What’s the Difference in an Entry-Level vs. High-End Hot Tub?

With so many hot tubs on the market, it can be hard to settle on the one that’s right for you. From high-end hot tubs with tons of bells and whistles to bare-boned, budget-friendly ones, there’s so much to consider. If you’re trying to decide which spa to buy, the first step is to know the differences between high-end and entry-level hot tubs. 

High-End Hot Tubs

When it comes to the high-end spas on the market, four things matter: Energy-Efficiency, Function, Comfort, and Beauty. 

• Energy-Efficient – A high-end hot tub will cost more upfront, but you’ll recoup part of that cost in the money it saves you in energy-efficiency. According to HotSpring®, an energy-efficient spa can cost as little as $10-$20 per month to operate (although the cost will increase somewhat in our cold winter months). Not only will a high-end hot tub consume less energy, but it will also save you maintenance and water-care costs. 
• Function – Yes, a high-end hot tub might have more jets than an entry-level one. More importantly, a high-end spa has higher-quality jets. When it comes to jets, placement and action are far more important than quantity. When you’re investing in a high-end hot tub, you don’t want a lot of single-action jets. For a next-level hydromassage, you need pulsating jets for your back, directional jets for your neck, and a jet stream for your feet. To illustrate the point, consider the HotSpring Moto-Massage® DX jets. With only two jets, Moto-Massage uses two powerful streams of water to sweep up and down your entire back, which loosens your muscles, eases tension, and increases blood flow to the whole area. 
• Comfort – There are basic jetted seats and then there are high-end spa seats. Each brand and collection is unique, but if you buy a high-end hot tub, you can expect comfortable, sculpted seating; lounge seats; comfortable footbeds, arm- and neck-rests, and more. 
• Beauty – A high-end hot tub is an investment that is built to last for years, and all parts of the design will stand up to the test of time, so your hot tub will look just as high-end in 15 years as it did the day you bought it. Your spa may have exterior lights, a high-gloss shell, and a remote control system, to name a few.

Entry-Level Hot Tubs

• Jets – It’s easy to find an entry-level hot tub with a great number of jets, but then it will need to have large jet pumps to power them. Without the larger pumps, all those jets will produce a weaker massage. If the spa does have larger pumps so the massage action doesn’t suffer, you’ll pay higher energy costs. Plus, an entry-level spa usually doesn’t offer any jet variety. Instead of rotational, pulsating, or sweeping, the jets will give a simple, one-directional spray.
• Exterior – Instead of an attractive, glossy finish, most entry-level hot tubs have a basic-looking exterior with a matte finish.
• Materials – When it comes to materials and construction, there’s a big difference between entry-level and high-end hot tubs. For instance, entry-level spas usually have a durable plastic shell while higher-end spas generally have a high-quality acrylic shell. All-together the differences in quality construction mean that entry-level hot tubs have a shorter lifespan compared to high-end ones. 

When you compare all the factors, a high-end spa isn’t quite as expensive as it first appears. Not only will it cost less to own and operate, but it also has a much longer lifespan on average, so you can plan on using your high-end hot tub for 20 years, or even more, while an entry-level hot tub may only last 5 years or so before you need to replace it. In that light, a high-end spa is going to cost less per use than a lower-end one. 

Hopefully, that answers all your questions about entry-level vs high-end hot tubs. If you’d like more info, contact us and we’d love to help! 

Ready to own your own high-quality, high-end hot tub? Take a look at our HotSpring Spas!