Alcove tub for shower combo recommendations

6 months ago

Hi. I’m renovating my bathroom in Florida and looking to replace my old tub (seems like enameled steel). The finish has held up really well, but it has a few rust spots on the underside and it feels small and is rounded with thick walls.

I’m trying to find a 60x30 alcove tub with right-side drain that works well as a tub/shower combo. My priorities are:

Thin exterior wall sides for maximum interior width
Rectangular interior and a flat, modern apron
Minimal side slope
Textured bottom
Flat front/top ledge (planning a sliding glass door in near future)
Not too tall (would be used mostly by kids) - ideally around 13-15" soaking depth

The only tub I see good opinions on is the Kohler Underscore, but it’s a too pricey. I’d like to stay around $600-$700 if possible.

Other options I like but can’t find many real reviews on:

Duravit Architec
Wyndham Collection or Grayley
American Standard Studio or Aspirations
Swiss Madison Voltaire
Kingston Brass Aqua Eden
Jacuzzi Signature (seems fine, but a bit over budget)
Also Delta Classic looks good online, but I saw it in person and it felt super thin and cheap

Which tub would you recommend? Are there any acrylic tubs that would hold up well?

Thanks!

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Comments (5)

likestonehomes
6 months ago
Have you looked at tubs made on this side of the pond…

https://maax.com/bathtubs
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BeverlyFLADeziner
6 months ago
Just about any big box or plumbing supply will order you a MAAX tub
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coastal_vibe
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
Have you looked at Kohler cast-iron tubs? I just had a 40-year old cast-iron tub removed, only because we were no longer using it and wanted to replace the tub/shower with a stand-alone shower. That 30x60 builder-grade tub held up really well.

What about the 30x60 Kohler Bellwether or the Kohler Villager?
coastal_vibe
6 months ago
Here is an alternative to sliding glass doors: one pivot door and a fixed panel on the front of the tub. For young kids, a shower curtain is the best option.

South Pasadena Master & Guest Bathroom Remodel · More Info
dani_m08
6 months ago
What ages are the children? You don't want to get a tub that is too high for them to step over safely as they start taking their own showers. Also, soaking tubs will have a greater slope/incline vs. a standard alcove tub.

I don't think that you've taken the time to really research tubs - you've posted that you can't find many reviews on the tubs that you like below:
- Duravit Architec
- Wyndham Collection or Grayley
- American Standard Studio or Aspirations
- Swiss Madison Voltaire
- Kingston Brass Aqua Eden
- Jacuzzi Signature (seems fine, but a bit over budget)
- Also Delta Classic looks good online, but I saw it in person and it felt super thin and cheap
However, I was able to find many reviews on the tubs that I pulled up - I stopped because I didn't want to spend more time than I already had on this.

Examples:

Kingston Brass Aqua Eden -

The above is just the 60x30 size - and there are almost 1,000 reviews with 4.7 stars (there are another 529 reviews w/ 4.8 stars for the 60x32 version). There are also customer review photos showing the tub with glass doors installed. The soaking depth is 14" - I don't know if it has a textured bottom - however, if it doesn't, that can easily be addressed a few different ways.

Duravit Architec -

Are you only looking at tubs on HD? While there are only six reviews on HD's site, there are 138 reviews on Wayfair just for the 60x30 size. I'm surprised that you like this one based upon listing interior width as a priority - this is a narrow tub - 11.25" (and the length is only 37"). The Kohler tub that you like has a 22" x 46" bottom basin.

Wyndham Collection Grayley -

This tub has almost 250 reviews on HD + 176 reviews on Wayfair (just for this specific size). Bottom basin is 22" x 43" = it slopes on both ends. It is on special for $577 on HD (for chrome version). It also has an integrated drain (= helps prevent leaks) - but may require your installer to have a little more knowledge (I assume).

You need to look at these options on Wayfair and other websites (not just HD or Lowes). Also, you can also read the reviews for the different sizes tubs (60x32 and 66 x 32 or 30) in addition to the 60x30 sizes - same tub - just need to take into account the bottom basin length is different.