Does Ella make a single-person walk-in tub with a reclining lounge seat?

Ella walk-in tub seats do not mechanically recline, because each model's seat is molded into the shell at a fixed angle. For one bather who wants a more stretched-out, lounging position, the Ella Lounger has a lounging layout in a 27 by 59 by 40 inch shell with a 20 inch seat and an outward swing door, and if you would rather lie back fully, the LayDown tubs have no built-in seat and are made for reclining at full length. The Lounger's place among the standard sizes is in What are the standard dimensions of a walk-in tub?, and this page compares the Lounger, the two LayDown sizes and the two-seat option for a single bather.

What Reclining Means on a Walk-In Tub

There are no motors, levers or adjustable backrests on an Ella walk-in tub. The seat is part of the acrylic shell, so its angle is set when the tub is molded and it stays that way. What changes from model to model is the layout of the interior: most models have an upright seat for bathing in a sitting position, the Lounger has a lounging layout, and the LayDown has a long flat floor with no seat. Choosing a reclining tub really means choosing one of those layouts, and the right one depends on whether you want to sit up, lounge or lie flat.

A fourth option is to use a two-seat tub alone and rest your feet on the second seat, which is covered further down. Whichever layout you choose, the tub is still an Ella walk-in tub with a sealed door and the usual therapy choices, so the decision is about comfort and the shape of your bathroom rather than about features you give up.

The Ella Lounger: A Single-Seat Lounging Layout

The Lounger is the Ella model built for one bather who wants to lounge rather than sit upright. It measures 27 inches wide, 59 inches long and 40 inches high, which makes it the tallest tub in Ella's standard size list, and its seat is 20 inches wide. The door swings outward. The Lounger belongs to Ella's U-shape outward-swing family, with a door made of plastic composite and tempered glass that closes with a 3-latch gear and shaft mechanism, so you step in through an opening that swings clear of the tub rather than into it.

• Ella lists the Lounger among its 27 by 60 inch standard sizes. The actual length on the spec sheet is 59 inches, which is normal rounding between a model's nominal size and its drawing.
• The Lounger can be ordered with therapy options such as hydro massage or microbubble therapy, or as a soaking tub with no jets.
• At 40 inches it is the tallest tub in the line, a figure to compare against any window or ledge along the back wall before you order.

The LayDown Tubs: Lie Back at Full Length

If lounging is not enough and you want to lie down, the Ella LayDown tubs have no seat at all. They come in two sizes, 30 inches wide by 60 inches long and 32 inches wide by 72 inches long, and both are made for reclining at full length on a long, flat, textured floor behind a low glass side door. The LayDown 30 by 60 is 21 inches high, the lowest tub Ella makes, which is why the standard sizes article describes it as the reclining LayDown. Because there is no seat, you lie in the water the way you would in a conventional bathtub, with the door giving you a low step over instead of a high tub wall.

• Both LayDown sizes can be ordered with therapy options such as hydro massage or microbubble therapy, or as a soaking tub.
• No LayDown tub includes a faucet by default. The LayDown60 has no faucet option at all and needs a pre-existing or new customer-supplied faucet, typically wall-mounted, while the LayDown72 is faucet-ready and offers optional Ella deck-mount faucet packages.
• The LayDown 30 by 60 measures 30 inches wide by 60 inches long. If a brochure cover shows a different length for this model, rely on the 30 by 60 figure and the spec sheet.

Lounger, LayDown and a Two-Seat Tub Side by Side

What the differences mean: the Lounger is the only one of these that keeps you seated, so it is the choice if you want a backrest behind you and a lounging angle in a tub that is narrower than 30 inches. Both LayDown sizes trade the seat for a flat floor, which is the closest Ella comes to a conventional reclining bath, and the 30 by 60 version is low enough at 21 inches to change how the room looks. The LayDown60 also asks you to supply your own faucet, which the Lounger does not. The Escape gives a single bather the most room to stretch out but needs a 36 by 72 inch footprint, the largest of the group.

A Two-Seat Tub as a Recliner for One

Ella's two-seat video tour makes a point that matters here: the two-seat tubs are exceptionally comfortable for one person, because you can kick your feet up on the other seat like a recliner, and you do not need both seats filled every time you bathe. Each seat has its own jets and its own systems. Two-Seat Tubs on Video: Big4Two, Escape, Tub4Two and Companion Walkthroughs walks through the four models, and Can two people fit in a walk-in bathtub, and how big is it? lists the Escape at 36 inches wide by 72 inches long by 40 inches tall with 27 and 29 inch seats. That is far more floor space than the Lounger, so it suits a bathroom with room to spare.

Two comfort details are worth asking about on any of these tubs. The video on this page shows Ella's optional heated seat and backrest: push the button once to activate it, turn it on 10 to 15 minutes before you enter the tub for maximum comfort, and it switches off automatically after 20 minutes. Ask your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 whether the model you are considering offers it. And if you are around six feet tall, read What size walk-in tub fits a six-foot-tall person? before choosing a lounging layout, because seat length and the seat-to-overflow depth decide how comfortable a tall bather is in any seated tub.

Watch: Heated Seat Option for Your Walk-In Tub: Relaxed Bathing | Ella's Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• The LayDown Walk-In Tubs: 30x60 vs 32x72 Sizes, Faucet Options, and Features
• How Far Does the Backrest Recline? Published Backrest Angles and What Owners Say About Seating Comfort by Model
• Ella Lounger 27x59: Narrow Tub for Taller Bathers

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