Do Walk-In Tubs Come With Massage Jets and Hydrotherapy Included?

Not automatically. On an Ella walk-in tub the massage jets belong to the therapy package chosen when the tub is ordered: most models can be built as a soaker with no jets, with hydro massage, or with hydro and air massage together, while the Standard and Standard60 ship only as hydro tubs with 18 jets. Because the jets and their lines are molded into the shell at the factory, the package cannot be changed after delivery. What Are Hydro Massage Jets on a Walk-In Tub? explains the water jets themselves; this page covers what comes with the tub and what does not.

Hydro Massage: The Water Jets

Hydro massage jets, also called hydrotherapy jets, water jets or whirlpool jets, are fed by a pump that recirculates your own bath water. When you press the Water button the pump draws water in through the inlet cover and pushes it back out through the jets for a deep, targeted massage to the back, hips, legs and feet. Two things run automatically with the pump and need no button of their own: the in-line heater holds the water at the temperature you filled it, and the ozone generator sterilizes the water as it circulates. The intensity dial on the deck is an air control on a small hose rather than an electrical part; turning it adds or removes air in the water stream to make the massage firmer or softer.

Jet counts belong to the package, not the model name. The Standard ships with 18 hydro jets on an 8.1A 900W pump, the Elite's hydro package has 16 jets, 10 in the seat and 6 in the foot area, and the Transfer family's Hydro Massage package lists 22 jets, 16 seat and 6 foot. Tubs with independent foot massage add a second pump and dial for the foot and calf jets. Fill the tub 1 to 2 inches above the highest hydro jet before starting the pump; running a pump dry causes permanent damage that is not covered by warranty.

Air Massage: The Bubble Jets

Air massage jets are small brass jets set into the seat, the base of the seat and the footwell floor. A three-speed blower, typically 4.5A 500W and 6.4A on the Elite, pushes air through lines under the tub and out through the jets for a gentle, effervescent full-body bubble massage. Press the Air button once for high speed, twice for medium, three times for low, and a fourth time to turn the system off. About 20 minutes after the pump is turned off, Auto Purge starts on its own and blows the lines dry for 120 seconds; it cannot be stopped and is completely normal. The first video on this page shows the three-speed air massage and Auto Purge in action, along with the hip, foot and bidet jet placement.

Air massage is offered as part of a therapy package on most Ella families, including the stainless-door, outward-swing, Transfer, two-seat and LayDown tubs. The Standard, Standard60, Zen, Zen60 and Flow are hydro-only platforms and do not carry air jets. The Deluxe ships with a fixed Air + Hydro package, and the Shak and Big4One ship with digital air massage alongside their dual hydro pumps. What Are Air Massage Jets on a Walk-In Tub? maps where the jets sit on each family.

What Each System Includes

The table shows why the answer to the search question is "it depends on the package you order." A hydro package always brings the heater and ozone with it, an air package always brings the three-speed blower and Auto Purge, and a soaker brings neither. The one family that does not give you the choice is the Standard, which is always a hydro tub. Everything else is decided before the tub is built, so settle the package with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 rather than planning to add jets later.

The Standard: Hydro Included, Nothing Optional

The Ella Standard 30x52 and Standard60 30x60 are the hydro-only value tubs. Each ships in one configuration: 18 hydro jets with a 6A 650W in-line heater and intensity dial on an 8.1A 900W pump, the 5-piece fast-fill faucet, and a single 2 inch floor drain with an emergency pull chain. There is no air massage, no microbubble package and no soaker version, and the spec sheets list no ozone generator. The heated seat and backrest is the only add-on, and the electrical requirement is one dedicated 20A 120V GFCI outlet. On the Standard60, diverter switches run the foot and leg jets only, the back jets only, or both, and it is the only Ella tub offered with the H2 hydrogen and microbubble system. The full profile is in Ella Standard 30x52 and Standard60 30x60: Hydro-Only Value Tubs.

Where the Jets Sit and Why the Heater Matters

The footwell is the deep floor section in front of the seat where your feet rest, and it holds the foot and calf hydro jets, the lower air jets and the floor drains. The molded seat is about 17 inches high and the footwell floor sits 15 to 17 inches below it depending on the model. Foot hydro jets sit on a beveled edge angled at the heel and the ball of the foot, calf jets sit a little higher, and on tubs with an air package the lower air jets are in the footwell floor. What Is the Footwell on a Walk-In Tub? gives the footwell size by model.

The in-line heater is the part most buyers do not know they are getting. It is plumbed into the hydro loop, switches on and off with the pump, and offsets the natural cooling of the bath during a long soak, but it will not warm a bath that was filled with cool water and it does nothing for the air massage, which has no heater. Keep bath water at or below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. What Is an In-Line Water Heater on a Walk-In Tub? covers its ratings and the union O-ring check if you ever find water at the heater.

Separate Pumps for Separate Systems

The second video on this page explains a design choice that affects how the therapy feels. Ella installs a separate pump for each system ordered, so back jets, foot jets, air jets and microbubbles each have their own pump and motor, and the home and the tub are wired so all of the systems can run at the same time. The presenter contrasts that with tubs that use a small plastic diverter on the front of the tub to shift flow between the foot jets and the back jets, taking volume from one to give to the other. Independent pumps mean higher pressure and easier control when you order back and foot jets together.

Related Guides

• What Comes With Each Therapy Package: Pumps, In-Line Heater, Ozone, Auto Purge, LED, Dials, Pressure Tank and Controls at a Glance
• Which Ella walk-in tub package is best for you and what does it include?
• Can I Add Air Jets, a Heater or a Heated Seat to My Tub Later?

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