In an era of incredible competition for consumer dollars, premium spa dealers find themselves competing against the $3500.00 spa special from the big box stores and Internet spa stores. It looks great. It has lots of jets. It has fancy L. E. D. lights. It has a waterfall. It has a digital control, a cover, heater, and pumps. Why would anybody pay more?
We call these low end products "spa-like" objects. They look good, but are not the same as a premium spa. They are nothing like a Hot Spring Spa. While these products cost less to buy, they actually cost more to own. Much more! These price point spas have weak warranties. Out of pocket service costs begin shortly after the purchase. These spas have weaker filtration and purification systems. They'll need more chemicals to keep the water clean. The spa cover will be of lowest quality and have to be replaced sooner. The ozonator has a chip that needs replacement every year ( many so-called premium spa dealers sell the same). They are delivered to your driveway. It will cost extra to deliver it to the back yard.
The biggest money pit related to these "spa like objects" is the energy, the electricity, it takes to heat and keep them hot. These products are never insulated very well. Insulating a portable spa is a process that takes time and money. The insulating foam is expensive, as well as the equipment to use it. At Hot Spring Spas the foam room is over 100 yards long. Spas travel up and back in this room as they are foam insulated. Each layer of foam is allowed to cure properly before another layer is added. This layering creates thermal barriers and make the spa incredibly energy efficient. No cheap spa from a discount merchandiser is Energy Smart or a Flex Your Power Award Winner. In fact these spas are anything BUT cheap. They are energy hogs that will cost thousands more to own than a quality, energy efficient Hot Spring Spa. When you consider all costs of ownership, a Hot Spring Spa is less expensive than the cheap price point spa from a no service big box store or internet web site.
