Hot tub running costs ?

[rookiemere]

Hi
We had an inflatable hot tub during lockdown but it has developed a leak.

Our neighbours are selling their proper hot tub and we're interested in buying it, but worried about the running costs.

Can anyone who has a proper non inflatable hot tub give me an idea of current running costs for electricity please?

Ask your neighbours?

I don't think they've used it since electricity prices went up.

As the insulation should be better than an inflatable one it might well be cheaper - but it depends on how much water, how much bigger it is and how it is heated (so what age and make it is). I’ve just swapped our inflatable one for a two seater, so it actually costs less - but it’s all we really need.

Try a hot tub cost calculator - there's a few online.

Why are they selling it? Higher running costs? An inflatable did cost about £7-8 a week to run. Now it will be about £15? Lay Z Spa have huge reductions at the mo, possibly because of the running costs? Bear in mind that with a regular hot tub you will need to have an annual service costing £150-200. You can buy a new inflatable for the same price as a couple of services.

A hot bath and a tin of baked beans the day before has to be a cheaper option.

Ours costs about £50 a month in electricity if it’s on all the time. Then we pay £250 a year for a service package. I think it’s pretty reasonable on a per-use cost considering how much we use it.

@Eggshausted DH is going hill walking with the DH next weekend so he will quiz him as to why they are selling. I suspect it's a combination of their teenage son going to uni who quite enjoyed using it, and increased electricity costs.

I wouldn't get another inflatable, it's just too much faff and water needs changing more readily than I think it would in a proper hot tub. Also not really comfortable for say sitting and reading a book whereas a proper hot tub would be.

@ComtesseDeSpair thanks helpful to get an idea of actual costs - that amount ties into the calculator I found.

Hey @rookiemere I'd go for a hot tub proper if you can afford one, as someone in the thread said, the insulation in them goes a long way to reducing the amount of power needed to maintain the heat in the water. We have a Hydropool and their insulation is pretty awesome as it isn't like full foam (so you can get to the pipes) but more like foil insulation (that isn't the right words but you know what I mean). This is the hot tub insulation explainer, apparently it is based on materials used by NASA.... whatever that means. But even with the cost of electric through the roof, the cost of running it certainly hasn't doubled like our bills have. Hope that helps in your quest!

Thank you @enjoyingthelife . Our neighbours have decided to keep their hot tub and we don't have the funds or desire to buy a new one at the minute, particularly as we've just got a hybrid car so our electricity costs are horrifying enough .
Definitely one for future consideration though !

Ah well that is a shame but a hybrid sounds cool though! And probably better for the environment than a tub haha. Well if in future you think about it again, let me know and I can share some of the costs we have (although we are using it less at the moment). Enjoy the hybrid!

Sex ponds will devalue your home if you want me to buy it at some point.

@XVGN our other neighbours took theirs with them when they moved, so I hardly think it would be a deciding factor in house purchase.
Besides we aren't planning to move for at least 3 years, possibly never.

I have a brand new one Wellis Palmero Luxe bought it in June so it’s well insulated
I bought it from a local spa dealer as I prefer to go in if I need advice or help .

Im on pre pay electric so expensive tarrif anyway and on top of my regular electric which is about £21 a week it cost me about £3.50 a day extra that’s running it 24 hrs temperature at 38 degrees and using it every day for at least an hour often more and on the weekends I use it loads

factor in chemicals and service and they can be expensive but I can afford it and £25 a week is a takeaway / couple of drinks so I would rather spend it on my hottub

Hard wired Hot Springs spa. Came with the house. Receipts show it cost £16,000 plus £5000 shipping and installation6 years ago. Runs silently when not using.
Switched it off for a month. Worked out it cost around £15 a month on electric to keep at 40C in mid winter in NZ (so lows of 8c overnight and 15c day) That's with a very expensive insulted body and lid.
I imagine a cheaper model with less insulation may be double that. Colder climates you could double it.
Chemicals are less than a few £a month on sanitiser. If you need salt, ph adjuster then supermarket bicarbonate and white vinegar works as well as very expensive branded versions and is the same thing.
It just cost us £2k to fix the bloody circuit board though. 😩