thank you so much! I am binge watching... in the market for my first hot tub! It will be in front yard on Lake Superior waterfront in the upper peninsula of Michigan--basically, the North Pole. Your videos have been so helpful. Thank you! When the student is ready, the teacher appears... and there you were!
I really wish you were in Virginia because I absolutely would buy from you! I've learned more from you in the past 2 days than I have in a week's worth of research! THANK YOU! Incidentally, Thermospa's scheduled an appt with me to come to my house and then had the nerve to cancel 15 minutes before they were supposed to be there. Needless to say they lost a sale.
@chris wheatley would you mind sharing those 10 or 15 tubs that are left? also would you mind doing a review on the your recommended good, better and best hot tub based on the price point?
Chris: thank-you for de-mystifying hot tubs with your wealth of knowledge. I have owned a Jacuzzi for 20 years but was uninformed when I bought it. I need to to replace it and now I feel like I know what to look for to get something that would last. Thank you for making these great videos!
No worries man if you want some help hit me up on my blog www.hottubuniversity.com post in the buyers assistance page and I'll see of I have anything in your area. We have a lot of good partners building good solid products and we get some solid affiliate deals for customers.
Jesus! You’re like the hot tub god. I’m looking for a 6 person hot tub. I don’t know squat about them. Just watching a couple of your videos, though, I am gaining some insight into the subject. I will rewatch them several times to try to get some knowledge and sense about hot tubs. Thanks.
Hi depends where you live :-) Hit me up on my blog site www.hottubuniversity.com and Ill hook you up with good people in your area. here is the link to Buyers assistance www.hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Hey Chris! We really appreciate the insight we've received from your videos! We were about to get a tub from Costco and are now rethinking everything! Problem is... you give so much good advice, but we need some good recommendations. I've know what to look for, but what brands have the 5 things you're talking about, here? We are in UT, SLC area. Bullfrog seems to be the trendy brand around here but I'm wondering if there's some others we should check out? PS... Happy Canada Day! ;-)
Hey Jordan Thanks, man, happy day to you too! here is a review I did on the Bullfrog, bit gimmicky for my taste I love real innovation that improves something but am disdainful of this kind of manufactured innovation that creates issues that don't exist so they can solve the issue that never existed :-) www.hottubuniversity.com/bullfrog/ Post your area here and My team will drill down into your local market and find good options for you, we have a pile of partners that are doing good things for customers and there are a good 5 solid brands I like I'm sure we can find ya something. www.hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Hi Chris! Big fan of your videos, they're really helpful to a first time buyer. We don't have a Master Spa dealer in our area so I'd love to have your opinion between a few brands offered where we live: HotSprings, Bullfrog, or Sundance? Which would be your preferred choice and why? Is there a way I can vet them for the big 5?
I’m no hot tub expert but I’m a mechanical engineer by trade and generally have a good nose for bullshit. However whilst looking for hot tubs I’ve found it incredibly difficult to filter the bull shit....you get different advice every corner you bloody turn ! This is the best, that is the best....it’s a fuckin nightmare. This guy just makes sense to me, I have ordered a top Master Spas tub in the U.K. on the back of his advice/blog/videos. Even the dealer had NO idea about the important things raised here. Clamped plumbing lines....”Errr, not sure think so”....Full foam.? “Errr, not sure think so”.....If you are a bullshitter Chris....then you got me good man 😂😂
Hey Chris, you have been more then helpful with your videos and for that, we are grateful. We are torn between Beachcomber and Maxx Spa(Vita). What do ya think?
Have to say the Beachcomber overall but get a Leep not a Hybrid, the performance on the Maxx will be better but build quality and insulation are better on the BC
on the Leep system where they are reclaiming the motor heat its great but on the Hybrid where they have the pumps outside is still better than the Vita, when it comes to insulation just use this... if it's not at least to code for building your house then it's not good enough, you would need 4"-6" of the bluemax plus a vapor barrier.. the BC would meet code. also no clamps on the plumbing on the vita and a cradle supported shell. whereas BC clamps the lines and glues them and has a hand rolled self supporting shell, they are miles apart in build quaklity.
