Is a cheap blow up a decent entry level option? Or a total waste of time and money? Not sure if I want to commit...

Everyone I know that has/had one has ended up practically abandoning using them. They are costly to run and passé in general. In our fairly high end ski condominium, which we do not rent out, the HOA has recently decreed that owners must empty, clean and refill the hot tubs between guest rentals. This is so inconvenient and expensive most owners are simply removing them. This could become a trend in our "germ" obsessed world. The silver lining here: you can pick up a very nice used hot tub really cheap, especially if you are willing and able to move it.

Could not give me the best one on the market . Had one never ever ever ever again

Long Winded, like me. The benefits are on our plus side. We just bought our first house. One of the things we requested was avpool. Ours came with a hot tub in the pools plan. We LOVE, LOVE,LOVE it. After a day at work or school or just to relax and have all the stress melt away. As for care, we just hired the most awesome pool service who take care of all the hassle. They come twice a week in the winter and three times a week in our summer months. We do the skimming of leaves and Pigeon feathers (don't even get me started on those things).
We both suffer from major back pain. I also have other medical issues that the hot tub helps with. My husband served for 2 yrs in The Marine Corps and with some 16 and a half of that deployment time, he deserves that much.
Still not sure? Try going to a hotel for the night and try there jacuzzi or hot tub. There are even hotels with full sized hot tubs/jacuzzi's in the room.
Stay safe, watch the temperature and enjoy.

I had a basic round hot tub with bubbler built into my deck. It was fantastic. However, with all the bells and whistles on the new tubs (which to me are bulky and unattractive), they are way overpriced for a lot things I do not want. I planned to purchase a new tub and build a deck around the tub (off my existing deck) and still may do this. However, to pay $10K plus when all I want is good drop in tub shell with a bubbler seems rather excessive. My old round tub without all the molded seats was a lot of fun and roomier and it had a bubbler which, for me, is a must. The whole family loved the tub and we got years of fun out of it. Everyone could move around easily. The molded seats on the new tubs are too constricting. So, I will wait until I can find a good tub at less than half that price that I can just drop into a deck like my old one. Unfortunately, they are hard to find.

Nothing better than a hot tub during a snowstorm!!!!

Depends on the climate but they sure are relaxing!

It really depends on the person(s). I think they're unsanitary which makes them high maintenance and of course you want to keep them clean. For me it's NOT worth it. Kudos for those who do like them.

I've had a hot tub for over 10 years and use it almost daily. My daughter and I both have chronic pain conditions and the hot tub helps -- sometimes I will use it twice a day if having a flare. Mine is smaller (7 x 7) and doesn't increase my electric bill that much (certainly cheaper than running a full bath every day, and much less water). I tend to keep mine on the higher end of the chlorine level and have never had any sanitation issues, including skin infections. Nothing beats sitting it late at night, when the world is asleep and watching the stars (especially during meteor showers). Watching the sunrise is pretty awesome too. Worth every penny I spend.

Just another note. We live on a crystal clear lake where the lake is our drinking water. When we filled the new tub it took very few chemicals to treat and seems to stay squeaky clean much longer. In the winter we got the tiny bubble wrap used for insulation and made a bubble blanket for the surface interior. It not only keeps the water temp much more consistent but acts as a wrap for hubby and I when it rains or there is a strong wind. Use three to five times a week here at caribou lake in Nova Scotia. Happy Mother's Day everyone. Enjoy

Not worth the money to maintain, and the electric bills in Hawaii are 3 times what they are in the mainland! I have 2 hot tubs in our rental properties. Can't wait to remove them! They are very costly to maintain (if you can find someone to repair them, you are in luck!). After spending $800 on a new blower, new engine, new heater, new lights, etc., etc. it only lasted 45 days! Pool maintenance guys refuse to service hot tubs (they claim too costly, and too many different types!) Also, tenants refuse to pay the extra $$$ required for monthly maintenance (water/sewer and electric costs). Sure they are great to relax in, but no one wants to clean them and maintain them. In HI it would cost you $150+ per month to pay someone to maintain a hot tub. I am a Realtor, this is NOT a selling feature, due to the cost and liability of owning a hot tub. You are required to have the hot tub in a fenced area (or you might get sued if a child happens to go inside your tub without your knowledge). The Cons outweigh the Pros, unless you are using your tub for medicinal use.

