Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: clicketyclack on March 10, 2017, 07:44:19 am
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Hi All,
I am currently in the market to replace my current hot tub, a 10 year old vitaspa which is unfortunately on it's last leg.
I narrowed my decision down to the Caldera Vanto and the Marquis Vegas.
I can get both for right around $6500, and am leaning toward the Caldera as that comes with their foamcor insulation a years worth of chemicals, the frog spa system, cover lift, and steps while the Vegas is pretty bear bones with only rigid insulation.
Unfortunately wet testing is not an option, but I would appreciate any suggestions you guys can offer. I did read on a forum post from 2004 while ago that the Caldera spas have smaller jets which makes some people quite itchy. Is this still true?
Thanks for the help!
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Along with the fiber-cor insulation something that sold me on our Caldera Geneva was the split GFCI breaker panel they use. The heater is on 20a breaker and the rest of the tub a 30a. if the heater goes the tub will go into survival mode and slowly circulate water. Where we live it gets so cold in the winter this could save some serious money with having a freeze up.
I don’t notice the jets on ours being too forceful. One seat my favorite has loads of the smaller jets the other main seats have the large spinners.
You should try and wet test both and you will know what you like best.
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Along with the fiber-cor insulation something that sold me on our Caldera Geneva was the split GFCI breaker panel they use. The heater is on 20a breaker and the rest of the tub a 30a. if the heater goes the tub will go into survival mode and slowly circulate water. Where we live it gets so cold in the winter this could save some serious money with having a freeze up.
I don’t notice the jets on ours being too forceful. One seat my favorite has loads of the smaller jets the other main seats have the large spinners.
You should try and wet test both and you will know what you like best.
The vanto doesn't come with the split breaker. It's a regular 50 amp in the vacanza series
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Thanks for the responses. Anyone by chance have insight on the Caldera being itchy?
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Along with the fiber-cor insulation something that sold me on our Caldera Geneva was the split GFCI breaker panel they use. The heater is on 20a breaker and the rest of the tub a 30a. if the heater goes the tub will go into survival mode and slowly circulate water. Where we live it gets so cold in the winter this could save some serious money with having a freeze up.
I don’t notice the jets on ours being too forceful. One seat my favorite has loads of the smaller jets the other main seats have the large spinners.
You should try and wet test both and you will know what you like best.
The vanto doesn't come with the split breaker. It's a regular 50 amp in the vacanza series
Good catch. I assumed they all were when you have a good idea you would think you would share it thru all the products seeing as what a minor cost doing it that way would be.
You only need 4 wires to the tub.
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Hi All,
I am currently in the market to replace my current hot tub, a 10 year old vitaspa which is unfortunately on it's last leg.
I narrowed my decision down to the Caldera Vanto and the Marquis Vegas.
I can get both for right around $6500, and am leaning toward the Caldera as that comes with their foamcor insulation a years worth of chemicals, the frog spa system, cover lift, and steps while the Vegas is pretty bear bones with only rigid insulation.
Unfortunately wet testing is not an option, but I would appreciate any suggestions you guys can offer. I did read on a forum post from 2004 while ago that the Caldera spas have smaller jets which makes some people quite itchy. Is this still true?
Thanks for the help!
I sell both brands. Each has their own merits
Vanto- very good insulation, in line Spa Frog system built in, easy to use controls, good power but with more smaller jets, good filtration
Vegas-divertor valve built in to give it more variety and adjustability then the vanto, 2 2 speed pumps, smaller filter, non existent insulation. I also wish this tub had a easier controller to navigate. When I sell these (which isn't often ) I have my customers insulate it themselves. As a Marquis dealer I wish they offered a insulation package on this tub
If you are looking for a tub with more power I would go with the Vegas and insulate it myself. If I was looking for turn key and a very well insulated tub I would go Vanto. Warranty to wise they are basically the same
Price wise you are about $500 less then What I sell these for with lift and step
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Thanks Hottub guy that post was immensely helpful!
Just received some bad news though, I measured the tub I currently have and I assumed it was 84" x 84" as this seemed pretty standard in the industry, but I believe it may be 83" x 83". The tub is built into the deck, so I am not sure I have room for the extra inch. Does anyone know of any hot tubs measuring 83" x 83" around this price range?
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Along with the fiber-cor insulation something that sold me on our Caldera Geneva was the split GFCI breaker panel they use. The heater is on 20a breaker and the rest of the tub a 30a. if the heater goes the tub will go into survival mode and slowly circulate water. Where we live it gets so cold in the winter this could save some serious money with having a freeze up.
I don’t notice the jets on ours being too forceful. One seat my favorite has loads of the smaller jets the other main seats have the large spinners.
You should try and wet test both and you will know what you like best.
FYI, all tubs can be run if the heater fails. If your a tech or savvy homeowner. But you have the advantage with the split breaker system of not having to catch it. All tubs will survive a failure for 24 hours in the winter, it just becomes making sure it is checked once a day or maybe longer, maybe two or three? Depending on the "winter". 0 to -10 or lower and it gets to 24 hours. Those stretches are actually rare. Even here in Northern Minnesota.