Hi Chris, please come open a dealer in south east Michigan! Can you recommend a few brands that meet your five requirements? I want to buy a tub that meets the requirements you have mentioned with a great warranty. I am willing to spend the money to eliminate headaches. I have been leaning towards a hydropool spa because of the self cleaning or a thermospa until I started watching your videos. So please if you can point me in the right direction of three or four brands that meet your five requirements for me to compare for my needs. I have two bad legs and I am in need of a good quality tub for daily therapy. One thing I am having trouble finding is a tub that can fit six to eight people that has two loungers in it. Ninety percent of the time it will just be my wife and I but I want room for several people at one time for family get-togethers. Thanks John
Hi Chris, I'm buying a hot tub and I'm between the jacuzzi brand j495 and the hot springs grandee. I prefer the j495 after a wet test, but like both. Can you recommend one over the other?
Im not a fan of either brand. They are both awesome marketing companies but when you look at the actual products and build quality despite the great pitch they really are not built as well as the really good spas and the performance is middle fo the road. They both also use a proprietary parts list and I really have a problem with this whole idea. I want a hot tub with good open source parts that are competitively priced. hottubuniversity.com/hot-tub-parts-game-affects-long-term-satisfaction/ Post on the buyer's assistance page and I'll find better options for you. hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Hi Chris, thank you for a great informative video. I was hoping you could shed some light for me on a hot tub purchase I’m about to make. Basically my question is if a Clearwater St. Andrew is a decent hot tub. I’ve been reading the specs and can’t really make sense of it in comparison to what you were saying on this video. I think they are speaking a different language all together on the spec sheet. It’s the 2016 model and I’m getting it for $5000. Is this decent purchase or should I run for the hills? Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Hey Alek post a comment on www.hottubuniversity.com and ill look at the brand and your area and find you solutions. Or email me chris@hottubuniversity.com
I'm really not a fan. These brands that are owned by the big corporate equity investment groups are great at making huge profits but not great for the end-user. Their business model is old school but still, highly effective :-) it kind of goes like this... spend a scad of money on the brand awareness and marketing and advertising, sell from high-end showrooms to generate that quality feeling for the customer. They are super good at this, in fact, they are great marketing companies but the product overall is middle of the road. and you pay twice what it is really worth to cover the massive spend on advertising and branding and fancy expensive retail centers. The other hook is to use proprietary parts that you control so you are guaranteed the residual business from every tub forever and you can charge high prices for the parts because no one else can get them :-) I'm pretty adamant that this business model while great for corporate profits are crap for the end-user... You can get a lot better-built spas with much better parts for a lot less money and have an open source for the parts which first off are better quality and last longer and second are competitively priced because they are readily available form multiple sources. Here are some explanation articles and videos: hottubuniversity.com/great-marketing-vs-great-hot-tubs/ hottubuniversity.com/hot-tub-parts-game-affects-long-term-satisfaction/
Hi Chris, I am looking for a hot tub, the choices we have are Cal Spa, Coast Spa, Caldera, and Hot Springs. We are looking at their 5-6 person tubs. Do you have any recommendations on these brands?
None of these are in my top group, They all have a few good things and a few questionable things. Lots of questionable proprietary parts, sub standard insulation systems, mid grade shells. each suffers its own mix of issues but thats really the norm... Its not that these are not decent spas the trick is to find the guys that do all the five things... those are the people spending the money on the hot tub. try www.hottubuniversity.com and they can look in your area and find a good brand near you. just ask in the coments
Ok, you got me on this one. I had to go have a look :-) The royal is what it is, a price point spa, Gecko controls, goofy insulation, crazy old molds and pretty basic performance. The Master is hand rolled shells, top parts, full foam Icynene insualtion, and on =the higher ends the jetting is crazy
Not a bad tub at all from a build standpoint, from a performance standpoint The Antigua model with the twin pump and dual diverts will perform reasonably well but the jetting is middle of the road, lots of the inexpensive small high pressure low flow jets and only a few of the expensive hi flow therapy jets.
Hey Chris our local dealer only sells hotsprings. your input would be nice . Beachcomber/ hotsprings? Which is better in your opinion? beachcomber is out of town and have to deliver.
