Are There Differences Between Standard Bathtubs in Size and Design?

Yes. Standard bathtubs are usually planned around the same 60 inch alcove, but they differ in width, length, soaking depth, water capacity, drain side and built-in features. Ella's two conventional alcove tubs show the range clearly, as Fiji 36x66 and Solo 32x60 Infusion Microbubble Alcove Bathtubs: Specs, Electrical and Warranty lays out: the Solo measures 32 by 60 inches and the Fiji measures 36 by 66 inches, and the two differ in depth, capacity and controls as well.

What the Word Standard Really Describes

A standard bathtub is an open basin that you climb into over the side wall and lie down in. There is no door, no seat and no threshold. When people call a tub standard they usually mean two things: it sits in an alcove, and it is the tub a replacement is measured against. In the published Ella height comparison, the standard bathtub appears as the reference row with a 60 inch alcove and a soaking depth of about 11 inches, and no overall height is listed for it because a standard tub is usually described by its soaking depth instead.

That reference is a starting point, not a single size. Within the standard category the footprint, the depth of the water and the features built into the shell all change from tub to tub. The plumbing behind the tub is one of the few things that stays familiar: an installer in one of Ella's videos notes that standard house plumbing for a bathtub is an inch and a half drain.

Standard Bathtub Sizes Side by Side

The table uses only figures printed in the published Ella articles and spec sheets. Two walk-in models are included at the bottom so you can see how a standard tub compares with the tubs that often replace it. Where a figure is not published, the cell says so.

What the differences mean: two tubs that are both called standard can still be very different baths. The Fiji is 4 inches wider and 6 inches longer than the Solo, and at 66 inches it is longer than the 60 inch reference alcove, so the opening has to suit it. The smaller Solo is actually the deeper soak, with 17 inches of soaking depth against 16 inches on the Fiji, and both are deeper than the roughly 11 inches of the reference bathtub. Both stand 24 inches tall, which is well below the 35 inches of a seated walk-in tub such as the Elite. The full height comparison is in How tall are bathtubs and walk-in tubs, and why does it matter?.

Design Differences You Can See and Feel

Size is only half of the story. The Solo and the Fiji share the same basic construction, yet each is finished and equipped differently.

• Shell and frame. Both have a gloss white fiberglass-reinforced acrylic shell on a stainless steel frame with leveling legs, a removable front apron and an acrylic end panel.
• Front panel. The Fiji adds a wide panoramic glass front. The Solo does not list one.
• Lighting. The Fiji includes four LED chromatherapy lights. The Solo sheet does not list lights.
• Controls. The Fiji runs its therapy from a digital control, and the Solo uses an on/off push control.
• Drain side. Each tub is made in a left side drain and a right side drain version. The Solo is MB3260L or MB3260R, and the Fiji is MB3666L or MB3666R.
• Weight. The Solo has a net weight of 170 pounds and the Fiji 180 pounds.

Both tubs also carry something most standard bathtubs do not: the Infusion Microbubble Therapy system. It is a 10 amp, 1200 watt system with a 1 HP pump, a pressure vessel, an agitator valve, an air switch and one jet. There are no hydro or air jets on either tub, so microbubble is the only therapy and the water stays quiet during the bath. Because the system is powered, these standard tubs have an electrical requirement as well as a plumbing connection, so plan for a local licensed electrician alongside your plumber.

The Ella Standard Is a Walk-In Tub, Not a Standard Bathtub

The name causes some friendly confusion. The Ella Standard is a walk-in model with a door and a built-in seat, not a conventional step-over bathtub. The video on this page tours it and shows 43 inches of interior length, a 22 inch wide seat with a seat length of 18 inches, and a soaking depth of 15 inches, measured from the top of the seat to the center of the overflow. It can come with a 7 inch extension panel so it fits neatly into a 60 inch tub alcove.

The Ella Standard ships as a hydro massage tub with 18 hydro jets, an intensity control dial and an in-line heater, the 5-piece fast-fill faucet with a pull-out hand shower, and one 2 inch gravity floor drain with an overflow and an emergency pull-up chain. Its sister models differ in their own ways. The Standard60 shares the 5-piece faucet set, while the Zen and Zen60 use the same inward-swing acrylic S-shape door platform with a 2-piece single-lever set. The faucet for every model is listed in Which Ella Walk-In Tubs Come With the 2-Piece or 5-Piece Faucet?, and Comparing Ella's Bubbles Walk-In Tub Models shows how the wider lineup varies by size, door style and features.

What the Differences Mean for Your Bathroom

Start with the actual size, not the name. A tub called 32x60 or 36x66 tells you the footprint, but the height, the soaking depth and the capacity are separate figures, and each one changes how the bath feels. A deeper soaking depth means more of you is under water. A larger capacity means more hot water for every bath, which is why the sheets print both the full figure and the occupied range.

Next, match the drain side to your home. The Solo and the Fiji are each built as a left or right drain model, so the drain side is chosen when the tub is ordered. Your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can confirm the right version for your layout.

Finally, decide whether stepping over the wall still suits you. A standard tub asks you to climb over the side every time. A walk-in tub is entered through a sealed door, has a molded seat at chair height, and is filled after you sit down and drained before you leave. Those practical points are compared in Walk-In Tub Versus a Regular Bathtub: Seven Practical Differences in Entry, Seating, Fill and Drain, Water Use, Electrical, Installation and Cleaning. If you love a full-length soak but want a door, the LayDown 30x60 keeps the 60 inch length at 21 inches high with a 15 inch soaking depth.

Watch: The Ella Standard: Perfect for a Comfortable Deep Soak with Hydrotherapy | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• How many gallons of water does a walk-in tub hold?
• Interior Length, Seat-to-Overflow and Seat-to-Footwell by Model: The Soaking Depth Table

Common Questions