Inflatable Hot Tubs: Affordable Luxury Or Lukewarm Substitute?

With cooler evenings upon us, we've officially entered prime hot tub season. What's better than sinking into that hot bubbly water and erasing the chill from your bones? Only one thing, that's what — doing so while staring up into a crisp, starry sky, as the steam swirls atop the water. Ah, the utter relaxation of a good soak.

If you don't already have a hot tub, fall and winter may be a great time to purchase one. Even though the cooler weather is ideal for hot tubbing, manufacturers and retailers consider it the off season, and they start marking down their existing stock to make room for new models. And if you're in the market for a hot tub, you'll have to choose between a traditional hot tub or a much less expensive inflatable model. 

You've probably considered inflatable hot tubs before, if only for the cost factor. However, you've also probably wondered how they hold up under pressure. So, let's take a deep dive into the bromine-scented waters of both worlds and see what bubbles up. Is an inflatable hot tub worth the convenience and savings, or is it just full of hot air?

Auguably, the biggest advantage to an inflatable hot tub is the cost. Traditional hot tubs (also called spas, jetted tubs, or jacuzzis) can be very expensive. A low-end model sells for around $4,000, with luxury models sporting all the bells and whistles going for well over $10,000. That's a lot of clams for such a small space. Inflatable hot tubs, on the other hand, start at around $400 and top out somewhere near $800.

Another advantage of the inflatable hot tub is that it doesn't require any special installation. Because they're made from materials such as vinyl and PVC, they're much lighter than the hard-sided fiberglass and stainless steel of traditional hot tubs. The average inflatable hot tub (empty) weighs between 50-100 lbs. versus 3,000-4,000 lbs. for a traditional hot tub. This means you won't need any special decking for set-up. You'll just need to prep the ground by finding a flat space free of sharp objects. You also won't need a building permit, or any special electrical requirements, or wiring challenges like you might with a hard-sided tub. This lightweight portability also means that you're free to move the tub around if you don't like its first location ... or drain it, fold it up and put it away when you're not planning to use it for a while. What's not to like?

Well, there are some problems. Before you grab your credit card and shout "Take my money!" let's look at a few potential downfalls of owning an inflatable hot tub. 

First, your inflatable hot tub will most likely not be nearly as comfortable as a traditional hard-sided model, because they lack one crucial ingredient — seats! Inflatable hot tubs have cushioned bottoms instead of seats. Some models may come with add-on cushions or inflatable headrests, but the idea is that you'll sit on the floor. Many of these inflatable models boast seating for 4 or more, but when you account for the width of the tub's inflatable sides and the fact that your legs are not given their own space, your 4-person hot tub is (probably) only really comfortable for two. If you have any mobility issues, be sure you're able to get in and out of this type of set-up without any problems.

Another factor to consider is the jets. Most inflatable hot tubs boast more than 100 jets. Sounds great, but in truth these "jets" are more like "bubblers." You're not going to get the same kind of pressure that you would with a traditional jetted hot tub. You'll also want to consider the cost and efficiency of heating this type of tub. Because of the soft-sided materials, they don't have great thermal energy efficiency. The colder it gets, the more it's going to cost and the longer it's going to take to keep the tub at a comfortable temperature. This could cause a spike in electrical usage. 

So where did we land on inflatable hot tubs? Did the idea sink or swim? That's up to you, but now you're informed.