What is the Ella Flow walk-in tub and what makes it different?
The Ella Flow is Ella's smallest walk-in tub: 28 inches wide, 48 inches long and 36.5 inches tall, with an inward-swing acrylic S-shape door, a 16-jet hydro massage system and the 2-piece fast-fill faucet. What sets it apart is the compact footprint, a single 2 inch gravity drain closed by a plug on an emergency pull-up chain, and an electrical requirement of one dedicated 15 amp GFCI outlet where other Ella tubs specify 20 amp lines. It shares the single-drain acrylic-door platform with the Standard and Zen described in What Is the Emergency Pull-Up Chain on a Walk-In Tub?.
Dimensions, Seat and Capacity
The current spec sheet gives the Flow an actual size of 28 inches wide, 48 inches long and 36.5 inches tall. The dimension drawing adds the figures an installer and a bather both care about: an overall length of 47 3/4 inches, a width of 27 3/4 inches, an inner length of 39 3/8 inches, a foot well of 16 1/2 by 22 1/2 inches, and a backrest angle of 96 degrees. The seat is 20 inches wide and 13 inches long.
- Water capacity 65 gallons unoccupied, 30 to 50 gallons with a bather seated, which is a small demand on a water heater.
- Net weight 210 pounds, shipping weight 310 pounds, shipping size 32 by 54 by 49 inches.
- One removable front apron, a removable end panel that covers the faucet, and an extension panel that works as a filler for a 60 inch alcove.
Ella's Flow video on this page shows the tub in place and describes it as a space saver for small to average size bathers: it fits through a 28 inch doorway, settles into smaller bathrooms, and with the extension panel fits neatly into a standard 60 inch tub alcove. It also shows the end panel on the faucet side, the low threshold with textured floor, the door handle, and the optional removable head and neck support. Measure the narrowest doorway and hallway on the path before you order, and remember that the crate is wider than the tub if it will be moved before unpacking.
Hydro Massage System
The Flow is a hydro massage tub. The spec sheet lists 16 jets driven by an 8.1 amp, 900 watt pump with an intensity dial, a push control and a 6 amp, 650 watt in-line water heater that keeps the bath at the temperature you filled it. The video highlights the strategic foot and calf jets that give the lower legs a strong massage. An air massage system is not part of the published Flow package, and the only option listed is a 4 amp heated seat and backrest.
Because this is a single-pump hydro tub, the usual weak-jet causes apply. Why Are My Walk-In Tub Jets So Weak? walks through them in order: turn the intensity dial all the way up, fill to at least 2 inches above the highest jets before running the pump, clear hair and debris from the pump inlet cover inside the tub, and run the monthly flush of 2 cups of white vinegar with 2 cups of water, filled to one inch above the highest jets, for 10 minutes before draining.
Faucet and Drain
The Flow ships with the 2-piece fast-fill set: a solid brass chrome spout with a single lever and a diverter button, plus a pull-out hand shower mixer with five settings on a 5 foot braided hose with a back-flow prevention valve, in chrome or brushed nickel. Two 3/4 inch by 5 foot braided stainless steel supply lines are included. The set uses a 40 millimeter high-flow cartridge, carries CSA B125.1, ASME A112.18.1, ICC 117.1, ANSI/NSF 61/9 and IAPMO UPC certifications with an ADA lever, and is designed for 16 gallons per minute at 60 PSI with ideal plumbing, with the hand shower limited to 1.9 gallons per minute. What Is a Fast-Fill Faucet on a Walk-In Tub? shows how the lever, diverter and hand shower work, and Why Does My Walk-In Tub Fill So Slowly? explains why a fill of about 7 to 15 minutes is normal and why a partly closed shutoff valve is the first thing to check. Shutoff valves are not included, so plan reachable ones near the tub. The deck cut-outs are a 2 1/2 inch hole for the faucet, a 1/3 inch hole for the mounting rods and a 7/8 inch diagonal hole for the hand shower.
