Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: MikeK157 on July 17, 2016, 01:43:29 pm
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After 2 months or so of research and 10-15 companies visited i narrowed down the choices to these 5. Planning on wet testing next week. Are there any standing out here as 100% best to avoid or any users can say are great? Primary goal is therapeutic and massage purposes for myself and my wife. Maybe 5-10% socializing with friends but mainly will be us two.
Hot Springs Envoy
Marquis Resort
Lazy boy Dream
Bullfrog A8D
D1 Spas diplomat
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The list looks good! The Lazy boy coming in at the btm though.
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The list looks good! The Lazy boy coming in at the btm though.
Ditto.
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Was hoping to really like the Lazyboy but the wet test will determine that.
All inclusive model since its their highest end unit. Nothing to upgrade
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The list looks good! The Lazy boy coming in at the btm though.
Ditto.
The Marquis and the bullfrog are the two im expecting it to come down to. Just hope they are in my 10-12k budget.
Threw the D1 and hot spring in there just to check them out.
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After 2 months or so of research and 10-15 companies visited i narrowed down the choices to these 5. Planning on wet testing next week. Are there any standing out here as 100% best to avoid or any users can say are great? Primary goal is therapeutic and massage purposes for myself and my wife. Maybe 5-10% socializing with friends but mainly will be us two.
Hot Springs Envoy
Marquis Resort
Lazy boy Dream
Bullfrog A8D
D1 Spas diplomat
Agreed, I think if you look closely at the construction of all of them you will find one that will be the sloppiest/messiest inside. Less quality layout.
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The list looks good! The Lazy boy coming in at the btm though.
Couldn't agree more. I love my marquis resort. The other tubs mentioned are quality as well but wouldn't definetely put the lazy boy at the bottom of that list
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The Marquis Resort is one of the most visually appealing hot tubs on the market in my opinion. Good luck in your search.
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The Marquis Resort is one of the most visually appealing hot tubs on the market in my opinion. Good luck in your search.
The Marquis is one of the ones i really hope to love. Trying that one out first Saturday morning.
I have a feeling it will come down to marquis and bullfrog
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The Marquis Resort is one of the most visually appealing hot tubs on the market in my opinion. Good luck in your search.
The Marquis is one of the ones i really hope to love. Trying that one out first Saturday morning.
I have a feeling it will come down to marquis and bullfrog
Depending on yours and your wife's height make sure you each try the lounge and the Adirondack seat. I'm about 5'9 average build and my wife is 5'5 or so and skinny. The Adirondack seat was the only lounge like seat that she didn't float out of. That's the only thing that eliminated me from having a marquis show in my backyard.
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You have some very nice premium spas on your list and you are wet testing so you're on the right track, The A8D and Envoy I've been in personally and would absolutely welcome either of those spas into my backyard no questions asked. I've never soaked in a Marquis but they do have a solid reputation within the industry so at this point you are on the right track by simply wet testing and gauging your own family's comfort in either of those 3....D1 and Lazy Boy don't make my list so no comments on those...good luck and let us know how the wet testing goes
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The Marquis Resort is one of the most visually appealing hot tubs on the market in my opinion. Good luck in your search.
The Marquis is one of the ones i really hope to love. Trying that one out first Saturday morning.
I have a feeling it will come down to marquis and bullfrog
Depending on yours and your wife's height make sure you each try the lounge and the Adirondack seat. I'm about 5'9 average build and my wife is 5'5 or so and skinny. The Adirondack seat was the only lounge like seat that she didn't float out of. That's the only thing that eliminated me from having a marquis show in my backyard.
Wouldnt it be a good thing to not float in the seat?
Im 6"0 and wifes 5"5 so i hope we dont run into that issue although reading these forums it seems quite common. Thats a concern with the resort having so many jets in the lounging portion.
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The Marquis Resort is one of the most visually appealing hot tubs on the market in my opinion. Good luck in your search.
The Marquis is one of the ones i really hope to love. Trying that one out first Saturday morning.
I have a feeling it will come down to marquis and bullfrog
Depending on yours and your wife's height make sure you each try the lounge and the Adirondack seat. I'm about 5'9 average build and my wife is 5'5 or so and skinny. The Adirondack seat was the only lounge like seat that she didn't float out of. That's the only thing that eliminated me from having a marquis show in my backyard.
Wouldnt it be a good thing to not float in the seat?
Im 6"0 and wifes 5"5 so i hope we dont run into that issue although reading these forums it seems quite common. Thats a concern with the resort having so many jets in the lounging portion.
Correct that's why we went with the resort. The Adirondack seat was her favorite seat out of all the tubs i sell.
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The Marquis Resort is one of the most visually appealing hot tubs on the market in my opinion. Good luck in your search.
The Marquis is one of the ones i really hope to love. Trying that one out first Saturday morning.
I have a feeling it will come down to marquis and bullfrog
Depending on yours and your wife's height make sure you each try the lounge and the Adirondack seat. I'm about 5'9 average build and my wife is 5'5 or so and skinny. The Adirondack seat was the only lounge like seat that she didn't float out of. That's the only thing that eliminated me from having a marquis show in my backyard.
Wouldnt it be a good thing to not float in the seat?
Im 6"0 and wifes 5"5 so i hope we dont run into that issue although reading these forums it seems quite common. Thats a concern with the resort having so many jets in the lounging portion.
Correct that's why we went with the resort. The Adirondack seat was her favorite seat out of all the tubs i sell.
How is the lay down recliner on the resort? No floating with that one?
