A soaking tub, also called a soaker or the soaker configuration, is an Ella walk-in tub ordered with no jets, no pumps and no therapy controls. It is the same tub as the jetted version of that model: the same door, the same molded seat, the same faucet and hand shower, and the same drain hardware. What it leaves out is the massage equipment, so the deck stays clean and the underside stays simple.

How It Works

A soaking tub is filled, enjoyed and drained exactly like any other walk-in tub. Step in through the door, close and latch it, fill from the faucet, soak, then open the drain and wait for the water to leave before opening the door. Because there is no hydro or air system, there is also no ozone sanitizer, no Auto Purge cycle and no in-line heater, since those items belong to the massage systems rather than to the shell.

The one powered item a soaker can have is the optional heated seat and backrest. When it is ordered, the published schematic calls for a 15A, 120V GFCI-protected line for the heater alone. A soaking tub with no powered option needs no dedicated circuit at all, since the drains are gravity driven, which is a real help where bathroom wiring is limited.

Which Ella Models Have It

The soaker configuration is available on most Ella models, including the wheelchair Transfer family and the LayDown tubs. Jet counts, pump amperage and circuit requirements on a spec sheet always belong to a specific therapy package, so when you read a spec sheet for a soaker, expect zero jets and no pump lines. The article on soaking-only walk-in tubs lists every model offered as a soaker, the therapy package inclusions cheat sheet lays out what each configuration includes, and model selection common questions helps narrow the model itself.

What to Know as an Owner

Therapy packages are built into the shell at the factory, so jets cannot be added later. If you think you may want hydro or air massage down the road, that decision belongs at order time; talk it through with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before the tub is built. Care for a soaker is the simplest of any Ella tub: non-abrasive cleaners only, a wipe of the door seal, and keeping the door open between baths to protect the seal. The vinegar flush that jetted tubs use does not apply, because there are no pump lines to flush.

If you ever contact support at ellasbubbles.com/support, have your serial number, the model name and a note that the tub is a soaker ready. That tells the team straight away that any drain, door or faucet question is unrelated to a pump, which shortens the conversation.

Common Questions