Best spa bath 2023: Relax in your own home whirlpool
Enjoy a soothing hydrotherapy experience at home with the best spa baths to buy
Baths are relaxing: the warm water, aromatic fragrances and maybe even a candle or two nearby all make for a soothing experience. But what if you could add one more feature to your unwinding repertoire in the form of bubbly jets? That’s what the best spa baths and whirlpool baths offer beyond the standard tub. Its jets are designed to ease muscle tension and improve circulation, making for a more luxurious experience all round.
How a spa bath works is simple: it uses a system of pumps to suck your bath water in, before pushing it back out mixed with air, creating a bubbly effect. We’ve selected some of the best spa baths you can buy for your budget – as well as the questions to ask when choosing one. Below, you’ll find our buying guide to help you select the perfect one, or you can simply scroll on for our top picks.
Best spa bath: At a glance
- Best budget spa bath: Vitura Curved Whirlpool | £639
- Best shower spa bath: Milano Elswick | £900
- Best luxury spa bath: Rutland Single-Ended Bath | £1,000
How to choose the best spa bath for you
What types of spa bath are available?
Ever since Jacuzzi invented the hydrotherapy jet in 1956, spa baths have been an incredibly popular addition to bathrooms. However, as the technology has progressed, they’ve also become more affordable and accessible, so you can install them at home without blowing the budget.
Much like standard baths, they come with a choice of styles and sizes to suit your bathroom space. Straight inset baths are the most common type but you’ll also be able to find corner, freestanding and shower bath models. Many have a choice of the number of jets too, often up to 14, although basic models come with at least six. Some may have air jets, which inject warm air into the water without sucking bath water in, but they don’t provide the same sort of deep tissue massage that water jets offer.
Spa baths may fit into an existing bathtub space but if you can, allow extra room. The primary purpose is relaxing, so if the bath proves to be too small, it’ll end up being used more as a practical tub rather than as a whirlpool.
What else do I need to consider when buying a spa bath?
Check the tub’s capacity. While it’s possible to have a shallow bath in a standard tub, for the water jets to work and prevent damage to the pump, they’ll need to be covered by a certain level of water, potentially increasing your energy and water bills. Circulating jets can also cool your bath water faster, so look for a model with an integrated heater or you may need to keep topping up the hot water.
While the plumbing is the same as a standard bath, the pump requires an electrical connection, which will need to be fitted by a qualified electrician. The same applies if you’re converting an existing bathtub with a whirlpool kit.
How much should I spend on a spa bath?
Spa bath kits to convert your existing tub start at around £500, yet it’s possible to pick up a brand new spa bath for as little as £650. On average, budget at least £800 for a straight bath, with up to £1,400 for larger tubs, extra features, such as LEDs lights and heaters, and more than six jets.
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The best spa bath to buy in 2023
1. Rutland Single Ended Bath with 14 Jet Whirlpool System: Best luxury spa bath
Price: £1,000 | Buy now from Better Bathrooms
For the ultimate relaxing experience at home, look no further than this multi-tasking tub. It has a whopping 14 water jets combined with 12 air jets, so it can deliver deep and soft tissue massages. The 14 jets are well-placed too, with three midi at either side and four micro at both ends, meaning that even your feet will get a bubbly boost. You can select either air or water or both, and control the pump pressure. Plus, it has a built-in heater, so you won’t need to reach for extra hot water as you soak and the waste and overflow is included.
One element to bear in mind is that this model is single-ended, which could affect its placement and where your taps will live. However, at £1,000 and with a two-year warranty on the whirlpool and a 25-year one on the bath itself, it’s a great investment in unwinding at home.
Key specs – Capacity: 200L; Jets: 14 (+ 12 air jets); Dimensions: 75 x 170 x 51cm; Weight: 46kg
2. Mode offset corner right-handed 12 jet whirlpool bath 1500mm: Best corner spa bath
Price: £1,259 | Buy now from Victoria Plum
Ideal for compact bathrooms, this corner spa bath combines a luxe look with fantastic space-saving abilities. And while it looks like it might take an age to fill, it actually holds 160 litres, so there’s no need to wait around for your bubbly bath. There are four jets at each end and two at each side of the bath so every inch of your body should enjoy a good kneading.
Rather frustratingly, this package doesn’t include everything you need. You’ll still have to buy the front panel if you’re not boxing it in or tiling around it, plus the waste overflow. However, if straight baths are proving to be a space hog, this could be the answer to squeezing a stylish spa bath into your home.
Key specs – Capacity: 160L; Jets: 12; Dimensions: 105 x 150 x 54.8cm; Weight: 40kg
3. Milano Elswick Whirlpool Square Spa Shower Bath: Best spa bath for combining with a shower
Price: From £900 | Buy now from the Big Bathroom Shop
For those who like baths, showers and therapeutic baths, a spa shower bath ticks every box. Designed with a wider standing space at one end, this Milano Elswick model is a perfect example. Sleek, modern and angular, it’s available as a left- or right-hand style and in two sizes: this smaller version and one that’s 170cm long. While this compact length comes with just six jets (three on each side), upgrade to the larger one and there’s also the option of air jets and 14 water jets.
This package includes the waste and black bath screen but not the panels for around the bath, so you’ll need to allow some budget for those if you’re not boxing it in. However, there’s a 10-year guarantee, which is longer than many on the market and five years for the screen.
Key specs – Capacity: 200L; Jets: 6; Dimensions: 85 x 150 x 55cm; Weight: 45kg
4. Vitura Curved Whirlpool Bath with Six Jets: Best spa bath on a budget
Price: £639 | Buy now from Plumbworld
Proving that a tight budget is no barrier to including a stylish spa bath, this Vitura whirlpool might be affordable but it offers plenty for the price. A smooth curved interior, six jets along the length, a quiet pump and a 25-year guarantee (two years on the pump), all serve to make it a great buy.
There are a couple of things to be aware of, however. One is that it’s single-ended, which could affect its placement in your bathroom, while the other is that the waste and panels aren’t included, so that will bump up the total cost. It’s also made to order (in the UK), so there’s a four-week wait from ordering.
Key specs – Capacity: 180L; Jets: 6; Dimensions: 70 x 170 x 51cm; Weight: 65kg
5. Cooke & Lewis Arezzo Reversible Acrylic 12 Straight Bath and Air Spa Set: Best versatile spa bath
Price: £785 | Buy now from B&Q
If it’s flexibility you’re looking for, this spa bath has plenty. As it’s double-ended, this simple straight spa bath can go anywhere you like in your bathroom. Plus, as all 12 AirSpa jets are in the base, it’s not as subject to a minimum fill line at the side like some other spa baths. Of course, the effect won’t be the same as side jets, but you also won’t have to wait as long to get bubbly.
Price-wise, it’s pretty affordable for a spa bath. This pack includes almost everything you’ll need, such as the waste and overflow, although you’ll still need to invest in a front panel if you’re not boxing it in.
Key specs – Capacity: 210L; Jets: 12; Dimensions: 75 x 170 x 55cm; Weight: 25.5kg (spa system adds 43kg)