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I don't float at all. My wife does a bit. That's why a wet test is important. Nice thing with the resort is each jet is adjustable and both pumps are 2 speed. Very easy to dial in the massage you are looking for
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I don't float at all. My wife does a bit. That's why a wet test is important. Nice thing with the resort is each jet is adjustable and both pumps are 2 speed. Very easy to dial in the massage you are looking for
I know my pricing will be different since i am Canadian but does 11500 sound like a reasonable price? Thats what i have been quoted so far
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After having my Hot Springs Landmark for over 20 years, I'm in the same boat. I'm researching as much as I can and am more interested in energy efficiency and noise control. A Hot spring close replacement would be an Envoy at close to $12,000 with only a cover included. I see bullfrog mentioned here but not from actual purchasers And I haven't seen a dealer in Indiana yet. Artesian Grand Bahama elite looks comparable to my Landmark and is about the same price wise (11,500) I want a lounge, quiet pumps, 24hr circulation and very very very little repair.
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Hi Mike. Where about in Canada are you? I am in the Toronto area and have been looking for a little while as well.
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Hi Mike. Where about in Canada are you? I am in the Toronto area and have been looking for a little while as well.
Im in Acton so not far from you. Prices im sitting on currently is 11500 for The resort and 10500 for the Lazyboy unit on my list.
Wet testing the hot springs and marquis tomorrow morning to get the wet testing started
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After having my Hot Springs Landmark for over 20 years, I'm in the same boat. I'm researching as much as I can and am more interested in energy efficiency and noise control. A Hot spring close replacement would be an Envoy at close to $12,000 with only a cover included. I see bullfrog mentioned here but not from actual purchasers And I haven't seen a dealer in Indiana yet. Artesian Grand Bahama elite looks comparable to my Landmark and is about the same price wise (11,500) I want a lounge, quiet pumps, 24hr circulation and very very very little repair.
Visited my local Artesian dealer and was not a fan of their sales tactics. Price on the Bahama was 17995 and they made it sound like that was their best price. As i walked away they said we can do 14000 but you have to put down 5000 right now. Needless to say i scratched them off my list with that type of gimmicky sales team.
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I am also going to start wet testing tomorrow. I am in Vaughan, near Wonderland. Looking at Sundance hotspring and Caldera. No bullfrog dealer near by. Looked at Hydropool, they are in Mississauga but unable to find any reviews about quality/reliability, etc. Seems to be many dealers in the Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington areas.
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I believe that Hydropool makes the lazy boy hot tub.
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Did the first of our two wet tests and we were surprised when we found we did not care for the loungers.
Wife floated in both the marquis epic and hot springs envoy. I floated a little in the envoy but not much.
We found the marquis to be a good tub with strong jets however we ended up wet testing the vector V94 and liked that one much more than the epic.
Strong jets, no floating in any seat, shared foot jet, lots of foot space in the foot well, individual controls for each seat was nice and the price made it a strong contender
The hot springs envoy while a nice enough tub did not have any feature that blew us away. Jets were weaker than the marquis at full blast, moto massager was neat but not a deal breaker and at 8-10k more depending on model we did not feel the hot springs did anything to warrant such a higher price.
For now the Vector V94 is at the front of the pack with a few more tests ahead.
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Did the first of our two wet tests and we were surprised when we found we did not care for the loungers.
Wife floated in both the marquis epic and hot springs envoy. I floated a little in the envoy but not much.
We found the marquis to be a good tub with strong jets however we ended up wet testing the vector V94 and liked that one much more than the epic.
Strong jets, no floating in any seat, shared foot jet, lots of foot space in the foot well, individual controls for each seat was nice and the price made it a strong contender
The hot springs envoy while a nice enough tub did not have any feature that blew us away. Jets were weaker than the marquis at full blast, moto massager was neat but not a deal breaker and at 8-10k more depending on model we did not feel the hot springs did anything to warrant such a higher price.
For now the Vector V94 is at the front of the pack with a few more tests ahead.
common complaint with a Hot Spring...because all water runs through the filters it does decrease jet pressure, it gets even worse if you are "lazy" with the filters and allow them to be clogged with oils, etc
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The V94 is an awesome tub. Good luck in your search
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Next batch of wet tests booked.
Going to check out the Sundance Optima and Chelsea
As well as the Lazy Boy Dream on this coming Saturday.
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Hey Mike, I wet tested the optima this past weekend. Very nice tub and great staff.
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Hey Mike, I wet tested the optima this past weekend. Very nice tub and great staff.
Glad to hear it was well received. I heard the power on the jets is quite intense. Is that accurate or marketing?
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I found them to be very intense and a great variety within the tub. By far the best tub for my family. I wet tested a hot spring grandee yesterday but did not like the motto massage. Big tub with lots of room for my family but I prefer the Optima over all tubs I tested...Grandee, Vanguard, Niagara, Chelsee and Beachcomber 720. I went ahead with the Optima.
Where are you wet testing? I did mine in the Mississauga store.
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I found them to be very intense and a great variety within the tub. By far the best tub for my family. I wet tested a hot spring grandee yesterday but did not like the motto massage. Big tub with lots of room for my family but I prefer the Optima over all tubs I tested...Grandee, Vanguard, Niagara, Chelsee and Beachcomber 720. I went ahead with the Optima.
Where are you wet testing? I did mine in the Mississauga store.
Burlington location since the lazyboy is also there.
Going to test the bullfrog next weekend as well.