Thought for the day, If it stays below zero, not freezing, zero, for a few days in a row and then starts getting warmer 20-30 during the day. While still below freezing, 20-30 and bright sunshine melts snow and ice. I know it sounds weird and I'm not a scientist but I think it has to do with the absorption into the snow, ice, or the surface of your tub, and reflection warmth from other absorption surfaces using the suns rays and the color under the snow and around it (trees, buildings, rocks, bare spots, cars, stuff) This would still hold true for pipes in a hot tub because of the absorption of the suns rays by the tub. Choose dark colored siding for better absorption. Along with a small incandescent trouble light and you could make a tub survive without freezing for weeks. The water in the vessel is actually going to help radiate heat to your plumbing which is the susceptible part of the tub during below freezing temps.
It's always 20-30 during a snow storm and bright and sunny during the cold (below zero) snap that always follows. It's supposed to be -9 tonight and 26 and bright and sunny tomorrow. I will be outside cause it will be a nice day as long as it's not windy.
Think about this. Say a 2000 watt quiet generator and a light bulb. If a home owner had this on standby he could save a tub from a power outage during a long, extremely cold snap. Just sayin. But I would worry more about my house and my life. I installed a wood stove.
Rant over.
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Thanks Hottub guy that post was immensely helpful!
Just received some bad news though, I measured the tub I currently have and I assumed it was 84" x 84" as this seemed pretty standard in the industry, but I believe it may be 83" x 83". The tub is built into the deck, so I am not sure I have room for the extra inch. Does anyone know of any hot tubs measuring 83" x 83" around this price range?
This might be an easy trim job though..........
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Although there is just Low-E insulation on the walls of the Marquis Vegas, I have yet to have anyone complain about their power bill, and I have sold 100s of Marquis in the Celebrity series. National average energy cost is around $22 on the Vegas per month. Like hottubguy said, you could always throw some extra insulation in there if you're in a really cold climate. The Vegas will be 83"x83" on the synthetic cabinet, which is the part that will slide in to your deck.
One other thing that some people really care about, but some people don't. Marquis is made in Oregon, Caldera is made south of the border.
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Thanks again! I actually found a place to wet test the Vanto, and I was not happy with it. I also tried hot springs flair and loved it! I'm pretty sure I negotiated a decent price but thought I'd check here first. Price was $8449 with ozonator, a bunch of chemicals, cover lift, removal of old tub and delivery.
Thanks again.
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Thanks again! I actually found a place to wet test the Vanto, and I was not happy with it. I also tried hot springs flair and loved it! I'm pretty sure I negotiated a decent price but thought I'd check here first. Price was $8449 with ozonator, a bunch of chemicals, cover lift, removal of old tub and delivery.
Thanks again.
Now that you are up in that price range. Check out the marquis E series and Vector series and try those
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All other posts in this forum compare the Marquis E series to the hot spots, is this not the case anymore?
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No the E Series compares very well to Paradise series and mid series Hot Springs. One of the benefits of those tubs as the ability to customize it. For instance if you don't want fancy lighting you can deduct that from the price, spa frog is optional, as is most of the things on that tub. You can get a great tub without stuff that you might not want or need and probably be cheaper then the flair. Same thing with the Vector series. Do yourself a favor and try wet testing gone of those options as well. I had a customer in my store today who wet tested a Vector 94 and a Salina and purchased the Vector because he didn't need a lot of the options on the Salina so he was able to save some money and get a tub that he felt was more comfortable for him. Granted everybody is different which is why wet testing is important
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All other posts in this forum compare the Marquis E series to the hot spots, is this not the case anymore?
This was never the case in my opinion either
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Thanks again! I actually found a place to wet test the Vanto, and I was not happy with it. I also tried hot springs flair and loved it! I'm pretty sure I negotiated a decent price but thought I'd check here first. Price was $8449 with ozonator, a bunch of chemicals, cover lift, removal of old tub and delivery.
Thanks again.
Just curious what you did not like about the Vanto? I had been a Marquis dealer for the last 3 years and beginning next week I will be a Caldera dealer, so I'm just curious.
Also, if you are stepping up into the mid $8k price range, as hottubguy stated, you should look at the e-Series and Vector21 series from Marquis and probably also the Paradise series from Caldera. You have already found out that wet testing is important. Take your time and find the right spa for you.
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In Response to Hottubguy and Castletonia
Unfortunately the Marquis Vector series does not work for me as I need a tub that measures exactly 7x7. I went ahead and got a quote for the E545 and while the quote was a little less it did not come with all the extras which I would have needed. Adding those extras would have made it quite a bit more expensive than the Flair. The Flair quote was already a bit more than I initially wanted to spend so I am hesitant spend even more, not saying the e545 is not a great tub, I just don't want to extend my budget any more.
Regarding the Vanto I should clarify as I actually tested the Hot Spot Rhythm which I am told was essentially the same thing. My words may have been a bit harsh as I was happy with it before I tried the Flair, I just liked the way the jets felt on the Flair compared to the Rhythm. Also secondary reasons were while I could control the flow of individual seats on the Rhythm there was a much wider range of control on the Flair, I could essentially entirely stop the flow on a seat which I could not do on the Rhythm. The fact that the Flair also has a circ pump, and a much longer warranty also helped.