How Long Do Inflatable Hot Tubs Last?

If you are considering buying an inflatable hot tub then you might well be wondering how long it will last. Obviously, it’s not going to last as long as a hard shell hot tub but are inflatables really worth the money or do they simply not last long enough to be worth the bother? I decided to do a bit of research and here’s what I found out!

So, how long do inflatable hot tubs last? How long an inflatable hot tub lasts will depend on how well looked after it is and how well it is made. Some owners report problems after only a few months of ownership whilst others get up to 5 years use out of them. The average seems to be around 2 – 3 years of use.

So, if you do decide to take the plunge (!) and purchase an inflatable hot tub are there any ways that you can lengthen it’s life? Do they make economic sense or are they just false economy? Let’s dig a bit deeper to find out!

What’s the lifespan of an inflatable hot tub?

Inflatable hot tubs have become incredibly popular in the last few years and understandably so. They have a portability and practicality factor that you don’t get with a hard shell hot tub, they are relatively quick to set up as well.

Most importantly, they allow you to try out the wonderful world of hot tubbing without making a massive financial investment until you are sure that you will like it. It makes perfect sense to go for an inflatable hot tub at the beginning as they are quick and easy to set up and, if you don’t really like it then you have made a relatively small financial commitment.

If you haven’t already done so have a quick look on this page on Amazon to get an idea of the price for this inflable hot tub which is probably the best selling hot tub on the market.

However, the very thing that makes inflatable hot tubs appealing also means that they are prone to having a relatively short lifespan. It’s really difficult to give a 100% accurate indication of how long an inflatable hot tub will last as it’s dependent on a wide number of variable factors. However, some inflatable hot tub owners have reported regular usage up to 5 years or more. Others seem to have endless problems which often start within the warranty period and are never fully resolved.

The problem is twofold.

Firstly, inflatable hot tubs are erm…….inflatable. Anything inflatable is prone to becoming punctured, or coming apart as the lightweight material is under a serious amount of strain and pressure. This is particularly the case in inflatable hot tubs where the material has to cope with water pressure as well as the weight of people sitting on the sides. It has to be tough!

The second issue is that, to make inflatable hot tubs attractive to buyers and viable for the companies to produce them, they have to be made to a relatively budget level and this can lead to quality control issues both with the inflatable part and also with the mechanical parts (pumps and heaters) too.

A majority of inflatable hot tub owners who have problems report issues of PVC failure where the material has come apart, torn, cracked or joints have come unstuck. But, to complicate the issue there are also a lot of complaints about faulty pumps/heaters and joints/connections too.

A quick read through reviews on Amazon and Trust Pilot will reveal that, fairly much across the board, inflatable hot tub owners are delighted with there hot tubs and absolutely love them when they work. However, there are issues with reliability and durability.

To be fair it’s clear, even from reading the customer reviews and the manufacturer’s responses, that the manufacturers are taking the issue seriously and are improving the products all the time. However, that’s little comfort if you buy an inflatable hot tub and you only get a few months of use out of it.

Factors that affect how long an inflatable hot tub might last

Price and warranty – Firstly, to a certain extent, get what you pay for and the more expensive inflatable hot tubs should be better made and should, in theory at least, last longer. However, a much better indicator is to look at the warranty. No manufacturer is going to offer a warranty for any longer than they confidently expect a hot tub to last so this is a good first point of call.

For example, Bestway/Lay Z Spa are a really popular brand and, if you have a look at their warranty page you will see that (if you register with them) they will guarantee the pump for 18 months and the liner/cover for 12 months.

This doesn’t mean by any means that they won’t work beyond this point it’s just that this is the period of time that Bestway/Lay Z Spa are confident that their product will work for without any problems. Interestingly, they don’t seem to offer a paid extension option for the warranty if you wanted to upgrade.

So, why is this useful? Well, I have read that if you multiply the warranty time by 4 then this should give you an idea of how long things might last. I’m not so sure about this – it would mean that the Bestway/Lay Z Spa cover and liner could last 4 years and the pump up to six years.

However, this does seem to tally with a good number of online reviewer’s experiences. One good thing about this brand is that, if you visit their spares department online, you can actually replace the liner and cover (the most likely to components to fail) with a new one for a fairly reasonable price essentially extending the usable life of the whole hot tub considerably.

How much use the hot tub gets – Unlike a hard shell hot tub an inflatable will wear more as you use it. If you use it twice a year and keep it carefully stored in a garage for the rest of the time then it could almost last forever but, the whole point of having a hot tub is that it is on, set up and ready to go whenever you fancy a dip. If you are in it every day, or you have young children that are bouncing in and out of it all the time it will put extra strain and wear on the liner and it will wear out sooner. Having a good pair of steps to get in and out of it will help prevent wear and tear on the sides – my top recommendations are here.

