How Much Does a Hot Tub Cost?
Thinking about buying a hot tub? If you are, you’ve probably already wondered just how much it will cost. It’s a great question! It’s also a pretty important question because it will help you to determine how much you’re willing to spend.
But that still doesn’t answer the overarching question: how much does a hot tub actually cost?
The answer isn’t a simple one because the honest truth is that the cost of a hot tub really depends on a variety factors. The good news is, this means that the cost of a hot tub can range significantly, depending on what you’re looking for.
What Affects the Cost of a Hot Tub?
As mentioned, there are a wide variety of factors that impact the cost of a hot tub. Each of these factors is a key consideration, as they not only have an affect on the price of the hot tub, in addition to your personal preferences.
Hot Tub Size
The manufacturer often determines the price based on how much product is required to build the hot tub. If you are looking to invite your family, friends and neighbors into your hot tub, you might want to invest in the largest hot tub size. Large hot tubs can hold 10 – 15 people. However, a hot tub this size is going to cost you a lot of money. If you’re interested in a small, two-seater hot tub, the cost is going to be much lower.
Location
While it doesn’t seem like location would have an impact on price, we’re here to tell you that it most certainly does. Hot tubs aren’t exactly the lightest products to move from the manufacturer or dealership to your home. Therefore, the farther away you live from the hot tub company, the more it’s going to cost to deliver it to you.
Transportation costs aren’t the only impact on location costs. Some cities in the United States have much higher rental rates for businesses. As a result, those hot tubs will cost more so that the dealer can afford to keep their floor space. Cities with lower rates for rental spaces won’t need to charge as much.
Quality
Some hot tub manufacturers might seem like they have incredible prices on their hot tubs. If the price of the hot tub seems too good to be true, you really need to think twice before making a purchase. The reason for this is because some manufacturers will use low quality technology and equipment to make a hot tub seem really wonderful. So, it might seem like the hot tub comes with fancy features, but once you start using it, you’ll quickly learn the difference quality makes.
Poor quality equipment and features will cause your hot tub to break down more often. This will force you to call in for service and repairs, which costs more in the long term.
Investing in a good hot tub, with fewer features is a great way to establish some middle ground. Sure, you might not get as many jets as you wanted, but you’ll be happy when they continue to work instead of breaking down!
One other reason to invest in a better quality hot tub has to do with electricity consumption. Cheaper tubs often aren’t well insulated, nor do they come with energy saving technologies. Electricity is an ongoing expense throughout the lifespan of your hot tub. Make sure you don’t increase that bill more than you need to with a poor quality hot tub.
Features
In general, you will need to spend more on a hot tub with jets for each seat, the best filtration system, hydro-massage, lights, music . . . and the list goes on. The truth is: the more features you want, the more you’re going to have to spend more on your hot tub. If you’re interested in quality, and spending a bit less, consider investing in a smaller tub with fewer features.
Average Cost of a Hot Tub
Now that you better understand the factors that impact the price of a hot tub, let’s take a look at the average cost. Much like a car or pool, these average costs will span across 4 classes of hot tub including,
Starter Tubs
These types of tubs come with basic features, and range from $3,000 – $5,000 USD. The biggest difference in this type of hot tub (compared to the higher range models) is in their appearance. These hot tubs are typically made from durable plastic instead of acrylic. The difference in material is what increases or decreases the cost.
These hot tubs are also really great because they’re smaller and need much less electricity to run. In general, they require much less in electrical transportation costs too.
Best Value Tubs
These tubs come with a few more features including, cabinets, jets and acrylic shells. Their price ranges from $4,000 – $8,000 USD. At this price point you need to be careful with who you shop with as many hot tub manufacturers install cheaper quality equipment to offset the cost. Others will not include any warranty with the hot tub, or forgo insulation that would reduce energy costs.
So, when it comes to these types of tubs, look at hot tubs that come with fewer bells and whistles. That way, you’ll know you’re investing in quality rather than quantity, which will save you lots of money in the long run.
Premium
Premium hot tubs tend to come with better quality products, which helps them to last longer. These tubs range from $6,000 – $10,000 USD. Many of these tubs come with great features including,
- Lighting
- Water features
- Large number of jets
- Advanced control systems
- Well engineered filtration systems
- Better water care options
All of the above mentioned features help to reduce maintenance and repair costs over time. Both warranty and customer service is included with this class of hot tub as well.
Luxury
This class of hot tub will cost between $9,000 – $16,000 USD (and more). A hot tub at this level offers the best in energy efficient technologies, and lower maintenance and operating costs. These hot tubs were built to last 10 -20 years, which means that you can enjoy your hot tub for years to come—with minimal extra cost.
This class of hot tub also has the best, top of the line features including, specially designed jets, massage options, high-end filtration system, and unique design options.
Used Hot Tubs: Best Bang for Your Buck?
It’s true that some people will look at used hot tubs as a cheaper option. The issue with used hot tubs is that they can come with a lot of very expensive surprises. Depending on the class and model of hot tub, in addition to whether or not the previous owners properly maintained the tub, you could install it in your backyard, only to have it stop working a day later.
Pricing Options
Dealers like ours (East Texas Spa!) will offer different financing options to help you afford your hot tub. While most financing options are a great way to buy in the hot tub, you need to be careful that you don’t end up paying more in the long run.
For example, some dealerships will offer low monthly payments, however the interest on those payment is often substantial. Other dealerships will allow you to pay later, but again, interest accrues every month you don’t make a payment.
Financing is often a wonderful tool, but you really need to do the math and calculate just how much you are really spending.
Overall, purchasing a hot tub might seem like a daunting task, but as you can see, there are so many options to choose from. Determining how much you are willing to spend on a hot tub and what you want to spend your money on is often the greater challenge.