Inflatable hot tubs for UK gardens
Bubbles in the back garden: size, heating and running cost first.
How many bathers, how many litres, how long to heat and what it costs on your own tariff. We compare inflatable hot tubs on the makers' own figures: bathers, water litres, heater kW, maximum temperature and jets.
Our top picks
All buying guides- Best 2 to 4 person inflatable hot tubs
Lay-Z-Spa 60001: 4 seats and 669 L
- Best 6 to 8 person inflatable hot tubs
MSpa Tidal: semi-rigid 6 seater, 930 L
- Best inflatable hot tubs for winter use
MSpa Denver: frost protection and 2,200 W heater
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link - Wave Spa hot tub range compared
Wave Pacific 4 person: 155 cm, foam core walls
Hot tub heat-up calculator
Open the calculator →Minimum, ignores heat loss
- Energy
- 26.0 kWh
- Heating time
- 11.8 h
- 11 h 50 min
- Cost to heat
- n/a
- Enter your unit rate
Real heating takes longer: heat escapes through the walls, the cover and the air, more so in cold or windy weather and with the bubbles running.
Common hot tub questions
The questions asked most often, each with causes and fixes.
- Slimy liner, seams or pipesWhy an inflatable hot tub feels slimy: what biofilm is, where it hides in pipes and liner seams, and a purge, scrub and refill routine to clear it.
- App cannot find or keeps losing the tubLay-Z-Spa WiFi not connecting to the app? Check router band, signal, pairing mode and resets, step by step, before calling Bestway support.
- Pump will not start or bubbles do not runLay-Z-Spa pump or bubbles not working? Power, connectors, airlocks and pump settings checked in order, and how to tell a pump fault from a settings issue.
- Error code on the pump displayLay-Z-Spa error codes E01 to E09 in one table, with the usual cause, the first check to try and when a code points to a pump fault that needs Bestway support.
- Error codes, no heat or no bubblesIntex PureSpa troubleshooting: what common error codes mean, why a tub is not heating or bubbling, and cover and leak problems, with safe checks to try.
- Water level dropping or walls going softInflatable hot tub losing water or air? Tell air loss from water loss, use the soapy water test, patch the liner and check the valves and seals first.
- Heater not warming the waterInflatable hot tub heater not working? Check filter flow, timer and lock settings, the heater button, air temperature limits and when to call the maker.
- Chlorine reading too highToo much chlorine in your hot tub? How to lower it by leaving the cover off, running the bubbles, partial draining or a neutraliser, with safe test points.
Hot tub topics
Choosing, sizing, heating, water care and keeping an inflatable tub going from spring to autumn.
- Choosing an inflatable hot tubJets, walls, insulation and app control: what separates one inflatable tub from the next.12 guides · 3 buying guides
- Sizes and shapesRound or square, two bathers or eight: footprint, water litres and seating space compared.4 guides · 2 buying guides
- Hot tub brandsLay-Z-Spa, Intex PureSpa, CleverSpa, MSpa and Wave Spa ranges laid side by side.5 guides · 2 buying guides
- Heating and running costsHeater kW, heat-up hours and kWh per week on a 13 A UK socket, through every season.11 guides · 1 buying guide
- Water careSanitiser, pH, test strips and hard water, set out as general guidance for clear water.18 guides · 0 buying guides
- Setup and upkeepBases, filling, error codes, leaks, draining and storing the tub at the end of the season.18 guides · 0 buying guides
Calculators
Heating time, kWh, litres and fill time worked out from your own numbers.
Comparisons
- Wood fired vs electric hot tub: which suits your garden?Wood fired vs electric hot tub compared on heat-up, effort, water care, space, smoke and power, so you can pick the right tub for a UK garden.
- Thermal cover vs inflatable lid for an inflatable hot tubThermal cover vs the standard inflatable lid compared on heat retention, fit, handling and when an upgrade makes sense for an inflatable hot tub.
- Round vs square inflatable hot tubsRound vs square inflatable hot tubs compared on seating space, footprint, water litres and patio fit, with the volume worked out for both shapes.
- Lay-Z-Spa vs Wave Spa comparedLay-Z-Spa vs Wave Spa: walls, heaters, insulation, freeze protection, seats and shapes compared from the listings, with a clear pick for each type of buyer.
- Lay-Z-Spa vs Intex PureSpa: which inflatable tub?Lay-Z-Spa vs Intex PureSpa compared on wall build, heater, jets, covers, app control and UK parts, with a quick pick by budget and garden size.
- Lay-Z-Spa Milan vs Honolulu: two 6 seat round tubsLay-Z-Spa Milan AirJet Plus vs Honolulu AirJet compared on jets, liner, cover, size and what comes in the box, with a clear pick for each buyer.
Buying guides
Focused guides to one type of inflatable hot tub each, compared on what the listings state.
Guides & advice
- What chemicals does an inflatable hot tub need?What chemicals an inflatable hot tub needs: sanitiser, pH up and down, alkalinity, shock and test strips, and the order to add them, as general guidance.
- Should you leave an inflatable hot tub on all the time?Should you leave an inflatable hot tub on all the time? Keeping the heater on against switching off, overnight running, timers and filtration explained.
- Do you need planning permission for a hot tub in the UK?Do you need planning permission for a hot tub in the UK? Portable tubs, decking, gazebos, listed buildings and rented homes explained, with official links.
- Is an inflatable hot tub pump waterproof?Is a Lay-Z-Spa or other inflatable hot tub pump waterproof? What the pump unit and RCD plug can cope with outdoors, how to keep them dry and when to stop.
- Inflatable hot tub sizes and water volumesInflatable hot tub sizes explained: a chart of outer sizes, water litres, gallons and seats for common models, plus how much space to leave round the tub.
- Replacing an inflatable hot tub pumpReplacing an inflatable hot tub pump unit: when it makes sense, how to match a Lay-Z-Spa or other pump to your tub, and how to swap it safely.