Hot Tubs - Worth it or aggro?
Discussion
Hi there. After extensive House & Garden work, I'm being pressurised to get a hot tub, by she who must me obeyed (no pictures will be posted!). I kind of like the idea of relaxing in there with a glass of wine etc etc but not the thought of bills (electric to heat), chemicals, hassle, shrivelled skin, cost to buy. I understand they are not restricted by hosepipe ban. Can anyone out there give an idea of running costs for a medium 6 person one & are they worth it? Cheers.
My wife's company sells Jacuzzi ones. They're pretty cool. Running costs for a biggish one probably around 30p a day if you kept the cover on it and used it for an hour a day. Water needs changing every 12 weeks and you need to add the sanitizer/chlorine thing now and again. That's about it. They come with tvs, iPad docks, all kinds of gadgets but the best thing is the feeling when you're in it. You never want to get out! PM me if you need a price etc.
Without exception, everybody I know who has got one used it religiously for the first month and then pretty much never again. Very much a case of a nice idea, but the reality just isn't that exciting.
Unless you have a moustache and regularly host swingers parties - in which case it's pretty much de rigeur, I understand.
Unless you have a moustache and regularly host swingers parties - in which case it's pretty much de rigeur, I understand.
We have hired two villa's that have had top quality hot tubs. They are amazing and great fun to have a few drinks in after midnight.
I have toyed with the idea of getting one for our house but as others have said, I doubt it would be used enough, great for the first couple of months but after that just a PITA.
Why not hire one to see how it goes for a year, if your still hopping in and out of it after 6 months then buy one.
I have toyed with the idea of getting one for our house but as others have said, I doubt it would be used enough, great for the first couple of months but after that just a PITA.
Why not hire one to see how it goes for a year, if your still hopping in and out of it after 6 months then buy one.
I've just bought an inflatable one (arrived yesterday) and installed it last night.
I bought one of these
http://www.drinkstuff.com/products/product.asp?ID=...
It took 30 mins to put together and 2 hours to fill last night. Temp was up to 33 deg C this morning and will be 40 deg C tonight. Bubbles are working well so far....
My thinking was that getting a fixed one whilst not knowing quite how much use it would get is a large outlay whereas this one is relatively inexpensive. If we use it everyday, then we might get a proper one at a later date.
Bob
I bought one of these
http://www.drinkstuff.com/products/product.asp?ID=...
It took 30 mins to put together and 2 hours to fill last night. Temp was up to 33 deg C this morning and will be 40 deg C tonight. Bubbles are working well so far....
My thinking was that getting a fixed one whilst not knowing quite how much use it would get is a large outlay whereas this one is relatively inexpensive. If we use it everyday, then we might get a proper one at a later date.
Bob
had mine for about 8 years, although its been off for the last 12 months as was too skint to run it and it had a dodgy thermo.
well times are better now, so can afford to run it again. ordered a replacement part from canada (half what quoted in the UK) and had our first dip in it for months about and hour ago. Was very nice as have a bad back right now.
Cost between £1 and £2 a day on the electric if you have it on full heat all year round. Sounds cheap enough but thats £500 ish a year.
Get most use in winter time, lovely 40 deg C in tub, -5 outside. Seen some cracking shooting stars.
Funny thing is, everyone thinks its a 'swingers' toy but quite frankly its not about that at all. Its a great place to sit and chill out, and a nice place to sit and chat. Been in there all night on a few occasions. (although its not recommended as its bad for your blood pressure.
Were lucky to have a nice big private garden, wouldnt want one in one of those new housing estates where theres no privacy.
Always use ours butt naked by the way.... :-) although on very cold nights i sometimes keep a bobble cap on..... :-) and we've had a fair few parties in it.... always a laugh but not a swingers convention. I've seen a lot of tits that I'd never normally get to see without it.... but all good clean fun and no dodgy 70's soundtrack in the bak ground....
Would i buy another? Yes, a better one. And I'd get a round one, not a square one. One thing though, unless you have no neighbors at all, dont bother with an entertainment system. Too much noise. Just enjoy the peace and quiet.
Looked after properly they are fine, you dont need to change the water as often as has been said above. The biggest factor is you. If you and your family are greasy skinned, or use lots of body lotions, makeup, hair products etc etc,it will get 'fatty' quickly. Also, if you drop anything in it like food or drink, it will get mucky, and also if you do any dodgy stuff in it, well, what would you expect? Bodily fluids will be very yukky.
