How to Wet-Test a Hot Tub Before You Buy

A hot tub looks great under showroom lights. That tells you almost nothing about how it feels with the water up to your shoulders and the jets running. The only way to find out is to get in, which is why wet tests are available in the showroom at Brazos Valley Pools & Spas, on the Highway 6 frontage road in College Station. If you're about to put a spa in your backyard for the next decade, a little time in the water is the most useful research you can do.

Why a wet test beats a spec sheet

Spec sheets count jets and gallons. They can't tell you whether the seat puts your shoulder blades right where a jet lands, or whether your knees have somewhere comfortable to go. Two spas with the same jet count can feel completely different, because what matters is where the water hits and how much you can adjust it. A five minute sit in the floor model tells you more than an hour of reading. It also tells you what you don't like, which is just as valuable when you're narrowing down a row of tubs that all look alike from across the room.

What to bring and what to wear

Bring a swimsuit and a towel. It sounds obvious, but plenty of people show up in jeans, look at the tubs and never actually sit in one. If you're shopping with a partner, bring theirs too, since the person who is a foot shorter or a foot taller than you will find a different set of seats comfortable. Come with a rough idea of who will use the spa most often, and how. A tub for one person's nightly soak is a different purchase than a tub for a family that wants everyone in the water on a Saturday.

Sit in every seat, not just your favorite

Most people climb in, pick the first comfortable spot and stay there. Move around instead. Try each seat for a minute or two and pay attention to a few things:

• Can you sit upright with your feet flat, or are you sliding forward?
• Does the seat height put the water at your shoulders, or is your chest out in the air?
• Is the step or the entry easy on your knees and hips? Try getting in and out twice.
• Do the seats feel different from each other, or is it the same shape repeated?
• Can two people sit next to each other without knocking elbows?

Getting out matters more than most buyers expect. You'll do it every single time, and it's usually wet, sometimes cold outside, and sometimes at night. If the entry feels awkward in the showroom, it won't get better in your backyard.

Work the jets and try the lounger

Ask to have the jets running and then adjust them. Good jets can be turned up, turned down and aimed. Put your lower back, your calves and your neck against different jets and notice which ones you'd actually reach for. If the tub has a lounger, lie back in it and give it a real minute. A lounger is one of the seats people either love or never use, and you'll only know which after you've lain in it. This is also where hydrotherapy comes in: heat, buoyancy and moving water are the whole idea behind a hot tub, and the difference between a gentle setting and a strong one is easy to feel once you're in there. Consult a physician to ensure your best health before using a hot tub to improve or treat an existing health condition or injury.

Match the seat count to your household

Hot tubs are generally grouped by how many people they seat: 2 to 3, 4 to 5, 5 to 6, and 6 or more. Those numbers are a starting point, not a promise that everyone will fit comfortably at once. A tub listed for 4 to 5 people is a nice size for two adults who like room to stretch out and the occasional guest. A larger tub makes sense if you entertain, have teenagers or just like extra space, but it also takes more room in the yard and holds more water to heat and maintain.

The best way to check is to bring the people who will really use it. If you have three kids and a spouse, get all five of you in the water. It's a five minute test that can save you from buying a tub that feels great for two and cramped for everyone else.

Ask about delivery, electrical and custom orders

Once you've found a tub you like, ask what has to happen before it can be set up in your yard. A spa needs a properly run electrical supply and a solid, level place to sit, and delivery is timed around when your electrical is ready. Ask about all of it before you commit, so you know what your yard and your electrician need to do. One customer wrote in a Google review that the process was thorough from the first showroom visit through delivery and set-up once the electrical had been run, and that follow-on service for getting the water chemistry right was responsive.

If you don't see exactly what you want on the floor, ask. The shop will custom order it for you. And if you'd like to spread the cost, financing is available through Wells Fargo, subject to credit approval. To talk it through before you come by, call or text (979) 693-8533.