How big should a soaking tub be for a comfortable bath?

There is no single right size for a soaking tub, because a comfortable bath comes from how the tub fits your body, not from how much water it holds. In an Ella walk-in tub the figures that decide comfort are the seat width, which must be wider than your seated hip measurement, and the soaking depth, which is set by the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat and the height from the top of the seat to the center of the overflow drains. Seat sizes and soaking depth: how to measure yourself for a comfortable fit walks through the measuring method, and this page uses those measurements to answer how big your tub should actually be.

Why Bigger Is the Wrong Question

A soaking tub feels deep when the water rises over your chest while you sit in a relaxed position. Ella's measuring video explains that the overall soaking depth of a walk-in tub is determined by three factors: the interior length of the tub, the length of the seat, and the depth from the top of the seat to the center of the overflow drains. The bather's own size then determines the soaking depth they actually get. The video on this page shows those three measurements and how they combine.

That is why a tub that is simply larger does not automatically soak better. Ella makes extra-large tubs with very long seats designed for taller bathers, and the measuring guide warns that those can be uncomfortable for an average or shorter person. A seat that is too long for your thigh does not support you the way a matched seat does, and a very long interior puts the end wall beyond the reach of your feet. The comfortable size is the one whose seat and interior match the person who will use the tub most often.

Torso length matters as much as height. Two bathers of the same height can sit very differently in the same tub: the one with the longer torso sits higher in the water, so the water line falls lower on the chest even though the interior length is identical. Across Ella's mid-size models the seat-to-overflow figure runs roughly 15 to 18 inches, so how deep your soak feels depends on how your seated torso compares with that figure for the model you are considering. For the long-seat tubs that figure is read from the specification drawing, which your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can send.

Measure Yourself Before You Measure a Tub

Ella's method never asks how tall you are. Sit in a chair facing a wall, in a relaxed position, and take these measurements. Be exact, because different body sizes require different size tubs.

1. Hips while seated. The tub seat must be wider than this number. Ella seat widths run from 19 inches on the Petite and Transfer26 to 29 inches on the TransferXXL.
2. Shoulder width while seated. The tub needs the proper shoulder room for your body size.
3. Head to feet while seated. This gauges the tub length that fits you.
4. Bottom of the backrest to the bottom of the knee, in a straight line. This is the seat-length check, and it tells you whether a long-seat model will support your thighs or press against the back of your knees.

Compare the numbers with the drawings and specifications on each product page. Your hip figure narrows the list quickly. A 20 inch seat covers the Zen, Flow, Capri, Mobile and Lounger, 21 inches covers the Standard60, Zen60, Deluxe and Ultimate, 22 inches covers the Standard, Ultra, Elite, Transfer30 and Transfer60, 23 inches the Royal and Monaco, 24 inches the Transfer32 and Big4One, and 25 inches the Front Entry. The widest single seats are the ShaK at 28 inches and the TransferXXL at 29 inches.

How Ella's Sizes Compare, from Compact to Largest

The spread in this table is the real answer to how big a soaking tub should be. The 52 inch models fit the opening left by a shower stall and give an average-size bather a seat that matches their hips. The Big4One and the ShaK add seat length and interior length for bathers around 6 feet and taller, which is the only way to raise the water line on a long body. The Escape adds a second independent seat rather than a longer single one. Notice that the occupied capacity is a range on every tub that publishes it: the bather displaces the water, so the same shell soaks a small person and a large person to different depths, which is exactly why you measure yourself first.

What Your Bathroom Allows

Once you know the seat and interior you want, the room sets the upper limit. A standard bathtub alcove is commonly 60 inches long, and that length, rather than the size of the old tub, decides what fits. Measure the length between the finished walls, the width from the back wall to the front edge of the alcove, and the height from the floor to the bottom of any window sill, then compare those figures with the actual size printed on the spec sheet, as How big is a standard bathtub, and how do you measure yours? explains step by step.

A compact tub does not have to fill the whole alcove. Ella tubs shorter than 60 inches include an extension panel that closes the gap between the tub and the end wall, so a 52 inch model goes into a 60 inch alcove and still looks finished. Always compare with actual dimensions rather than the nominal name: the Petite is marketed as a 28 inch tub but measures 27.5 inches wide, and the Elite is 30 inches wide. At the other end of the range, the largest tubs need a path into the house as well as a place to sit. The Escape ships in a crate measuring 40 by 76 by 49 inches at 398 pounds, so doorways and hallways are part of the measurement. Note which side your drain is on too, because on every Ella walk-in tub the door and the drains are on opposite sides.

When Two Seats Make a Better Soak

If your measurements point to the largest single seats and your bathroom has the length, consider a two-seat tub even if you usually bathe alone. Ella's two-seat video draws the line clearly: a true two-seat walk-in tub has two independent bathing spaces, each with its own jets, rather than one oversized shell. The presenter sits on one seat and kicks both feet up on the other, comparing it to sitting in a big recliner with your feet on a sofa, which is the most stretching-out room a single bather can get. Can two people fit in a walk-in bathtub, and how big is it? compares the Escape, the Companion with its 23 and 25 inch seats, the Tub4Two with its 20 and 22 inch seats, and the Big4Two. For a very tall bather with a long torso, the single-seat ShaK remains the first comparison, and Which walk-in tub fits a 6 foot 5 bather with a long torso? explains which of the three depth factors a long torso changes.

Watch: How to Measure the Soaking Depth of Your Walk-In Tub | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Interior Length, Seat-to-Overflow and Seat-to-Footwell by Model: The Soaking Depth Table
• How many gallons of water does a walk-in tub hold?
• What Size Water Heater Do I Need for My Walk-in Tub?

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