Choosing a therapy package comes down to a few practical questions: do you want a firm, targeted massage or a gentle one, do you care more about your feet or your skin, and how much equipment do you want under the tub? Below are the ten questions people ask most often when deciding, each with a short answer and a pointer to a fuller article. None of this is medical advice; if you are bathing for a health reason, talk it over with your doctor first.

Is Hydro or Air Better for Muscle Tension?

Hydro. Hydro massage uses a water pump and larger jets placed at the back, hips and feet to deliver a focused massage, and it is the one people reach for with muscle and joint discomfort. Air massage sends a gentle stream of small bubbles through the seat and floor and is more about relaxation and circulation than deep work. If you want both in one tub, Hydro plus Air gives you the firm water jets and the soft air jets together. The two systems are compared in detail in hydro massage vs air massage.

Which Is Better, Foot Hydro or Microbubble?

They do different jobs, so it depends on what you want. Independent foot massage is a second water pump dedicated to the foot and calf jets, with its own dial, so you can fill just the footwell and enjoy a foot bath without filling the whole tub. Microbubble is a skin therapy rather than a massage: billions of oxygen-rich microbubbles turn the water cloudy and work on exfoliating and softening the skin. For foot and calf comfort, staff usually point to Hydro plus Independent Foot. For skin, it is microbubble. See independent foot massage and Infusion microbubble therapy.

This video explains why Ella fits a separate pump for the foot jets instead of a small plastic diverter that steals flow from the back jets. Each system gets its own pump and controls, so the foot massage and the back massage can run at full strength at the same time.

Not Sure What the Therapy Options Mean, Air Versus Hydro?

Hydro means water jets, the traditional whirlpool action, driven by a water pump. Air means small independent air jets fed by a blower. Hydro is stronger and more targeted; air is gentler and covers more of the body. Soaking means no jets at all. Microbubble is a third option that changes the water itself rather than massaging you. A package-by-package list of what comes with each is in what comes with each therapy package, and the models that take each combination are in which therapy combinations fit which tub.

Can I Order a Tub with Fewer Jets?

No. The jet layout is fixed for each package, and the choice is between the full jetted package and a soaking tub with no jets. Custom jet counts are not offered. What you can do is turn the strength down: every hydro tub has an intensity control dial that takes the jets from firm down to very mild, so a full set of jets does not mean a strong massage unless you want one.

Is There Such a Thing as Ozone Therapy?

Not on an Ella tub. Ozone sterilization is a cleaning system for the hydro massage lines. The generator runs with the hydro pump and keeps the jet lines fresh between baths. It is not a therapy you feel, and it is not offered on tubs without hydro jets, because there are no water lines for it to clean. The microbubble system is a separate thing: it mixes water and air under pressure to make the bubbles, and it does not use the ozone unit.

Can I Get Air Massage Only on a Transfer30?

No. The Transfer30 offers air massage paired with hydro rather than on its own; you can order it as a soaker, hydro, Hydro plus Air, Hydro plus Independent Foot, or Hydro plus Microbubble. Air-only is offered on the LayDown tubs.

Is Microbubble a Step Up from Air?

Not really a step up, more a different direction. Air massage is a gentle bubble massage from many small jets. Microbubble is a single jet fed by its own pump and pressure tank that fills the tub with microscopic bubbles until the water turns cloudy white, and its purpose is skin cleansing and softening. Microbubble is a premium package with its own pump and pressure tank, and not every model has room for it; your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can confirm which combinations fit the tub you have in mind.

Watch the water go from clear to completely cloudy as the microbubbles fill the tub. That milky look is what a working microbubble system produces, and it is the visual difference between microbubble and air massage.

Which Package Do Most People Choose?

Hydro plus Air is the combination staff recommend most often and one of the most popular choices, because people like having the maximum number of jets in one tub: water jets at the back and feet plus air jets across the floor and footwell. Hydro alone is also very popular with anyone who mainly wants the classic jetted-tub feel, and Hydro plus Foot and Hydro plus Microbubble both have their fans. The right package is the one that matches how you plan to use the tub.

Which Therapy for Neuropathy or Arthritis?

We cannot give medical advice, and our products are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. What we can say is what each system does: hydro massage delivers a focused water massage aimed at muscle and joint discomfort, independent foot massage concentrates that on the feet and calves, air massage is gentle and geared toward relaxation and circulation, and microbubble is for the skin. When customers describe foot or calf discomfort, staff have often suggested Hydro plus Independent Foot. Please involve your doctor or therapist in the decision. Temperature and soak-time guidance is in warm-water bathing guidelines.

Can I Turn the Jet Strength Down for a Gentle Bath?

Yes. Every hydro package includes an intensity control dial that adds or removes air from the water stream, and at the low end the jets are so mild you can barely feel them. Air massage has three speeds, and the third press gives you the lowest. Foot massage packages have a second dial for the lower jets.

Common Questions

Still weighing two packages? Describe how you plan to use the tub at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and the team will help you compare.