My husband wanted a hot tub so we bought one plus a hard cover to keep out debris/critters. We didn't use it often but the dogs loved to sunbathe on top of the cover. My husband spent the money to maintain it but every year it was used less than the year before. When we realized the dogs were getting more use of it than we were, it was gone. I think we gave it away to someone who agreed to move it and we were happy to see it go.

Bought this one for about $150, paid a guy with a backhoe $20 and a couple beers to get it down from a carport roof without getting hung up in the electric wires and carry it in the bucket about five blocks to my place. Still don't know if the pump works because the heater and filter had been sold to someone else and the pipes cut. Put a big shut off valve on the bottom pipe to drain it into the garden. I fill it with the hose and get three days personal use of cooling soaks in my tropical climate before it turns too green! Lifesaver!

We're with Intex Design and Construction on this one . . . too beautiful in California to not have one. The views, the weather ... all perfect for a hot tub year round out here.

We love our tub and use it almost every day, barring steady rain or high winds. It's our place to unwind, relax and share the events of the day. Even in Michigan's winter, you'll find us clearing the snow around the partially recessed tub on our stone patio and using a series of heated rubber mats for safe, easy and warm access. I think easy access and proximity are key factors for owners to consider and will translate into how much/little they use their tub. Our tub is only 10 feet from our patio doorwall, so its just a hop, skip and dip away.

My hot tub saved my life! In 2010, soon after we bought our hot tub, I had a rash on my legs, went to dr. After taking my blood pressure, he said forget the rash. Ended up with triple bypass. BTW rash was from the bromine. Switched to Aquafinesse and eliminated numerous chemicals I was adding. Now it is easy to maintain and we use it 4-5 times a week.

Soaking in a hot tub or spa after working in the yard is the best. I will take a hot tub/spa over a swimming pool any day. We had a great spa for 20 years and then have been without one for 15 years now we have one again. This time I wanted to be more organic and found using a chlorine-free oxidizer once a week does the trick and keeps it clean and clear for 6 to 9 months without having to change the water. The perfect spa/hot tub for us is fiberglass, round with a seat high bench all around the tub, jets at several different heights. This allows for seating for several friends or just the two of you to stretch out.

Absolutely, it is worth it! There is nothing like sitting in the hot tub watching the wildlife grazing or the snow falling. We use ours all year long and have had one for over 25 years. We have also found you only need to put in 2-3 cap full of chlorine and nothing else after each use. Some of our best talks, discussions and lottery dreams happen in the hot tub. We once even watched the Super Bowl from the HT!

Absolutely worth it. We expended our deck and changed our bedroom window to a french door and hot tub is literally two steps from the bedroom door. I think if it was along walk to the back of the yard or stairs, we would use it a lot less often. We use it most nights before bed - 15 minutes to relax and talk over the day sometimes with a glass of wine. For those of us over 60, it helps a lot with aches and pains and helps me fall asleep without painkillers. I also do 20-25 minutes of physical therapy in the hot tub most mornings and that has done me more good than steroid shots and medication. I will eventually need knee surgery but losing weight plus water physical therapy has helped tremendously. It think it raises our electric bill maybe $25 a month and since we have ozonator, chemicals are maybe $10-12 a month.

We LOVE ours, morning or evening. It's a wonderful way to start the day watching the sunrise with a cup of coffee or the stars at night. We've had one for many years and use it almost daily sometimes am and pm. Our grown children call it our therapy session, a good place to relax and talk with no interruptions.

We've had our hot tub (with salt system) for two years and love it! Our grown kids love it when they visit too! It's so peaceful to sit out under the stars, especially on a cold night and listen to the waves on Lake Michigan.

It's the secret to my marriage-having that time for each other most days after work

