What is the shortest walk-in bathtub Ella's Bubbles makes?

The shortest walk-in bathtub in the Ella's Bubbles line depends on which way you measure. Front to back, the Front Entry is the shortest at 40 inches, but it is entered from the front and needs 32 inches of width. Among side-entry tubs the Mobile is the shortest at 26 inches wide by 45 inches long, which is why What is the smallest bathtub size you can buy for a bathroom? names it the smallest tub Ella makes, and if shortest means the lowest tub to step into and sit down in, the Petite, Elite and Royal stand 35 inches tall with the lower seat.

Three Ways a Tub Can Be the Shortest

People type the same question with three different things in mind, and each one points to a different tub.

• Shortest along the wall. This is the length figure in every model's width by length size, and it decides whether the tub fits the opening. The Front Entry is 40 inches front to back, the Mobile is 45 inches long, and the Flow is 48 inches long.
• Shortest to step into and sit in. This is the tub's height, which sets the deck and the seat. The Petite, Elite and Royal are the shortest seated tubs at 35 inches because they carry a lower seat, which is the platform many shorter bathers find easiest to settle into.
• Shortest seat. The Flow's seat is 20 inches wide by 13 inches long, the shortest seat length listed, which suits a smaller bather.

Decide which of the three you are asking about before you compare drawings, because a tub that wins on one can lose on another. The Mobile, for instance, is the shortest side-entry tub but stands 39 1/4 inches tall, while the 35 inch Petite is 52 inches long.

The Shortest Ella Tubs Compared

The table uses the actual sizes from the current spec sheets rather than the nominal names, listed from the shortest length upward.

Length decides whether a tub fits the opening, width decides whether it passes the doorway and how much elbow room the bather has, and seat width decides comfort once seated. The Front Entry is the shortest tub front to back, but it needs 32 inches of width and is entered from the front rather than the side, which is why it suits rooms where the tub faces the door. The Mobile wins on length among side-entry tubs and ties the Transfer26 on width, which is why it is the answer to the smallest tub question. The Flow is the shortest of the inward-swing acrylic door models. A bather who wants the stainless door or a wider seat gives up a few inches of floor and steps up to the Petite or the Elite at 52 inches, and those two are also the lowest tubs in the table at 35 inches tall.

What the 45 Inch Mobile Keeps and Gives Up

The Mobile keeps the essentials of a full-size walk-in tub: a full seat, a grab bar, and a hydro or air and hydro therapy package. Its compact frame changes a few figures you should know before you order. The interior length is 38 7/8 inches, the seat is 19 inches on the video and 20 inches in the manual, and the tub stands 39 1/4 inches high with a step-in of about 3 3/4 inches. The door opens outward through a 165 degree swing, and the tub can pass a 25 inch doorway with the frame removed, which is the detail that makes it the answer when a standard 52 inch tub will not fit the room or will not get through the door. Like the Front Entry, Capri and Lounger, the Mobile belongs to the U-shape family, whose outward-swinging door is made of PVC composite and tempered glass with a 3-latch gear and shaft mechanism.

Short Tub, or Short Bather? Measure the Bather First

A short tub and a short bather are different questions. Ella's measuring video does not ask how tall you are. It asks you to sit in a chair facing a wall, in a relaxed position, and take three measurements:

1. Your hips while seated. The tub seat must be wider than this number.
2. Your shoulder width while seated, so the tub has the proper shoulder room for your body size.
3. Your length from head to feet while seated, to gauge the tub length that fits you.

Compare those numbers with the drawings and specifications for each model, and be exact, because different body sizes require different size tubs. Ella seat widths run from 19 inches on the Petite and Transfer26 to 29 inches on the TransferXXL, so the seated hip figure narrows the field quickly. Bigger is not automatically better: the extra-large tubs with very long seats are designed for taller bathers and can be uncomfortable for an average or shorter person. A small footprint and a small seat do not always come together, so decide which matters more before you compare drawings. What is the smallest walk-in tub for a petite bather? puts the compact models next to the bather's measurements, and What size walk-in tub fits a five foot or six foot person? compares both ends of the height range for a household with one of each.

When the Room Is Not the Limit

If the alcove is a standard 60 inches and the doorway is not a problem, the shortest tub is rarely the best one. The Ultimate, at 30 by 60 inches and 35 3/4 inches tall, is the full-length tub Ella's video presents for taller bathers, and the Deluxe at 30 by 55 inches with a 46.5 inch interior length gives extra legroom without a 60 inch footprint. At the other end of the line, What is the biggest walk-in bathtub size you can buy? compares the ShaK at 36 by 72 inches and the Big4One at 33 1/8 by 66 inches. Whatever the size, use the current spec sheet for each model rather than an older chart or video, and ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 to confirm the actual size before your contractor opens the wall.

Related Guides

• Will it fit through my doorway? How to measure your home for a walk-in tub
• Ella Mobile 26x45 vs Flow 28x48: which fits through a narrow doorway?

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