I've had a jetted tub in the last three homes I've owned and don't know what I did before I owned one! I do use it frequently, but I'm a bath person. I know many people, who have jetted tubs and never ever use them. My daughter in law has lived in their home 3 years and says she's only used her tub twice in those 3 years. Mine is used at least once a week! So if you're a bath person, you'll get more usage out of it. And if you're not a bath person, then you won't!

Being too close to jets makes me itch.

Me too... but I am very tall, so cram into my small regular tubs. Due to that, we got a 42x66 air tub. We have unlimited hot water, and I make sure I bought a filler that ran at what is actually the capacity of our well- 10 gpm, and it fills in the same time as our small tub that is 30x60!

We both love it, and I find if I run the bubbles on high, I do get quite a good massage, and DH was quite concerned and would have opted for the jets, but really likes the air tub.

My only comment is that our tub is in an outside corner, and although we have decent insulation from the reno, the air does cool the water down in the cold months. But, otherwise I can stay in the giant tub for an hour and lose only 2-3 degrees. Not bad.

I too have hopes of getting an outdoor hot tub...

Never use ours - I tried to talk my husband into removing the giant two person, jetted tub during the renovation. I think this is one of the areas where bigger is definitely not better. Even with the right faucet, a large two person tub takes FOREVER to fill up.

We are removing the one in the house that we bought. It was never used by the previous owners so all the seals rotted. Since neither of us are bath people, we are putting in an awesome shower instead!

Thanks for the responses, I am definitely a bath person. I take a bath every day- sometimes twice a day. I have arthritis in my hips from radiation and i am really looking forward to the hydrotherapy. the one we are looking at has a 40 gallon operating capacity and usually uses per the sales lady about 66 gallons. Pepperidge farm i am concerned you call the 42 x 66 a huge tub and you say you are tall, is this going to be ridiculously huge for me at 5 feet tall? like i said, i don't want something i am going to drown in! debbiejoy, do you know the dimensions of yours that you would consider it huge? I tried some of the 36 wide in the showroom and i just thought that was too narrow for me, and i know for sure the 72 long is way too big for just me. i thought if i shaved off 6 inches it might be just right.

i didn't see the last response before i posted. i did see an airtub in action and that looked so wonderful too. i am so torn and would prefer to get a combination tub so i could choose, but that would put me in the 5,000 range. I wish i knew someone around here that had one so i could try it, but i only know people with the whirlpools. i am so confused!! i have read about the sanitation issue too, and my sales lady did say the best thing was to use it 3 times a week and that should not be an issue. i will have to see what the price is on the air only tub, the only thing in my price range i think there is only one speed, you don't get to turn it on high if i remember right.

polarprincess, what is your price range? I'm 5' too. My tub is 66" long and it's too long but I had to get it that long to get the width. The overall width is 32". That's not the interior width. I would have liked it a bit wider but I've gotten used to it and wider would have taken more water. I have to be careful when I recline against the backrest or I'll slip (lol) My Bain Ultra air tub with chromatherapy was around $2200. There is a lot of maintenance to a water jetted tub, especially if you want to make sure it's sanitary. You have the possibility of the pipes under your tub leaking. I don't agree with your salesperson that using the tub 3 times a week would eliminate problems. I've never had a water jetted tub but my parents have and currently do. More to go wrong. I guess you need to decide what kind of hydro therapy you need. Directional or all over? The air tub won't be as forceful.
Monica

i really was hoping to stay under $2,000 but i don't think i will be able to do that without downsizing or ordering online from one of those places i was talking about. i took a bath tonight in my standard tub which is 5 feet long and my feet reach the end when i am lying in it so i figured 6 more inches would be just perfect, but maybe you sit more upright in a deeper tub making the 66" seem much longer? i am more confused now than ever, i had ruled out an air tub a long time ago and now i am questioning that decision. what i am looking for is a turbulent swirling water flow like you would get in an outdoor jacuzzi, but i have never tried an air tub so i really don't know the difference. i don't want to end up with legionaire disease either lol. what to do , what to do, i am supposed to have this decision made by tomorrow so my husband can have the plans drawn up, he is not going to be happy with me when i tell him how confused i am!

I have been searching the internet all weekend with the same problem. I looked at a lot of different ones. I was interested in one called Watertech. You might want to check it out. I am going to find out more tomorrow.

polarprincess, sounds like whirlpool is what you want as far as water movement ( turbulent swirling). If you need a directional force of water to your hips, then that's definitely what you need. Picture a pan of water in a full rolling boil but more forceful. That's an air tub. I've never asked air tub owners if they use their jets and/or how often. That would be interesting to know. All I know is that the majority of people with water jetted tubs use them rarely or not at all. If you have a physical therapy need, I'm sure you'd use it more often. Have you checked out Sanijet? Don't know much about this brand of water jetted tubs but it's supposed to be more hygienic. Good luck with your search!
Monica

well i am thinking maybe i should go with the airbath in the bathroom and later we can get the jacuzzi for outide later and then i could have the best of both worlds. I do not want to deal with tons of cleaning and sanitation issues. I am going to email the sales lady i talked to this weekend and get a quote on the airbath price, although i know it was more expensive than the jetted. I have checked out the sanijet one, the bain ultras, and i will check out the water tech too. The only problem with those brands is that there is no local distributor for any of them so i don't know where i would even order them from.

