With the recent arrival of inflatable hot tubs, sometimes referred to as a blow up hot tub, to the market, it has become a lot easier and more affordable for everyone to have the chance of enjoying a luxury spa experience in their own home.
Sit back and enjoy the splendour of a warm and gentle massage with family and friends, relax in the evening with the significant other under the stars and with a glass of wine, the perfect way to unwind from the toils of the day. A hot tub experience brings with it not just the enjoyment and relaxation, but, also brings with it health benefits.
Sitting for just 20 minutes a day can aid sleep, relieve stress and aid the recovery of aching and sore muscles, making a jacuzzi experience the perfect end to the day.
A portable hot tub is easy to place, easy to install and does not require a large area, unlike the fixed models. Ideal for use on any occasion with a wide range of accessories available, get yourself a 2 person inflatable hot tub for a romantic evening, or buy a bigger model and have your friends round for a BBQ or celebrate a birthday by inviting friends over for a garden party.
Best Inflatable Hot Tubs
Contents
Here at Hot Tub Reviews.co.uk, our aim is to help you find the model that will suit your needs by reviewing some of the best inflatable hot tubs UK. Here are our top 5 picks.
1. Intex Pure Spa 6 Person Therapy Hot Tub
We are going to start off with this 6 people therapy hot tub from Intex, who is well known and respected in the hot tub industry.
Although this can accommodate up to 6 people, for better relaxation and spa experience it would also be an ideal 4 person hot tub. Built with Intex’s unique patented Fibre-Tech construction you are guaranteed the durability yet comfort that you would expect for the investment you have made.
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This unit is fitted with 140 heated and powerful bubble jets to give a luxuriously warm and gentle bubble massage which are activated via the easy-to-use control panel where you will also find the temperature control.
With a temperature range from 20 degrees celsius to a maximum temperature of 40 degrees celsius, you can sit back and enjoy a soothing warm soak at the temperature you like.
The Pure Spa comes with a built-in Hard Water Treatment System that will make the water gentler on your skin, clothes and the hot tub itself.
The system creates an electromagnetic field that causes the calcium and minerals to form crystals that the filtration system can the filter out and the filter cartridges are easy to replace so no long maintenance jobs are required.
This Intex spa is supplied with a cover to stop any debris getting in causing the need to vacuum, but also for heat retention while the hot tub is not in use, fitted with straps to ensure it does not blow away but more importantly for safety.
These hot tubs come supplied with everything you need to get you started, the heating system, thermal ground cloth, an inflation hose for quick and easy setup, two filter cartridges, a chemical floater for the chlorine along with a 3-way test strip and a very handy carry bag.
The diameter of this is 216 cm outer edge and 165 cm for the inner hot tub area, with a height of 71cm and has a water capacity of 1098 litres.
2. Lay-z-Spa Vegas 4-6 Person Hot Tub
The next on our list is one from the Lay-Z-Spa range, the winners of the UK Pool and Spa Awards of 2019 so you can feel secure in the knowledge that you will be buying quality and dependability.
The Lay-Z-Spa Vegas hot tub is designed to fit 4-6 people and is fitted with the Layzspa 87 AirJet Massage System, set around the perimeter of the floor to give the perfect air jet massage that is one of the best.
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The multi-purpose pump not only runs the rapid heating system, heating the water to a maximum temperature of 40 degrees celsius but also runs the filter system and the air jet system.
Made with a strong and durable quad horizontal ring construction that has the advantages of a fixed tub at an affordable price point. It comes supplied with a leatheroid inflatable cover, with double lock safety clips, to prevent any debris entering, and for retaining the heat while not in use.
Featuring the use of an energy-saving timer that not only helps you to save money on your electricity bill while not in use, but, allows you to schedule a time for it to come on and be ready and waiting for you the next time you plan to soak.
The digital control panel for the massage jets, water filtration system and the rapid heating system is placed conveniently for use while in the hot tub. You will receive two replacement filters and a floating chlorine dispenser, installation is very simple but a DVD set up and maintenance guide is included for instructions.
The size when Inflated Size is 196 cm x 61 cm (77 Inch x 24 Inch) the water capacity is 848 Litre (224 Gal) when filled to 80{87f16ab57d904bb292fe891e18d372f71760a9ed649ea074c4a21cb65aabe842} with a total weight of 1,100 kg (2,426 lb).
3. Mspa Silver Cloud Inflatable Spa
Mspa is another brand that is a leader in the industry of portable and inflatable hot tubs and spas and we bring you their Silver Cloud model as a best inflatable hot tub in our reviews.