What did they quote you if you dont mind me asking
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I also chose the Optima over the Niagara.
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I also chose the Optima over the Niagara.
What did you like about it
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I liked the size and layout of the tub. The power and feel of the jets was also a big selling point. The seat directly across from the filter has two large jets that can pound my lower back into submission. The foot dome has strong jets for your feet or any part of your body that you can float over them. It also provides an anchor spot to help keep you in your seat when the jets are on high. My wife really liked the white pearl interior. Over all the Optima seemed to be a solid tub and the price was right.
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I liked the size and layout of the tub. The power and feel of the jets was also a big selling point. The seat directly across from the filter has two large jets that can pound my lower back into submission. The foot dome has strong jets for your feet or any part of your body that you can float over them. It also provides an anchor spot to help keep you in your seat when the jets are on high. My wife really liked the white pearl interior. Over all the Optima seemed to be a solid tub and the price was right.
What price did they quote?
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my purchase was made in 2013. 10k out the door, steps, cover, lifter, chems, extra filter, extra clear-ray bulb, delivery included. It was a dry demo.
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my purchase was made in 2013. 10k out the door, steps, cover, lifter, chems, extra filter, extra clear-ray bulb, delivery included. It was a dry demo.
Great price. Ive seen the 780 series chelsea for 10k so to get a 880 series optima at 10k is a good deal. Which location was that
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FWIW, I got a quote on the Optima a few weeks ago from my local dealer. I live just outside of Boston and was told 13.5K if it needed to be ordered and 12.4K for one they have in stock. I was told those prices are way too high for the Optima.
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FWIW, I got a quote on the Optima a few weeks ago from my local dealer. I live just outside of Boston and was told 13.5K if it needed to be ordered and 12.4K for one they have in stock. I was told those prices are way too high for the Optima.
For that price I would look at different models from other manufacturers, that tub is not worth 13.5k imo....10-11k is avg. selling price in this market
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Purchase was in July of 2013 in Cotati, Calif. I am sure prices have gone up.
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Yes I have looked at others. Currently looking at the Marquis Promise (which is a bit smaller than the Optima) and potentially Caldera Salina. I haven't seen any Bullfrog dealers around my area so I have not looked at those yet.
I wil say that the Optima price included stairs, cover, lift, delivery, chemicals. Although it sounds like most places do the same.
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So did the wet tests today on the 3 tubs
1) Lazyboy - had the best reclining position so far but the jets didnt have the power i felt i would need to use the tub on a regular basis. The custom massages were a nice feature too but again at max power it was barely doing a thing. No jet really hit my shoulders which was a negative. Staff were hopeless on top of that. Knew nothing about the tub itself.
2) Sundance Chelsea - Great tub with lots of power. Wife did not like the footwell however since it was over powering. Each seat was its own experience
3) Sundance Optima - By far the best tub we have tried so far. Tons of power, footwell had more options for control so the wife liked it, huge variety in types of jets, Controls for the tub were easy to get a hang of. Sales rep was great. Knew all our answers, helped operate the tub and explained the warranty/inners of the tub. Just had a bit of everything in one tub so its out number one for now.
Testing the bullfrog next weekend to complete our tests.
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I know you didn't care for the Marquis Epic lounger but did you consider the Promise? Basically the same tub but with open seating. That is my front runner right now based on features but have not wet tested it yet. The Vector tub from Marquis is really interesting but it is a BOG tub compared to what I am looking at.
I do agree that the Optima is a really nice tub. It is the only sundance I would consider as I am looking for a tub with both great jets and "ambience". For some reason, Sundance is way behind others in the looks category. I like the lighting options on the Hot Springs, Marquis and Calderas way better than Sundance. The Optima is really the only decent looking one from Sundance in my opinion. I just can't justify the pricing I am getting here in Massachusetts. Way too high for the model and my wife thinks it is insane spending that much on a hot tub when we already have an inground pool. Keeping it to around $8000 to $9000 seems to be her limit before divorce proceedings start!
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Two wet tests booked for tommorow
Caldera niagara and bullfrog a8l
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So reviews of the most recent tests.
The caldera niagara had great foot jets and rather powerful jets however i felt the jets were not precise snd felt a little sloppy. Lots of force but since they werent precise it didnt hit my back the way i hoped.
The bullfrog was a very nice tub. Surprised me how strong the jets were considering the technology behind it.
The individual knobs for power were a nice touch too. No diverter knobs to move the water. Foot jets were very weak however which was a downer.
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Why were you surprised about how strong the Bullfrog jets were?
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So reviews of the most recent tests.
The caldera niagara had great foot jets and rather powerful jets however i felt the jets were not precise snd felt a little sloppy. Lots of force but since they werent precise it didnt hit my back the way i hoped.
The bullfrog was a very nice tub. Surprised me how strong the jets were considering the technology behind it.
The individual knobs for power were a nice touch too. No diverter knobs to move the water. Foot jets were very weak however which was a downer.
Did you try using the individual knobs for power (diverters) to send more flow the the foot jets?
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So reviews of the most recent tests.
The caldera niagara had great foot jets and rather powerful jets however i felt the jets were not precise snd felt a little sloppy. Lots of force but since they werent precise it didnt hit my back the way i hoped.
The bullfrog was a very nice tub. Surprised me how strong the jets were considering the technology behind it.
The individual knobs for power were a nice touch too. No diverter knobs to move the water. Foot jets were very weak however which was a downer.
Did you try using the individual knobs for power (diverters) to send more flow the the foot jets?