Hi Clint, the Beachcomber but only the non-Hybrid (Leep) system, expensive but built right, unfortunately, they don't do any really high-end therapy massage spas though. send me an email with where ya live Ill see if there is anything out there for you. either post a comment on www.hottubuniversity.com or email chris@hotubuniversity.com
Hi Jillian CSC is probably the best mass merchant hot tub out there. Its made in China but uses a Balboa heating and control system, hand-rolled self-supporting shells, and glues and clamps the plumbing lines all good things and frankly it puts it on par with most of the brands out there. I did notice that the jets use an older click in a style that has been prone to failure and the insulation system is typical of mid-level spas, reflective barriers are great for reflecting radiant heat but have no thermal mass this type of reflective insulation was all the rage in the 90's and the northern US states and the Canadian Mortgage housing authority all issued warning about it, it fell out of favor because it just was not efficient and now 20 years later its the new miracle insulation systems on hot tubs. post a request for help on Hot Tub University and they can see whats in your area for options. www.hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Gene Martin the guys are doing the five things that I'm aware of are Master Spas, Artesian Spas, Marquis Spas, Coast Spas, Beachcomber Spas bracket non-hybrid version close bracket. The guys spend the money on the build
Okay so it's a mass Merchant spa and that right away means that this going to be some Corners cut. The reality is mass Merchants don't sell enough tubs to get a really good purchasing price. One really good dealer in Canada will sell more hot tubs than Costco and Home Depot combined right across Canada. That being said the Canadian Spa company is building one of the best mass merchant products That has ever been in the market and have done a good job at taking over the back end of the business where they receive calls directly from the public to help solve minor issues before they become big issues.They are using Balboa electronic control and heating systems, hand rolled fibreglass shells, and they glue and clamp their plumbing. The only issues I have with it really from a construction standpoint the insulation system. I'm not a big fan of the reflective systems and there's not a lot of thermal mass right around R1 plus what they get from the reflective system which is likely around R3 or R4 They also make a fairly shallow tub on some of their models. By using a smaller sheet of acrylic they can save a bit of money in the production end but they can't draw the sheet as deep so you end up with a shallow spa... Sit in them and make sure they fit you. So to answer your question... Is this a really top-end tub? No... Is it a stay away from nightmare? No. To be honest, it's as good as half of the stuff in the industry right now, you look at most spas out there and they do 2 or three of the things right and 2 or three of them inexpensively... But... A good low overhead local businessman can likely match the price and offer a better back end local support structure.
It's Ok-ish... it has a pedestal supported shell, good insulation, and good parts list. But those jet packs are goofy as hell and really limit where the jets go, These guys use fear mongering about leaky spas to justify this goofy pack system, Good spas dont leak and you can inexpensively customise seats with the removable jets.
Man, I get so much action from SoCal! It's a different world down there, so many of the spas there are bought from out fo market, the local retailers are dropping like flies, the cost of retail space is killing them and making the prices so high. The good news is the retailers have been replaced by dozens of independent service companies, so if you stick with brands with good parts lists you can buy from anywhere and get good local service.
Joe that's old school fear mongering... That's why I specifically recommend Icynene. environmentally safe, and it never hardens, if you have a leak you literally touch the foam and find the wet spot then shop vac out the wet foam. in the middle of the wet foam is the leak... Repair and re-foam... Easy as pie... You are correct if some meathead is still filling the Cavity with chap old school poly based foams its a nightmare, that shit turns to a rock after a while and finding and fixing leaks with that is bad, I literally had a customer cut a Hot Springs spa into pieces and throw it away only 3 years old because of it.
@@ChrisWheatley not trying to scare anyone brother..just in the market for my first tub..watching a whole lot of videos..trying to decide what to buy..saw some videos of nightmares with the spray foam..dont want to rush into my purchase..want a great tub at an awesome deal..
@@joeyamada4976 Sorry dude didn't mean to imply you are fear mongering... sales guys use this tactic all the time to justify cheap crappy insulation systems :-) hit up the buyer's assistance page here and I'll see if I got anyone in your area. hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Chris: Please consider doing a video on how to get a good deal from a dealer and what to expect when buying from a dealer. Is haggling expected? Common extra/hidden fees/addons? . Thank you for making these videos and sharing your knowledge.
ill have to look for you, post here and I will dig up what I can, and see what you have available in your local market. www.hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Thank you :-) when you know what you are talking about through personal experience, education, knowledge accumulation, and intelligence you can be cocky AF :-) I dont know much in this world but I know way too much about this industry...
