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Kohler Whirlpool - cast iron or acrylic?

13 years ago

I am wondering whether there is a real advantage to have a cast iron whirlpool (looking at Kohler's Tea for Two) rather than an acrylic one. In the past we had a regular cast iron tub - loved it. Then we moved - and installed an acrylic whirlpool bath (Kohler). Overall it is OK - but...the water gets cold very quickly, unless the heater is on and at times when you move in it the tub "makes funky noises" (the kind of noise you associated with plastic not steel flexing or bending). We are remodeling so now is the time to pull the trigger on the tub material.

Other than the obvious differences - cost, installation ease, and sheer weight - does anyone have any comments on the two materials that point to clear advantage of one over the other?

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Comments (3)

cat_mom
13 years ago
We didn't install whirlpool tubs when we reno'd our two main bathrooms, just regular soaking tubs. We opted to use cast iron (Toto 1525's, which apparently are not made/sold residentially any more?). Wanted the solidity of cast iron as well as the heat retaining quality it possesses. So far (a few months of use for the MB, and one month for the hall bath), we love them. The hardest part was getting them in place but well worth it IMHO.
chrisk327
13 years ago
not sure if I qualify to have an opinion yet on this....

I never had a whirlpool in acrylic or cast. I am working on putting my bathroom together now, and we will be having a 5.5' tea for two tub in it as a soaking tub, not whilpool.

I never really liked the idea of a plastic tub. I helped get the tub into the bathroom on the second floor, it took 4 guys and a lift and we brought it in before the wall was up in realitively new construction. It was a pain, it is super heavy. It is probably the biggest bathtub I've seen mainly from sheer depth. I do wonder if it is worth it, and if we will be happy.

it sounds like you're unhappy with the acrylic. if you can see the Tea for two, it might help make up your mind. You will have to ease your contractor into it, its definately on the fringe of the norm
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I will be installing an acrylic Hydro systems whirlpool (air's not enough for my muscles!) that is a delicious 19" deep, 42 wide and 73 long. After lying down in it at a local store, I found the slope of the back to be divine, and more suprisingly, the armrests to be vital with such a deep tub (I like to read in there). So it will clearly not even look like a cast iron tub. And I don't care!! Plus, a cast iron tub that size on a second story would cause me too much concern, particularly since the house was built with an acrylic whirlpool (pink-lovely). If the features that acrylic allows are important to you, don't be worried. The local store (Snyder Diamond) where I tried my tub (ordered on line) told me most people with very large upscale bathrooms such as ours are doing acrylic now, unless they want a traditional footed soaking tub look.
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OK, I know this thread is ancient but I just had to add my two cents worth for people who come along later as I did. The idea that cast iron retains heat longer than fiberglass or acrylic tub materials is simply a myth. Cast Iron, even with porcelain over it is a better CONDUCTOR of heat than any of the modern tub materials other than steel. Steel and cast iron will conduct heat at more or less the same rate with differences that would only matter in a lab. Cast Iron will transmit heat to the surrounding air and other materials faster than fiberglass or acrylic, which are both better insulators than cast iron. This is the exact opposite of retaining heat. Anybody who doubts this: Take a cast iron pan, fill it with hot water. Take a plastic pan of equal size and fill it with hot water of the same temperature. Put the pans side by side with a thermometer in them. Check them an hour later. I guarantee you the water in the cast iron pan has lost more heat and is colder because cast iron is much better able to radiate heat to the surrounding air than plastic. There is no way that any metal tub whether steel or cast iron is going to keep the water in it warmer than fiberglass or Acrylic will. Yes cast iron does radiate some of the heat from the water back to the bather above the water line, which some people like, but it does this because it's a better conductor of heat, not because it holds heat. The sole advantage of cast iron is, admittedly, much greater strength and if you want maximum strength steel is stronger still. I've demo'd multiple cast iron tubs into pieces with a sledge hammer. It shatters easily. Try that with steel.
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My acrylic Bain Ultra air tub was set in a bed of mud with a piece of think plastic between the mud and tub. This was done for the ease of removing the tub if ever the need arises. It's as solid feeling on the bottom as my husband's Kohler cast iron tub. As for cleaning, that's a different story. You're not supposed to use anything abrasive on acrylic. Believe it or not, Scrubbing Bubbles is considered abrasive :( That's been my go to tub cleaner for years. To clean my acrylic tub RIGHT, I use Gel Gloss. It's a pain (literally!). You spray it on, let it sit, buff it and let it dry and then wipe the residue. When I'm in a pinch for time or physically limited, I will use Scrubbing Bubbles. There are very few non abrasive cleaners out there. One Bain Ultra suggested was Lemon scent Lysol. NOTHING works better than Scrubbing Bubbles!
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I am replacing 2 bathtubs as part of a re-tiling project for 2 kids' bathrooms upstairs with tub/shower combos. Right now there are the tubs the builder put in 20 years ago. I think they are steel. While I like the idea of cast iron (Kohler Bellwether), for durability, I also like the acrylic tubs. Are there wear and tear considerations that should discourage me from choosing acrylic for kids' bathrooms? Or are they more slippery, or any other cons about acrylic that I should consider?
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prairiemoon2 z6b MA
8 years ago
Considering whether to get acrylic or cast iron too. My problem is that I want to have a walk in shower on the 1st floor but feel it is important to have a bathtub in the house. I really really don't want acrylic, but getting a cast iron tub up to the 2nd floor….and perhaps needing to support the weight as well, seems like a LOT of work and probably expense. So if anyone has experience with either adding a cast iron tub to the second floor, or can tell me how a whirlpool cast iron tub has worked out for them, I'd appreciate it.

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