I Test

If your dream backyard oasis includes a hot tub, you might be deterred by sticker shock. The starting price range for a four-person hot tub is $2,000 to $4,000. And you’ll need to pay an electrician and plumber to help set it up.

But what about those inflatable models?

Some customers found their blow-up, bubbly tubs a big disappointment. So I was curious when I had the opportunity to try an inflatable hot tub.

My parents had just poured a new concrete patio, and they purchased a hot tub at Costco on a whim. They’d had a high-end Jacuzzi tub in the home they sold when they retired, and they were missing those nice, relaxing soaks.

I was skeptical that a $500 hot tub from Costco might be the answer—but I was blown out of the water!

This model delivered, and so did the experience of soaking under the stars. And for anyone willing to put in the minimal outlay for maintenance, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

(SaluSpa)

The therapeutic benefits of a hot tub are well-documented. A hot soak can reduce stress, relieve aches and pains, and improve sleep.

And luckily, this affordable hot tub is accessible to many. Not only can retired folks like my parents fit it into their fixed budgets, but so can first-time homeowners or apartment dwellers lucky enough to have patio space.

(Note: If you have an elevated deck, first check the weight limitations, as a four-person hot tub filled with water weighs 4,000 pounds!)

The model I tried, the SaluSpa Laguna Air Jet Inflatable Hot Tub, is straightforward to assemble.

The inflatable lining is filled via the accompanying "spa heater" motor. That's right—the same machine that forces the air bubbles into the spa is also used to inflate the tub. You just hook up the air hose, press a button, and voila! You’ve got a four-person hot tub. It's similar to inflating an air mattress.

The lid is inflated the same way. Bonus: The lid is insulated, so it not only keeps out debris and bugs, but it also helps retain the water's heat.

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Standard hot tubs have to be hardwired by an electrician. They require 220-volt electric and a 40- to 60-amp dedicated breaker.

For most homeowners, this means having to update their electrical panel. Though Dad is a retired electrician and could do that work himself, he was reluctant to invest more in his electrical panel.

And he didn't have to with the inflatable hot tub, since it's 120 volts. It can be plugged right into an existing outdoor outlet. And that's a real advantage for those of us who are not electricians.

The tub was great at first. It seats three comfortably. (It could seat four if you know each other well and don't mind good-natured bickering over legroom.)

For two people, it's just right. Mom and Dad used it all summer. But once winter set in, the water no longer felt hot enough to be comfortable. So they put a lid on it. Literally.

The annual weather ranges from 47 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, where my parents live. So even 47 degrees is a pretty good ambient, outdoor air temperature for maintaining a hot tub's heat heat, and it's way above freezing. Even then, the water wasn't staying hot enough between uses.

Dad researched ways to insulate the tub for better heat retention, and I was game to help with a project.

He drew up plans for a wooden platform about four inches above the concrete patio. His plan was to slide a large panel of foam-board insulation about two inches thick underneath the deck and place a smaller one on top, right under the tub.

We constructed the deck in a weekend, and I painted the wood with a weatherproof stain.

Then we added the insulation, reinstalled the hot tub, and filled it up. And now? The tub is ready for four-season use.

The ease of the installation can make the required maintenance feel quite unexpected, even daunting. But with a few tips and tricks, the upkeep is not that bad.

Sally Jones writes about home buying, decorating, and renovating. Her work has been published by Realtor.com, Family Handyman, ConsumerAffairs, Reader's Digest, Brit + Co, and MSN. See her kitchen and bath designs come to life on her blog, Renov8or.

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