If you are like a lot of people, buying a hot tub can be a complex and confusing undertaking. You want to make sure that you’re getting a good hot tub, but you don’t want to overpay to get it. Without any further delay, here’s how you can get the best deal on the best hot tub that fits within your long term budget.
Big box stores
The first issue with buying a hot tub on sale from big box stores is that they lack knowledge of the product. Big box stores decide which hot tub lines to carry mostly based on price. They want to be able to sell hot tubs for as cheap as possible. Their lack of hot tub expertise however, means that overall quality usually suffers. Without knowing what to look for, big chains can only take the word of the manufacturer that the hot tub is well built and reliable. The second issue with buying from big box stores is there after sale service. Warranty work is sub-contracted out to the lowest bidder, often to companies with limited experience in the hot tub industry. These companies also typically have to service a wide area and don’t keep parts on hand, meaning a long wait for repairs.
Specialty Chains
Specialty chains solve most of the problems associated with buying a hot tub from a big box store. They are much more knowledgeable and because of that generally sell a higher quality hot tub than big box stores. They also provide after sales support like water testing and will have most basic replacement parts in stock if something breaks. Where specialty chains typically fall flat however service quality is. While they often employ their own team of service technicians, this team has to service the whole company. This means longer wait times for repairs as the service technicians might only work one day per week in your area. Because of this, customers are often made to wait over a week for even the most basic repair.