I have had a jetted jacuzzi 2 person tub that was 42 x 72. The tub was side by side bathing and I am 5' DH is 6". I would recommend the in line heater as they tend to drop in temperature on most models. This tub was noisy when the jets were on and the only downside was that you must have the jets on for the heater to work. I believe that it was around the 2000 price. We used it for 7 years before moving.
I now have a jetta corner tub 60" x 60" that I love, Love, LOVE!!! IT was way more expensive, but they are well insulated & don't require a heater. It stays hot! The jets are strong & adjustable. Well worth the price as I bath 3-5 times a week in it.

I also have an outside hot tub. Of course the jets can't compare, but my jetta tub is wonderful as I have pain & muscle issues as well. I believe you get what you pay for and I would not buy a low end jetted tub.

I try to run bleach thru mine once a month & that seems to keep it cleaned. Jettas jets run downhill, so that helps them drain.

I think if it is just you in the tub the 66" will work great, I did like the 72" but it took up tons of room. My 60" wide tub now is awesome for both our heights. We both are very comfortable in it.

Good luck & seeing them running is a must!

I think ours is 72 x 47 - the width is the real problem. It's so wide that you need ALOT of water before you can get in. If I had my druthers - I would put in a freestanding soaking tub - that's long - but not as wide (maybe 35ish). I

We just remodeled and changed from a jetted tub to a Bain air tub. I use it everyday and my husband uses it several times a week. We also used the jetted tub as often and never had problems with it. The showroom didn't have our exact tub to sit in but I sat in another and they said the one I wanted to order was the same size. After it was put in our home, I sat in it and realized it was smaller than our old one. That was my husband's only request in the whole remodel....a bigger tub. Even though it was the size they said it was, it was very sloped and was too small. SO, we had it taken out and one put in that they had to cut into a few studs to fit, but it looks gorgeous and we can stretch out in it. In short, we use our tub all the time and love it.

I'd strongly urge you to actually sit in the tub you're contemplating before making a commitment. If you've done this, you're in a good position to pick the right model. But if you haven't, you might be surprised by how comfortable some tubs are, and how uncomfortable others can be. Since you are a bath-taker, an uncomfortable tub would be a disaster!

I had a jetted tub, but rarely used the jets. For me, noise was the big issue. (How can it be relaxing when it sounds like a jet taking off?) Also, the jets weren't well placed for my body, with the ones at my hips shooting water out at the weirdest angles! So try the tub!

As to buying online -- There have been many, many good experiences and a few bad ones. The bad ones can mostly be prevented by using a credit card, researching the vendor carefully, inspecting your tub as soon as it arrives to make sure it's perfect, and being relentless about follow-up if there's a problem.

polarprincess, have you ordered your tub yet? What did you choose?
Monica

We went to the shop and sat in the tub... together, to make sure we could both fit.
For me, over 6' tall... nothing could be too big ;-)

66" is the inner dimension- the tub deck and whole thing is about 46" x 72"

Alone in the tub, I have MORE than enough room to float about, corner to corner with the tub filled, I can be covered all the way to my chin.

If I were shorter, perhaps it may be too long, but not going diagonal, you should be fine.

Try one out. It will answer all your questions and you will find the size that is just right.

our problem is that we cannot try out the tubs because the showroom only has about 10 tubs and none of them are the size or shape i want. So it is going to be a best guess. i am looking at 2 different jason tubs particularly and i am confused because they are the same size but one has a middle drain and 6 jets and one has an end drain, with 7 jets. the first one can fit 2 people and is 200 dollars less than the second one which can only fit one person and the sales ady said the difference in price was mainly due to the lumbar and the extra jet. i was not exactly sure what she meant, but i am assuming maybe it is supposed to be more comfortable? ugg it is so hard to decide. the great thing though is that i contacted the jason company and asked them for reputable online dealers and she gave me 2, and we found our 2 tubs 1,000 cheaper than what we would pay from the showroom and with no tax or shipping! Now i just have to decide which one to get!

