How Does a Walk-In Tub Compare to a Hot Tub?

The biggest difference is the water. A hot tub holds the same water for an extended period and relies on chemicals, filtration and a pump that cycles around the clock to keep that water safe. An Ella walk-in tub fills with fresh, clean water for every bath and drains completely afterward, so there is nothing to sanitize, balance or test, and the pumps run only while you are in the tub.

Fresh Water Every Bath, No Chemicals

Because the tub is filled and drained each time you bathe, you never add chlorine, bromine, shock or pH balancers, and there is no filter cartridge to rinse or replace. The jetting system is kept clean in two ways. On hydro massage units, an ozone generator runs whenever the hydro pump is on and sanitizes the water moving through the lines; see why the ozone generator runs during your bath. The rest of the care is a monthly vinegar flush: combine 2 cups of white vinegar with 2 cups of water, fill the tub with water to one inch above the highest jets, add the mixture, run the tub for 10 minutes, then drain. The same flush is used before first use. Flushing after every bath is not necessary because the air and hydro systems are fully plumbed.

Pumps Run Only While You Bathe

A hot tub's circulation pump and heater run around the clock to hold the water at temperature and keep it filtered. In an Ella walk-in tub, the hydro pump, the air blower and the in-line heater on packages that include one operate only when you switch them on during the bath. The one automatic cycle is the air system's Auto Purge, which activates automatically 20 minutes after the air pump is turned off and runs for 120 seconds to blow residual water out of the air lines. It cannot be stopped, and it is normal even if it begins while you are still in the tub.

Heat Comes from Your Home, Not the Tub

A hot tub heats and stores its own water. A walk-in tub is filled from your home's water heater, so the starting temperature depends on that heater's capacity and recovery. Hydro massage packages that include an in-line heater help hold the temperature of the water circulating through the jets during the bath; see does my tub include an in-line heater. Because the tub is filled fresh each time, water heater sizing matters far more than it does with a hot tub. Read what size water heater a walk-in tub needs and, if you already own a tub, why hot water can run out before the tub is full.

Fill and Drain Instead of Standing Water

Fast-fill deck-mount faucets fill the tub from your home supply, and the gravity Dual Drain empties it after the bath, so no water is left standing between uses. Fill and drain performance depends on tub size and on your home's water supply and house drain; details are in drainage and fill time. How much water you use per bath depends on the model and on the bather, which is why capacity is quoted two ways; see occupied versus unoccupied capacity and the water capacity guide by model.

Jets and Therapy

Hot tubs are usually compared on horsepower. Ella hydro jets are driven by a dedicated hydro pump sized for the jetting system, and the number of jets and the pump configuration depend on the model and the therapy package ordered. Air massage uses a separate blower that pushes air through small injectors for a gentler, bubbling effect. The current spec sheet for your model lists the exact pump rating and jet count, and your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can walk through the options for the model you are considering.

Quick Comparison

• Water: fresh water every bath versus the same water held between uses.
• Chemicals: none versus regular sanitizer and balancing.
• Pump run time: only during your bath versus continuous cycling.
• Heat source: your home water heater versus a built-in, always-on heater.
• Cleaning: a monthly vinegar flush versus filter care and chemical testing.
• Access: a low step-in threshold with a door and seat versus climbing over a high wall.

Related Guides

• Why did my tub turn on by itself? Understanding the Auto-Purge air cleaning cycle
• What is ozone sanitation, and is the light humming noise from my tub normal?
• How to clean and maintain your Ella walk-in tub, month by month

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Common Questions

Still Need Help?

Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support or call (800) 480-6850 and have your model and serial number ready.