Soaking tub vs jetted tub: which walk-in tub should I choose?

Choose a soaking tub if you are certain you will never want massage jets, and choose a jetted tub if you want hydro or air therapy, or even think you might, because the jets can always be left off but can never be added later. Both versions of an Ella model share the same door, seat, faucet, hand shower and drain hardware; what differs is what sits under the shell, the electrical supply, the monthly upkeep and the bath products you can use. What Is a Soaking Walk-In Tub? defines the soaker; this page puts the two side by side so you can decide before you order.

What Is Actually Different

Every Ella therapy system is built into the shell at the factory. A soaker is molded without jet openings and nothing is installed under the tub, so the interior is smooth and there is nothing to switch on. The in-line water heater, ozone sterilization and Auto Purge all belong to the hydro and air systems, so a soaker has none of them and holds the water at the temperature you fill it. The LED chromatherapy light is also absent, since it comes only with dual and triple therapy packages. A jetted tub adds pumps, an in-line heater and ozone or Auto Purge equipment under the tub, plus the hydro and air lines that carry water and air to the jets, and those systems need a dedicated electrical supply. Because the package is part of the shell, jets cannot be added to a soaker later and a jetted tub cannot be turned into a soaker.

What those rows mean in practice: the soaker is the lighter commitment for the house, since it asks nothing of the electrical panel and nothing of your monthly routine beyond cleaning the acrylic. The jetted tub asks for a dedicated circuit and a once-a-month flush, and it puts bubble bath and bath oils off the list, but it is the only way to get massage, heated water circulation and ozone, and it still soaks like a plain tub whenever you leave the controls alone. The decision is permanent at order time, so weigh whether anyone in the household will want massage over the life of the tub.

The Case for a Jetted Tub

A jetted Ella tub is a soaking tub whenever you want it to be. Every therapy system is switched on by its own push control and nothing runs until you press it. Fill the tub, leave the controls alone, and the water sits still. The hydro system starts when you press its control, and on three-speed air units the first press is high speed, the second is medium, the third is low, and a fourth press turns the system off. Hydro alone, air alone, both together or neither are all available. Running the hydro system also runs the ozone sterilization on tubs that have it, which is one reason to run the jets at least during the monthly flush. If you use the air massage, expect the Auto Purge: it activates automatically 20 minutes after the air pump is turned off and runs for 120 seconds to blow residual water out of the air lines. It cannot be stopped and it is normal even if it starts while you are still in the tub. Can I Use My Jetted Ella Walk-In Tub as a Plain Soaking Tub With the Jets Off? covers the jets-off routine.

The Case for a Soaking Tub

The soaker is the easiest Ella tub to care for. There are no jet lines, so there is no monthly vinegar flush; bath salts and oils simply rinse away with the drain; and care comes down to the acrylic, the door seal and the drain. Clean the acrylic with approved non-abrasive cleaners and keep the door open when the tub is not in use to protect the seal. Because the drains work by gravity and there are no pumps, a plain soaking tub needs no dedicated electrical circuit at all. The one electrical item a soaker can have is the optional heated seat and backrest, which runs on its own keypad and needs a 15A 120V GFCI-protected line. The trade-off is that the soaker has no in-line heater, so it holds the water at the temperature you fill it, and it offers no massage of any kind. Soaking Walk-In Tub vs Jetted Tub: Which Is Easier to Maintain? goes deeper on the upkeep side.

Bath Products: The Rule That Surprises Jetted Tub Owners

A jetted tub draws bath water in through the intake, pushes it through the pump and the in-line heater, and sends it back out through the jets, and anything in the water makes that trip too. That is why bubble bath, bath bombs, scented or colored bath salts and bath oils are not recommended in a jetted tub: oils coat the inside of the pumps and lines where they are hard to flush out, and dyes, glitter and solids can lodge in a jet. Everyday soaps, shampoos and body wash are always fine. Plain Epsom salt is allowed if it is dissolved completely in warm water first, drained when you finish, and rinsed off the chrome, since dried salt residue can spot the finish. In a soaking-only tub with no pumps the rules are much more relaxed. If scented baths matter to you, that alone can tip the choice. Is Bubble Bath, Bath Bombs or Bath Oil OK in a Jetted Walk-In Tub? What the Jets Can and Cannot Handle has the product-by-product verdicts.

Which Models Offer Each Configuration

Most Ella models can be ordered as a soaker: the Elite, Petite and Royal with the stainless inward-swing door; the Capri, Monaco, Front Entry, Mobile and Lounger with the U-shape outward door; the whole Transfer family, meaning the Transfer26, Transfer30, Transfer32, Transfer60 and TransferXXL; and both LayDown sizes. A few models are always jetted: the Ultimate, Deluxe and Ultra, the Big4One and ShaK, the Standard, Standard60, Zen, Zen60 and Flow hydro platforms, and the two-seat tubs. If the model you want is on the always-jetted list, the jets-off routine above is how it becomes a soaker on the days you want one. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can confirm a specific model.

Soaking Depth Is the Same Question for Both

Whichever you choose, the comfort of a soak depends on how deep the water sits on you, and the embedded video shows how Ella measures it. Three factors decide soaking depth: the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat, and the depth from the top of the seat to the center of the overflow drains. A bather's own size then determines the result, so compare your seated measurements with the drawing for the model you are considering. The dimensions, door, seat, faucet and crate size of a soaker match the jetted version exactly, so soaking depth does not change with the configuration. Once installed, the routine in How Do I Clean and Maintain My Walk-In Tub? applies to a jetted tub in full and to a soaker without the flush.

Related Guides

• What is a soaker tub and how deep does it soak?
• Does a Soaking Walk-In Tub Need Electrical Wiring or Keep the Water Warm?
• What the Soaking + Heated Seat & Back Schematic Shows: Three Components, No Pumps, and the Only 15 Amp Callout

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