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If the spa is outdoors, you will want to make sure you have a cover for it. There are a number of things to look for when purchasing a cover (keeping in mind that the cover has a shorter life span than the spa itself). First look at the size of the cover and make sure it extends 4 inches or more beyond the edge of the spa to keep the moisture and the heat in the spa, and not your room for more efficient operation. When not in use, the cover will most likely be folded and put away…and this fold can quickly become a crease and a means by which moisture and heat can escape. Therefore a cover with a heat seal gasket in the crease will work toward keeping these elements in. A cover also needs to be certified by the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and also the American Society of Testing and Materials (aka ASTM). These covers will be able to handle excess weight that will keep kids and animals from falling through and into a filled spa and drowning. If your cover doesn’t have this approval, you might have to surround your spa with a fence to keep your family and the neighbor’s children safe. This cover should have a density of at least one and a half pounds with an R value of over 12 to provide the right insulation and strength. Give it a tryout to make sure you can move it off and on without sustaining a hernia. Or else look for a cover lifter that will do the work for you. It is usually attached right to the spa and allows you to take the cover off with one hand and a minimum of effort. This item will also keep your cover from excess wear and extends its life.

Lighting is another aspect of a hot tub that will make your time more pleasurable and even safer. With lighting on the steps and bottom of the tub, you can get in and out in the dark without a mishap. Take a step up and look for lighting that can also create a mood for your night time hot tubbing. For more safety, look for grab bars for getting around in the hot tub as well as getting in and out. If they are lit, better yet with a dimmer, so much the better.

Are you going to be eating and drinking in your spa? Then look for a unit with special receptacles for your food and drink. If you anticipate reading in your spa, a nice little perk would be a dry place to store your books, or a towel for drying or even your reading glasses.

Another item that will increase your relaxation is a pillow that is built to adjust to the shell of the hot tub and opened via the spa’s water pressure. And, oh, that neck relief.

Some more features you might want to invest in include an automatic shut off. When you forget to turn everything or even a few spa items off, the timer will do it for you, saving your operating costs and wear and tear on your spa.

If you don’t have a locked cabinet nearby for your spa chemicals, there are spas that provide this for you right in the spa itself. And speaking of locking, you may want to invest in a panel that locks to keep little fingers and even large ones from messing with your settings and starting the spa. There are also temperature locks so you can set and enjoy just the right temperature, and like Goldilocks, the water will be not too hot and not too cold. In fact there are remote controls that allow you to turn on and set the spa’s temperature from the comfort of inside the house and get your spa just the right temperature before going out and submerging.

If you like to know what is going on without being at the mercy of a repairman, there are some spas equipped with a display screen that will tell you when something is failing on your spa. This way you can call the spa’s manufacturer and get a heads up as to the problem…and even fix it yourself. Bottom line, you will know what to tell a repairman and won’t be taken in with extra charges.

How big should your hot tub be? The location can set some size constraints (keeping in mind the ancillary equipment), but you will want to have a tub that can accommodate comfortably the number of people most likely to join you on any given day with adequate seating. If you choose lounge seating, you won’t squeeze as many of your friends in but they will be more comfortable. There are even double loungers and even reversible loungers. And don’t neglect the amount of foot room you all will have. If you have a six seater then there should be room enough for everyone’s feet (that would be 12) at the bottom of the spa. Including a spa with jets for all these legs and feet makes for a more comfortable spa experience for everyone.

Tiny bubbles can be produced by a blower and makes for a fun hot tub soak. You might want to invest in a tub that has a system for making these micro bubbles.

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