What Are the Features and Specs of the Ella Zen Walk-In Tub?

The Ella Zen is an acrylic walk-in tub in the 30 by 52 inch class with an inward-swing acrylic S-shape door and hydro massage included on every unit. The current spec sheet prints its actual size as 29 1/2 inches wide by 52 inches long by 37.5 inches high, with 17 hydro jets, an in-line water heater, a 2-piece single lever fast-fill faucet with pull-out hand shower, and a heated seat and backrest as the one listed option. Ultimate, Zen, Standard or Deluxe: Comparing Ella's 30 by 60 Inch Inward-Swing Tubs places the Zen line against its stablemates; this page is the Zen's own profile, with the printed figures in one place.

Size, Seat and Water

The Zen is designed for the average bather. Its spec sheet gives an actual size of 29 1/2 inches wide, 52 inches long and 37.5 inches high, a seat 20 inches wide and 15 inches long, and a water capacity of 65 gallons unoccupied and 30 to 50 gallons with a bather seated. For delivery planning the shipping size is 32 by 54 by 49 inches, the shipping weight is 310 pounds and the net weight is 210 pounds. An extension panel ships with the tub as a filler for 60 inch alcove installations, so a 52 inch tub can go into the common 60 inch tub space without a tiled infill. If you would rather have the longer footprint, the Zen60 is the same platform at 29 1/2 by 59 1/2 inches with a 95 gallon capacity, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can confirm the exact configuration of the model you have in mind.

The Door: Acrylic, Inward and S-Shaped

The Zen uses the inward-swing acrylic S-shape door, the same door platform as the Standard. The spec sheet prints the word U-shape for this door, and that wording is a misprint; the Zen and Zen60 doors are S-shape. You step over the low threshold, turn and sit, then close the door while keeping your feet and knees clear of it. The door handle faces outward so it does not press into your leg while you are seated. Because the door swings into the tub rather than into the room, it suits a bather who can take one low step and tuck their legs aside for a moment. Around the door you get a textured slip-resistant floor, a low step-in threshold, and a stainless steel chrome U-shape grab bar on the deck and a second on the wall.

Hydro Massage and the In-Line Heater

Every Zen ships as a hydro massage tub. The system is an 8.1 amp, 900 watt hydro pump feeding 17 jets, with a push control to start it and an intensity dial that mixes air into the water stream so you can turn the massage up or down. A 6 amp, 650 watt in-line water heater runs automatically with the hydro pump to hold the bath temperature while the jets run. The Zen does not include air massage, which is the main therapy difference between it and the Ultimate in the same inward-swing group. The only option printed on the sheet is a 4 amp heated seat and backrest. Electrically, the tub needs one dedicated 110/120 volt, 60 hertz line with a 20 amp GFCI standard three-prong outlet; the water supply lines connect to shut-off valves that are not included, so your plumber supplies them.

Faucet, Hand Shower and Drain

• Faucet. The 2-piece single lever fast-fill faucet has a solid brass chrome spout, a single lever and a diverter button, in chrome or brushed nickel. The fill rate is designed for 16 gallons per minute, and the faucet installs through a 2 1/2 inch diameter hole in the deck.
• Hand shower. The pull-out hand shower has five settings, a back-flow prevention valve and a 5 foot retractable stainless braided hose, and its flow is limited to 1.9 gallons per minute.
• Supply lines. Two 3/4 inch by 5 foot braided stainless steel supply lines are included.
• Drain. One 2 inch PVC drain and one overflow with an emergency pull-up chain. The T-type drain body has four 2 inch ports and the pipe can be installed in either direction, with caps on the unused port.
• Shower add-ons. The Zen works with the rain shower and the shower screen, just as the Ultimate does.

The faucet is third-party certified to CSA B125.1, ASME A112.18.1 and ICC 117.1, certified to ANSI/NSF 61/9, ADA compliant for the lever, and IAPMO R&T UPC certified, with a 40 millimeter high-flow cartridge.

How the Zen Compares with Ella's Other Inward-Swing Tubs

Read across the rows and the Zen's place becomes clear. It is the current standard model in the inward-swing group: the acrylic door instead of stainless, hydro massage without air, and a 20 inch seat against the 22 inch seats of the Elite and Deluxe. If you want air massage, the swivel tray or the removable stainless door, the Elite is the closest step up in the same 52 inch length. If you want a deeper, more upright soak, the Deluxe trades five inches of length for extra height. Walk-in Tub Model Highlights: Longer, Deluxe, Monaco, and Transfer XXL describes the Deluxe in more detail, and Stainless-Door Tubs on Video: Elite, Royal, Petite, Deluxe and Ultimate Walkthroughs gathers the video tours of the stainless-door models.

What Is in the Box and What Is Covered

The spec sheet lists seven included features: the gloss white acrylic shell reinforced with fiberglass gelcoat, a stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs, the inward-swing acrylic door, two front and one end reversible removable access panels, the stainless steel chrome deck and wall-mount grab bar, the extension panel for 60 inch alcoves, and a brushed stainless steel towel bar. The warranty is the lifetime limited warranty on the shell, frame, door and parts to the original purchaser; labor and installation are not covered, and a non-Ella faucet carries its own manufacturer's warranty. Every Zen is assembled and tested to order, so the team confirms timing for your specific order rather than quoting a date. For a wider view of how the Zen fits into the full lineup, including the two-seat and wheelchair transfer models, see What Are the Best Walk-In Tubs and Accessible Bath Options?.

Related Guides

• Your Stainless Steel Inward-Swing Door Owner's Manual, Section by Section, With the Corrections to Know (Elite, Petite, Royal, Deluxe, Ultimate)
• How to Open and Close the Inward-Swing Acrylic Door on Standard, Zen, and Flow Tubs

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