I heard the other day that somebody who had bought a cheap Hot Tub which was an eastern import is unable to get spare parts so that the heater does not work.

You even hear stories of people that buy cheap eastern hot tubs and they do not get the cover for the hot tub till months later.

We saw a cheap eastern import recently with out any floor or base, no insulation, just a load of rubbish. No insulation on the side panels so heat will simply be lost.

Then the electric cables were loose running across the floor and with no base that means that they would get wet when it rains! Good chance of getting electrocuted just so that one can save some money but only in the short term that I would call false economy.

Naturally we told the owner to tie all the cables clear of the floor. The quality of the cables used are not up to western standards and you can tell that by one glance its as simple as that. The plumbing also falls way short of western standards.

Oh why worry if they are fool enough to buy a cheap import from the east what do they honestly expect.

It's a a bit like the lead paint in toys that come from the east, many people think that they are clever by saving money, but the truth is that they buy a lot of trouble for the future. So in reality it is a very false economy.

Quality manufacturers consider the long term of spa ownership when designing their products. Manufacturers that use advanced manufacturing methods employ ABS-backed acrylic instead of the older style fibreglass and they are able to provide a much sturdier, longer lasting product.

Not only is the manufacturing process that does not use fibreglass as a backing material much more environmentally friendly, but the stronger more expensive ABS backed shell material allows for elimination of foam shell support.

So those manufacturers that use full foam are doing it to support a cheaper shell material. Their approach to production is simply to start from the approach of lets find the cheapest way of construction not the best.

Many manufacturers use the lower priced standard Acrylic that must be supported with fibreglass and foam.

The foam may be referred to as insulation, but in reality it actually supports this lower priced shell material and does not represent a "green" approach to long lasting maintenance, but is only necessary for the support of lower priced shell materials.

We have also heard it said that full foam is used to eliminate the noise of the water in the pipes. Well we are appalled to hear that said as it simply must be a badly designed spa that needs that. It is just simply a cover story to hide the cheap production methods.

There are many disadvantages with spraying low cost expanding foam into the spa cabinet including lack of access to important plumbing parts and jet surfaces as well as the ability to quickly check for and fix a leak should it occur.

Many times a leak in a foam filled cabinet will manifest itself over many months and the result is a rotted out interior with odorous, soaked foam material that creates quite a mess.

Obviously a good well designed and engineered product will lead to an outstanding hydrotherapy massage. Where one will be able to enjoy a vigorous or perhaps soothing massage with the ability to be able to adjust and modify your massage experience to suit or enhance your mood as appropriate.

In summary I would suggest that as a Hot Tub Jacuzzi style spa is probably the third most expensive purchase that you make after your home and perhaps a car that you should try to buy the best that you can afford but make sure that you do not buy a cheap eastern import or a the dog dish looking hot tub. Look for proper branded acrylic such as Lucite and Quarite and ask to see the dealers colour chips from those manufacturers. Sometimes it is Lucite inspired but not Lucite. Look for Balboa controls and aim for a manufacturer who has been making spas for many years. A very good simple test is to see if your hot tub dealer is on first name terms with the owners and directors of the manufacturers of the products' he is supplying. This is of course impossible if they are based in the East !!!!