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airjet tubs vs. whirlpool tubs

16 years ago

I am in the process of building a new house and am looking at a Bain Ultra airjet tub which is considerably more expensive than whirlpool tubs. I plan on frequently using the tub probably 4 times/week. Does anyone have any experience or opinions with the 2 different options and suggestions? Thanks.

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Comments (5)

monicakm_gw
16 years ago
air jets are more of an all over massaging effect where as water jets are more of a direct massage. Air jets are cleaner as no water runs thru the channels. "All air all the time". No pink or black gunk to clean. No cleaning maintenance at all on the jets. I believe the water stays hotter longer with water jetted tubs due to in line heaters. Some tubs are louder than others. Not sure if water jetted is louder than air jetted. BU is known to be one of the quieter air tubs. I can't hear my turbine at all. All I hear is the air rushing thru the channels and the bubbles. I've gotten used to it. Less mechanics to go wrong with air and less chances of water leakage. You're not supposed to use bath additives with water jetted tubs and you can use anything in an air tub that you can use in a regular tub. LOVE my BU :)
Monica
annie1956
16 years ago
We have an Aquatics Infinity - which is both air and jetted. At first I wanted just air - had a Jacuzzi in 1992 in another house that after not using it for months had those "black specks" come out of the pipes from lack of use. (Talk about sceeve!!!!!)Told DH no way were we getting another jetted tub. But DH has a super bad back. The air just was going to do it for him. And they've improved the jetted tubs in 15 yrs. with the air flush after the tub is off the clear the lines. So we really shopped and priced them out.
Yes - it's noisy - it's a motor. But you know what? That part doesn't bother me. It has enough power in the jets to hit DH in the spots that he needs, I get the bubbles that I want - and we're both happy. And we can put in bubble bath stuff too. (Minimum amounts or it's like the tv episodes where it overflows with bubbles).
Good luck
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I can identify with you on so many fronts. I have a master bath remodel that has sat untouched for over 2 years, which has turned out to be a blessing because I have made the big plunge to an airjet for the exact reasons that you describe. My Aquatic Whirlpool Serenity 2 came in last week, and although it is only sitting on the floor, I already love it. A friend who has owned both whirlpool and now airjet, highly recommended the air spa tub, along with her grumpy ol' husband who likes nothing. She loves the effervescence of the bubbles, being able to use salts and bubblebath (which is not recommended in whirlpools) and the quiet of the air blower as opposed to the noisier pump on her old whirlpool. I like to not have to worry about bacteria in the tubes, because although treating with the appropriate products will keep the jets clean in a whirlpool, I am not likely to remember to do that until I am ready for a soak. (Too late, then.) I also opted to stay away from a claw foot, because as we grow older (and wider) it IS harder to get up and down in a tub. Stay closer to the ground. At the end of your bath, some type of a little blower thing comes on automatically and dries out the gizmos under your tub so that there is no chance of bacteria. So it is quiet AND clean. I am not familiar with Bain Ultra, but it is probably great. Specialty bath stores here in Houston carry the Aquatic, which is the brand my friend recommended so highly. The tubs also come in a variety of lengths and widths, to accommodate a variety of Hineys. Ted at the link below carries specialty products and was marvelous with answering my questions...and had the very best value. When you call him, tell him Anne from Houston sent you. :)) I almost forgot, you can also go to the Aquatic Whirlpools site for info on specifications. Hold out for the airjet. Good Luck! Here is a link that might be useful: oldetymehardwarde
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kinder-teacher - I too, had the same concern. We just installed one. My wife loves it better than the old drop in whirlpool tub. For us it made our small bathroom look much larger. You can purchase them with a right side or left side pump. We purchased a right pump and that side faces the wall. If you have an electrical outlet in the correct place, you will never see any hoses or cords unless you look from floor level. I will try to take a photo and post.
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Handshowers that come with Roman tub faucets are not for use in a shower situation with a drop in tub. They are for cleaning the tub or rinsing shampoo out of the hair of a seated bather. If you wanted a tub/shower unit, you would have needed to have designed the installation as such from the beginning and used a tub that was designed with an integral tile flange and then used a wall mounted tub/shower type of faucet instead of a deck mounted Roman tub faucet. Those tub/shower types of whirlpools are usually designed for alcove installation where a glass door can work with them just fine. But, since you've already put in what you have, the only way to use safely such a tub as a shower without setting yourself up for a lot of water damage is to do a "ring" shower curtain like you would for the old fashioned claw foot tubs. It's basically a rectangular suspended curtain rod that you use shower curtains with. A glass door of any variety will not work in your situation, as it will not keep the water off of the tub deck and walls, which is the big danger with using a drop in tub in such a situation. The water that splashes on to the walls and deck has no way to drain back into the tub because the lip of the drop in interferes. The water has to go somewhere, and that usually is your floor or into the walls and deck surround. This makes for a nasty moldy rotten mess in a few years.
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We are installing a Jacuzzi brand tub as I write this. A friend suggested it and my family went for it (I'm not convinced). Here are some thoughts I've had: 1. A whirlpool tub is always made of plastic and will scratch, eventually, some day. Cleaning plastic is an art form. Apparently liquid bleach takes out a surprising amount of the grime that gets stuck on it. We'll see. 2. Jacuzzi says that "all" other brands do not drain all the water out of the pipes when you drain the tub, and that causes problems with sanitation. Still Jacuzzi sells a cleaner kit to clean out their pipes. Hmmmm? 3. The pump and heater take up plenty of space in the tub footprint leaving a much smaller-than-you-might-think place for your body and/or feet (if showering) to go. With the space reduced, you might need a bigger tub than you have room for to be comfortable in it.
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adler223
16 years ago
I had never tried air jets and was considering getting a bain ultra. I went to a spa to try it out and was very disappointed. Not relaxing for me. Was too much. Like sitting in boiling water and it didn't feel particularly good. We're going with a whirlpool.
gopack
16 years ago
annie1956,

Which Aqautics Infinity did you get??? I really am looking at them also.

Ginny
BeckyRPhillips_aol_com
13 years ago
Do they keep the water hot/

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