I can't believe this only has 1.6k views, one of the best nobs videos out there about spas.
What about Aqua Rest Roto molded spas? Are they any good?
thank you so much! I am binge watching... in the market for my first hot tub! It will be in front yard on Lake Superior waterfront in the upper peninsula of Michigan--basically, the North Pole. Your videos have been so helpful. Thank you! When the student is ready, the teacher appears... and there you were!
I really wish you were in Virginia because I absolutely would buy from you! I've learned more from you in the past 2 days than I have in a week's worth of research! THANK YOU! Incidentally, Thermospa's scheduled an appt with me to come to my house and then had the nerve to cancel 15 minutes before they were supposed to be there. Needless to say they lost a sale.
@chris wheatley would you mind sharing those 10 or 15 tubs that are left? also would you mind doing a review on the your recommended good, better and best hot tub based on the price point?
Thank you Chris, I learned so much from this & boy, did you save me time and potential future frustrations & costs!
Chris: thank-you for de-mystifying hot tubs with your wealth of knowledge. I have owned a Jacuzzi for 20 years but was uninformed when I bought it. I need to to replace it and now I feel like I know what to look for to get something that would last. Thank you for making these great videos!
No worries man if you want some help hit me up on my blog www.hottubuniversity.com post in the buyers assistance page and I'll see of I have anything in your area. We have a lot of good partners building good solid products and we get some solid affiliate deals for customers.
Cool video but can you name the brands that a buyer should consider??
Jesus! You’re like the hot tub god. I’m looking for a 6 person hot tub. I don’t know squat about them. Just watching a couple of your videos, though, I am gaining some insight into the subject. I will rewatch them several times to try to get some knowledge and sense about hot tubs. Thanks.
Man got www.hottubuniversity.com and go to buyers assistance. We will look at your area and see if we have any affiliate deals around you.
Thank you. It's under warranty still but I will try that tonight.
Men you are fun! I love your videos. You really know your work. Thanks a lot!
My pleasure!
You are the best! Can you make some recommendations????
Hi depends where you live :-)
Hit me up on my blog site www.hottubuniversity.com and Ill hook you up with good people in your area. here is the link to Buyers assistance www.hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Hey Chris! We really appreciate the insight we've received from your videos! We were about to get a tub from Costco and are now rethinking everything! Problem is... you give so much good advice, but we need some good recommendations. I've know what to look for, but what brands have the 5 things you're talking about, here? We are in UT, SLC area. Bullfrog seems to be the trendy brand around here but I'm wondering if there's some others we should check out? PS... Happy Canada Day! ;-)
Hey Jordan
Thanks, man, happy day to you too!
here is a review I did on the Bullfrog, bit gimmicky for my taste I love real innovation that improves something but am disdainful of this kind of manufactured innovation that creates issues that don't exist so they can solve the issue that never existed :-) www.hottubuniversity.com/bullfrog/
Post your area here and My team will drill down into your local market and find good options for you, we have a pile of partners that are doing good things for customers and there are a good 5 solid brands I like I'm sure we can find ya something. www.hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Hi Chris! Big fan of your videos, they're really helpful to a first time buyer. We don't have a Master Spa dealer in our area so I'd love to have your opinion between a few brands offered where we live: HotSprings, Bullfrog, or Sundance? Which would be your preferred choice and why? Is there a way I can vet them for the big 5?
Hi Sorry was away on vacation :-) Bullfrog is the closest... they do everything except the shell is a pedestal supported...