Yes i tried turning off the jet packs but the foot jets were still very weak. The other jet packs had more force when i turned off a few jet packs which was nice
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So reviews of the most recent tests.
The caldera niagara had great foot jets and rather powerful jets however i felt the jets were not precise snd felt a little sloppy. Lots of force but since they werent precise it didnt hit my back the way i hoped.
The bullfrog was a very nice tub. Surprised me how strong the jets were considering the technology behind it.
The individual knobs for power were a nice touch too. No diverter knobs to move the water. Foot jets were very weak however which was a downer.
Did you try using the individual knobs for power (diverters) to send more flow the the foot jets?
Yes i tried turning off the jet packs but the foot jets were still very weak. The other jet packs had more force when i turned off a few jet packs which was nice
Yea the water has to go somewhere. Funny they don't divert it to the foot jets.
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So reviews of the most recent tests.
The caldera niagara had great foot jets and rather powerful jets however i felt the jets were not precise snd felt a little sloppy. Lots of force but since they werent precise it didnt hit my back the way i hoped.
The bullfrog was a very nice tub. Surprised me how strong the jets were considering the technology behind it.
The individual knobs for power were a nice touch too. No diverter knobs to move the water. Foot jets were very weak however which was a downer.
Did you try using the individual knobs for power (diverters) to send more flow the the foot jets?
Yes i tried turning off the jet packs but the foot jets were still very weak. The other jet packs had more force when i turned off a few jet packs which was nice
Yea the water has to go somewhere. Funny they don't divert it to the foot jets.
Come on tman we've been told their are no diverters in those tubs lol.......That's he biggest negative to those tubs I hear about. Leg and foot jets are weak or non existent
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The hip, wrist, calf, and foot jets on the Bullfrog A7 and A8 are all very strong even with all the jetpaks on full power. If you like them strong you just have to make sure they are fully open since each one is individually controllable by rotating right or left.
Most dealers demonstrate the jetpak controls but don't bother to get in the tub and make sure all the individual hip, wrist, calf, and foot jets are fully open before customers test them.
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The hip, wrist, calf, and foot jets on the Bullfrog A7 and A8 are all very strong even with all the jetpaks on full power. If you like them strong you just have to make sure they are fully open since each one is individually controllable by rotating right or left.
Most dealers demonstrate the jetpak controls but don't bother to get in the tub and make sure all the individual hip, wrist, calf, and foot jets are fully open before customers test them.
If this is the case its a shame the dealer didnt let us know. It literally had next to no pressure.
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If this is the case its a shame the dealer didnt let us know. It literally had next to no pressure.
Yeah either the pump was on low speed or those jets were closed - I just bought the R8 and all the built in jets are plenty strong when the pumps are running on high and everything is full open. I've found that running the pumps on low however is pretty much useless for anything other than circulating the water.
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The hip, wrist, calf, and foot jets on the Bullfrog A7 and A8 are all very strong even with all the jetpaks on full power. If you like them strong you just have to make sure they are fully open since each one is individually controllable by rotating right or left.
Most dealers demonstrate the jetpak controls but don't bother to get in the tub and make sure all the individual hip, wrist, calf, and foot jets are fully open before customers test them.
If this is the case its a shame the dealer didnt let us know. It literally had next to no pressure.
Your expectations are different from the owners that chimed in saying it's fine for them. Still doesn't mean it's fine for you. They are assuming the dealer didn't have the jets turned up.
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Will be wet testing the Artesian spa tommorow. I have tried everything else so why not this.
Sales guy was very confident he will get my business. Asked me which tubs were my favorite so far and
once i told him he said oh no problem our tubs have more lights better power and will beat those hands
down.
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Well lights mean nothing but Artesian makes a fine tub. And they do have good power. Skip the bells and whistles, salesmanship and so called technology no matter what the brand. Get one that "feels good" and has a good reputation. Do your own evaluation of quality and customer service.
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Well lights mean nothing but Artesian makes a fine tub. And they do have good power. Skip the bells and whistles, salesmanship and so called technology no matter what the brand. Get one that "feels good" and has a good reputation. Do your own evaluation of quality and customer service.
Thats exactly is. Ive seen so many tubs and sales men that i can see through the fluff.
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Well lights mean nothing but Artesian makes a fine tub. And they do have good power. Skip the bells and whistles, salesmanship and so called technology no matter what the brand. Get one that "feels good" and has a good reputation. Do your own evaluation of quality and customer service.
Thats exactly is. Ive seen so many tubs and sales men that i can see through the fluff.
What are your favorite 2 or 3 so far? What was your take on the vector 94 versus the optima?
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Well lights mean nothing but Artesian makes a fine tub. And they do have good power. Skip the bells and whistles, salesmanship and so called technology no matter what the brand. Get one that "feels good" and has a good reputation. Do your own evaluation of quality and customer service.
Thats exactly is. Ive seen so many tubs and sales men that i can see through the fluff.
What are your favorite 2 or 3 so far? What was your take on the vector 94 versus the optima?
Ide rank them optima vector then bullfrog
Loved the power on the optima and jet placement. Price is high however. Vector we liked the microsilk and the seats were very comfortable. No floating. Also loved the geyser foot massage
Im 32 so for me power is important. I work on my feet all day so a tub without power or footjets wont do.
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Hey Mike, I’ve been following your hot tub purchasing journey closely as I am also in the market for one and the tubs you singled out are all on my list.