Draining is gravity only. The Flow has one 2 inch PVC drain and one overflow, and the drain is closed by a removable plug on the emergency pull-up chain: pull the chain to open it, set the plug back square in the opening before the next fill, and keep the plug and the drain rim free of hair and soap film so it seals. Under the tub the drain feeds a T-type body with four 2 inch ports, so the house drain can connect from either direction and the unused port is capped with the cap that ships with the tub. PVC connections are not included, and reducers may be used to adapt smaller house pipes.
Electrical: One 15 Amp Line
This is the Flow's clearest difference from the rest of the lineup. The spec sheet requires one dedicated 110/120 volt, 60 hertz electrical line with a 15 amp GFCI standard three-prong outlet, where most other Ella tubs specify 20 amp. The published therapy component diagrams print their outlet blocks as 20 amp dedicated GFCI lines with a single diagram printing 15 amp, so have your electrician work from the Flow spec sheet rather than a generic assumption. Therapy System Schematics Index explains how to match the diagram to your therapy package first and then confirm your model is printed on it, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can confirm the right diagram before the circuit is run. The optional heated seat and backrest draws 4 amps. A licensed electrician makes the connection.
How the Flow Compares with the Other Single-Drain Tubs
| Model | Door | Faucet set | Design fill rate | Drain | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flow (28 by 48 inches, 15 amp outlet) | Inward-swing acrylic S-shape | 2-piece single-lever | 16 GPM at 60 PSI | Single 2 inch gravity drain with pull-up chain | Small bathrooms, narrow doorways, small to average bathers |
| Zen (size not listed) | Inward-swing acrylic S-shape | 2-piece single-lever | 16 GPM at 60 PSI | Single 2 inch gravity drain with pull-up chain | Current value hydro model in a larger footprint |
| Zen60 (size not listed) | Inward-swing acrylic S-shape | 2-piece single-lever | 16 GPM at 60 PSI | Single 2 inch gravity drain with pull-up chain | Same platform as the Zen |
| Standard (size not listed) | Inward-swing acrylic S-shape | 5-piece hot and cold levers | 18 GPM at 60 PSI | Single 2 inch gravity drain with pull-up chain | Earlier hydro model with the 5-piece set |
| Standard60 (size not listed) | Inward-swing acrylic S-shape | 5-piece hot and cold levers | 18 GPM at 60 PSI | Single 2 inch gravity drain, left or right version | Same platform with a drain-side choice |
Every tub in this family shares the acrylic S-shape inward-swing door, the single gravity drain with the chain-operated plug, and a T-type drain body that connects from either side. The Flow is the one built around space: it is the smallest footprint, it takes the 2-piece faucet like the Zen, and it is the only model whose spec sheet asks for a 15 amp outlet. If you are choosing between them, the first question is the room, the second is the bather's size against the 20 by 13 inch seat and 39 3/8 inch inner length, and the third is whether the bathroom already has a 15 amp or 20 amp dedicated circuit available.
Like every Ella tub, the Flow has a gloss white acrylic shell reinforced with fiberglass gel coat on a stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs. The spec sheet does not list a grab bar or towel bar for this model, so ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 if you want one planned into the installation. The warranty is Ella's lifetime limited parts warranty for the original purchaser; labor and installation are not covered, so a local licensed plumber and electrician do the work and replacement parts ship under the warranty.
Watch: The Ella Flow: Best Compact Walk-In Tub for Seniors | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.
Related Guides
- Why Does the Ella Flow Use a 15 Amp GFCI Outlet, Not 20?
- How to Open and Close the Inward-Swing Acrylic Door on Standard, Zen, and Flow Tubs
- What the Standard, Flow and Zen Hydro Schematics Show: Hydro Only, and Hydro With the Heated Seat and Ozone
Common Questions
How big is the Ella Flow walk-in tub?
Does the Ella Flow have air jets or only hydro jets?
What electrical outlet does the Ella Flow require?
Will the Ella Flow fit into a standard 60 inch tub alcove?
How does the drain work on the Ella Flow?
Which faucet comes with the Ella Flow walk-in tub?
About this guide. Answers in the Ella’s Bubbles Support Center are compiled from real conversations with tub owners, our technicians’ notes and the product documentation, then reviewed by our team. Tub models and options have evolved over the years, so a detail here may differ slightly from your exact tub. If something looks different on yours, send us your serial number and a specialist will confirm it for your model.
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