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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To buy a hot tub?

42 replies

SaltnPeppaPig · 10/02/2023 15:06

Milestone birthday this year, but a young baby plus slightly older toddler DCs mean a lot of the things I'd do if child free are tricky or not possible.

I absolutely love hot tubs/jacuzzis in spas so was looking to hire one as logistically it seems easier to be able to pop in and out if breastfed baby needs feeding rather than feeling I only have a limited time in a spa and then have to get back to baby.

But the price to hire for a couple of nights is about £300 and I could buy one for not much more. I know I'd have to buy cleaning stuff etc on top but it would be nice to have it permanently possibly, although my garden isn't huge. I do have a conservatory/garage to store it if needed in the winter.

I know everyone went mad buying them in lockdown - did people get much use out of them? Is it worth paying the extra to buy one?

For the record, I bet much doubt I'll be inviting friends over to use it, so will really just be me reading a book in there during the evening so no concerns for neighbours!

This thread is quite old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for hot tub recommendations, we’ve recently updated our best hot tubs page with lots of great options, as tried and tested by Mumsnet users. We hope you find it useful.
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OP posts:
Testina · 10/02/2023 15:09

I love mine and used it loads in lockdown. Love it in winter. But it’s just so damn expensive that it only goes on occasionally now. If it got damaged, I’d be unlikely to pay out again just because of fuel prices. I’d be on the lookout for second hand though!

UdoU · 10/02/2023 15:11

You must refer to them by their official MN name - soupy sex ponds.

Excited101 · 10/02/2023 15:13

Pre energy prices going up, a friend said her one cost about £40 to run per month… I dread to think what they cost now! It put me right off

Worldgonecrazy · 10/02/2023 15:15

I love ours.. It’s a permanent one, so cost several thousand. Chemicals and looking after it costs about another £30 a month, and it works out about £10 a day in electricity so we tend to use just at weekends.

An additional cost was installation of an outdoor shower with hot water so we could rinse down before and after use to avoid traipsing through the house. If you’re breastfeeding you will probably want to give boobs a good wash afterwards too.

Getting the chemical balance of the water is a skill in itself.

We use ours mostly for post exercise relaxation and star gazing- no visitors allowed in.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 10/02/2023 15:16

The running costs are extortionate 😬

Welfast · 10/02/2023 15:18

I've had a permanent one for about 15 years. It's lovely in summer, and we drain it over winter now. No idea how much it will cost to run now with the price hikes, think it used to be about £5 a day last year

IsAnybody · 10/02/2023 15:22

Never understand the appeal of these. Our neighbors sit in their sex pond nightly in the summer. The noise of it running drives me nuts. Also odd hanging my washing out as to me it looks like they are just having evening garden baths together.

Hoppinggreen · 10/02/2023 15:23

DH wanted one for ages but I resisted.
Glad he got one now to be honest as I do enjoy it. It’s inflatable so come out in April and goes away in October.
He faffs with chemicals so I don’t get involved but it’s really nice out there at night, we aren’t overlooked and nobody else goes in except the 2 of us (no nookie in there either)

EllaVator · 10/02/2023 15:24

The running costs are, indeed, insane. We bought an inflatable one with our holiday refund in 2020, and we did/do use it a lot. But it's closed down over winter as the cost to maintain the water temperature is utterly ridiculous. We only put it up for a couple of weeks last summer as we were worried about the electricity. We're more on top of the bills this year so might treat myself to a few more weeks.

Nobody ever goes into ours except us! The water/chemicals are easy enough once you get the hang of it tbh. Highly recommend chlorine tablets in a floaty thing, they maintain everything much better. We were a bit reluctant to use them at first but they're a game changer.

MavisMcMinty · 10/02/2023 15:25

You must refer to them by their official MN name - soupy sex ponds.

Ha ha @UdoU !

inforapennyinforapoundnumber2 · 10/02/2023 15:26

We have permanent one. A few things:
The inflatable/non-perm ones can only have either the heat on or the bubbles going at any one time. As far as I am aware you cannot have both. A perm one has both going together.
The inflatable type one I went in got cold very quickly and 3 adults in there was way too cramped.
You have to wait for the inflatable ones to get up to temp before you can go in. Our perm one is constantly at temp. Just need to turn bubbles on.
Our perm one risks the water dying when we go away for a few weeks due to no treatment. It's then a complete empty and re-fill. Not every time, but it has happened. Empty, re-fill and bring chemicals to a settle/to a useable level takes around 1-1.5 days.
For me, ours was a novelty and now 2 years later I barely use it but DH uses it. I will use it more in the spring/summer. Getting out of it in the winter is beyond bitter cold. You then have to drip water through the house as you tiptoe to the bedroom/bathroom to dry off.

Would I buy one again ? I'm really note sure, Its extravagant just to have it for spring/summer

Pootles34 · 10/02/2023 15:26

I know you say it'll just be you in there so no mad parties, but the noise of it just running is really intrusive.

