Air/Bubble or Jet baths, how do they feel? Reliable? Opinions?
hollie_z9
12 years ago
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Olychick
12 years agoAvanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech
12 years agoRelated Discussions
Aquatic vs. Jacuzzi air jet tub
Comments (15)I'll have to be honest, as much as I want to believe in Aquatic after talking with their incredibly enthusiastic and helpful cust srvc rep,as well as the most impressive specs on the market, I visited a showroom yesterday to experience the real deal (Infinity VII) and found the dry test-drive a bit harsh on the bones, i.e., doesn't conform to body like I had hoped, a little too upright and not conforming to the reclining torso. That test drive, albeit a dry run, convinced me this was not the tub for me despite it looking ideal on paper. Granted I wasn't able to float in the tub with water, so this is slightly unfair to the mfr, but getting in and out of the deep vessel along with reclining in the tub without water was surprisingly uncomfortable, and bone-crunching. I'm a young man still, and felt like multiple grab-bars on the walls would be de rigeur. The only reason I post this is not to discourage you from buying Aquatic, but because shopping for a whirlpool/airbath combo has been one of the most difficult quests I've experienced in planning my bath addition, and on paper, this was the tub for me, in vitro, this was NOT the tub for me. Just keep in mind that you simply must seek out a showroom to sample any tub prior to making the huge investment - not just money for the tub, but permanent plumbing specific to that tub leaves little room for future change of heart! For this reason, I've been very careful in ensuring that I'd be completely happy with the fit, and felt it necessary to share my experience. This is a decision 3 years in the making due to lack of showrooms that simply don't offer the real test drive or tub variety that gives you an overall gestalt. Again, Aquatic might be for you, but test drive it, or your regrets will eat you up. Other tubs I've crossed off the list, right or wrong, were Bain Ultra cause I simply wanted the combo, however, they seem to have an unbeatable reputation in the strictly air-bath category. Sani-jet, I actually experienced with water, and the jets were simply too weak for me, but again all their specs looked good on paper. Neptune, I experienced in a hotel, and was extremely impressed, but when it came to owning one, the contour again wasn't something I'd want to recline in for an hour, and none of this years styles/profiles appeal to me. Americh, don't know. Maax.....two trades people gave me bad reviews saying they make the most comfortable, stylish tubs with the necessary whistles and bells, but technical issues required discontinuing their carrying the line....surprising, as Home Depot Expo was pushing this on me like you know what. What am I going with, well I did a dry test run on the Jason LX635 (6 foot) which meets my comfort criteria without water, looks great on paper, has been in the business for as long as Jacuzzi has been in business (Jason=son of Jacuzzi), and was carried by a local trusty high end fixture place with exceptional reputation and attentive to customer feedback. Again, I'm taking a risk without doing a 'wet' run, and their head pillow was so poorly placed, that I dissed the option, but overall, it met most of my criteria. Will keep you posted after install, etc. The most comfortable tub I've experienced was the Maax oval-shaped whirlpool-air combo (Pearl?), but again, I talked to two vendors who said they had issues with them which is highly unfortunate since comfort-wise and on paper it was the perfect tub, like sitting in a LazyBoy, but with water massage. I hope to seek something comparable in the Jason....See MoreAnyone have an Aquatic whirlpool/air jet tub?