I’m no hot tub expert but I’m a mechanical engineer by trade and generally have a good nose for bullshit. However whilst looking for hot tubs I’ve found it incredibly difficult to filter the bull shit....you get different advice every corner you bloody turn ! This is the best, that is the best....it’s a fuckin nightmare. This guy just makes sense to me, I have ordered a top Master Spas tub in the U.K. on the back of his advice/blog/videos. Even the dealer had NO idea about the important things raised here. Clamped plumbing lines....”Errr, not sure think so”....Full foam.? “Errr, not sure think so”.....If you are a bullshitter Chris....then you got me good man 😂😂
He talks the points about insulation but yet he now recommends Welnis spa which uses this reflective type insulation on the panels.
what are your thoughts on coast spas
On paper they look to be doing the right things, we will tour the factory in April if the corona calms down :-)
Hey Chris, you have been more then helpful with your videos and for that, we are grateful. We are torn between Beachcomber and Maxx Spa(Vita). What do ya think?
Have to say the Beachcomber overall but get a Leep not a Hybrid, the performance on the Maxx will be better but build quality and insulation are better on the BC
on the Leep system where they are reclaiming the motor heat its great but on the Hybrid where they have the pumps outside is still better than the Vita, when it comes to insulation just use this... if it's not at least to code for building your house then it's not good enough, you would need 4"-6" of the bluemax plus a vapor barrier.. the BC would meet code. also no clamps on the plumbing on the vita and a cradle supported shell. whereas BC clamps the lines and glues them and has a hand rolled self supporting shell, they are miles apart in build quaklity.
Hi Chris, please come open a dealer in south east Michigan! Can you recommend a few brands that meet your five requirements? I want to buy a tub that meets the requirements you have mentioned with a great warranty. I am willing to spend the money to eliminate headaches. I have been leaning towards a hydropool spa because of the self cleaning or a thermospa until I started watching your videos. So please if you can point me in the right direction of three or four brands that meet your five requirements for me to compare for my needs. I have two bad legs and I am in need of a good quality tub for daily therapy. One thing I am having trouble finding is a tub that can fit six to eight people that has two loungers in it. Ninety percent of the time it will just be my wife and I but I want room for several people at one time for family get-togethers.
Thanks John
Hi John drop a comment on www.hottubuniveraity.com or email me at chris@hottubuniversity.com and I'll see if we have anything on the ground near you.
I did both. Thanks Chris.
Hi Chris, I'm buying a hot tub and I'm between the jacuzzi brand j495 and the hot springs grandee. I prefer the j495 after a wet test, but like both. Can you recommend one over the other?
Im not a fan of either brand. They are both awesome marketing companies but when you look at the actual products and build quality despite the great pitch they really are not built as well as the really good spas and the performance is middle fo the road. They both also use a proprietary parts list and I really have a problem with this whole idea. I want a hot tub with good open source parts that are competitively priced. hottubuniversity.com/hot-tub-parts-game-affects-long-term-satisfaction/
Post on the buyer's assistance page and I'll find better options for you. hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Hi Chris, thank you for a great informative video. I was hoping you could shed some light for me on a hot tub purchase I’m about to make. Basically my question is if a Clearwater St. Andrew is a decent hot tub. I’ve been reading the specs and can’t really make sense of it in comparison to what you were saying on this video. I think they are speaking a different language all together on the spec sheet. It’s the 2016 model and I’m getting it for $5000. Is this decent purchase or should I run for the hills? Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Hey Alek
post a comment on www.hottubuniversity.com and ill look at the brand and your area and find you solutions.
Or email me chris@hottubuniversity.com
What do you think Caldera Spas Paradise series Kauai tub? Thinking of buying one.
I'm really not a fan. These brands that are owned by the big corporate equity investment groups are great at making huge profits but not great for the end-user. Their business model is old school but still, highly effective :-) it kind of goes like this... spend a scad of money on the brand awareness and marketing and advertising, sell from high-end showrooms to generate that quality feeling for the customer. They are super good at this, in fact, they are great marketing companies but the product overall is middle of the road. and you pay twice what it is really worth to cover the massive spend on advertising and branding and fancy expensive retail centers. The other hook is to use proprietary parts that you control so you are guaranteed the residual business from every tub forever and you can charge high prices for the parts because no one else can get them :-)
I'm pretty adamant that this business model while great for corporate profits are crap for the end-user... You can get a lot better-built spas with much better parts for a lot less money and have an open source for the parts which first off are better quality and last longer and second are competitively priced because they are readily available form multiple sources.
