Is the Ella Lounger walk-in tub made in the USA or assembled here?

The Ella Lounger is assembled, jetted and tested to order in Chicago, Illinois, and its acrylic shell is manufactured overseas. The accurate description is "assembled and tested in the USA" and not "100 percent made in the USA." The brand-level answer is in Where Are Ella Tubs Made? Chicago Assembly, Testing, and Company Background, and this page shows what it means for the Lounger in particular.

What Is Made Overseas and What Is Done in Chicago

Ella's Bubbles says this openly in its published FAQ, and the same split applies to the Lounger as to the rest of the line.

• The shell. The acrylic shell is manufactured in partner factories in Asia. The customs guidance for Ella tubs states that the shells are manufactured in China. A company video also mentions facilities in Mexico and Asia.
• The jetting components. A 2018 company article notes that jetting components come from partner NuWhirl in California.
• The assembly. The therapy system, pump, heater, controls, faucet and drains are installed in Chicago. Each tub is pulled and drilled for the faucet and features on the order, then jetted and wired to the electrical standard it requires.
• The testing. Every tub is filled with water and tested in Chicago before it is cleaned, crated and shipped by freight.

So the honest answer to "made here or only assembled here" is that the Lounger's shell is made overseas, and the work that turns that shell into a finished, working bathtub is done in Chicago. Ella's Bubbles has been family-owned and family-run in Chicago since 2005, and every tub ships from there.

What Chicago Assembly Covers on a Lounger

The Lounger is not finished until an order exists, because the order decides what goes into the tub. The current Lounger spec sheet lists these configurations, and each one changes what is installed and wired in Chicago:

• Air + Hydro, with a digital controller and the LED chromatherapy light included
• Hydro + Hydro Independent Foot Massage, with push button control and the LED chromatherapy light included
• Hydro Massage + Microbubble, with push button control and the LED chromatherapy light included
• Hydro Massage, with push button control
• Soaking, with no jets

The spec sheet shows how different those builds are. Its figures are:

• Hydro massage: a 7A 900W pump, an intensity dial air control, ozone sterilization, a 6A 800W in-line water heater and 17 jets (11 seat jets, 4 foot jets and 2 calf jets).
• Hydro + Hydro foot massage: two hydro massage pumps and two intensity dials.
• Air massage: a 4.5A 500W three speed pump with auto-purge and 16 jets (8 seat jets and 8 foot jets).
• Microbubble therapy: a 1 HP 7.3A pump, a pressure vessel and an agitator valve.

The spec sheet also notes that the amp value for each pump may change based on availability, so verify the figures for your order with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

All of that equipment is fitted, plumbed and wired to the shell in Chicago, along with the parts every Lounger shares:

• A stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs
• An outward swing door of plastic composite and tempered glass with a 3 latch gear and shaft mechanism
• A removable front apron with two access panels
• Two 2 inch drains with two overflows
• A 2 piece faucet with a pull-out hand shower

The Lounger's actual size is 27 inches by 59 inches by 40 inches, with a 20 inch seat width and an unoccupied water capacity of 85 gallons.

The Testing a Lounger Passes Before It Leaves

The Chicago work includes testing as well as assembly. An independent quality control team fills the tub with water and runs the motors for several hours. Mechanical, electrical and water tests follow, then multiple inspections by the company's technicians. Only then is the tub cleaned, crated and shipped by freight from Chicago, with tracking emailed when it ships.

Because the Lounger is tested after it is built to the order, the test checks the configuration you chose and not a generic sample. A Lounger with air and hydro is filled and run with both systems installed. The full sequence is in What tests does each Ella tub pass in Chicago before it ships?

The company's production video shows this stage. It explains that each walk-in tub is produced to the customer's desired features and required electrical standards, shows the quality control team at work, and describes the water fill, the motor run and the inspections before the tub is cleaned and packed.

Why Ella Says Assembled and Not Made

You will see "Made in Chicago" in some company video titles, and the production video says products are manufactured and completed in the USA. Those lines describe the Chicago assembly, jetting and testing. They do not mean that every part originates in the United States. Because the shell comes from overseas, Ella describes its tubs as assembled and tested in the USA, and that is the wording to rely on.

The same distinction appears on shipping paperwork. For customs purposes the declared country of origin for an Ella walk-in tub is China, with final assembly in the United States. This matters most if your Lounger is crossing a border, since any duty, tax or brokerage at the destination is the buyer's responsibility. The details for brokers are in Where Are Ella Walk-In Tubs Made, and What Is the Country of Origin for Customs? Ella tubs are also not made in Canada, despite the occasional article that says otherwise.

How to Check for Yourself

If origin matters to your decision, you can verify the answer in several ways.

• See the tub. Every model is on display in the Chicago showroom, and live video tours are available for customers elsewhere.
• Read the Lounger spec sheet. It lists the dimensions, the net weight of 215 lbs, the shipping weight of 365 lbs, the therapy packages and the electrical requirements. Every package calls for dedicated GFCI protected 110/120V 60Hz electrical service.
• Look at the company record. Ella's Bubbles holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and its background is covered in Is Ella's Bubbles a legitimate walk-in tub company?
• Ask about your order. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can confirm the configuration and the current pump figures for the Lounger you have in mind. You can also open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support.

For most Lounger buyers, the practical point is that the pumps, heater, controls, faucet and drains are installed and tested in Chicago. The company that did that work also supports the tub afterward.

Watch: Our Quality Walk-In Tubs Made in Chicago, IL | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

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• Are the pumps, heaters and faucets on Ella tubs made in the USA?
• What Are the Acrylic Shell and Stainless Steel Frame on a Walk-In Tub?

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