If no one from your area shows up and names the perfect retailer for you, I would suggest calling every store that shows up on the "Find a retailer near you" function on the Kohler website. Really, it is a crap shoot. People do go and sit in these tubs, so they are used to people looking for models to try. Luckily, I find that these kinds of showrooms are often bunched in the same general area, so keep an eye open when you are driving to the showrooms you choose, you just might catch sight of unexpected showrooms on the way.

Try Hardware-Designs in Fairfield, NJ.

you would need to call the stores / plumbing supply showrooms and ask what they have on the floor for you to see... stock varies from store to store and changes with what is available, popular or on special..

Unless you are extremely lucky, or given to cross country travel? Plan to save gas. Very few if any plumbing supply showrooms will have more than a handful of tubs on the floor at any one time. Show room installations tend to hang around forever, if only because displays are expensive to change with any frequency. And most showrooms with updates, will be featuring freestanding tubs. Far easier to move around, and a trend in master baths for some time.

Thank you all. I will check with Hardware Designs. Husband and I have been going the calling route but it's been painfully slow and unsuccessful to date. I'm just amazed - what's the sales model here? Is the assumption that people would buy the $2k item without trying? In terms of the free-standing master debate - we followed the other trend and went from tub to large zero entry shower in our master. This is our main/hall bath sized for the alcove tub. We would LOVE a freestanding tub but if we're going to take out walls to sacrifice a bedroom I'd rather go to 3.5 instead of 2.5 bath house. A common story ....

Thanks Diana - we visited there this weekend with high hopes. No luck. They only had the Bellwether which is not nearly deep enough. They had a very large version of the Tea for Two which is a possibility but not optimal for alcove installation.

No luck on Hardware Designs in Fairfield. They don't have any cast iron on display at all. Not fans of cast iron.

People buy 2 k tubs all the time without sitting in them . Truth is,alcove tubs don't really vary that much as size in general makes it an issue. Truthfully? A filled tub "sits" differently anyway.

Jan Moyer - It's not so much the size per se - it's the slant of the back wall. Husband has been in some that just aren't comfortable. Also it is good to see what getting in and out is like.

I don't know about the specific tub you are looking for, but our builder gave us the name of a tub store that had probably 30 tubs or so and DH & I sat in every tub that fit our criteria. We noted the slant, the height of side wall, room for 2, etc.

It was a drive outside the city, but there are also some higher end plumbing stores in my are that have some tubs on the floor. Maybe you can at least find one similar to what you want to get an idea if it could work. Even if it's acrylic, if it's the same size/shape you'd have more knowledge than you do now.

Are you doing the remodel yourself or do you have a contractor you can ask for suggestions? I'd call around to plumbing supply stores and ask for their recommendations.

Justwantapool - when you say "the city" - do you mean NYC? what store did you visit?

Isn’t there a Ferguson nearby? And where does your plumber buy fixtures? I’d start by asking him.

https://www.fergusonshowrooms.com/

ferguson is a great idea... find one or a few near you.... are there any homes for sale in your area - new or renovated that have an open house - you can go check the tubs out... if you are close enough to the city (NY) here is a list of showrooms.. https://www.google.com/search?ei=YI-jXJTNGofS-gSc06HADg&q=biggest+bathtub+showroom+nyc&oq=biggest+bathtub+showroom+nyc&gs_l=psy-ab.3...20440.20440..20959...0.0..0.285.285.2-1......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71.qr6jwHpRZJY

oh no sorry! I am in Texas haha. But a metro area and I had to drive past the burbs to the country for the tub store.

And yes, I'd check Ferguson. Aren't they a supply house for Kohler? I feel like they had my sink in stock.

HA!

Ask your neighbors if you can come over and sit in their tub. Or post on nextdoor and ask neighbors to post pictures of their tubs and ask questions.

It sounds like you are going to have to sit in tubs similar to the one you are considering and imagine the rest. I bet the cast iron is the problem, - showrooms don't want to be moving them around. One idea would be to get yourselves a tool for measuring angles, - like a protractor or larger, find out the angle of the tub you are considering, and then look at the ones that are available (acrylic or whatever) and measure ones that look close. The angle is what matters, after all, and that number may be available in the spec sheet at Kohler. Then, sit in tubs of the same depth. You will have to imagine the rest.

Here you goKohler Highbridge Spec sheet

27 degrees!

Thanks all. I've been to 2 Fergusons. They only had a handful of non-freestanding tubs and I think only 1 cast iron. Nancy and Jan - you are both right - we are bucking trends with both cast iron and with alcove. Neighbors tend to have either the original tub [ours is still fine too - it's not the reason for the remodel] or whatever was recommended by Home Depot/Lowes. So not a great help. I'll keep calling stores or I guess try to find a tub like it? It's a bit strange because it's not a standard tub configuration. The Tea for Two is much easier to find.

Hi Kim: yeah unfortunately showroom space is at a premium, and most plumbing showrooms carry multiple vendor lines that have hundreds of products each. There's simply no way they can have every model on the floor. Same with furniture and appliance showrooms, too. I think the best you can do if you can't find the exact model in person is to find one with the same or very similar dimensions from the same manufacturer. Good luck!

I had this same dilemma. I understand why tubs are difficult to keep out on the floor, but you are right in that it's an expensive/heavy item to buy sight unseen! I was also looking for a cast iron tub, which was very hard to find in a freestanding model. I will say that I bought mine from Ferguson and they do take returns if you keep the box.

No pun intended, but you WILL end up throwing in the towel :). on the "test drive". Just sayin..... you will wind up with 2k in airline tickets and gas tank bills . Better to just select a depth that works and move on. Buy a cushy inflatable backrest.

Kim - Call me. I have a LOT of advice for you.

Kim,
Have you called GPS (General Plumbing Supply) ? Several locations in northern NJ. They seem to be a big Kohler retailer.

Kitchen & Bathworks, N. Plainfield

Af Supply Fairfield

I’ve seen plenty of tubs there. Not sure about cast iron, though. Most of these places are friendly & will be helpful on the phone.

I thought we’d sat in a display Toto 1525 cast iron tub at Hardware-Designs prior to ordering ours (we have two) but that was around ten years ago, give or take.