Here are some explanation articles and videos:
hottubuniversity.com/great-marketing-vs-great-hot-tubs/
hottubuniversity.com/hot-tub-parts-game-affects-long-term-satisfaction/
@@ChrisWheatley Thanks Chris much appreciated! I decided to hold off a bit and do some more research before I make this large purchase!
@@karenjalbert3642 hit up the buyers assistance page at www.hottubuniversity.com
Hi Chris, I am looking for a hot tub, the choices we have are Cal Spa, Coast Spa, Caldera, and Hot Springs. We are looking at their 5-6 person tubs. Do you have any recommendations on these brands?
None of these are in my top group, They all have a few good things and a few questionable things. Lots of questionable proprietary parts, sub standard insulation systems, mid grade shells. each suffers its own mix of issues but thats really the norm... Its not that these are not decent spas the trick is to find the guys that do all the five things... those are the people spending the money on the hot tub. try www.hottubuniversity.com and they can look in your area and find a good brand near you. just ask in the coments
HI Chris, What do you think of Royal Spas (Indianapolis) and Master Spas from Fort Wayne, Indiana?
Ok, you got me on this one. I had to go have a look :-) The royal is what it is, a price point spa, Gecko controls, goofy insulation, crazy old molds and pretty basic performance.
The Master is hand rolled shells, top parts, full foam Icynene insualtion, and on =the higher ends the jetting is crazy
Hey Chris, we're looking at the Artesian Antigua from our local dealer. It seems to have those key 5 elements. What are your thoughts of Artesian?
Not a bad tub at all from a build standpoint, from a performance standpoint The Antigua model with the twin pump and dual diverts will perform reasonably well but the jetting is middle of the road, lots of the inexpensive small high pressure low flow jets and only a few of the expensive hi flow therapy jets.
Chris Wheatley Thank you so much for such a quick reply!
Hey Chris our local dealer only sells hotsprings. your input would be nice . Beachcomber/ hotsprings? Which is better in your opinion? beachcomber is out of town and have to deliver.
Hi Clint, the Beachcomber but only the non-Hybrid (Leep) system, expensive but built right, unfortunately, they don't do any really high-end therapy massage spas though. send me an email with where ya live Ill see if there is anything out there for you. either post a comment on www.hottubuniversity.com or email chris@hotubuniversity.com
Tried emailing both accounts I to not working or probably I'm not working lol Kamloops British Columbia
Great video, how do you rate Canadian Spa Company spa's?
Hi Jillian
CSC is probably the best mass merchant hot tub out there. Its made in China but uses a Balboa heating and control system, hand-rolled self-supporting shells, and glues and clamps the plumbing lines all good things and frankly it puts it on par with most of the brands out there. I did notice that the jets use an older click in a style that has been prone to failure and the insulation system is typical of mid-level spas, reflective barriers are great for reflecting radiant heat but have no thermal mass this type of reflective insulation was all the rage in the 90's and the northern US states and the Canadian Mortgage housing authority all issued warning about it, it fell out of favor because it just was not efficient and now 20 years later its the new miracle insulation systems on hot tubs. post a request for help on Hot Tub University and they can see whats in your area for options. www.hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Buy a Coast Spa to check off all his comments
Yep Coast make a good tub, going to see the factory next month, Master, ASrtesian, Marquis also make good stuff
@@ChrisWheatley hi Chris any feedback on LA Spas
What are the names of your recommended spas?
Gene Martin the guys are doing the five things that I'm aware of are Master Spas, Artesian Spas, Marquis Spas, Coast Spas, Beachcomber Spas bracket non-hybrid version close bracket. The guys spend the money on the build
Chris I havent seen a video of your top 5 tubs?
That's a tough one... I was thinking I need to do top 5 tubs in a class but I need to get ahold of the tubs and test them, it's like 15 tubs i need.
Hi Chris
Where I live Canadian Spa Company is around a lot. Are they any good and how close or how far away are they from your top five points?
Okay so it's a mass Merchant spa and that right away means that this going to be some Corners cut. The reality is mass Merchants don't sell enough tubs to get a really good purchasing price. One really good dealer in Canada will sell more hot tubs than Costco and Home Depot combined right across Canada.