These inflatable hot tubs are made with sturdy and durable charcoal grey rhino tech 6 layer reinforced PVC cover that is UV, frost and puncture-resistant. They have 118 air jets placed around the bottom perimeter of the inflatable jacuzzi that will give you a wonderful relaxing massage.
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This option claims whisper-quiet and PTC heating technology, the materials are anti-bacterial and the installation is so fast you could blink and miss it, with the plug and play one button press startup and the built-in control panel means there is no fitting anything prior to use.
With a diameter of 180 cm and an Internal diameter of 140cm with a water capacity of 700L.
4. Lay-Z-Spa Miami 2-4 person Inflatable Hot Tub Spa
We bring you the second of our Lay Z Spa products with our Lay-Z-Spa Miami reviews this is the 2-4 person Miami inflatable spa that is perfect for families with younger children and is ideal for indoor or outdoor use. All Lay-Z-Spas come with up to 2 years of warranty and they have a dedicated team that will help with aftersales should you run into any problems.
This model features the air bubble jet massage system, set around the perimeter of the floor to give the perfect air bubble jets massage that is one of the best and will relax your tired and aching muscles, leaving you feeling fully rejuvenated and refreshed.
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Like the Vegas 4-6 person option this has the multi-purpose pump not only runs the rapid heater unit heating the water to a maximum water temperature of 40 degrees celsius but also runs the filter system and the air jet system, fewer parts mean fewer things that can go wrong with your portable hot tub.
The Miami lazy spa is amazingly fast and simple to set up, just connect the inflation hose and let the pump do the work, you will be ready to fill within about 10 minutes.
These inflatable hot tubs featuring the use of an energy-saving timer that helps you to save money when not in use but, allows you to schedule a time for it to come on and therefore be ready and waiting for you the next time you plan to use it.
The digital control panel controls the massage jets, water filtration system and the rapid heating system and is placed conveniently for use while in the hot tub, you will receive two replacement filters with filter housing unit along with a floating chlorine dispenser.
The diameter when inflated is 1.80 m (71 inch) and height is 65 cm (26 Inch) the weight when filled is1,026 kg (2,261 lb) with a water capacity of 800 Litre (192 Gal.) at 80{87f16ab57d904bb292fe891e18d372f71760a9ed649ea074c4a21cb65aabe842}.
5. Lay-Z-Spa Paris Inflatable Hot Tub UK with LED light System
Here, we think, we have saved the best inflatable hot tub until last, only because we just love the LED lighting system of the Lay-Z-Spa Paris hot tub. This is another from lazy spa that gives it all and a little extra.
If you like the romantic or party feel then this wonderful lazy spa will set the mood for you with the colour changing light system and will set the ambience and mood for any occasion, it will cycle through seven colours and can be controlled via the wireless remote control.
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Featuring 87 air jets that are set around the perimeter of the base and all controlled from the conveniently placed control panel, from which you can also set the water temperature to your preference with a maximum setting of 40 degrees celsius.
This inflatable spa has a 4-6 person capacity and is the largest of the Lay Z Spa hot tubs that we have reviewed. It features an automatic timer to ensure that the tub is up to temperature for the next time that you want to use the spa.
The Lay-Z-Spa Paris is supplied with a leatheroid cover with safety clips to ensure that you do not lose it in high winds and to stop any unwanted debris getting in when not in use avoiding the need of vacuuming. An air mat is also supplied for protection and insulation for heat retention.
You will receive a chemical floater along with two easy to replace filter cartridges for the water treatment system of your new inflatable hot tub.
The inflated size of the lazy spa Paris is a diameter of 1.96 cm (77 inch) and x 66 cm (26 inch) in height, the water capacity is 945 L (250 Gal) and the weight when 80{87f16ab57d904bb292fe891e18d372f71760a9ed649ea074c4a21cb65aabe842} is 1,215 kg (2,678 Lb).
Buying Guide for Inflatable Hot Tubs
So now you have seen the shortlist of our top 5 inflatable hot tubs and we hope that you now have an idea of which is best for your requirements. But before you make your investment there are some important things you need to consider.
What size inflatable hot tub do you need?
You might find that the 4-6 person hot tubs are actually more suitable as four people tubs if they are all going to be adults or grown teenagers. Likewise, the 4 person models are sometimes better suited for two adults and two small children and so on, so you need to take this into consideration.
To recap, here are our top 3 favorite picks:
- Luxurious Experience
- Water Treatment System
- 1,098L Water Capacity
- Temperature (20C-40C)
- Portable & Inflatable
- Heats Up to 40°C
- Relaxing
- Digital Control Panel
- 118 Air Jets
- Inflatable
- Digital Loc
- PTC Heating Technology
Air Jets or Hydro Jets?