We are not bath people, but did put a tub into our new master suite addition because someday if we sell the house...buyers want to see a tub in a master suite. We blew off the jetted because of cost. But I figured if I'm going to take a bath now and again, I want one big and roomy. Here's our 42" wide Kohler Bancroft soaker tub. Old school...no jets. Hope I don't regret it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our Bungalow and Kitchen remodel blog

polarprincess, GREAT news on the $1000 discount! To me, an extra jet and lumbar support would be worth the extra $200, especially since it's costing so much less than you thought it would. I don't know about these middle drains. What's the benefit? I don't think I'd like. How often do you think there will be two people in the tub together? Is that a must have for you?
Monica

i emailed the jason rep to find out what exactly the lumbar thing means for $200 more, and haven't heard back yet, but now my husband said i had to choose between white and bisque UGHH more decisions lol. i definitely think i want to stick with the jason because compared to the other tubs in the showroom it was amazingly quiet. to answer the question-i think mainly it will just be me in the tub. my husband has not taken 1 bath in the 15 years i have known him and i don't see him starting. we were supposed to do this project 2 years ago but right before starting i was diagnosed with cancer and had to go through chemo and radiation which left me with arthritis in my hips, and all over body aches, this the reason i really want to make sure i get the right tub, it is definitely for therapeutic reasons. i have a very good prognosis, and am excited we have the opportunity to work on this again, and i just want it all to end up cozy and warm and inviting, and i am struggling with the floor plan, the color of the tub and shower etc, the fixtures color, the trim color, and i don't have very long to decide!! Scary!!
p.s. i really think the chromatherapy thing is neat. i know it may seem silly to some, but i think i would enjoy that. It is $200.00 more, do many of you have it and do you think it was worth it?

congratulations on beating your cancer. You deserve this relaxing retreat you're building :) You said you are looking at two tubs, "both the same size" but then go on to say that the first tub can hold two people. Is the second tub for one or two people? If there's not going to be two people in the tub, why get one so wide that it's going to take SO much more water to get it to a good depth? More time, money and water.
I have chromatherapy and use it nearly every night. I like it :) But I love color. My new car has a choice of 7 (interior) LED ambient colors :)) Of course the lower the bathroom lights, the more dramatic the bathtub lights. I usually just turn off the bathroom lights.
As for color, you just can't go wrong with white. Also, if you bought a bisque colored tub and included the chromatherapy, the light's colors won't be true and bright.
Monica

i had no idea you could get something like that in a car! That is so cool!
Here are the 2 tubs, maybe someone else can help me figure out what the difference is except for the placement of the drains...still waiting to hear back from the jason rep.

the first one is the one that us supposed to fit 2 it does look more roomy and i think is more attractive than the other,and is also $200.00 less. http://www.jasoninternational.com/products/products.aspx?productgroupid=340

the second one i have put into the below link, as you will notice they both are 66 x 42m but look different inside. the second one has an extra jet and as the sales lady had said has some lumbar benefit evidently.

Here is a link that might be useful: jason tubs

well the lady got back to me and here is what she said:
The V4266 is available as a whirlpool and soaking bath only. It is a center drain bath with 43 gallon operating capacity and 6 therapy jets; 5 directional side jets and 1 rotating back jet. The inside dimensions are 24" wide and 42 5/8" long.

The W4266 is available as a whirlpool, airmasseur, and soaking bath. It is an end drain with a 40 gallon capacity and 7 therapy jets 4 directional side jets, 2 foot jets, and 1 rotating back jet. The inside dimensions are 24.5" wide and 44 9/16" long. Allow me to interject a personal opinion here- the the foot jets are outstanding!!!! Between the two, this is would be my pick.

so now i have to decide basically between room for 2 and outstanding foot jets and the inside dimensions are a little different.

i would still love to know any opinions on chromotherapy and also a heater, do any of you have that on the whirlpools and if you don't do you wish you had one? or does the water stay plenty hot for a long time?

I still don't know why you want a tub wide enough for two if two won't be in it at the same time. Is it that you just want the extra width for one person? My vote is the W4266 :)

It isn't wide enough for two it is long enough for two to sit at each end. I wanted 42 instead of 36 wide though cuz I looked at the latter and it seemed too much like a regular tub to me. Also like I said close jets make me itch.

I have the chromotherapy in my new Bain tub and really like it. Each color has a different therapeutic meaning but they just all make me happy! ;) I'm not sure what heater you're referring to. The backrest of our tub is heated and I could take it or leave it.

It would be $200.00 more for the chromotherapy but since i aam saving $1,000 i just might go for it. I really think i would like it too. You can buy a heater option on the tubs which will maintain your water at 104 degrees no matter how long you stay in the tub. it is a very expensive option however and would be cheaper to just buy a bigger hot water heater so you have enough to just run more hot water should it cool off.

I had one of those ridiculously large clover shaped whirlpool tubs. I got in it a few times but the roar of the motor, the length of time it took to fill and the amount of hot water it required to stay warm was not worth it. We are now installing a small 60x30 soaker with no motor. Now I can relax with my music instead of that crazy motor.

When we built the house 20 years ago, we opted for a jacuzzi.
I am a bath person and pretty much take a bath a day(occassionally 2 a day and every so often I will take a shower... but I love me my baths).

I might have used the jaccuzi function - you know the motor- maybe 3 times a year or so. It seemed like one of those "might as well" ideas.. but having had one--- we are remodeling the bath sometime this year (should have happened already but anyway hopefully within the next 2 months please?) and I am replacing the jacuzzi with a big soaking tub.
A few times my husband had tried it for a bad back, but it just really didn't seem worth the effort.

That's my take on it. Some people love them - I am indifferent so when I re-do , I will do without.