Ella Petite vs Elite vs Flow: which compact walk-in tub fits you?

The current Ella spec sheets do not print a separate interior basin width for the Elite or the Petite. They print the actual exterior size and the seat width, and the seat width is the interior figure that decides whether the tub fits you: 22 inches on the Elite and 19 inches on the Petite, the narrowest seat in the line. Both tubs sit on the lower 35 inch platform that shorter bathers often prefer, as What is the smallest walk-in tub for a petite bather? explains. This page puts the Elite, the Petite and the 28 by 48 inch Flow side by side so you can choose between the two 28 inch tubs and the 30 inch Elite.

Why the Seat Width Is the Interior Figure That Matters

Ella's measuring video never asks how tall you are. It asks you to sit in a chair facing a wall, in a relaxed position, and take three measurements: your hips while seated, your shoulder width while seated, and your length from head to feet while seated. The tub seat must be wider than your seated hip figure, the tub must have proper shoulder room for your body size, and the head-to-feet figure tells you which tub length fits. Because the seat is the part of the basin you actually sit in, the seat width is the interior number to compare, and it is the one Ella publishes for every model. The full routine is in Seat sizes and soaking depth: how to measure yourself for a comfortable fit.

• Petite: 19 inch seat, the narrowest Ella offers, shared only with the Transfer26.
• Flow: 20 inch wide by 13 inch long seat, the shortest seat length listed.
• Elite: 22 inch seat, the same width as the Standard, Ultra, Transfer30 and Transfer60.

Bigger is not automatically better. Ella's extra-large tubs with very long seats are designed for taller bathers and can be uncomfortable for an average or shorter person. If your seated hips measure comfortably under 19 inches, the Petite's compact seat holds you in place. If they do not, the Elite's 22 inch seat is the safer choice on the same platform.

Petite, Elite and Flow Side by Side

Read the table in two directions. The actual size and the shipping size tell you what fits the bathroom and the delivery path. The seat width tells you what fits the bather. The Petite is the narrowest tub outside and carries the narrowest seat inside, so it wins on both counts for a small person in a small room. The Elite adds 3 inches of seat width and is the one to pick when the bather needs more room but wants the same low 35 inch seat height. The Flow gives up 4 inches of length to fit a bathroom that cannot take a 52 inch tub, and it stands 36 1/2 inches tall, so its seat sits a little higher than the other two.

Flow 28x48 or Petite 28x52: Which 28 Inch Tub Is Better?

Both tubs are sold as 28 inch tubs, but the drawings differ. The Petite measures 27.5 inches wide on the current spec sheet, while the Flow measures 28 inches. The half inch is normal rounding in the product name, and the inch figure on the drawing is always the one to measure against. The bigger difference is length. The Flow is 48 inches long and the Petite is 52 inches long, so the Flow is the shortest seated tub Ella lists and the Petite matches the common 52 inch length.

• Seat: the Flow seat is 20 by 13 inches; the Petite seat is 19 inches wide and, in Ella's Petite video, 13 1/2 inches long.
• Height: the Flow stands 36 1/2 inches; the Petite stands 35 inches, the lower platform it shares with the Elite and Royal.
• Door: the Flow uses the inward-swing acrylic S-shape door; the Petite uses the inward stainless steel door that lifts off for cleaning.
• Alcove: the Flow is under 60 inches long, so an extension panel fills a 60 inch alcove; the Petite fits a 52 inch opening.

The Petite video shows the tub itself and states that a 19 inch wide seat combined with over 42 inches of interior length gives 15 inches of soaking depth, with the size of the bather deciding the ultimate depth. It also shows the Petite dual massage package: a 3-speed air massage with hip, foot and bidet jets, Auto Purge that clears moisture after bathing, a hydro massage with an intensity control dial and in-line water heater, ozone sterilization, dual four-port drains, a two-piece fast-fill faucet with an extendable hand shower, the swivel tray, LED chromatherapy included with the dual package, and an optional heated seat. No interior length or soaking depth figure is supplied for the Flow, so compare those two tubs on the seat and exterior figures above and confirm the Flow's interior on its own spec sheet.

Choose the Flow when the bathroom is the constraint, because it is the shortest seated tub Ella lists. Choose the Petite when the bather is the constraint, because it pairs the lowest seat height with the narrowest seat and still gives the full 52 inch length.

Elite or Petite: The Two Tubs on the 35 Inch Platform

The Elite and the Petite share a 52 inch length, a 35 inch height and the inward-swinging removable stainless steel door, so the choice between them comes down to width, inside and out. Outside, the Elite is 30 inches wide and the Petite is 27.5 inches. Inside, the Elite seat is 22 inches and the Petite seat is 19 inches. A bather whose seated hips need more than 19 inches belongs in the Elite, and a bather with narrow hips who wants to feel held in place belongs in the Petite. What size walk-in tub fits a five foot or six foot person? places both tubs among the models built for shorter bathers.

The width difference matters at the doorway too. The Elite's nominal and actual widths match at 30 inches, so every passage the tub must clear has to be wider than 30 inches. The Petite is the narrowest tub listed on the current spec sheets and has the most room to spare at a tight doorway. If an older video quotes a different Elite width, the current spec sheet figure of 30 inches is the one to use. Both tubs suit the 30 by 52 inch alcove that is the most common footprint in the line, and the Petite simply leaves a little space at the side for your installer to finish.

Checking the Doorway, the Alcove and the Delivery Path

Every Ella spec sheet prints three sizes, and each has one job. The nominal size is the rounded figure in the product name, such as Petite 28x52. The actual size is the measured shell, printed as width by length by height. The shipping size is the crated dimension. Use the nominal size only to talk about the lineup, the actual size for the alcove and for every doorway and hallway the tub must pass, and the shipping size to plan the route to the house. The crate can be opened outside and the tub carried in by its frame, so only the path up to the entry needs to clear the crate. Where Can I Find Side-by-Side Dimension Guides for Walk-In Tubs? explains how to read each sheet.

1. Measure every doorway and hallway the tub must pass and compare with the actual width: 27.5 inches for the Petite, 28 inches for the Flow, 30 inches for the Elite.
2. Measure the alcove width and length and compare with the actual size, never the nominal size.
3. Measure yourself seated, hips, shoulders and head to feet, and compare with the seat width and tub length.
4. Confirm the door side. Left-hand and right-hand versions share the same measurements, mirrored, and the door and the drains sit on opposite sides of the tub.
5. Read only the inch figures. Several spec sheets carry metric misprints, and the imperial figures are the authoritative ones.

If two of these three tubs still look close, ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 for the current spec sheet of each and compare the actual size line, not the model name.

Watch: Ella Petite Walk-In Tub: Compact Luxury for Small Bathrooms | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Will it fit through my doorway? How to measure your home for a walk-in tub
• How to Read an Ella Spec Sheet: Actual Versus Nominal Size, Shipping Size, Occupied Versus Unoccupied Capacity, Package Jet Tables, Amp Disclaimers and Known Misprints
• What is the smallest bathtub size you can buy for a bathroom?

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