Are there walk-in bathtubs only 28 inches wide for small bathrooms?

Yes. The Ella Petite is the walk-in tub Ella's Bubbles sells as its 28-inch model, and its actual size on the current spec sheet is 27.5 inches wide by 52 inches long by 35 inches tall. The 28-inch figure is the nominal size used on the product page and brochure, so the narrow walk-in tub you have been searching for does exist, and it measures a half inch under its name. If you have been comparing it against conventional step-over tubs, the Fiji 36x66 and Solo 32x60 Infusion Microbubble Alcove Bathtubs article shows how much wider those non-walk-in tubs run.

Nominal Size Versus Actual Size on the Petite

Two different numbers describe the same tub, and knowing which is which saves a lot of confusion when you are measuring an alcove.

• 28 inches is the marketing name. It is how the Petite is labeled on the product page and in the brochure, and it is the number that shows up in search results.
• 27.5 inches is the actual exterior width printed on the current spec sheet, alongside the 52 inch length and 35 inch height. The imperial figures on the current spec sheets are the authoritative specifications, so this is the width to write on your measuring notes.
• 305 pounds is the Petite's published shipping weight, which matters when you plan how the crate gets from the curb to the bathroom.

In practice the half inch works in your favor. An opening that clears 28 inches clears the Petite with a little to spare, and a tight 27.5 inch space is still workable once your installer confirms the finished dimensions of the alcove.

How the Petite Compares with Ella's Other Narrow Tubs

The Petite is the narrowest walk-in tub in the lineup, but it is not the only one built for a small footprint. The table uses only figures printed on the current spec sheets and in the published articles.

The pattern is clear once the figures sit side by side. Ella's walk-in tubs with a door and a seat stand 35 inches or taller, while the Solo and Fiji step-over tubs are only 24 inches high because they have no door, seat or threshold. The Petite gives up width but keeps the same 52 inch length and 35 inch height as the Elite, so it is the tub to look at when width, not length, is the problem. The LayDown 30x60 and the HoistAssist tub both come close to 30 inches wide, but each is 60 inches long and serves a different kind of bather, so they are not substitutes for the Petite in a short alcove. The HoistAssist walk-in tub article explains who that system is for.

What the Width Means for Your Bathroom

Exterior width is the figure that decides whether a walk-in tub reaches the bathroom and fits the alcove, which is why Ella publishes it as an actual size rather than a rounded one. Before you order a Petite, check these points with your installer.

1. Measure the narrowest doorway and hallway the crate must pass through and compare it with the 27.5 inch exterior width. The Petite's 52 inch length and 35 inch height also have to turn the corners on the way in.
2. Measure the alcove. A 52 inch tub in a longer alcove leaves space to finish, so tell your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 the full alcove length and ask how that remaining space is handled on your order.
3. Decide on the door side. The door and the tub drains are on opposite sides of an Ella walk-in tub: a right-side door puts the drains on the left, and a left-side door puts the drains on the right, with sides taken as you face the tub. Your plumber needs that detail before the rough-in is touched.
4. Leave room for the door to work. If you are also weighing a wheelchair Transfer tub, its L-shape outward-swing door needs 36.5 inches of clearance for its swing, as described in the L-shape Transfer door operation article. A narrow tub width does not reduce the swing room an outward door needs.

Therapy Packages on a Narrow Tub

A small footprint does not mean a stripped-down tub. When the Petite is ordered with a hydro massage package it carries an in-line water heater plumbed into the hydro loop, rated 5.5 amps and 650 watts, the same rating listed for the Elite. The heater maintains the bath temperature while the hydro pump runs; it does not raise it, so you fill with comfortably hot water from your home water heater first. Fill until the water is 2 inches above the highest jets before switching the jets on, and keep the bath at or below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. The in-line water heater article covers how it switches on and off with the pump and what to do if you find water at the heater unions.

The in-line heater is covered as supporting equipment under the Lifetime Limited Warranty. To put that warranty in force, complete the activation form, signed by both you and your installer, and return it to Ella's Bubbles after installation.

Ordering the Right Size

The Petite, like every Ella walk-in tub, is assembled and tested to order, so the width, door side and therapy package are set when the order is placed. Give your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 the alcove width and length, the narrowest doorway on the delivery path, and the side you want the door on, and they will confirm that the Petite is the right fit or point you to the Elite if 30 inches will work. Timing from paid invoice to delivery varies by model, options and stock, so ask about your specific order rather than relying on a general estimate.

Related Guides

• What Is the Ella Petite Walk-In Tub and Who Does It Fit?
• What Is Nominal Size vs Actual Size on a Walk-In Tub?
• Will it fit through my doorway? How to measure your home for a walk-in tub

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