We've got a 4-seater Sundance about 15 years ago for therapy for my broken ankle; got a Dr. Rx which eliminates sales tax in Florida. Chose one small enough that it just plugs in to a 110V GFI outlet rather than having to be wired in to 220V. It's always lived on our huge screened back porch underneath the roof overhang, looking out over the in-ground pool. (North FLA skeeters, no-seeums, flies, etc. pretty-much demand a screened setting for any outdoor-ish amenity you wish to be able to use comfortably on a regular basis.) It's definitely one of the very best purchases we've ever made...WAY better than the in-ground pool, in my opinion, which is now used mostly by my husband. My clever husband has engineered a totally-secure hand-rail for the hot-tub so I and my creaky ankles can navigate its shallower steps safely, and I spend probably an hour or more in it every day. When our now-grown kids come home for a visit, the hot-tub is the first thing they head for, seldom even bothering to jump into the pool. Hubby tends to prefer hot-tubbing only in cooler weather, but with the ceiling fans mounted along the roof overhang on the porch, I'm in it year 'round. Being in the middle of the woods rather than the middle of suburbia, bathing suits are a totally unnecessary hassle 99% of the time, and being part of the footprint of the house rather than out in the 'back 40' results in it being used several times a day (or night) since it doesn't require mounting an expedition to get to it. Dr. said as long as we keep the temp at 100 degrees, rather than cranking it up to near-boiling, it was safe to use as we aged. And keeping it virtually "indoors" rather than constantly exposed to the harshest elements has had an amazingly preservative effect on the workings thus minimizing repair calls. True, we have to look at the stars through the screening rather than 'en plein air' but there is nothing relaxing about constantly swatting and spraying the local insect-life. Hubby has the filter-changing, sanitation & draining routine down to a very-manageable routine, and since it's just the two of us using it regularly, maintaining cleanliness is not a burden. Never thought we'd want one, but now we marvel at the value it has contributed to our life and comfort over the years.

Speaking from my experience. it is my daily routine to get back from hectic work and immediately take a dip in the hot tub for relaxation.

Believe me, having a hot tub can give you multiple benefits like good sleep, stress relief, and a decrease in arthritis pain. Isn't it enough? Adding few more calming your senses and entertaining your family and friends.

It's been totally worth the money for both my husband and me! I've never been someone who likes to spend time soaking in a bathtub, but given the opinion by my doctor to go on lifelong drugs for my rheumatoid arthritis, I decided it would be much more worthwhile to have a hot tub to soak in for all my aches, pains and swelling. Honestly, it's been incredibly therapeutic -- and I have avoided the methotrexate and biologics thus far! Too bad health insurance doesn't cover some of the cost of the hot tub! LOL My husband is an avid runner and he uses it for the same great benefits. It was definitely expensive to buy and install (since we had to trench power out to the backyard) but it's been worth every dollar for us! Emotionally, it has been nice enjoying my backyard in the wintertime...even in snowstorms! I didn't feel sooo closed in for five months out of the year. Yes, it requires maintenance. But I clean it every week -- which takes me 30 minutes max -- and I test the water with strips. And every time you use it, you throw in a few teaspoons of chlorine. Keeping the water at good levels has not been difficult at all. And I drain and refill the hot tub every 3 months. It's really not a big issue. But then again, I love being outdoors and I always love a project! Anyway, good luck with your decision! : )

My husband bought me one for my birthday a couple years ago. GREAT price from Costco and was delivered during a snowstorm. At first we were in it several times per week. Now its less often but only because we are very busy. Our 3 kids (6 year old and 4 year old twins) love it. They are only allowed once in a while because they try to swim instead of sit. We keep it at 100 degrees because my husband cant take the heat. The only daily maintenance of it is checking the chemicals and adding when needed. You just have to get in the routine of it. It is wonderful to have in Michigan where we only have a couple hot months during the year (the one season we dont use it too much). It is very relaxing and really helps to soothe muscles. We get very sore flipping houses and having 3 young kids.

We have had a Hot Spring 2 person hot tub since 1997. Had the heater go bad in it and it was an easy replacement as my husband is pretty mechanically handy. I use the tub more than he does. I have arthritis aches and pains as weather fronts move. We live in Central PA and it's awesome to sit in the hot tub and watch the snow fall. You are toasty warm as you see the white flakes come falling gently from the sky. We sometimes take a walk in the snow and then come back to hot tub to warm up. We had it under a roof at our previous house. Moved due to a job transfer and I insisted that the hot tub went with me or I wasn't moving! I think the realter got a kick out of my 'wish list' I had to have some nice sunny windows for the cats and a place to sit the hot tub. When we found this house... she said" what do you think?" I said" hmm. I'm just now figuring out where I'll sit the cat food dishes and I'm ready to pack the other house and move" There is no icckk factor if you maintain it. I keep an extra set of filters to swap out so I can let the used ones soak in the filter fresh cleaner. I use a small plastic garbage can with a lid exactly for the purpose. I store the chemicals inside it in the garage when it's not being used to soak filters clean. Drain it in the fall to begin a new winter season. Awesome at night with the blue light on while sitting under the stars. I'm off to buy an adult beverage for some hot tub sitting tonight! Enjoy life folks...

