A hot tub cover is heavy and bulky. Just ask anyone who has tried to remove one by themselves. Even if you are physically strong a stiff breeze can catch the large flat surface and the hot tub cover can easily get away from you. Removing a normal hot tub cover is best handled by two people. If you use your tub alone or are not physically strong enough to wrestle it off your spa, you need to consider a Hot Tub Cover Lift.

A cover lift is a mechanical device that attaches to the spa cabinet body or deck and is designed to help you remove your hot tub cover. There can be different methods of operation but they all allow one person to easily and safely remove the cover from their spa.

Cover lifts are known by various other names, and you will see them referred to as lifters, caddies, slides and removers. There are three basic types.

The simplest is a "slide", which is a platform made of two metal or wooden rails. You flip back your cover and slide it straight back onto the arms. Simple and quick, with nothing to wear out - except for maybe that expensive new hot tub cover you've just bought. The friction of sliding the spa cover back and forth might eventually damage the vinyl covering so this is something you have to watch carefully.

Another variety stores the folded hot tub cover in a vertical position so that it blocks the view on one side. This is useful if your neighbor's are getting too interested in your hot tub activities, but is a disadvantage in that it can limit your view as well. This type of lift sometimes relies on a hydraulic arm or springs, which are parts which might break or deteriorate over time. Make sure that the cover can be locked in the up position so there is no danger it can fall back down, injuring someone.

A third type of lift helps you to remove the hot tub cover and holds the folded cover behind the spa. It sometimes takes a little more effort to operate this kind, and you do need to have about a foot of clearance behind the spa for the cover. But the lower profile eliminates the issue of an obstructed view.

One item to research carefully is whether the lift you are considering places stress on center hinge of your hot tub cover. This hinge is normally not designed to carry the full weight of the cover in a hanging position, and some type of lifts can place a real strain on it. Just so there are no surprises it would be smart to ask this question before making your purchase. There are some after market kits that can prevent this problem, but that is at an extra cost. Some lifts are designed to transfer to weight to the outer edge of the tub and eliminate the stress to the hinge.

Lifts are engineered to fit many different spa sizes and most hot tub cover lifts can be installed by the homeowner using tools you would normally have around the house.

Cover lifts can also serve one other function, and that's of storage while you are using your hot tub. When you remove the top you have to put it somewhere. If you don't have a deck, that frequently means putting it on the ground. Even if you do have a deck, you might not want a huge hot tub cover blocking the way.

After spending thousands of dollars on a hot tub, cover, chemicals, and operation costs, spending a few hundred dollars more for a cover lift will make your hot tub experience and the strain on your back much less stressful.