Also, I live in Burlington and it sounds like you’ve visited some of the same stores I have. I’ve been to 5 shops so far but haven’t had the time to wet test anything and the problem is that my wife (who is the one that really wants a hot tub!) is reluctant to wet test as she thinks that it will be awkward and embarrassing. Do wet tests take place after hours?
Anyways, so far I like the Sundance Optima and Chelsea as well as the Marquis Vector. I’d be curious to know what kind of quotes you’re getting on those models. We also went to Pioneer pools and they sell both Hot Springs and Caldera but when we got there, the staff advised me that their sales guy was on vacation but someone would be available this weekend. They literally had about 15 hot tubs on display and not one person (they had about 4 people on the floor selling pools and patio furniture) was able to answer any of my questions.....not a great way do business if you ask me, at this point I'm not sure if I will even go back.
Finally I visited the Arctic Spa dealer but once again their regular spa guru wasn't around but the lady was able to answer some of my questions, didn't get a good vibe about Arctic. My search continues, I do want to visit Bullfrog as well, where did you go? And lastly, which Marquis dealer did you visit as well? Are we allowed to mention dealer names?
Anyways, I look forward to your updates and what you decide on buying.
Thanks.
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The hip, wrist, calf, and foot jets on the Bullfrog A7 and A8 are all very strong even with all the jetpaks on full power. If you like them strong you just have to make sure they are fully open since each one is individually controllable by rotating right or left.
Most dealers demonstrate the jetpak controls but don't bother to get in the tub and make sure all the individual hip, wrist, calf, and foot jets are fully open before customers test them.
Correction: The foot and calf jets are adjustable but the wrist and hip jets are not.
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Hey Mike, I’ve been following your hot tub purchasing journey closely as I am also in the market for one and the tubs you singled out are all on my list.
Also, I live in Burlington and it sounds like you’ve visited some of the same stores I have. I’ve been to 5 shops so far but haven’t had the time to wet test anything and the problem is that my wife (who is the one that really wants a hot tub!) is reluctant to wet test as she thinks that it will be awkward and embarrassing. Do wet tests take place after hours?
Anyways, so far I like the Sundance Optima and Chelsea as well as the Marquis Vector. I’d be curious to know what kind of quotes you’re getting on those models. We also went to Pioneer pools and they sell both Hot Springs and Caldera but when we got there, the staff advised me that their sales guy was on vacation but someone would be available this weekend. They literally had about 15 hot tubs on display and not one person (they had about 4 people on the floor selling pools and patio furniture) was able to answer any of my questions.....not a great way do business if you ask me, at this point I'm not sure if I will even go back.
Finally I visited the Arctic Spa dealer but once again their regular spa guru wasn't around but the lady was able to answer some of my questions, didn't get a good vibe about Arctic. My search continues, I do want to visit Bullfrog as well, where did you go? And lastly, which Marquis dealer did you visit as well? Are we allowed to mention dealer names?
Anyways, I look forward to your updates and what you decide on buying.
Thanks.
The hotsprings for us was one of the worst tubs. No power and really nothing to warrant a17-18k price tag. We visited Gibsan pools for marquis and niagarahottubs.com for the bullfrog. We skipped the Arctic since we read so many bad reviews online.
The wet tests can be before opening or after closing as well which is nice. Depends on the dealer.
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Tried the artesian tub which i actually liked. Good power and some decent options to chose from. The sales rep was hands down one of the worst yet however. He was making a sale so he basically ignored me for most of the time. After wet testing the water and standing there for 30 minutes after i left.
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Hey thanks for updating. We also just got back from some shopping. We visited Halton Pools and Spa for the Bullfrog, Pollock pools for the Marquis and, like you, also went Gib San pools for Marquis again. We also went to Sundance Spas in Burlington and Jacuzzi in Oakville.
We've only done dry runs (which I know isn't the best way to test) and so far, based on size and what we perceive to be quality tubs we like (in no particular order):
*Bullfrog A7
*Marquis Euphoria
*Sundance Optima
*Jacuzzi J-385
I'm still waiting on some quotes…….such a difficult decision.
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Hey thanks for updating. We also just got back from some shopping. We visited Halton Pools and Spa for the Bullfrog, Pollock pools for the Marquis and, like you, also went Gib San pools for Marquis again. We also went to Sundance Spas in Burlington and Jacuzzi in Oakville.
We've only done dry runs (which I know isn't the best way to test) and so far, based on size and what we perceive to be quality tubs we like (in no particular order):
*Bullfrog A7
*Marquis Euphoria
*Sundance Optima
*Jacuzzi J-385
I'm still waiting on some quotes…….such a difficult decision.
Just make sure you wet test. Its easily the most important part of buying. Tubs we thought we would love we would float in and others we didnt consider we loved. Jet placement, water pressure, features etc have to be experienced to make a decision. Especially when the decision is a 5 figure one.
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After a bad experience with the Artesian spa dealer he came at me with a strong offer for the Grand Caymen tub which is tempting. At 12k + tax its the lowest initial offer we have had and the tub was a nice tub. Loved the foot massage with rotating water in the jet. Really felt nice.
I think it will come down to Artesian Grand Caymen or Sundance Optima
I will have the wife wet test the Artesian to see how she feels about it.
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I will have the wife wet test the Artesian to see how she feels about it.
Good idea...............
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I will have the wife wet test the Artesian to see how she feels about it.
Good idea...............
Very good idea lol This sales guy must not be married since he keeps implying i commit to buying his product without the wife testing it.