Just sold my house and the hot tub was a huge plus for the buyers. Ours is located in a wooden deck surrounded by Aspen trees. A lovely setting. The buyers are excited about having it.

OMGosh, I would be excited to have it as well - aspen are my favorite trees!

As soon as we can afford it, it's going in!! Love love love them.

I used one when I was visiting Colorado one winter. You're right, Sally. It's heavenly to sit in a hot tub when it's snowing. We were so toasty between the wine and the hot water that we didn't even feel the chill going back to our condo. Of course, that's not going to happen in central TX, but it's a fond memory anyway.

We loved our hot tub and miss it immensely since we moved. It was never difficult to keep clean, our always had sparkling clean water with not that much effort. We found if we turned off the TV and went out to sit under the stars we had some great conversation. Our grandkids loved it too. In the summer we would turn the heat down so they could cool off. We also had some great conversations with them. Would definitely have another one. NEVER use the public ones though.

Ours is part of our pool complex. We live in far north Scottsdale and it is amazing to sit out in it at night and watch the stars. We are in a protected "dark sky" area, so no bright street lights, etc. It is absolutely amazing both summer and winter!

We owned a house that came with an inground pool and a hot tub on the deck. The pool was great & my engineer husband had upkeep of both down to an easy science. We used the pool a lot, the hot tub, rarely. When we decided to move to the country, we ended up giving the hot tub away. I have heard from old neighbors that even the pool was eventually filled in by new owner. I do miss having a pool to cool off in occasionally during the heat of summer, never have missed the hot tub. If you really want a hot tub, go for it....but remember that in most parts of the country neither hot tubs or pools will add to the value of your property if you ever plan on moving.

We had one at our previous home. In cooler/cold weather we took a thermos of coffee out to it every morning. Heavenly way to start a day.

Planning the purchase of a stainless steel one person hot tub. Husband can't use because of heart / high blood pressure. Had interior installed 8 person spa years ago and miss the comfort.

We live in Nova Scotia and we use our hot tub everyday year round - it's fantastic when it is cold outside (8 months of the year) and in the summer we turn down the temperature and it becomes a nice heated pool (much easier to maintain than a full size pool)!

We have a guest ranch in the Cypress Hills, Canada and we did have a hottub for a while for guests to use. We have beautiful spring water which makes maintenance easier, but I got really tired of asking guests to shower before getting in. It would get way too dirty and had to clean too often. So, now we have 2 person air-jet jaccuzzi tubs in our cabins. Just drain the dirty water! I would love to have a drainable jaccuzzi tub for the outside decks, but cannot find one anywhere to purchase. We are in a Dark Sky Reserve and the night skies are amazing. Anybody have suggestions??

We use it every night. It marks the transition from work day to evening relaxation

hot springs hot tubs would be the only hot tub I would recommend. the best!

we bought ours in 1995. my husband used it most every day. the pumps were rebuilt over and over, went through 3 or 4 covers and loved every minute of it. had major leak this winter so we drained it around Christmas. We are definitely getting another. talk about sticker shock! but averaged over 20 years I guess its not too bad! can't imagine having one indoors or under cover. shooting stars and satellites make the soak even more enjoyable. tracyzyg, I would never get a Hot springs spa - way over priced, you are paying for the name and the MANY employees in each store. went to our local dealers yearly truckload "sale" and the tubs on sale ranged from $8,000 to $18,000. I found better, cheaper ones out there and have chosen a MAAX spa because of the way they are built and it has 2 loungers. all the bells and whistles for less than a comparable Hot springs sale tub.

I'm the type of person who needs water for grounding & relaxation. Thought a regular tub was the only solution but running a hot hot bath every night for a soak was expensive. A hot tub was actually cheaper because they last for years. I'm on my 2nd one and will buy a 3rd when we move to our new home. I have also become somewhat handicapped so the jet action of the hot tub has helped immensely for pain relief. Wish I had room for a sauna!!

Cheryl Smith... our hot tub is a Hot Spring. We bought it because it was the best insulation in the industry at the time. We have cold winters in northeast PA so that was important to save on the electric bill. How well insulated are the MAAX spa.. I'm not aware of them but that 2 loungers would be great!

