Pick from summers best hot tub options (May 2020 Updated Review)

We kick off our cheap hot tub reviews with the Lay-Z-Spa Paris air jet model. Lay-Z-Spa are the number one selling company in the UK when it comes to inflatable hot tubs and have over a quarter of a million happy customers under their belt.

Like most of their products, the Paris air jet is easy to set up and requires absolutely no tools other than the provided pump to inflate it, pro tip; an air compressor is a huge advantage. The whole process takes about 10 minutes and then you can lay back while 87 separate air jets soothe your aching muscles.

If you like your water hot, you’ll be happy with the heating system that rapidly gets the temperature up to 40 degrees Celsius, and thanks to an improved pump design, the heating, filtering and air jets can all operate simultaneously.

The heater also has a built in timer which can come in very handy and also save you on your energy bills if used correctly.

To set the mood even more, you can turn on the LED lights to give your hot tub an inviting glow in seven different colours.

Build wise, this is a solid model. The i-beam construction coupled with high quality leatheroid material and soft cushioned floor offer you a nice combination of comfort and sturdiness.

This hot tub comes with an insulated protective cover for when you’re not using it, and also a 2 year warranty.

• Low price but has some good features
• Easy to set-up
• Improved water pump design
• Seven colour LED lights for night time fun
• Well-built and sturdy

For around about the same price as the Lay-Z-Spa Paris, there is also this Alpine model from MSPA.

Unlike the round Paris air-jet, this hot tub has been designed with a square shape and has dimensions of 1.58m x 1.58m x 0.68m tall.

The hot tub is made of a 6 layer reinforced PVC material that the makers call ‘rhino-tech’ that certainly feels durable enough and it comes with a cover that can be quickly secured using the attached buckles.

One thing this hot tub has over its competitor is the number of air-jets. The MPSA Alpine has 108 of them providing you with a complete massage experience from all angles.

The air jets, temperature, and even self-inflation are all operated by the well designed, and easy to use remote control. The temperature can be raised up to a maximum of 42 degrees, courtesy of the 1500W heater, and should be more than hot enough for anyone.

Included in the price is a garden hose adaptor to make filling the tub up easier, a filter cartridge pack, a ground mate, wrench, and instruction DVD.

The pool spa has a 6 month warranty and the electrical parts have double that with a year’s guarantee.

• Made of 6 layer durable material
• Square shaped design
• 108 air jets
• 1500W heater
• Heats to 42 degrees
• Remote control

Our last budget hot tub review is of this Airwave inflatable 6 person portable spa.
Measuring 208cm x 208cm and standing 65cm high, this hot tub is certainly spacious and can seat 6 people comfortably.

Inside of this space are 130 air jets providing the bubbles powered by a 600 watt pump. The bubbles are spread out evenly and produce a good effect, and they can be turned on and off using the remote control.

This tub has a maximum water temperature of 42 degrees Celsius but it takes time to get there, about 1.5 – 2 degrees per hour.

Setting up the hot tub is much quicker, as it self-inflates into shape ready to be filled.

Like our other budget hot tub reviews, this model comes with its own aluminium insulated cover sheet to keep the water warm once it’s heated, and there is also a ground sheet in case you want to use it indoors.

Included with this hot tub is a water filter cartridge and remote control.

• Spacious enough for 6 people
• 130 air jets
• Remote control
• Aluminium insulated cover sheet
• Self inflates

With rattan style garden furniture being so popular these days, it was only a matter of time and common sense before someone gave an inflatable hot tub the same look.

That hot tub is this one, the St Moritz model from Lay-Z-Spa.

Feature wise, it has the things that you’d expect from this trusted manufacturer- easy to set up, rapid heating of the water, and hard wearing tri-tech material combined with a stable construction.

The bubbles are provided by 140 air jets and the pool can be heated to 40 degrees while the bubbles operate at the same time, and you can set the heater to work on a timer to save energy. All this is managed via the soft touch controller.

The St Moritz has the easy to use Chem-connect chlorine dispenser and self-deflating system that you often see in higher end models.

• Rattan colour scheme will match rattan garden furniture
• Rapid water heater
• 140 air jets
• Easy to use chlorine dispenser
• Self-deflating system

This model is the big brother to the 4 man MSPA alpine from our budget hot tub reviews section.

It is made from the same Rhino-tech material that is made up of 6 layers of reinforced PVC to make it something you can rely upon.

The hand held remote control can be used to adjust the water temperature (up to 42 degrees Celsius), turn the bubbles on and off, operate the self-inflate feature, and allow you to set the timer for the heater.

The self-inflate feature makes setting up this hot tub a piece of cake and you can have it up in no time at all. There are water release valves in the bottom to speed up the process of emptying the tub too.

The 108 air jets are well positioned so that the bubble coverage in this hot tub is uniform and not just concentrated in one place like some other models.

There is a one year warranty on the electrical components of this hot tub and the inflatable pool itself is guaranteed for 6 months.

A thermo bladder lid, protective cover, ground mat, garden hose adapter, filter cartridge pack, and instructional DVD are all included in the price.

• 6 layer Rhino-tech material make this hot tub very hard wearing
• Temperature control
• Heating timer
• Self-inflating
• Water release valves
• 108 well positioned air jets

We are stepping up the price range a little with our next hot tub review. The Maldives luxury hot tub is on sale for just over a thousand pounds at the moment.

So what does the extra money buy you?

Well, for one it’s bigger and designed to accommodate 5-7 people which is more than any of the budget models.

The material used in its construction is also of a higher quality. Lay-Z-Spa have used their premium tri-tech material and I-beam structure to ensure this hot tub is stable and able to take a few knocks without being damaged to easily.

The system that produces the bubbles is a step up to, and is a combination of 8 hydro jets, and 140 air jets and also a foot massaging feature for that added bit of luxury.

There is integrated inflatable seating in the form of benches to give even more comfort and on top of that, removable backrests are included in the package too.

Like a lot of these inflatable hot tubs, the Maldives model self-inflates and is ready to be filled in seconds, and the built in water heater works quickly to get the temperature up to 40 degrees Celsius if you like it that hot.

When it’s time to pack the hot tub away, it has an automatic deflating function to speed things up and makes it very easy to clear away in the shed and super is to clean with basic cleaning solution.

This hot tub comes with a two year warranty, filter cartridges, and an insulated cover.

• Large enough for 7 people
• Combination of hydro jets and air jets for maximum bubbles
• Foot massage feature
• Integrated seating
• Self-inflates and deflates
• Made from high quality material

The Intex Pure Spa is a 6 person hot tub with some nice features.

For a start it is made of robust yet comfortable fibre-tech material which is comprised of thousands of individual fibres, giving this model good longevity.

There are also 140 heated bubble jets providing you with a relaxing bubble based massage and the temperature is adjustable via the control panel.

What makes this model special is that it has an integrated hard water treatment system. It works by creating an electromagnetic field in the water which works with the minerals such as calcium to create suspended crystals and leave ‘soft water’ which is better for you skin.

This hot tub can be used both indoors and outside, and comes with a cover to keep the water warm and free of debris when not in use.

One thing I noticed about the Intex Pure Spa is that although the bubbles and heater don’t work at the same time, the hot tub does retain the heat of the water extremely well, so you don’t really notice that the water isn’t being heated at the same time as the bubbles.

Also included in the price, are a floating chlorine dispenser, filter cartridges, 3 way test strip, thermal ground cloth, inflation hose, and carry bag.

• Very durable and made of strong material
• 140 bubble jets provide a good massage
• Retains heat very well
• Integrated hard water treatment system
• Adjustable temperature via control panel