How Far Does the Backrest Recline? Published Backrest Angles and What Owners Say About Seating Comfort by Model

Ella walk-in tubs are seated soaking tubs, so every backrest is closer to upright than a recliner, with a gentle lean built into the shell. The spec drawings print a backrest angle for four models: the Ultra at 88 degrees, the Flow at 96 degrees, and the Monaco and Mobile at 101 degrees. In that scale 90 degrees is straight up, so a bigger number means more lean. Most other spec sheets do not print an angle, and the team can read the drawing for any specific model if you need it. Below are the published figures, what owners have been told about seating comfort on particular models, and the things you can change to make the seat feel right for you.

Backrest Angles Printed on the Drawings

• Ultra: 88 degrees. The Ultra's backrest is very slightly forward of vertical, which pairs with the 17 inch seat height and 19 inch seat length called out in its product video to keep you upright and supported.
• Flow 28x48: 96 degrees, a mild lean in the smallest inward-door tub.
• Monaco 32x52: 101 degrees, the most reclined figure printed on a current drawing.
• Mobile 26x45: 101 degrees, the same lean as the Monaco in a much smaller footprint.

Every other spec sheet leaves the angle off the drawing. If you are deciding between two models and want the number, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 to read it from the CAD drawing rather than estimating from a photo.

How to Read the Number

Think of the seat as the floor of a protractor. A 90 degree backrest is straight up and down. Anything above 90 leans back, so 96 degrees is a little more relaxed than 88, and 101 degrees is the most reclined of the four. None of these angles are anywhere near a lounge chair. Walk-in tubs keep you seated with your feet in the footwell, and the water does the relaxing. If lying down is what you are after, the LayDown 30x60 and 32x72 are the models built for it.

What the Team Has Said About Specific Models

These notes come from support conversations rather than a printed drawing, so treat them as descriptions of how the seat feels, not as specifications.

• TransferXXL: the backrest is only slightly reclined, roughly 10 to 15 degrees off vertical by the team's reading of the drawing: not straight up and down, but much less leaned back than the pictures of other tubs suggest, which suits bathers who want an upright seat.
• LayDown: the sides look straight, but the shell has a slight curve at the back for support, and the team recommends adding the seat pillow for extra comfort.
• Big4One 33x66: described by the team as the most comfortable seating position in the line, which is why it comes up so often for taller and broader bathers who find smaller seats upright and snug.

Comfort Levers You Control

You cannot change the angle molded into the shell, but you can change how it feels.

• Headrest pillows and seat risers: a headrest pillow softens the top of the backrest, and a seat pillow riser lifts you a little for a deeper feel of support. Which tubs take which accessories is covered in swivel tray, seat pillow riser and seat cushions.
• Heated seat and backrest: the optional radiant heater pads warm the seat and back while the tub fills, which makes an upright seat feel far more relaxed.
• Soaking depth: how far the water comes up your body depends on the distance from the top of the seat to the overflow, not the backrest angle. The full table is in interior length, seat-to-overflow and seat-to-footwell by model.

Seat Heights

Seat height is the other half of the comfort question. About 17 inches is the highest seat in the line, and it is the seat-to-footwell figure on most outward-door, Transfer and two-seat models and the height the Ultra's product video describes as ADA compliant. The stainless-door family (Elite, Petite, Royal, Deluxe and Ultimate), the Mobile and the Escape sit lower at about 15 inches, and the Front Entry at 16. There is no adjustable-height seat. The comparison chart's seat-to-footwell column, collected in the interior dimensions article above, gives the figure for every model. For step-in heights at the door, see step-in threshold heights by model.

See the Ultra Seat and How Depth Is Measured

This short clip explains that soaking depth comes from three things: the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat, and the distance from the top of the seat to the center of the overflow. A more reclined backrest does not add water depth, so if a deep soak is the goal, compare the seat-to-overflow figures rather than the angles. Watch: How to Measure the Soaking Depth of Your Walk-In Tub with a full transcript.

Related Guides

• What is the smallest walk-in tub for a petite bather?

Common Questions

Want the backrest angle or seat measurements for a model that is not listed here? Ask through ellasbubbles.com/support with the model name, or call (800) 480-6850, and the team will pull the drawing for you.