Choosing the Size of Your Hot Tub
By Stewart P. Adams
How should someone select a hot tub model based on size and shape?
When choosing the size of your hot tub, the first step is to determine where the spa will be placed. There is no sense shopping for an eight-person spa if you only have room for a four-person model. Likewise, the installation spot you have chosen might dictate whether you're limited to a square or round shape. Some smaller spas are even designed to fit into tight corners. "Before you begin shopping, decide where you would like to put your hot tub and note anything that might restrict the size," advises Karen Lynam, senior product manager for Caldera Spas. "From there, it is simply a matter of deciding how many people you want your hot tub to hold. Remember, when friends and relatives visit, you will likely want to be able to accommodate as many of them as you can at one time."
Next, determine how you intend to use the spa, says Mike Vander Ploeg, regional sales manager for Emerald Spa Corporation. Some options include hydrotherapy, recreation, entertainment, exercise or a combination of these. This will help you determine the interior design and seating configuration that will work best for you.
How can a consumer compare the spaciousness among different hot tub models of the same size?
"You have to do a test soak," says Chris Robinson, director of sales and marketing for Lucite International. "Most retailers have a test soak room and will provide privacy for you and your family to test out a spa. You would not buy a car without a test drive, right?"
At a bare minimum, you want to sit in the spa when it is dry to gauge comfort and roominess. "The best way to compare is to have those who will be using the spa-yes, the whole family in some cases-visit their spa retailer and sit in the different models to determine the comfort and depth of the seating, as well as the leg room of the footwell," says Vander Ploeg. "Filter size and placement, along with armrests can often affect available seating space and user comfort."
If it's not feasible for everyone to sit in the spa at the same time, pay special attention to the size of the footwell, advises Lynam. "That is where crowding is most likely to occur."
Deep-water spas are becoming more popular. How should shoppers choose the best depth for them?
A spa's overall depth can be misleading. The best depth for comfort, relaxation and therapy is one where users can sit in a seat or lounger and have the water level just above their shoulders. So the most important dimension is from the seat tread to the water level, says Lynam. She suggests sitting in a dry spa and, as you move from seat to seat, note where the water level will be. "On some spas there is ample seat tread to allow taller users to slide forward on the seat and lie back so that their shoulders are just below the water level," she notes.
How much does spa size affect the cost of operation?
"While operating costs are greater for a larger spa, there's not a one-to-one relationship. That is, a spa that holds 50 percent more water will cost only about 15 to 20 percent more to operate-not 50 percent more," Lynam says.
The cost of operation is affected more by the spa's insulation, pump size and heater efficiency than by the size of the spa, Robinson adds. Size will have some effect on the cost of operation, but it should not be a determining factor in choosing a spa.
Which shapes make the most efficient use of interior space?
Efficiency of interior space usage begins with the size of the footwell. It is easy enough to design a spa with seating for eight, but you need amble leg room for everyone to be comfortable. "This is why round spas are not very popular," Lynam says. Square spas with open seating and no loungers tend to offer the roomiest interiors, Vander Ploeg sayss.
How a spa's design utilizes its outer edges and corners is often overlooked. Lynam explains that if the spa has wide ledges around the perimeter (where the cover sits) and sweeping corner radii, the seats have to be moved inward, which shrinks the size of the footwell.
Can you be more creative with shapes and sizes with some materials?
Acrylic allows for extremely tight design features, which gives manufacturers significant freedom when designing their spas. Multicolored and textured sheets, which resemble marbles and granites, help hide scratches and molding marks much better than solid, smooth colors do. "Like a car, though," Robinson says, "a spa looks fantastic with a high-shine, luster surface."
How do acrylic shells hold up in a hot tub?
"Acrylic is specially formulated to the tough environment of today's hot tubs through crosslinking, a chemical process that toughens the sheet to withstand chemical attack," Robinson says. "It is critical for the spa to have proper support. This means under the rails as well as in the seats and footwell area."
What is the most popular spa size?
In general, the most popular sizes are 7 square feet; however, small, two-person spas are gaining in popularity, especially among older couples who want the spa only for personal hydrotherapy. Meanwhile, swim spas are also gaining in popularity among those who want to combine aquatic exercise with the traditional features of a hot tub.
About the Experts
Karen Lynam
Senior Product Manager, Caldera Spas/Watkins Manufacturing
Karen Lynam has many years of experience in the management of consumer products. She received her bachelor's degree in marketing and has been employed with Watkins Manufacturing, maker of Caldera Spas, for the past nine years.
Mike Vander Ploeg
Regional Sales Manager, Emerald Spa Corporation
Mike Vander Ploeg earned his bachelor's degree in marketing from Grand Valley State University. He has over 20 years of experience in pool and spa manufacturing. The regional sales manager of Emerald Spa Corporation, he has been with the company for seven years.
Chris Robinson
Director of Sales and Marketing, Lucite International
Active in the spa business since 1988, Chris Robinson's career has focused on sales and marketing. He is a past chairman of APSP's Hot Tub Council. Mr. Robinson has a bachelor's degree in mechanical and industrial engineering from Clarkson College and an M.B.A. in marketing from Renselear Polytechnic Institute.