the temps were moderate and skies were dark, it was doubly wonderful to get in the hot tub, relax and star gaze.

We paid for a service to take care of maintenance, and of course that was deductible.

I miss the hot tub, but not as much as I miss having a house 50 feet from the ocean bluff. It would not have been practical to keep it--maintenance is a constant problem there--but it was my favorite place to be. Loved it more than Maui.

Lately I've been daydreaming about a hot tub, but honestly we have a hot tub next to the community pool and never use it.

After some soul searching I think the hot tub is going to be way more than my budget will allow.