The irony is both the sundance and artesian reps have bad talked eachothers product and warranties so much im beginning to see flaws in both lol
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I will have the wife wet test the Artesian to see how she feels about it.
Good idea...............
Happy Wife Happy Life!
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Hey Mike,
You just reminded me that to take a look at Artesian. The only brands that kept coming for me from my research were Sundance, Hot Springs, Marquis, Bullfrog and Jacuzzi.
Having said that, we did our first wet test last night, tried both the Sundance Optima and Chelsee. We liked them both, lots of power (maybe even too much for my wife) with lots of different configurations. To be honest I couldn’t tell much of difference between the two in size and power other than the Optima having a few extra jets.
Did you try the Chelsee? What kind of pricing are you getting on the Optima?
Next wet test for us will be the Marquis Euphoria.
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Hey Mike,
You just reminded me that to take a look at Artesian. The only brands that kept coming for me from my research were Sundance, Hot Springs, Marquis, Bullfrog and Jacuzzi.
Having said that, we did our first wet test last night, tried both the Sundance Optima and Chelsee. We liked them both, lots of power (maybe even too much for my wife) with lots of different configurations. To be honest I couldn’t tell much of difference between the two in size and power other than the Optima having a few extra jets.
Did you try the Chelsee? What kind of pricing are you getting on the Optima?
Next wet test for us will be the Marquis Euphoria.
The rep from sundance went through the artesian warranty and pointed out all the trouble spots for me. Put a wrench on my plans lol
The optima and chelsea are similar but the optima has more jets more variety and the key for the wife was in the optima you can turn off the foot jets without turning off half the tub. Something about the diverter.
Got a offer of 16k tax in for optima and 13k for chelsea. Little high for my liking but i will barter and see where it goes
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The rep from sundance went through the artesian warranty and pointed out all the trouble spots for me. Put a wrench on my plans lol
How kind of him to take the time to do so. What trouble spots did he find exactly?
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Hey Mike,
You just reminded me that to take a look at Artesian. The only brands that kept coming for me from my research were Sundance, Hot Springs, Marquis, Bullfrog and Jacuzzi.
Having said that, we did our first wet test last night, tried both the Sundance Optima and Chelsee. We liked them both, lots of power (maybe even too much for my wife) with lots of different configurations. To be honest I couldn’t tell much of difference between the two in size and power other than the Optima having a few extra jets.
Did you try the Chelsee? What kind of pricing are you getting on the Optima?
Next wet test for us will be the Marquis Euphoria.
The rep from sundance went through the artesian warranty and pointed out all the trouble spots for me. Put a wrench on my plans lol
The optima and chelsea are similar but the optima has more jets more variety and the key for the wife was in the optima you can turn off the foot jets without turning off half the tub. Something about the diverter.
Got a offer of 16k tax in for optima and 13k for chelsea. Little high for my liking but i will barter and see where it goes
Thanks, we got quoted $12,800 for the Chelsee so pretty close with what you got. Haven't got a price on the Optima yet as our sales rep wasn't in when we wet-tested. To be honest if it's anything like your quotes (3k more) than I think we'll end up with the Chelsee if we go Sundance.
Did you take Bullfrog out of the equation?
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The rep from sundance went through the artesian warranty and pointed out all the trouble spots for me. Put a wrench on my plans lol
How kind of him to take the time to do so. What trouble spots did he find exactly?
Lmao
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Hey Mike,
You just reminded me that to take a look at Artesian. The only brands that kept coming for me from my research were Sundance, Hot Springs, Marquis, Bullfrog and Jacuzzi.
Having said that, we did our first wet test last night, tried both the Sundance Optima and Chelsee. We liked them both, lots of power (maybe even too much for my wife) with lots of different configurations. To be honest I couldn’t tell much of difference between the two in size and power other than the Optima having a few extra jets.
Did you try the Chelsee? What kind of pricing are you getting on the Optima?
Next wet test for us will be the Marquis Euphoria.
Try the Marquis V94 if you can, as well as the Euphoria.
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Hey Mike,
You just reminded me that to take a look at Artesian. The only brands that kept coming for me from my research were Sundance, Hot Springs, Marquis, Bullfrog and Jacuzzi.
Having said that, we did our first wet test last night, tried both the Sundance Optima and Chelsee. We liked them both, lots of power (maybe even too much for my wife) with lots of different configurations. To be honest I couldn’t tell much of difference between the two in size and power other than the Optima having a few extra jets.
Did you try the Chelsee? What kind of pricing are you getting on the Optima?
Next wet test for us will be the Marquis Euphoria.
Try the Marquis V94 if you can, as well as the Euphoria.
Yes, you're right Markee, we should also take the V94 for a spin, I actually like the looks of this thing, there's not much else like it out there. My problem is the warranty, inferior warranty in my head means lesser quality of components which probably isn't the case.
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The rep from sundance went through the artesian warranty and pointed out all the trouble spots for me. Put a wrench on my plans lol
How kind of him to take the time to do so. What trouble spots did he find exactly?
Main concerns were
1) No warranty at all for jets although i have read they are approx 10 bucks to replace
2) No warranty for milage of repairman and assessment of issue (this one has me concerned)
3) Any lighting, pump seals, filters, fuses, shipping charges are not covered
4) You can only use their repair man
Overall it seems Artesian is a hit and run company. Sell you the product and wipe their hands clean. If anything goes wrong your on the hook pretty much.
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The rep from sundance went through the artesian warranty and pointed out all the trouble spots for me. Put a wrench on my plans lol
How kind of him to take the time to do so. What trouble spots did he find exactly?
