Who hasn't at some point in their life, wished to have a hot tub at their house? I know I have, and never thought I'd get it without paying at least $10k for it, not to mention the electricity costs to run it, and paying for chemicals to maintain it and... and... and. But no, you can definitely get an inflatable hot tub for your home for much less than you think.
A few years ago as a joke, I suggested to a friend that she add an inflatable hot tub to her wedding registry, and not only did she, she also received it! I added one to my Amazon wishlist for fun too, and never really thought much of it. But for Christmas 2019, I received an inflatable hot tub too! Patrick saw it on my wishlist and did a lot of research before he made the plunge.
After owning and maintaining ours for a few months, the idea of choosing an inflatable hot tub over a traditional one is a no brainer for us, though it may not work for everyone.
Reasons Why an Inflatable Hot Tub Is Better
- It can be moved easily
- It takes less effort to set up
- The entry cost is much, much less
- It uses less electricity
But there are a few downsides to them too. One is that they likely won't last as long as a regular hot tub. The other is if you have rowdy kids or drunk friends who can't control their physical bodies, they will tear it up more easily. Of course, the best solution for that is to not invite people like that over.
How to Choose an Inflatable Hot Tub
Your first consideration is size. How big of a space do you have to put it, and how many people do you want it to hold? Most inflatable hot tubs hold four or six people. Any more and you're getting into regular hot tub territory.
There are "name brand" inflatable hot tubs like Coleman (yes, like the cooler brand!). Then you have other well-known brands that you've used items from but may not recognize right off the bat, like Intex. Intex makes a lot of blow up kiddie pools, floats, and airbeds, plus inflatable hot tubs! We have an Intex PureSpa Plus for four. Name brand ones cost a little more, but always keep quality first in mind over brand. Most inflatable hot tubs do not have built in seats, you'll be sitting on the floor of the tub, which is cushioned by a durable bubble-wrap looking pad that comes with it.
Setting Up an Inflatable Hot Tub
You can put an inflatable hot tub anywhere you have a flat, level area at least 7 feet in diameter (or bigger if you get a 6 person hot tub). This can be on a concrete pad, under a carport, on a brick paver patio, or even on a wooden deck (but make sure your deck is engineered to sustain the extra weight of several hundred gallons of water!). There are also hot tub pads, but I don't know enough about those to share how to use them or when you might consider using a hot tub pad.
Next, you'll need to consider the power source, and proximity to a water source. You can plug your hot tub into any regular outlet, but it should be weatherproof if you're plugging the tub up outdoors.
The water source can be as simple as a hose pipe connected to the house, or as luxurious as connecting it to your washing machine, in case you want the water to be warm right off of the bat. Of course this will depend on your washing machine location in relation to the hot tub. Our washer and dryer are in the semi-attached garage under the carport, so it's only about four yards between the machine and the tub, making it convenient for Patrick to set it up for me with warm water on Christmas Eve!
You can use water from a regular hose, but it will take a while to warm up, of course. Make sure your hose is clean, too.
How to Maintain an Inflatable Hot Tub
Our hot tub, and most of them, will come with a minimal amount of okay accessories and chemicals to keep it clean. You'll want to invest in four better things right off of the bat:
- Skimmer net
- Chemical set
- Floating chemical dispenser, brominating tabs, or chlorine tabs
- Dedicated rug to wipe your feet on
- Chemical testing kit and strips
There's no magic formula to how often to clean a hot tub. But Patrick uses a chemical test strip after every time either of us uses it, and he generally does a more thorough chemical balance and filter check once a week. If you use your inflatable hot tub more or less, you'll find a system that works for you, but start with following the guidelines on your chemical set. Only use chemicals that are made for inflatable hot tubs, as to not damage the materials.
Every three months, we've drained the water out completely, turned the tub on its side, and scrubbed the inside down thoroughly. This is a good time to check the filter as well, and sweep any debris that has collected underneath the tub.
Want a Cooler Hot Tub?
As it's gotten warmer out, we've turned the temperature down on the tub from the max of 104 F to 100, or even turned the heater off completely. It'll take a few hours for the temperature to drop, and even more if you keep the cover on while waiting for it to cool off.
We've had no issues so far with keeping the heater off or lowered in the warmer months. Of course, in the winter, keep it on to keep the water from freezing in the tubs, pipes, or filter system.
Of course, there are tons of hot tub accessories you can add to make it an even more over-the-top perfect hot tub experience, but here are my necessities:
- A side table - to set your towel, phone, and drink
- A fluffy robe - for the cooler months
- Citronella potted plant - to discourage mosquitos
- String lights - totally optional but it gives any outdoor area a nice glow
So are you ready to have a more luxurious home than you ever imagined you could, just by adding a hot tub? It's a great incentive to stay at home more, to work out more often (soaking after a workout is fantastic), and to relax away from screens more often.