That being said the Canadian Spa company is building one of the best mass merchant products That has ever been in the market and have done a good job at taking over the back end of the business where they receive calls directly from the public to help solve minor issues before they become big issues.They are using Balboa electronic control and heating systems, hand rolled fibreglass shells, and they glue and clamp their plumbing.
The only issues I have with it really from a construction standpoint the insulation system. I'm not a big fan of the reflective systems and there's not a lot of thermal mass right around R1 plus what they get from the reflective system which is likely around R3 or R4
They also make a fairly shallow tub on some of their models. By using a smaller sheet of acrylic they can save a bit of money in the production end but they can't draw the sheet as deep so you end up with a shallow spa... Sit in them and make sure they fit you.
So to answer your question... Is this a really top-end tub? No... Is it a stay away from nightmare? No.
To be honest, it's as good as half of the stuff in the industry right now, you look at most spas out there and they do 2 or three of the things right and 2 or three of them inexpensively...
But... A good low overhead local businessman can likely match the price and offer a better back end local support structure.
Chris Wheatley thank you very much for your response. Your videos and tips have been the best thing I have seen on hot tubs.
Thanks, J I try and keep it real...
is bullfrog a decent brand?
It's Ok-ish... it has a pedestal supported shell, good insulation, and good parts list. But those jet packs are goofy as hell and really limit where the jets go, These guys use fear mongering about leaky spas to justify this goofy pack system, Good spas dont leak and you can inexpensively customise seats with the removable jets.
Chris Wheatley thank you for the feedback
You might have just saved me from a big mistake haha...
Are you located in southern California?
Man, I get so much action from SoCal!
It's a different world down there, so many of the spas there are bought from out fo market, the local retailers are dropping like flies, the cost of retail space is killing them and making the prices so high.
The good news is the retailers have been replaced by dozens of independent service companies, so if you stick with brands with good parts lists you can buy from anywhere and get good local service.
Try to service a foam filled tub..just asking for trouble..
Joe that's old school fear mongering...
That's why I specifically recommend Icynene. environmentally safe, and it never hardens, if you have a leak you literally touch the foam and find the wet spot then shop vac out the wet foam. in the middle of the wet foam is the leak... Repair and re-foam... Easy as pie...
You are correct if some meathead is still filling the Cavity with chap old school poly based foams its a nightmare, that shit turns to a rock after a while and finding and fixing leaks with that is bad, I literally had a customer cut a Hot Springs spa into pieces and throw it away only 3 years old because of it.
@@ChrisWheatley not trying to scare anyone brother..just in the market for my first tub..watching a whole lot of videos..trying to decide what to buy..saw some videos of nightmares with the spray foam..dont want to rush into my purchase..want a great tub at an awesome deal..
@@joeyamada4976 Sorry dude didn't mean to imply you are fear mongering... sales guys use this tactic all the time to justify cheap crappy insulation systems :-) hit up the buyer's assistance page here and I'll see if I got anyone in your area. hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Chris: Please consider doing a video on how to get a good deal from a dealer and what to expect when buying from a dealer. Is haggling expected? Common extra/hidden fees/addons? . Thank you for making these videos and sharing your knowledge.
Wow, that's a great idea! I'll try and work into that
Any advice on the EcoSpa? I'm looking at the E4 Premium. I would love your feedback!
ill have to look for you, post here and I will dig up what I can, and see what you have available in your local market. www.hottubuniversity.com/buyers-assistance/
Chris Wheatley thank you, I really appreciate it.
Chris, I have a bunch of questions for you about hot tubs. Is there any way I can send you an email?
best bet post it up in the comments section of www.hottubuniversity.com!
Got to love this no BS says it the way it is..👍👍👍👍
Sorry its so shaky, I just finished doing 12 km in the kayak and can barely hold my arm up :-)
whats your opinion on the Hudson Bay spas ?
Is artesian Maui elite a good spa? Thanks
I dont like the attitude, a real cocky pick!
Thank you :-) when you know what you are talking about through personal experience, education, knowledge accumulation, and intelligence you can be cocky AF :-) I dont know much in this world but I know way too much about this industry...