Main concerns were
1) No warranty at all for jets although i have read they are approx 10 bucks to replace
2) No warranty for milage of repairman and assessment of issue (this one has me concerned)
3) Any lighting, pump seals, filters, fuses, shipping charges are not covered
4) You can only use their repair man
Overall it seems Artesian is a hit and run company. Sell you the product and wipe their hands clean. If anything goes wrong your on the hook pretty much.
1) most brands warranty jets
2) that's standard though so dealers waive these fees for a period of time
3)pump seals, filters, fuses aren't covered under any bodies warranties that I know of. Lights are usually covered for a year or two for most brands
4)all warranties need to be done by authorized techs or authorized servicers
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Hey Mike,
You just reminded me that to take a look at Artesian. The only brands that kept coming for me from my research were Sundance, Hot Springs, Marquis, Bullfrog and Jacuzzi.
Having said that, we did our first wet test last night, tried both the Sundance Optima and Chelsee. We liked them both, lots of power (maybe even too much for my wife) with lots of different configurations. To be honest I couldn’t tell much of difference between the two in size and power other than the Optima having a few extra jets.
Did you try the Chelsee? What kind of pricing are you getting on the Optima?
Next wet test for us will be the Marquis Euphoria.
Try the Marquis V94 if you can, as well as the Euphoria.
Yes, you're right Markee, we should also take the V94 for a spin, I actually like the looks of this thing, there's not much else like it out there. My problem is the warranty, inferior warranty in my head means lesser quality of components which probably isn't the case.
Same exact shell. Same exact pumps. Warranties are a part of the price you end up paying for the spa. Since I received one this has been my hottest selling spa. The jet action and individual control to dial in your exact massage is on par to the signature series euphoria. The euphoria does have the hk40 jets which are extremely therapeutic but the vector has almost all the other features
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The rep from sundance went through the artesian warranty and pointed out all the trouble spots for me. Put a wrench on my plans lol
How kind of him to take the time to do so. What trouble spots did he find exactly?
Main concerns were
1) No warranty at all for jets although i have read they are approx 10 bucks to replace
2) No warranty for milage of repairman and assessment of issue (this one has me concerned)
3) Any lighting, pump seals, filters, fuses, shipping charges are not covered
4) You can only use their repair man
Overall it seems Artesian is a hit and run company. Sell you the product and wipe their hands clean. If anything goes wrong your on the hook pretty much.
Ask the Artesian guy to go through the Sundance warranty and he will also find a bunch of things that you won't like. Salesmanship 101.
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The rep from sundance went through the artesian warranty and pointed out all the trouble spots for me. Put a wrench on my plans lol
How kind of him to take the time to do so. What trouble spots did he find exactly?
Main concerns were
1) No warranty at all for jets although i have read they are approx 10 bucks to replace
2) No warranty for milage of repairman and assessment of issue (this one has me concerned)
3) Any lighting, pump seals, filters, fuses, shipping charges are not covered
4) You can only use their repair man
Overall it seems Artesian is a hit and run company. Sell you the product and wipe their hands clean. If anything goes wrong your on the hook pretty much.
Ask the Artesian guy to go through the Sundance warranty and he will also find a bunch of things that you won't like. Salesmanship 101.
Thats exactly it. Its all just a game.
One comment he made about the ozonator made me laugh. He said putting an ozonator in a 2016 tub is like putting a tape deck in a 2016 car lol
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Ha! Really? Both Artesian and Sundance promote their UV-C in-line systems that can be combined with ozone to make even less maintenance on their own websites!
Also, I wouldn't worry so much about the warranty based on what that Sundance rep went through. Go with the dealer that has the better reputation. They are likely to take care of you in the event you have a problem, even if it falls "outside" the actual warranty description. You can also ask if the dealer charges any mileage fees in warranty. All those warranty statements are written so that the dealer has the right to charge a "reasonable" travel charge. Whether the dealer does or not... is simply up to them.
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Ha! Really? Both Artesian and Sundance promote their UV-C in-line systems that can be combined with ozone to make even less maintenance on their own websites!
Also, I wouldn't worry so much about the warranty based on what that Sundance rep went through. Go with the dealer that has the better reputation. They are likely to take care of you in the event you have a problem, even if it falls "outside" the actual warranty description. You can also ask if the dealer charges any mileage fees in warranty. All those warranty statements are written so that the dealer has the right to charge a "reasonable" travel charge. Whether the dealer does or not... is simply up to them.
As far as i can tell sundance doesnt do the ozonator anymore. Just the clear ray
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Ha! Really? Both Artesian and Sundance promote their UV-C in-line systems that can be combined with ozone to make even less maintenance on their own websites!
Also, I wouldn't worry so much about the warranty based on what that Sundance rep went through. Go with the dealer that has the better reputation. They are likely to take care of you in the event you have a problem, even if it falls "outside" the actual warranty description. You can also ask if the dealer charges any mileage fees in warranty. All those warranty statements are written so that the dealer has the right to charge a "reasonable" travel charge. Whether the dealer does or not... is simply up to them.
Exactly. I carry Artesian and go directly against Sundance. I feel the warranty is a wash, as both have 100% parts and 100% labor for 5 years, both with caveats. A warranty is as good as the dealer.
Look, you're getting to the next level and doing your homework. But don't bury the headline: What is the most comfortable? What feels the best? What fits you the best? What do you like more?
