What is the Ella Flow walk-in tub and what makes it different?

The Ella Flow is Ella's Bubbles' compact space-saver walk-in tub: 28 inches wide, 48 inches long and 36 1/2 inches tall, with an inward-swing acrylic S-shape door, a 20 inch wide seat and a 16-jet hydro massage system, designed for small to average size bathers and smaller bathrooms. Three things set it apart from the rest of the lineup. Its spec sheet calls for a 15 AMP dedicated line where most other Ella tubs specify 20 AMP, it empties through a single 2-inch drain with an emergency pull-up chain rather than a dual drain, and it ships with an extension panel so a 48 inch tub can fill a 60 inch alcove. What Is the Emergency Pull-Up Chain on a Walk-In Tub? covers the drain family it belongs to; this page profiles the whole tub.

Size, Seat and Where It Fits

The Flow's actual size is 28 inches wide by 48 inches long by 36 1/2 inches tall. Ella's video presents it as a tub that fits through a 28 inch doorway and fits neatly into smaller bathrooms, with 38 inches of interior length. The seat is 20 inches wide and 13 inches long, which the video describes as a comfortable width that still leaves a comfortable soaking depth for a smaller bather. Like every Ella tub it has a low threshold, a textured floor for added safety and a door handle that is easy to engage, and the acrylic shell is gloss white and fiberglass gel coat reinforced on a stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs.

Two panels handle the fit in the room. A removable end panel covers the faucet side, and the included extension panel is a filler for 60 inch alcove installations, so the tub can replace a conventional bathtub without rebuilding the alcove. A removable front apron gives access to the plumbing. For delivery planning, the shipping size is 32 by 54 by 49 inches, the shipping weight is 310 pounds and the net weight is 210 pounds.

How the Flow Compares with the Standard and the Zen

The Flow shares its inward-swing acrylic S-shape door and its single 2-inch drain with the Standard and the Zen, which makes those two the right comparison rather than the outward-swing models.

What the differences mean: all three tubs open, fill and drain the same way, so the choice between them comes down to the room and the jetting. The Flow gives up two jets against the Standard and takes the single-lever 2-piece faucet, and in return it is the tub built to fit a 28 inch doorway and a small bathroom. If you have the space and want separate hot and cold handles, the Standard is the fuller version of the same platform.

Hydro Massage with Foot and Calf Jets

The Flow ships as a hydro massage tub. The system is a hydro massage pump rated 8.1 AMP and 900 watts, an in-line water heater rated 6 AMP and 650 watts, an intensity dial that works as an air control, push-button operation and 16 jets. The video points out the strategic foot and calf jets for lower leg massage, and the in-line heater keeps you comfortable while you bathe by holding the bath temperature while the jets run. The intensity dial is the first thing to check if the jets ever feel gentle: turning it up introduces more air into the jet stream for a stronger flow. Fill to at least 2 inches above the highest jets before running hydro, clean the pump inlet cover monthly, and run the vinegar flush of 2 cups of white vinegar with 2 cups of water, filled to 1 inch above the highest jets and run for 10 minutes. Why Are My Walk-In Tub Jets So Weak? walks through the checks in order. The optional heated seat and backrest is rated 4 AMP.

Faucet, Drain and Electrical

The Flow comes with the 2-piece fast-fill faucet set: a solid brass chrome spout with a single lever and a diverter button, a 40mm high-flow cartridge, and a pull-out hand shower with 5 settings on a 5 foot braided hose with a back-flow prevention valve, in chrome or brushed nickel. The set is designed for a fill rate of 16 gallons per minute at 60 PSI with ideal in-home plumbing, and the hand shower is limited to 1.9 gallons per minute. Two 3/4 inch by 5 foot braided stainless steel supply lines are included, and shut-off valves are not, so plan accessible ones near the tub. In real homes a fill runs about 7 to 15 minutes depending on your water supply. What Is a Fast-Fill Faucet on a Walk-In Tub? explains the set, and Why Does My Walk-In Tub Fill So Slowly? covers the house-side causes when a fill drags.

The drain is one 2-inch PVC drain and one overflow with the emergency pull-up chain, so the bather simply pulls the chain to lift the plug. Under the tub is a T-type drain body with four 2-inch drain ports that installs in either direction, with caps for the unused ports. PVC connections are not included, and reducers may adapt smaller pipes. The video describes this as the dual port oversized drain that empties the tub quickly.

Electrically, the Flow is the outlier. Its spec sheet calls for one dedicated 110/120V 60Hz line with a 15 AMP GFCI standard three-prong outlet, where most other Ella tubs specify 20 AMP. The published therapy schematics print 20 AMP outlets on every diagram except one that prints 15 AMP, so match your therapy package first and then confirm the diagram for the Flow with your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 before electrical planning; the Therapy System Schematics Index lists every diagram. A local licensed electrician runs the line.

What Is Included, What Is Optional and the Warranty

• Included: the acrylic shell, the stainless steel frame with adjustable leveling legs, the inward-swing acrylic S-shape door, one removable front apron, the removable end panel covering the faucet, and one extension panel for 60 inch alcove installations.
• Optional: the heated seat and backrest at 4 AMP, and the removable head and neck support shown in the video.
• Not listed on the Flow spec sheet: a grab bar or towel bar.

The published warranty is a lifetime limited warranty on parts to the original purchaser. Labor and installation are not covered, and non-Ella faucets carry their own manufacturer's warranty. Replacement parts ship under the warranty and a local licensed plumber or electrician does the work.

Watch: The Ella Flow: Best Compact Walk-In Tub for Seniors | Ella’s Bubbles with chapters and a full transcript.

Related Guides

• Your Standard, Zen or Flow Owner's Manual, Section by Section, With the Corrections to Know
• Installing the Standard, Standard60, Zen, Zen60 and Flow: Single Drain, Front Legs Screwed Down, the Push-Control Air Pipe, the Side-Panel Cut and the Economy Extension Kit
• What the Standard, Flow and Zen Hydro Schematics Show: Hydro Only, and Hydro With the Heated Seat and Ozone

Related Videos

Common Questions