Which Ella Walk-In Tubs Include Foot and Calf Jets, Standard or Optional?

Every Ella walk-in tub has a footwell, and on any hydro massage package the foot and calf jets in that footwell are part of the standard jet layout, fed by the same pump as the seat jets. What is optional is independent foot massage, a second dedicated hydro pump and dial for the foot and calf jets, offered on the Royal, Monaco, Elite, Capri, ShaK, Transfer60, Transfer32 and TransferXXL and standard on the Ultimate. How that second pump changes the bath is explained in What Is Independent Foot Massage on a Walk-In Tub?.

Standard Foot and Calf Jets Versus the Independent Option

The footwell is the deep floor section in front of the seat where your feet rest. It holds the foot and calf jets, the lower air jets and the floor drains. Foot hydro jets sit on a beveled edge angled at the heel and the ball of the foot, the calf jets sit a little higher, and on tubs with an air package the lower air jets are in the footwell floor. The layout and the drain positions are in What Is the Footwell on a Walk-In Tub?.

Whether those jets are standard depends on the therapy package rather than the model name:

• Soaking: no jets, no pumps and no electrical equipment, so no foot or calf jets at all.
• Hydro massage: one water pump, the in-line water heater and the ozone generator. The seat jets and the foot and calf jets share that single pump, so the tub needs water 1 to 2 inches above the highest jets before the pump runs.
• Hydro plus independent foot massage: two water pumps, one for the upper seat jets and one for the foot and calf jets, each with its own push button and intensity dial. The jets are split between the two pumps rather than added, so you gain a second pump, not extra jets. The in-line heater sits on the foot loop, and the LED light is included.
• Air massage: a three-speed blower feeding air jets, including the lower air jets in the footwell floor, with Auto Purge.

The package-by-package list of pumps, dials and controls is in What Comes With Each Therapy Package. In the first video, the presenter contrasts Ella's approach with tubs that use a small plastic diverter on the front of the tub to shift flow between the back jets and the foot jets, taking volume away from one to feed the other. Ella instead installs a separate pump and motor for each system you order, for more pressure and easier control, and wires the tub so every system can run at the same time.

Model by Model

What the table means for your choice: if you simply want your feet and calves massaged during a full bath, any hydro package on any of these models does that with the shared pump. If you want a foot spa without filling the whole tub, or a separate dial so the foot jets do not steal flow from the seat jets, you need a model on the independent foot list, and on all of them except the Ultimate you must ask for the option when you order. Footwell size matters if you plan to shower standing or seated in the tub, and the ShaK's wide footwell pairs with the largest foot jet count on a published spec sheet.

What the ShaK Spec Sheet Shows

The ShaK is the clearest published example of a tub with dedicated foot and calf equipment, because its current spec sheet itemizes it. Seat hydro massage runs on a 9A 900W pump driving 15 upper seat jets with an intensity dial. Foot and calf hydro massage runs on a separate 7A 900W pump driving 4 foot and 2 calf jets, with its own intensity dial and on/off push control, and the 6A 650W in-line heater and 0.04A ozone sterilization are listed with that foot system. The air system adds a 4.5A 500W three-speed pump feeding 12 seat jets and 4 foot jets. The ShaK is never sold as a soaker and ships with this Air plus dual Hydro package. Because each labeled cord needs its own dedicated 20 amp, 120 volt GFCI protected circuit, the line count follows the package, as What electrical circuits does the Ella ShaK need for all four therapies? lays out.

Two-Seat Tubs and Foot Massage

The second video presents the two-seat Big4Two and Tub4Two with independent foot massage, so a bather can sit and enjoy a powerful foot and calf massage without filling the entire tub. Ella's two-seat tubs are true two-seaters: each seat has its own jets and its own share of the systems, with no sharing between sides, so both bathers get the same jets and the same massage. The family walkthroughs are in Two-Seat Tubs on Video. The video also notes that a two-seat tub works well for one person, who can stretch out with feet on the other seat.

Deciding Before You Order

1. Independent foot massage is built in at the factory. The second pump, its jets and its dial cannot be added later, so settle it with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before the order is placed.
2. Triple packages that combine air, hydro and independent foot massage require two dedicated GFCI 120V 20A outlets, so tell your electrician which package you chose.
3. For a foot-only session on an independent foot tub, close the door and drains, fill the footwell to just below the seat and just above the calf jets so every foot and calf jet is covered, then press the foot button. For a full massage, fill 1 to 2 inches above the highest seat jet and run both pumps.
4. Never start either pump until its jets are under water. A pump run dry is permanently damaged and not covered by warranty.
5. Keep the monthly vinegar flush going for both circuits, and step around the drain stoppers in the footwell, because stepping on an open drain can break the drain cable.

Related Guides

• How Do I Use Only the Foot Massage Without Filling the Whole Tub?
• Foot Massage Jets Not Working? Fill Level and Shared-Pump Foot Jets Explained
• What the Hydro + Hydro Foot Schematic Shows: Two Hydro Pumps, Two Dials, the Heater in the Foot Loop and Two Dedicated Lines

Related Videos

Common Questions