Check out the airjet tubs (Bain Ultra and Aquatic). They blow air to circulate the water and then blow plain air after the sensor detects that the tub is empty to make sure no water is left standing in the system. Another thing to consider w/a whirlpool type tub is that the water may get very cold while you sit. The Aquatic tubs have a line (HotSoak) that has a heater included that helps the water stay warmer. We're actually buying an Aquatic soaking tub with a heater (not for whirlpool) Here is a link that might be useful: Aquatic HotSoak Features

Dreambuilder - I went through many of the same thoughts as you. I do prefer the feel of water jets over an air bath. I seriously considered a Sanijet but had concerns after reading of another GWer having to replace motors... after having leaks! (in my install detecting leaks would be difficult). Then I saw one in person and was put off by what looks exactly like a drip tray underneath the tub. The Sanijet person I was working with denied it was a drip tray but couldn't give me a satisfactory reason why it existed. So I turned to investigating the ozone methods of disinfection several whirlpool tub manufacturers have implemented. I decided to go with a Neptune whirlpooltub. Their ozone disinfection begins after the tub is emptied and the ozone is injected directly into the tubes... unlike most manufacturers who inject the ozone into the bath water to be pulled through by the running jets. I'm a nerd and read several ozone studies before making my decision. I will also use a product that claims to prevent a biofilm from forming. Not as easy to confirm this will work due to the proprietary compounds in the various products. But I know it is possible, given the right ingredients. I did consult with the inventor of the product I chose and he sent me some of his data as well as confirm there wouldn't be a problem combining it with ozone. Now, I can't tell you if I made the right choices yet... my bathtub has been sitting in my living room because the bathroom reno was delayed - hopefully a mid February start at this point! Whether you ultimately choose a whirlpool or an air tub, if you can, try to sit in a number of tubs to find what fits you best. I'm lucky to live within an hour's drive from a tub showroom that boasts to have over 400 on the floor! While there I also discovered that with my hard well water keeping air injectors open and de-calcified could be a chore. Good luck!

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.

I know I've seen some sizable niches here in the past year or so. Do a search at the bottom of the page for niches and see what you can pull up. I'll post some pics of the niches in our three bathrooms. Our niche sizes/placements/orientations were based on various factors; shower storage needs, tile shape/size, behind the wall restrictions (pipes, wiring, studs....). Guest bathroom niche: Hall Bathroom niche: MB niche: HTH!