You must not let the water just sit in the tub though, it must be circulating and it must be chemically treated. If we've had a late nighter in our, then a good chlorine shock the next day wil help.
You can also replace a portion of the water, say 15%, rather than a full drain.
well times are better now, so can afford to run it again. ordered a replacement part from canada (half what quoted in the UK) and had our first dip in it for months about and hour ago. Was very nice as have a bad back right now.
Cost between £1 and £2 a day on the electric if you have it on full heat all year round. Sounds cheap enough but thats £500 ish a year.
Get most use in winter time, lovely 40 deg C in tub, -5 outside. Seen some cracking shooting stars.
Funny thing is, everyone thinks its a 'swingers' toy but quite frankly its not about that at all. Its a great place to sit and chill out, and a nice place to sit and chat. Been in there all night on a few occasions. (although its not recommended as its bad for your blood pressure.
Were lucky to have a nice big private garden, wouldnt want one in one of those new housing estates where theres no privacy.
Always use ours butt naked by the way.... :-) although on very cold nights i sometimes keep a bobble cap on..... :-) and we've had a fair few parties in it.... always a laugh but not a swingers convention. I've seen a lot of tits that I'd never normally get to see without it.... but all good clean fun and no dodgy 70's soundtrack in the bak ground....
Would i buy another? Yes, a better one. And I'd get a round one, not a square one. One thing though, unless you have no neighbors at all, dont bother with an entertainment system. Too much noise. Just enjoy the peace and quiet.
Looked after properly they are fine, you dont need to change the water as often as has been said above. The biggest factor is you. If you and your family are greasy skinned, or use lots of body lotions, makeup, hair products etc etc,it will get 'fatty' quickly. Also, if you drop anything in it like food or drink, it will get mucky, and also if you do any dodgy stuff in it, well, what would you expect? Bodily fluids will be very yukky.
You must not let the water just sit in the tub though, it must be circulating and it must be chemically treated. If we've had a late nighter in our, then a good chlorine shock the next day wil help.
You can also replace a portion of the water, say 15%, rather than a full drain.
Had ours 5 yrs and use it about 4 times / week, more in winter and most often at night.
I expected into be a bit of a white elephant when SWMBO insisted we got it but hey, she was right.
"Hassle" is remembering to chuck some chlorine in it when you get out and generally keeping an eye on the water balance. If you don't have a spare 30 secs each days then I guess it is a hassle.
I expected into be a bit of a white elephant when SWMBO insisted we got it but hey, she was right.
"Hassle" is remembering to chuck some chlorine in it when you get out and generally keeping an eye on the water balance. If you don't have a spare 30 secs each days then I guess it is a hassle.
My better half decided to buy one, and loved it as soon as we got it, a few weeks later she was diagnosed with arthritis... which instantly explained why she'd been so keen on long, hot soaks. A year later, it gets used several times a week... and on nice nights it still feels like being on holiday when you slide in 
My mate has one and we go in it quite abit before going out, after a night outs, when he has a party etc. Drinking in it seems to get you more pissed than normal aswell!
He lives on a farm and the hot tub is sat its own paved area next to the house which looks out over the fields and surrounding hills so the scenery adds to the effect of it, especially when people come back for the first time.
He lives on a farm and the hot tub is sat its own paved area next to the house which looks out over the fields and surrounding hills so the scenery adds to the effect of it, especially when people come back for the first time.
We brought one of the lay-z-spa inflatable jobs for £300 a last yr thinking we would rather waste £300 than 7k if we didn't use it.
Loved it, used all the time, so after a yr we brought a 5 seater tub, piss easy to set up and maintain, electric seems to be coming in approx 80 p a day at 38c.
I'm in a wheelchair most of the time and it's easy to get in and out, great for relaxing and easing muscle pain, just keep hydrated and alls well.
The only thing i wouldn't have again is an "iPod" dock, waste of money, if you want music buy a cheap portable and take it outside every time you go out.
Loved it, used all the time, so after a yr we brought a 5 seater tub, piss easy to set up and maintain, electric seems to be coming in approx 80 p a day at 38c.