These are two great brands and when you get down to stuff like ozone and warranty, you're splitting hairs. Ozone on the Artesian is awesome but I don't push it on my clients. Ozone and filters, even though my Artesians have a "story," still are only assistants to your water chemistry.
Hope this helps. Good luck moving forward.
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Yeah, don't fall for that B.S. about the warranty on Artesian. They absolutely do cover their jets and lights. They don't charge shipping for parts either. Mileage charges are built in to every warranty out there. Most dealers waive those charges for a certain period of time and they are usually minimal when they do charge. Also, every single hot tub manufacturer requires you to use their authorized techs. Honestly, the Sundance sales guy is being kind of shady here. That's all B.S.
As stated above, they basically have the same warranty. This should not be a deciding factor for you between these 2 spas. They are both top of the line hot tubs and have good reputations. Pick the one that fits your needs best. Also make sure that you are comfortable with the dealer.
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Yeah, don't fall for that B.S. about the warranty on Artesian. They absolutely do cover their jets and lights. They don't charge shipping for parts either. Mileage charges are built in to every warranty out there. Most dealers waive those charges for a certain period of time and they are usually minimal when they do charge. Also, every single hot tub manufacturer requires you to use their authorized techs. Honestly, the Sundance sales guy is being kind of shady here. That's all B.S.
As stated above, they basically have the same warranty. This should not be a deciding factor for you between these 2 spas. They are both top of the line hot tubs and have good reputations. Pick the one that fits your needs best. Also make sure that you are comfortable with the dealer.
I agree. I am setting up a meeting with another artesian dealer who is even closer than the other. The initial dealer i met was not a good experience at all.
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Ideally i would love to find a 1-2 year old tub and pay 5-6k for it if possible but we will see if that's realistic or not.
The deck im getting put in is already pushing 25k and a 15k tub would stretch the budget but we will see
This is where the 12k offer from Artesian is tempting vs the 15k offer from sundance.
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As far as i can tell sundance doesnt do the ozonator anymore. Just the clear ray
You're right MikeK. I just looked it up and they don't promote it anymore on their website. I know when I was selling it, the rep was pushing adding on ozone with Clear-Ray for even less maintenance... I guess they changed their mind!
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As far as i can tell sundance doesnt do the ozonator anymore. Just the clear ray
You're right MikeK. I just looked it up and they don't promote it anymore on their website. I know when I was selling it, the rep was pushing adding on ozone with Clear-Ray for even less maintenance... I guess they changed their mind!
Sometimes its amusing how great a product is until someone stops using/carrying/selling it and then all of a sudden they may tell you how its a waste and meaningless. ;)
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Going to do one more wet test. I want to try a beachcomber. I know they arrle a mid range tub and i was not impressed when i saw them last year but looking at their current lineup and tech they have really done a good job of changing their designs
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Bullfrog Spas warranty covers pump seals and fuses. 5 years on A and R series 3 years on the X spas. While your talking about warranty look really close at Beachcombers warranty. We sell artisan and bullfrog. Haven't ever had a problem with either manufacturer on warranty work. BTW we used to sell Sundance never had any problems with them either.
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Going to do one more wet test. I want to try a beachcomber. I know they arrle a mid range tub and i was not impressed when i saw them last year but looking at their current lineup and tech they have really done a good job of changing their designs
I like Beach and disagree on the mid line comment. One of my top 10. Not bad out of the 100's of brands that come and go. They have been innovative for a long time. Full foam, energy efficient and they don't have a rep of leaking. The hush pump is neat but can be troublesome if the connections aren't cared for correctly. I have a friend who has a 15 yo one he won in a raffle. We live in Northern Minnesota. They still have a dealer here that always tells me something. Junk doesn't last up here. I'm his plumber. Might be the plumber :) I like the feel of his, I think it's a 550.
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Ended up getting a hot tub today. Much to my surprise even.
Got an artesian grand caymen 52 jet tub from 2014 for $2000
Guy bought a house with it installed and he didnt want it. He had it listed on kijiji.
I thought at that price i cant wrong. Needs new speakers since they are blown but at 2000 for a 15000 dolllar i
couldnt say no
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Ended up getting a hot tub today. Much to my surprise even.
Got an artesian grand caymen 52 jet tub from 2014 for $2000
Guy bought a house with it installed and he didnt want it. He had it listed on kijiji.
I thought at that price i cant wrong. Needs new speakers since they are blown but at 2000 for a 15000 dolllar i
couldnt say no
Yeah, that's a killer deal on a really nice hot tub! Grats. I wouldn't even replace the speakers. They'll just fail within another year or 2 anyway.
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Ended up getting a hot tub today. Much to my surprise even.
Got an artesian grand caymen 52 jet tub from 2014 for $2000
Guy bought a house with it installed and he didnt want it. He had it listed on kijiji.
I thought at that price i cant wrong. Needs new speakers since they are blown but at 2000 for a 15000 dolllar i
couldnt say no
Nice score!
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Ended up getting a hot tub today. Much to my surprise even.
Got an artesian grand caymen 52 jet tub from 2014 for $2000
Guy bought a house with it installed and he didnt want it. He had it listed on kijiji.
I thought at that price i cant wrong. Needs new speakers since they are blown but at 2000 for a 15000 dolllar i
couldnt say no
Yeah, that's a killer deal on a really nice hot tub! Grats. I wouldn't even replace the speakers. They'll just fail within another year or 2 anyway.
I might just replace the one on the outside. This tub had 4 on the inside and 2 on the outside. All 4 inside dont work and 1 on the outside doesnt. The one that does tho has great sound