Comments (8)Ginny, I have recently invested in an Aquatic Airjet Serenity 2, but it is not yet installed. The most that I can personally tell you is that my contractor guys sat it out on the patio to test it for leaks, and we all stood around smiling watching the 'effervescent bubbles' fizz. It passed the leak test and "it works!" test with flying colors. I took pictures ... it was a milestone in my remodel... something worked! Just kidding. :) I will tell you what the friend who recommended Aquatic to me said however. She loves it. Said the bubbles sensation from an Airjet are amazing, very relaxing. I have heard that the blower on an Aquatic is fairly quiet; that the water bubbling makes a greater sound than the blower. Also the '600 Watt Air Heating System' that comes with the product insures that you feel only WARM air entering the tub. Someone who has another product posted that the air entering her tub was cold and she would have preferred not feeling that sensation. However, important to me was not having to be concerned about bacteria from water circulating through the tubes that sometimes occurs with a hydro jetted tub. Although there are cleansing tablets that you can use to clean a jetted tub, I did not want to have to remember to do that. Airjets only use a blower to blow air into the tub, causing the "champagne bubbles" and then after use, a blower comes on to 'dry out' the system. In your case, you would like a hydro-massage, as well. I have heard only good reports about Aquatic, which is why I puchased, and the Infinity Series offers both. I don't think the cleansing issue is a big deal for conscientious people, I just don't want to be conscientious anymore. :) In another month, I hope to be able to give you a personal recommendation. In the meantime, Ted at the link below (Olde Tyme Hardware) is very knowlegeable about Aquatic and other brands. He has very good pricing, as well. Best of Luck....See MoreAir Tub vs Whirlpool with Jets
Comments (5)I chose air over water jetted for a few reasons. The number one reason was all the negative feedback from people here about their whirlpool tubs. Hardly anyone uses them (and I MEAN hardly anyone!). Main reason seems to be the cleanliness factor, or the lack of. The maintenance is more than most are willing to do and you still get "gunk" in the lines and blow out into your bathwater. Repairs and possibility of leaks was another concern voiced here and other websites. The other factors were personal. I needed a more all over massage than direct pressure. I do have a bad back but also have Fibro Myalgia so as nice as a forceful jet of water hitting my lower back might be, I'm pretty sure the tenderness of my skin and tissue couldn't handle it. I have body-wide pain and need an all over massage. I knew I wouldn't always be able to maintain a whirlpool like I should and didn't want to worry about leaks, more parts to go bad and black gunk spewing into my clean bath water. I use my air jets EVERY night! Is it loud. Yes. I don't hear the motor, I hear the rushing of the air thru the tubes and the bubbling water. I don't think it's any louder than a whirlpool but in a couple months, I stopped hearing it. Just as you stop hearing traffic if you've moved to a busy street, or airplanes if you've moved close to the airport, or a train... Monica...See MoreOpinion on Quote for Master Bath Remodel
Comments (18)Wow. I thought the poster wrote a pretty darn good post. (S)he likes the contractor. The contractor has done good work in the past. The contractor in the past seemed to be priced fairly for the market the poster is in. Had the poster been remodeling another basement; ie doing comparable work, that's one thing. But kitchen and bathroom work? They are completely different animals when it comes to bidding and building. The poster isn't screaming in internet outrage at the bid. He's simply looking for a warm fuzzy that the bid is good. I think he already knows the bid is good. But again...what's wrong with coming to the GWeb community to look for that warm and fuzzy. If he was a Yankee fan, hey, I'd be piling on too. But for totally different reasons. But a Red Sox fan in Westchester County? C'mon folks. We need to help the decent people in this world. So my reply? Yes, the bid (42K) taken at face value is high. It's high because $42K is a lot of money. Factor in your location. That brings it more into scale. Your materials. High end materials generally require more care when installing, that can elevate the price a bit. The scope of work: Demo. Framing. Messing with the building's thermal envelope. Electrica, plumbing, insulation, waterproofing, painting, yadda yadda. It's a full-scope job. I never mind being asked about money. If you're happy with the contractor, then just have a conversation with him. If the following fits how you feel, then feel free to frame it into your conversation. Tell him the bid is higher than you thought it would be, but you understand it due to the scope of work. Tell him that you can bump your budget to meet his bid. However, ask him to identify any areas where savings might be achieved. Also ask him to identify areas where there may be cost overruns. It's not that you're looking to knock the price down. You're not. But not exceeding the bid is important. Let him know you're simply looking for possibly contingency built in to the bid. ie if you go over in demo and repairs, can we absorb that overrun elsewhere without compromising the overall project. Good luck!...See Moredeedles
12 years agohollie_z9
12 years agoMrsBlye
12 years agobeaglesdoitbetter1
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