There is no "should". There is what you would like. Do you routinely take baths? No law say you must have a tub. Do you like candles and luxury soaps and lotions all around you? Maybe you want it built in tub with deck room around with jets and even lights. Do you want it just for the "glam" effect and will rarely if ever actually soak in it? Maybe you want a sleek and gorgeous free standing tub. There is no "should", there is simply that which will look good in your master bath space along with a VERY adequate shower....and what you would like to have.

For us, a larger walk in shower is number one priority. We had a jet tub in a home a couple of homes ago and have not installed one since. I take lots of baths and found it noisy and in fact irritating to sit in a tub that is buzzing all the time.. Not relaxing.

We are expanding our master bathroom and planning an air jet tub. Currently no tub in master bath. We have been told big showers are trending over separate tubs, but I really want the tub plus expanding our shower significantly would be difficult with our floor plan. Choosing air jets because of ease of cleaning and upkeep, but have friends who recently chose jacuzzi because the want the strong jets. I don't care about that personally but it's a personal choice. Expanding our shower to about 4x4 so not huge but good size for us

No tub. They are largely ornamental, not used. Why spend that much mney for square footage that doesn't get used?

Sounds like you really want the tub so do it! Jetted are great if you have room for something like a real jacuzzi tub or one that has more than a few heads that are placed really well. If you are a tub person, a properly jetted tub is great.

IMHO a freestanding soaker tub. If spaces permits, do a deep, large "walk-in" shower....without the solid glass walls.

Most folks that we work with use a soaker tub or an air tub. Unless you can afford the jetted tubs that purge the water out of the lines after using, I would not suggest one. Bacteria has been a concern with jetted tubs.

I have found that most people use the jets or air a lot at first then the novelty wears off and they just soak so I would spend my money on a nice soaker.

Jetted tubs get totally nasty. There's nothing like taking a relaxing bath with the slime that comes out of the unused jets. I recently ripped out mine for a freestanding tub with no jets and no air bubble holes.

For what it's worth...Depending on ones budget, I'm hearing more and more people are even forgoing a tub all together in master bathrooms (this could be a regional thing).

True, it seems that as long as there is a tub in another bathroom, it could be skipped in the master.

Consider the noise of something that uses a motor in a small room with mostly hard surfaces. Relaxing? Also, if you clean your own house, picture yourself bending over or climbing into the darned thing to clean it.

@ barrowp... what soaker did you buy and what hand held sprayer did you buy? Thanks!

We put in an air jet tub with a handheld head. The jets are so loud that it isn't relaxing to use. Kids put it on for fun, but then I can't hear what's going on in the bathroom. (Part of the appeal, I'm sure) I love the handheld head for cleaning and rinsing kids.

Jetted tubs annoy me and would be an active turn-off if I were home shopping. Another vote for a soaker tub.

Great I am still undecided and need to pick. I have a choice of Jetted or Soaker in my new house. I would like a hand held sprayer too and want to find out more about getting one. Never had Jetted I love baths and lighting candles and soaking in a bubble bath so I am thinking soaker but than I want to try jetted and if I don't like don't use the jets I don't know. I wish I could decide.

Rose, you will get more responses if you post your questions in a new dilemma as many people won't respond to an old one.

If you like bubble baths, don't get jets. Only clean water with no soaps or products should run through the system. Besides that, the jets get icky and are hard to clean, and who knows what was lurking behind them in the pipes? As for the hand held sprayer, I chose a Moen set that included a separate sprayer.

Ok sorry I will start new thread next time. I am new here. We have Delta as our choices they used to use Moen so I will ask about one. I just thought I could use Hall bath for bubbles and try jetted but I've never had one so maybe I don't need it. The lady at the bath store said ours will be acrylic and was telling me yes a little bubble bath can go in there and they aren't hard to clean and don't get black gunk in the pipes. I don't know but it's no extra to us if I choose Jetted. But Thanks!

The biggest and deepest soaker tub you can have for the space available, be sure to put a hand held spray faucet in too, you'll need it to clean the tub! I've had fiberglass and cast iron, the cast iron stayed warmer longer but the expense wasn't worth it (nor the weight!). Jetted tubs hold no interest for me, and unless you're planning to use it daily, I would think the added expense would be money better spent on your fixtures, tile, etc.

Thanks! I am moved in already and chose Jetted it was no extra expense but have only used the whole tub just once in 2 months. I should of just gotten soaker cause I want to try bath bombs and I was told I could take full blown bubble baths with the jets off so I decided to get it and try it. I have never had Jetted but I would of been fine with just a soaker but too late now. I did get the sprayer though! And plan on taking mostly bubble baths and not using the jets that often but they're their if I need them I guess.

Our house came with a jetted tub. I hate the noise so I never turn on the jets. I hardly ever take baths anyway. Kids love the jets though.