In your shoes I would probably prefer to spend the money on hiring a lodge for a weekend that has a hot tub, if it's just for your birthday?

inforapennyinforapoundnumber2 · 10/02/2023 15:29

Oh, and I don't find the running costs extortionate. My energy bill for last month, including running the hot tub several times a week (bubbles, the tub is always on to keep the water up to temp) was £550 after government help. That is for 4 of us in a 4 bed house. My friend has no hot tub and he bill for the same period was £480 for 3 bed house and 4 people.

Thepeopleversuswork · 10/02/2023 15:29

Anecdotally they are a real faff and people tend to regret it once the novelty has worn off.

Some friends of friends bought one and it was great for one summer and now they are stuck with an expensive, energy-gobbling monstrosity which they can't use most of the year and which still need to be maintained during the months you don't want to use it.

ReneBumsWombats · 10/02/2023 15:34

UdoU · 10/02/2023 15:11

You must refer to them by their official MN name - soupy sex ponds.

No no...chavvy sex ponds.

Alexandernevermind · 10/02/2023 15:41

I like mine. We're snobs about it though and built it in a private part of the garden with an adjoining changing room. We won't let anyone else use it outside of the household. It hasn't been running since for the last 6 months, as it needs a full service with new parts at £££ and electric gas made the running costs £££. Its a shame.

Original poster
SaltnPeppaPig · 10/02/2023 15:46

EllaVator · 10/02/2023 15:24

The running costs are, indeed, insane. We bought an inflatable one with our holiday refund in 2020, and we did/do use it a lot. But it's closed down over winter as the cost to maintain the water temperature is utterly ridiculous. We only put it up for a couple of weeks last summer as we were worried about the electricity. We're more on top of the bills this year so might treat myself to a few more weeks.

Nobody ever goes into ours except us! The water/chemicals are easy enough once you get the hang of it tbh. Highly recommend chlorine tablets in a floaty thing, they maintain everything much better. We were a bit reluctant to use them at first but they're a game changer.

Thanks, what are the tablets in a floaty thing please?

OP posts:
Original poster
SaltnPeppaPig · 10/02/2023 15:49

Pootles34 · 10/02/2023 15:26

I know you say it'll just be you in there so no mad parties, but the noise of it just running is really intrusive.

In your shoes I would probably prefer to spend the money on hiring a lodge for a weekend that has a hot tub, if it's just for your birthday?

That was my original idea, but anywhere nearby that will fit the five of us for a weekend with a hot tub is loads more than hiring or buying, plus the cheaper places aren't places I particularly want to go to. It seems like it would be about £800+ for a weekend which seems extortionate.

OP posts:
Original poster
SaltnPeppaPig · 10/02/2023 15:52

Worldgonecrazy · 10/02/2023 15:15

I love ours.. It’s a permanent one, so cost several thousand. Chemicals and looking after it costs about another £30 a month, and it works out about £10 a day in electricity so we tend to use just at weekends.

An additional cost was installation of an outdoor shower with hot water so we could rinse down before and after use to avoid traipsing through the house. If you’re breastfeeding you will probably want to give boobs a good wash afterwards too.

Getting the chemical balance of the water is a skill in itself.

We use ours mostly for post exercise relaxation and star gazing- no visitors allowed in.

Thanks, I hadn't thought about washing breasts before feeding. Not quite the easy popping in and out I'd imagined!

OP posts:
AutumnalLeaves38 · 10/02/2023 15:56

Joy Horville! Say no more.

Cosyblankets · 10/02/2023 15:56

inforapennyinforapoundnumber2 · 10/02/2023 15:26

We have permanent one. A few things:
The inflatable/non-perm ones can only have either the heat on or the bubbles going at any one time. As far as I am aware you cannot have both. A perm one has both going together.
The inflatable type one I went in got cold very quickly and 3 adults in there was way too cramped.
You have to wait for the inflatable ones to get up to temp before you can go in. Our perm one is constantly at temp. Just need to turn bubbles on.
Our perm one risks the water dying when we go away for a few weeks due to no treatment. It's then a complete empty and re-fill. Not every time, but it has happened. Empty, re-fill and bring chemicals to a settle/to a useable level takes around 1-1.5 days.
For me, ours was a novelty and now 2 years later I barely use it but DH uses it. I will use it more in the spring/summer. Getting out of it in the winter is beyond bitter cold. You then have to drip water through the house as you tiptoe to the bedroom/bathroom to dry off.

Would I buy one again ? I'm really note sure, Its extravagant just to have it for spring/summer

We had an inflatable and we could def have the bubbles and the heat at the same time.
We got a puncture that was too tricky to fix and in the meantime energy went up. It was already expensive anyway so we got rid

TenoringBehind · 10/02/2023 16:03

YABU if you have neighbours

Cosyblankets · 10/02/2023 16:07

TenoringBehind · 10/02/2023 16:03

YABU if you have neighbours

Surely that depends how close it is to the garden. Not everyone lives on top of each other. Our neighbours have got one. We don't hear it

Worldgonecrazy · 10/02/2023 16:13

Ours is less noisy than our neighbour’s heat exchange pump!

fufulina · 10/02/2023 16:15

Human soup.