There are two different types of massage jets used in hot tubs, air jets, and hydro jets (water jets).
If you are looking to use your inflatable hot tub for hydrotherapy then the hydro jests are the way to go as they give more of a body massage than the air jets. But there is a drawback to this in the fact that they are significantly more expensive, but that said still great value.
If you are only looking for a soothing warm soak with therapeutic air bubbles to take the tension from the day and ease those aching muscles or to relax and enjoy with family and friends while sipping a nice glass of wine then air jets are perfectly adequate for your needs.
Hot Tub Maintenance
Generally speaking, an inflatable hot tub does not require a lot of maintenance.
You will need chemicals to ensure that your water stays crystal clear and free from bacteria, normally a chemical floater is supplied by the manufacturer and you simply pop in a chlorine or bromine tablet, along with that you will need a testing kit or strip to ensure the water has the correct amount of chemical.
It is a good idea to have the chemicals at the ready for when your new inflatable hot tub arrives, there is nothing worse than having a hot tub up and running that is unsafe to use.
Check with the instruction book to see how to change the filter cartridges and how often it will need to be done, this is also a simple process, but, if not done regularly it will reduce the life span of the unit and you will end up with murky water.
Should any debris get into the hot tub then you will need to vacuum the bottom to remove it, but if you take care this should not be often.
Weight and Weight When Full
If you are planning on placing your inflatable on a raised area of decking, or inside etc, then you need to make sure that it is suitable to take the weight of the tub when full, people as well as water.
So check the people capacity and the water capacity, you can easily find the weight when full by reading the specs, but obviously this will not include the weight of the people.
Setting up
Installation is generally an incredibly easy thing when it comes to the hot tubs we’ve looked at in this post. Most models come with helpful instruction manuals, they are all self-inflating using their own pump and can be assembled and ready for filling in minutes.
When inflating you need to avoid over-inflating, as factors such as sunlight, heat, and water can inflate the tub further. Remember that you can always remove or add some more air while getting it right and always refer to the instruction booklet.
Heating Time
You need to keep in mind that for some of these models, it can take many hours for them to heat the water up to temperature, depending on the technology used and their design.
Obviously, the bigger the tub, the longer it will take to warm it up and the more energy it will use. So if you like to plan ahead look for a model that has a time
Choose the Right Place to Install it
The place you are going to install your tub is important, so there are some questions you can ask yourself to ensure you are making the right choice.
Try to avoid placing your inflatable hot tub under a tree, as this will incur more debris, Think about the time you are most likely to be using your inflatable and where the sun will be in your garden, and if you receive a lot of sun ensure the unit you invest in has some UV protection.
Hard and Soft Water
If you live in a hard water area then it could pay in the long term to purchase an inflatable hot tub that has a hard water treatment filtration system, as this will not only make the water softer on the skin and clothes but will increase the life of the tub.
Frequently Asked Questions
To finish off we will answer some of the questions that we get asked the most, we hope it helps you further in your search for the perfect inflatable hot tub experience.
What is the best inflatable hot tub to buy?
When considering which is the best inflatable hot tub to buy you will need to know your own requirements, and it really is down to personal preference and what you are going to use the hot tub for.
If you are looking for a hydrotherapy hot tub that gives a strong body massage, then your better choice would be one with hydro jets (water jets) opposed to a model that uses air jets.
If you want a hot tub for fun and relaxation, although they do still have plenty of health benefits, then air bubble jets will be perfectly suitable for your needs.
What should you put under an inflatable hot tub?
The manufacturer should supply an insulated ground cover that you should put under your inflatable hot tub if you do not receive one with your unit then be sure to purchase one as without it you could not only damage the bottom of the cushioned floor, but you will have a lot of heat loss due to lack of insulation.
Can I leave my lazy spa out in winter?
You should never leave your lazy spa out in the winter because, Like most items constructed from plastic and rubber, the units do not hold up well in cold temperatures and wintery conditions. Chilly air and frost can make the materials brittle and the tub is likely to puncture or split.
Are inflatable hot tubs any good?
The answer to are portable hot tubs worth it is Yes. The health benefits you gain from them are numerous, they help relieve stress and tension, along with helping mobility and even aiding sleep. They are durable, puncture-resistant and with modern PVC have the longevity required.
Review Summary
So, there you have it, you now know some of the main things to consider when buying the best portable hot tub for your needs and which in our opinion, are the best inflatable hot tubs, along with our tips for placing it in the right location and maintaining it to get the most out of it.
We are sure our list of the top 5 best inflatable hot tubs will help you find the best one. Have fun!