Nottingham
There are literally hundreds of brands out there, and every one claims to be the best! In reality there are differences in build quality, build philosophy, features and benefits. A good starting point is to look at the spas manufacturer to see if they work to an accredited standard, how long they have been in business and what warranty support they offer.
Watkins Manufacturing, makers of Caldera Brand hot tubs, is accredited to ISO 9001 and the German TUV standards. To give you one example of what that means, glue joint failure rates have to be above one failure in 5 million joints! This is why all our spas are air AND water pressure tested before they are dispatched.
Over 30 plus years Watkins have built and sold over one million spas, and globally account for about 30% of all spas sold annually. (The next nearest brand has about 20% of the global market). One key difference is that under Californian law, all warranties have to be backed by a deposit into an account administered by the state, to which Watkins have no access. In the unlikely event that Watkins should go out of business, the money is there to honour the international warranty and support you, the spa’s owner.
We all know some products lend themselves to the low overhead Web route to market. A DVD, kettle, book or can of beans is the same everywhere, and in any case we all know these products and how to use them.
It’s much harder to judge a hot tub in this way, and of course you will not get the expert support for your spa and you as its owner from the web. One of the biggest web based spa suppliers was The Trade Price Group. Just have a look at their reviews!
Quality manufacture is not cheap, and Watkins obviously try to control costs as much as possible by using just in time systems, minimising waste and where possible recycling. At the end of the day we still sell more spas in the UK than anyone else, and our investment in supporting our owners is really our best advertisement.
In short, no! What matters is what they are designed to do. Caldera design jets to provide a controllable hydrotherapy massage to targeted muscle groups. Our Hot Tub Circuit Therapy system works on the soles of your feet, calves, thighs, lower back, spine, wrists, shoulders and neck. All jets are recessed into the shell for overall comfort, and we have up to 8 different jets in one spa. Less really can be more!
In the showroom they make the water look bubbly! In terms of massage they do very little, and the reality is that they draw cool air from outside the spa, which then chills your spa water. If a limited amount of air is used to increase the massage effect, it can be drawn from the spas machinery compartment, which is more comfortable, uses less power, and helps the pumps and control systems last longer too.
Most hot tub manufacturers agree that a multi-point sanitisation system is best, using a combination of ozone, chemical sanitiser and filters. Caldera recommends Bromine as the chemical sanitizer, as it is much kinder to skin and eyes than Chlorine. Nobody likes ‘red eye’!
Be aware of so called ‘No bypass’ systems. Superficially they do look attractive, but in employing up to 5 filters, they give you 5 filters to clean, and eventually 5 costly filters to replace.
All Caldera brand spas are either pre fitted with a long lasting ozone generation system, or can have one fitted as an upgrade. Ozone is an effective bacteria killer, and our system, unlike bulb or UV systems, does not loose efficiency within a short space of time. A bulb system will create just 10% of the ozone it once did within just 3 months use!
Good insulation is vital to control electric usage and prevent radiated noise. Caldera use FiberCor, a patented technology, throughout our range. FiberCor is a mixture of new and recycled materials which is packed to 2.5 pound density under the shell, and coupled with our fully insulated lids, provides a huge degree of heat retention. Should there be a leak, FiberCor is designed to ‘Wick’, which allows our techs to know exactly where the leak is. What is more, it is fully repairable, will not absorb water, and does not ‘settle’.
Some manufacturers use a combination of foam or ‘air lock’. Air is NOT a good insulator, which is why the air spaces in cavity walls are filled in. Foam IS a good insulator, but it is expensive to produce as it is petroleum based, it cannot easily be repaired, and it tends to hide the source of leaks. If you are environmentally concerned, you should also consider the nature of this petrol based product.
A pretty (or not so pretty) showroom will not tell you that! We are an independent spa retailer, and are free to sell any brand we choose. In fact our choice of Caldera brand reflects both their philosophy and ours, to sell quality and support the owner throughout the lifetime of the spa. We selected Caldera after 6 months of detailed research, in which we looked at over 10 brands.
You should expect a strong warranty, and that the support will be ongoing. Of two local retailers, one sold a different brand last year, and another is manufacturer owned, so is tied to that brand. Our service and installation work is carried out by manufacturer trained techs, and uses only genuine factory parts.
Your retailer should be able to provide good advice about water care and energy use, should supply appropriate accessories and respond in a timely manner to requests for help.
Above all, your retailer should know and understand the various products and technologies out there and be able to explain to you the differences, allowing you to make an informed selection based on facts. And not just baldly state “We are the best / first / biggest”!
We hope that we have given you some answers to the most commonly asked questions. However choosing to own a hot tub can be a complicated and involved process. We believe that most buyers are able to weigh and consider the options open to them if they are given facts, not claims. Please feel free to visit us at Bridgford Garden Centre, where in our fully equipped showroom you can examine our 10 display models. You can also try before you buy in our private spa test space. Just bring a towel and your costumes! Our promise to you is this: we do not want to sell you a hot tub, we want to help you choose to buy a hot tub!
The answer is yes, but common sense applies! Obviously you must never let children use a spa unsupervised, to prevent the risk of drowning. Young children in particular can dehydrate more quickly than older ones, so its a good idea to keep a bottle of water handy. Even babies do enjoy a bath with mum or dad, but the duration should be kept short and I would suggest a lower temperature, certainly no more than than 35 degrees centigrade. When the spa is not in use, keep the cover locked in place and know where the key is, to prevent unauthorised access. Teens may well want to host a "SPArty", which can be great fun, but those common sense rules still apply, like no alcohol for hot tub users! If you are in any doubt, its is always wise to check before using a spa.
