What Are the Benefits of a Two-Person Walk-In Tub?

A two-person walk-in tub gives two bathers the safety of a walk-in tub at the same time: two seats in one tub, a door that locks into a leak-proof seal, and, with the Big4Two accessories, a rain shower and hand shower at each end so one bather can stand while the other sits safely. Ella's two-seat tubs come in more than one size and take the same therapy choices as the single-seat models. Walk-in Tub Models and Sizes: Soakers, Transfer, Two-Person, and Inswing Options lists the two-person sizes; this page explains what the second seat adds, what the accessory video shows, and what to check before you order one.

Bathing Together Behind a Walk-In Door

Ella describes its two-seat tubs as the intimate luxury of bathing for two, and that is the first benefit: a couple can share a bath without either person giving up the features that make a walk-in tub safer than a conventional one. You enter through a door rather than over a high wall, and the door locks against the water. The Tub4Two, written Tub for Two on the models overview, uses an outward-swinging U-shape door, an acrylic tub door with a tempered frosted glass panel in a white composite frame, closed by Ella's 3-latch gear and shaft mechanism. The outward door video on this page shows how that mechanism works: the U-shaped door's three shaft gear and lock system assures a tight, leak-proof seal, and the handle is easy to engage and disengage so you can settle into a relaxing, invigorating soak. For two people, that means both bathers enter through the same door opening and the door holds while either one is seated.

One Bather Stands While the Other Sits

The benefit that goes beyond simply sharing the water is shown in the Big4Two accessories video. Ella offers dual rain shower heads that provide a soft rain shower at both ends of the tub, which allows one bather to stand and shower while the other sits safely. There are also dual extendable multi-function hand showers, one for each end, so each bather can rinse from a seated position without reaching across the tub. To keep the spray in, the four-fold glass screen can be combined with a three-fold glass screen to create a bright and airy alternative to a shower curtain. Put together, the tub serves two routines at once: one person takes a standing shower while the other enjoys a seated soak, in the same tub at the same time. These are exclusive options for the Big4Two, chosen with the tub when you order, so mention them to your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 if that is how you plan to use it.

Jets for Both Seats, and the Full Therapy Menu

Ella's 80 inch two-person walk-in tub comes with a double-seated jet feature, so the therapy is not concentrated on one seat while the other bather simply soaks. Across the Ella lineup the therapy options include heated seat and back, hydro jets, air jets, microbubbles and hydrofoot therapy, and most models are also available as a soaker with no jets for anyone who wants a safe, comfortable soak without therapy. Add-ons such as a 24-inch hand shower slide bar or a 10 by 7.5-inch head pillow can be included depending on the model. Walk-in Tub Model Highlights: Longer, Deluxe, Monaco, and Transfer XXL breaks down the therapy menu by model, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 confirms which combinations and add-ons are available on the two-seat tub you choose.

Two Sizes, and What Each Asks of Your Bathroom

A two-person tub is not automatically an 80 inch commitment. The Tub for Two is listed in 36 by 80 inches, plus a smaller 32 by 60 inch version, and your Ella dealer can help confirm which version suits your bathroom layout. Whichever size you consider, run the same checks Ella recommends for any walk-in tub before you commit:

1. Measure the available space, including the floor area in front of the tub for the door. On the Tub4Two the U-shape door swings outward, so that clearance is floor space the door genuinely needs.
2. Decide whether you want jets or a simple soaking tub, and whether both seats need therapy.
3. Decide whether you need room for two bathers, wheelchair access, or both, since the two-seat and transfer families are different tubs.
4. Confirm your choice with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850.

Ella also offers a walk-in tub builder tool online, described alongside the Shower Builder Tool; ask your Ella dealer or the team for the link if you want to put the configuration together on screen before that conversation.

What Stands Behind a Two-Seat Tub

Every Ella walk-in tub, two-seat included, is assembled and tested to order around the model, size, door and therapy package you choose, at the company's facility in Chicago, and ships nationwide. The two-seat family sits alongside the stainless steel inward-swing door, outward-swing door, inward-swing acrylic door, wheelchair transfer and lay-down families, and each can be configured with different therapy packages, faucet sets, door sides and accessories. The published Lifetime Limited Warranty covers the bathtub shell, frame, door, door seal and finish, and the supporting equipment such as motors, pumps, fixtures, electronic controls, faucet, waste and overflow, for parts only, with the thermostatic control valve carrying a 1-year limited warranty. Are walk-in tubs any good, and are they worth buying? gathers an owner's account of what a walk-in tub delivers day to day: feeling secure, a quick fill and drain, therapy that is genuinely relaxing, and being able to shower as well as soak. A two-person tub delivers those same four things to two people at once, which is the simplest way to say what the second seat is for.

Watch: Big4Two: 2 Person Walk-In Tub Accessories For Couples | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Choosing a Two-Seat Walk-In Tub: Companion, Escape, Tub4Two, and Big4Two Compared
• Is the Ella Big4Two a walk-in shower or a two-seat bathtub?
• Adding a Second Faucet to the Tub4Two: What Changes for Ordering and Plumbing

Related Videos

Common Questions