Sally Hess Keys we live in Montana and the winters here can sometimes be real cold. our original tub was a Coleman with a cooler in the corner and Im guessing pretty good insulation. Maax spas bought them out and our relationship with the dealer who now doesn't have a storefront and works out of his home (helps not paying the overhead a large store has), along with the cost is why we chose them. check them out online I don't know where all in the country they are sold but are made in Arizona. they are the only ones I've seen around here that have 2 loungers, a plus on our list.

I recently had a spinal fusion and two knee replacements. couldn't manage without it. you definitely have to stay on top of it. probably takes 4 hours tops a year.

Is relieving arthritis pain worth $3 a session? How about muscle soreness,

rehabilitation, pre-post workout, stress reduction, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure? How about increasing family fun, having backyard recreation year round, increasing family communication, and communion with nature? In my 31 years in the hot tub business, I have helped over 10,000 families get into hot water and they absolutely love it. We are selling many of them a second hot tub. For many (like me) it is used almost everyday, and unlike any other appliance you'll ever own- it will make you feel better each and every time you use it.

Happy Hot Tubbing

If a hot tub is worth it or not may depend more on if you need it for health reasons vs. entertainment value. If you have health problems that benefit from it, buying one seems pretty reasonable. When people buy them for entertainment purposes they seem to lose interest in them quickly.

Reasons not to own a hot tub:

* You can't be bothered with or commit to the testing and upkeep. Yes, it is a wonderful thing to have, but there is a work component to it too (but it becomes easy once you figure out how to get everything just right in your tub). No dealer mentions this to anyone until after it's bought; up front they act like these things take care of themselves.

* If you are not the type to commit to closely monitoring and addressing water balance and sanitation, you could end up slightly sick, badly sick, or worse.

* Because you're neighbour has one and you just want to keep up with the Jones'

* You can't deal with the trip to and from the tub in cold weather (or going back out to oxidize/sanitize and strap the cover back on in the winter), if applicable to where you live.

* You'll generate a lot of towel laundry...lol.

Things not to waste money on:

* Fancy spa shop chemicals, which are mostly nothing more than common grocery store items repackaged as specialty products and loaded with fillers.

* Lights

Things to spend on:

* Getting exactly the spa you want. Don't settle for fewer jets, smaller size, layout, etc., for the sake of $$$. It's a luxury good, something to enjoy, and something you (hopefully) will buy once in ten years. Be sure to wet test.

Hot tubs are more expensive to own than many realize when they make the purchase. You can reduce your life cycle costs by buying a simple, energy efficient tub.

Don't be seduced by fancy lights, water features, sound sytems or high jet count.

If you don't need serious hydrotherapy you can buy a quality new tub for 5,000 maybe less maybe more depending on how many will use it most of the time.

I am not a hot tub person but I sure do enjoy my hot tub. We rarely socialize in ours but it is about the only place where I take time to do a series of stretches and when we tub just before turning in for the night sleep comes easily.

This might help.

Our hot tub/spa is part of our swimming pool. We love this because we use it more than the pool itself. It's perfect for the little grandchildren and the big kids/parents are always in it. The downside is that once we close the pool, we don't have access to it but sometimes we just cover the pool but leave the pump/filter going and just peel back the corner of the cover to use the hot tub. I would NEVER build a pool without a connected spa. I have never found a free standing hot tub that I like - I dislike the fiberglass ones with molded seats/lounges.

We bought a hot tub for our house in Los Angeles and used it a lot for the first five years, and then it started to have one problem after another. One good thing - it could be a source of water for cleaning and flushing toilets after an earthquake, and the water could possibly be filtered and purified for drinking in an emergency. We used it all year, since we are near the beach and the temperatures are always in the 60s or 70s in the evenings.

Then we bought a second house in the Palm Springs area (in adjacent Cathedral City), and it came with a pool with a connected spa. We only use the pool eight months of the year, but we use the spa all year. We do not heat the pool between mid November and mid February, due to heating costs, and we don't like to swim outdoors in 75° weather, but we're fine going in the spa. It takes twice a long to heat the spa in the winter as it does the rest of the year, however, and we heat it only when we are going to use it.

I was surprised how much better I like in-ground spas. The water in the spa circulates with the pool water all year, and so in the winter, the water starts out cold. In the summer, the pool can get to 92° on the very hottest days, and so it only takes a few minutes to heat the spa to 102°.

I spend about 50% of my time at each house, but I prefer being by the pool. It is inexpensive to maintain the pool, and the pool guy comes twice a week all year.

I've never heard of anyone closing a pool, but then I grew up in south central Texas.