To ask for your hot tub recommendations?

[NotAnotherHeffalump]

I don't want an inflatable one. Would like it to seat 6+ people. Most important factor is that it is easy on the electric and so doesn't sky-rocket energy bills, and a good warranty would be a plus.

What is your budget?

Please get a quiet one. When our neighbour's neighbours have theirs on its like cold water torture for us listening to the pump!

Probably around 6k but would put more to it if would make it more efficient.

We have a simply Softub. With the wooden surround and decking it was less than your budget. Had it two years and no issues at all. Hardly any increase in electric, easy to maintain once you get the hang of it.

Only issue unexpectedly has occurred this week in that I want to change the water and can't because of the heatwave and we are on a private water supply!!

If the most important factor really is the energy bill, I would take a look at wood fired hot tubs. I went in one for the first time this week and was amazed how lovely it was.
They are quiet, easy to use, eco-friendly and look good. Only downside is that it can take a couple of hours to heat to the required temperature. So you can’t just spontaneously go for a dip.

I’ve tried googling the one we used, but can’t find it. It had an external stove (apparently safer than an internal stove). They are cheaper than conventional hot tubs to buy - ones similar to ours are around £2000.

A friend of mine calls them “germy sex pools”

I’d advise not getting one.

Oh wow, you could get a huge wood fired hot tub for half your budget

As you can probably tell, I’m seriously thinking of getting one!

I have a woodfired one and it takes way more than a couple of hours to heat up. I also went through my carefully collected supply of dry wood faster than you can shake a stick. The woodburner for mine is 22kW, it probably takes ages as I took a while to adjust to how much wood is required. Plus I have a DH allergic to smoke, so it's a bit of a love/hate relationship.

That said, it's bloody blissful and really quiet and I've now added an inline electric heater. Smells amazing too, as it's cedar. Only other issue is that woodlice are liking it too!

Rustic Tubs, no inner plastic liner, true works of art.

I thought about hiring one earlier in the year until I saw reviews on This Morning where is said that they can take between 9 to 12 hours to heat up

My brother is a plumber and has serviced and repaired hot tubs and jacuzzi baths....and has advised me never to get them. In his opinion they are a petri-dish of germs!

He says that he wants to vomit after cleaning out all the gunk which accumulates, even after the owner has apparently sanitised their hot tub/jacuzzi, the smell is disgusting.

They get clogged by layers of skin, body hair, pubic hair, often plasters, earrings/rings, small decorative clasps which become detached from swim suits...and he said the worst ones are in places where mostly women have used them, due to all the fats from all the body lotions, sunscreen etc.

I have to say that if I now go to an hotel and there is a jacuzzi in the bathroom I avoid it and use the shower instead....just don’t want to risk getting a nasty case of thrush!

What brand is yours pippylou? I had been noseying at the wood burning ones too. Do they have jets or are they more like an outdoor bath? We do have a hot tap outside, I suppose the time to heat up would be a lot less if I used that to fill it.

Rustic Tubs

I tend to treat it like a pet, as it does take a bit of looking after. I don't have jets or anything. It's great for my arthritis, which is the reason I got it...

I agree on the public ones being a bit ick, but I think if you had your own you would know it would only really be mine and my family's gunk in it. Which I don't really mind as much. My husband and I aren't big party animals and we like our own space, I don't really see lots of other people using it.

Hi
Sundance are a great make. Steer clear of ones with TVs in-too much goes wrong.
To the posters who call it a germ ridden cesspool, it’s not being cleaned often enough or the owner isn’t managing the water effectively.
I speak as a hot tub owner for over 10 years; some of that as a seller.

Hot springs are one of the best range and hold value well.

I’ll ask my friend what brand they have.
The first time we used it, it was roasting after 3 hours of stove. The next day it only took 2 hours to heat up because it had retained some heat (I guess this hot weather helps too).
Each time we used a basket of logs - I’d say about 6-7.

My advice - hire one first.
You can hire one for a week for about £200 and will almost certainly find that they're not worth buying.