The “plug and play” revolution has come to hot tub technologies. It’s a simple concept. When you order your new hot tub, all you need to do is install it and then plug it into any standard household outlet. In just minutes, you can be enjoying the warmth and luxury which makes a hot tub such an inviting purchase. Finding the best plug and play hot tub means looking for some specific features and traits for your home, which this guide is intended to help you do.
The Best Chart for Plug and Play Hot Tubs
Plug and play hot tubs have grown in popularity because they are affordable, durable, and easy to use. If you’ve already got a flat and supportive foundation for your hot tub and you know what you want, then the chart below will help you find the right investment today.
What Is a Plug and Play Hot Tub and Why Do I Need One?
Plug and play hot tubs are just like any other hot tub. They provide you crushing jets that relax your muscles, a hot soak which allows your joints to feel better, and plenty of space for all your friends. Many models come with the ability to seat 4 people, but there are six-person and even eight-person plug and play hot tubs that are available from today’s best manufacturers.
The advantage of choosing this type of hot tub is simple: you don’t have to mess with the wiring of your home. Outside of the portable or plug and play designs for hot tubs today, the standard hot tub requires a 50 Amp circuit dedicated to the hot tub with a 240v outlet. This makes the hot tub be similar to your dryer, refrigerator, and some stoves when it comes to power requirements.
Although most homes have 200 Amp loads they can handle with their circuits, some rural older homes may still be on 60 Amp lines. The standard hot tub, therefore, would put too much stress on the system and overload it unless virtually everything was unplugged in the home before using it.
The plug and play hot tub still requires power, but it can come from any standard household circuit. You’ll want to have a GFCI outlet installed for your hot tub so it will trip if it gets wet or overloaded, but that is often the only modification homeowners need to make when purchasing this type of hot tub. That means they are suitable for indoor or outdoor use.
How to Find the Right Plug and Play Hot Tub for Me
In a word: size. Most plug and play hot tubs are designed for 3-4 people to use them at a time. If you have a larger family or plenty of friends that will want to come over and use the hot tub with you, then you may wish to consider one of the larger models.
There’s another word: features. Plug and play hot tubs can be equipped with all of the features of any other hot tub. This includes multiple massage jets, head rests, and even salt water systems in some models. This means you can meet your specific needs without the requirement of changing your electrical wiring to do so. Just look at the plug and play hot tub reviews to find the right combination of features that you need.
Portability is another reason to consider the plug and play hot tub. This design means that even those who rent a home instead of own it can experience all of the advantages of owning a hot tub. You don’t need permission to change the wiring in the home, can take the hot tub with you without difficulty, and it doesn’t even require modifications within military housing either.
What Are the Advantages of a Plug and Play Hot Tub?
Sure – you plug this hot tub in and it’s ready to use. There are more advantages to consider with this design that can reinforce its benefits.
- You have design options. One of the unique plug and play designs is a 2-person triangle hot tub. This allows you to place a hot tub in the corner of a deck, garage, or sun room without taking up a lot of space.
- You have energy efficient options. Several models in this design can even meet California’s stringent Energy Commission requirements. That means you can run your hot tub as much as you like without paying a huge power bill at the end of the month.
- You have fast maintenance. All you need to do with the plug and play hot tub is to drain it in order to clean it. There aren’t multiple steps, components, and cartridges that need the same regular maintenance.
The disadvantage in many cases for this hot tub design is its size. If you want a hot tub that is small and affordable, then this is one of the best options to consider. Although larger models are available, they tend to be priced comparatively to standard hot tubs that require a specific electrical circuit. If you need something larger and more permanent, then another one of the best home hot tub designs will be better to meet your needs.
What Are the Prices of Plug and Play Hot Tubs?
For most hot tubs that qualify as plug and play models, the price will fall somewhere between $2,000-$2,500 today. Smaller models that just seat 2 people can sometimes be found for less than this. Models with premium features that seat 2-4 may be priced in the $3,000-$3,500 range. If you want a 6-8 person plug and play hot tub, prices tend to start at $3,800 and then go up from there.
What Do Our Reviews Have to Say?
Lifesmart 400DX
There’s a lot to like with this plug and play hot tub. You get a waterfall and a number of hydrotherapy jets that give this model some extra value. It’s also sturdy, maintains its heat well for the design, and has enough seating for up to 5. The shell of the hot tub is pretty tough and requires minimal overall maintenance as long as the water quality is maintained. It’s made from coated fiberglass and has a little texture on it, but nothing that feels uncomfortable. Then, as an extra bonus, the LED lighting can change colors.
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Strong Spas
This is the perfect family hot tub thanks to its virtually indestructible resin cabinet. We like the combination of foot jets with back jets for reasonably good hydrotherapy, though there are only 11 jets in total with this design. The stainless steel heater is suitable for a 4 season installation and the plug and play design works well as long as it’s on a dedicated circuit. If you can give this hot tub a little bit of time to heat up, it will provide you with a number of large relaxation benefits.
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American Spas
This unique triangular hot tub can fit into virtually any corner of your home, deck, or backyard. It’s light enough that installing it indoors on a joist is easy enough to do, or you can use virtually any concrete pad or concrete paver to get the job done. We also loved how easy it was to perform maintenance tasks with this particular hot tub. The filter placement is within easy reach and it just takes a couple of minutes to swap out the filters. This way you’ll always receive a clean and sanitary hot tub experience without much hassle at all.
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Home and Garden
This unique round plug and play hot tub works as a somewhat portable model and a somewhat permanent model, giving homeowners some extra versatility. It’s also one of the better energy saving models that is available on the market today and can seat up to 4 people. It requires 20 amp service, so some homes may need a circuit upgrade despite the plug and play design. Price includes the hard cover and delivery, so it’s a solid and affordable hot tub that can meet most needs. Let’s not forget about the powerful 14 jets included either.
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Lifesmart Luna
This is a smaller plug and play oval-shaped hot tub that can seat two or three people pretty comfortably. It’s also got a bucket seating arrangement which allows you to shift and move easily when using the hot tub. Controls are a little awkward to access for some, but that small negative is overshadowed by the consistent warmth this hot tub is able to provide. If you want to sustain a max temperature, you’ll get about 15-20 minutes of use before the heater is unable to catch up, but you’ll still stay in the 100 range for an extended hot tub session.
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The best plug and play hot tub could potentially save you thousands of dollars in installation costs. It will also provide you with similar hydrotherapy benefits, give you consistent warmth, and require minimal ongoing maintenance. These are some of the best values in our industry today. Find yours and you’ll be able to relax in style all season long.