I'm in a wheelchair most of the time and it's easy to get in and out, great for relaxing and easing muscle pain, just keep hydrated and alls well.
The only thing i wouldn't have again is an "iPod" dock, waste of money, if you want music buy a cheap portable and take it outside every time you go out.
Thanks for all the advice.. Had a look at a few today to check out the noise etc. Quite taken by one with a separate filter pump which runs 24/7 but is silent when in 'sleep' mode & saves the main pump apparently.
One thing I hadn't considered is the power connection. It appears they need a feed straight from the fuseboard? That will be difficult where I want it & also we still have the old fuse-wire type fuseboard which is on my jobs to-do list. So looks like in the traditional DIY manner the project will escalate! Although not essential I will have a new fusebox fitted 1st, then get a new cable from there to external RCD socket. So off to research the cost to get all that done now!
One thing I hadn't considered is the power connection. It appears they need a feed straight from the fuseboard? That will be difficult where I want it & also we still have the old fuse-wire type fuseboard which is on my jobs to-do list. So looks like in the traditional DIY manner the project will escalate! Although not essential I will have a new fusebox fitted 1st, then get a new cable from there to external RCD socket. So off to research the cost to get all that done now!
Jimboka said:
Thanks for all the advice.. Had a look at a few today to check out the noise etc. Quite taken by one with a separate filter pump which runs 24/7 but is silent when in 'sleep' mode & saves the main pump apparently.
One thing I hadn't considered is the power connection. It appears they need a feed straight from the fuseboard? That will be difficult where I want it & also we still have the old fuse-wire type fuseboard which is on my jobs to-do list. So looks like in the traditional DIY manner the project will escalate! Although not essential I will have a new fusebox fitted 1st, then get a new cable from there to external RCD socket. So off to research the cost to get all that done now!
Is its a reasonably big tub it wll need a higher power spur. Cost us £300 to have it fitted, our tub is 50 feet from house.One thing I hadn't considered is the power connection. It appears they need a feed straight from the fuseboard? That will be difficult where I want it & also we still have the old fuse-wire type fuseboard which is on my jobs to-do list. So looks like in the traditional DIY manner the project will escalate! Although not essential I will have a new fusebox fitted 1st, then get a new cable from there to external RCD socket. So off to research the cost to get all that done now!
If its a low power cheap jobbie - one of those 'portable' ones, you can run it off a normal plug socket/
Avoid chinese ones - plenty of tat out there. Jaccuzzi / Masterspa(and their sub brands) are far better quality.
You want at least two pumps (excluding 24hr circulation)
Avoid "air blowers" - they make your water go cold when in use.
You should be able to configure it so it doesn't heat when the pumps are on, which means it only needs about 16 amps rather than a 32amp feed. There's no way the heater will keep up with the heat loss during use, so its worth checking out.
Do the chemicals once a week and clean the filters - if you dont the water will go cloudy very quickly.
30p a day is b
ks, thats only 3kw in 24hrs - the heater is 3kw - and i can assure you its one for more than 1 hour in 24 hours. Mine costs about £70+ a month.
I use mine nearly every day, even after two years i love it.
Big tubs (8ft+) may need to be craned in and cost more to run (4KW+ heaters)
You want at least two pumps (excluding 24hr circulation)
Avoid "air blowers" - they make your water go cold when in use.
You should be able to configure it so it doesn't heat when the pumps are on, which means it only needs about 16 amps rather than a 32amp feed. There's no way the heater will keep up with the heat loss during use, so its worth checking out.
Do the chemicals once a week and clean the filters - if you dont the water will go cloudy very quickly.
30p a day is b
ks, thats only 3kw in 24hrs - the heater is 3kw - and i can assure you its one for more than 1 hour in 24 hours. Mine costs about £70+ a month.I use mine nearly every day, even after two years i love it.
Big tubs (8ft+) may need to be craned in and cost more to run (4KW+ heaters)
fat80b said:
I've just bought an inflatable one (arrived yesterday) and installed it last night.
I bought one of these
http://www.drinkstuff.com/products/product.asp?ID=...
My mum suffers from chronic back pain and was thinking about one of these as they seem to give some relief after visiting a few health spas.I bought one of these
http://www.drinkstuff.com/products/product.asp?ID=...
I know it's a bit to early to really tell atm, but can I ask how your finding it so far and whether you would recommend it ?
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