Puncture problems – Dragging a deflated hot tub along the ground, having pets with sharp claws, putting it on stony ground and getting sharp objects in or near the hot tub all increase the risk of puncturing the liner. You can, of course, patch it but, to a certain extent once you have started patching it’s an uphill struggle. Eventually, the material starts to wear or tear and is basically unrepairable. Seams and joints also start to come apart over time.

If you do fancy having a go at fixing a hole with a patch then this kit here is a good place to start.

Chemical balance – How meticulous you are about keeping the chemical balance of the water in an inflatable hot tub will have an effect on it’s longevity. If you don’t clean regularly or change the water and filters as directed then there will be an accumulated build-up of bacteria and dirt in the hot tub which is difficult to get rid of. It’s also detrimental to the integrity of the lining material. If you think about it, even the physical scrubbing off of dirt from the fabric of an inflatable hot tub is going to wear away at it.

If you need a good place to start with your chemicals then this kit has a good selection of products to get you going and is smple to use.

The type of weather – Even the ambient air and weather conditions can have an effect on the longevity of an inflatable hot tub. If it’s kept in really cold conditions the material will become brittle and crack much more easily for example. Similarly, a hot tub kept in strong direct sunlight will have the opposite problem as the heat softens the material.

The best thing is to try to position your inflatable hot tub in a position where the temperature is relatively stable. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t use it during a hot summer or even during the coldest of winter days (although inflatable hot tub manufacturer’s do not recommend use in temperatures below 4 degrees C ) but just try to minimise temperature variation as much as possible.

How to make an inflatable hot tub last longer

Sign up for the warranty – If anything does go wrong with your inflatable hot tub in the first few months then it should be covered by the warranty. Some companies insist that you register with them to validate the warranty or even to get the full warranty so, as soon as you have purchased the hot tub, this is a good idea.

Handle carefully and reduce puncture risk – Think carefully about what you place your inflatable hot tub on. It should be flat, even and level and free from sharp stones or protrusions. A floor protector will help insulate the hot tub as well as offer some protection for the bottom of the hot tub as well. They are not too expensive and are a worthwhile investment in terms of saving money on water heating bills and also helping to protect against punctures.

Try to not allow your cat to walk along the hot tub wall! Sharp claws are not good news and cats and enthusiastic dogs with inflatable hot tubs are not a good combination. Remember to use plastic cups rather than sharp, breakable glass in the hot tub and avoid all other sharp objects near the hot tub too.

It’s also worth keeping an eye out for sand, stones and other debris that inevitably get brought into the hot tub on people’s feet. This tends to sit at the bottom of the hot tub and can easily get worked into the material.

Position carefully and keep switched on – Try to avoid direct hot sunlight and also choose a spot that has some shelter from the wind. You are trying, as much as possible, to minimise the extremes of temperature that can have a detrimental effect on the hot tub’s liner. You can check out some hot tub saving sun shade ideas here.

It’s also a good idea to keep the hot tub on all the time and at working temperature as this will help to keep the liner at a relatively stable temperature. If you know that you aren’t going to use your inflatable hot tub for some time then the best thing is to deflate it and carefully store it.

Empty hot tubs have a habit of getting dirty and damaged if left inflated outside when not in use. It’s a relatively quick process to set up an inflatable hot tub (particularly if you have an air compressor to inflate it) and it’s well worth taking the time as it will extend your hot tub’s life.

Be very careful with chemicals and cleanliness – Get into a regular habit of checking the water PH levels and making sure that the chemical balance is correct. Regular cleaning will also help to not only keep the hot tub more appealing but lessen the risk of damage as well.

Consider putting away for the winter – Cold weather really is the enemy of the inflatable hot tub and, if you are in any doubt then it’s a good idea to store the hot tub away for winter. In fact most manufacturers do not recommend use in temperatures below 4 degrees C.

That’s not to say that you can’t keep it going during the winter months – winter hot tubbing is great and perfectly possible with an inflatable hot tub with a few modifications and a bit of creative thinking – it might just make your liner last a little longer if you don’t use it in sub zero temperatures.

Think about your usage?? – One thing I wouldn’t be prepared to do is to limit myself to the amount of times I can use the hot tub in an effort to preserve it! This to me is a waste of money and the hot tub should be there, on and ready to go for whenever I fancy a dip! If it wears out and dies then so be it – at least I will have had some pleasure out of it!

Be prepared to purchase a new liner and cover – From what I have researched it looks like, generally speaking, that the pump and heater is likely to outlast the actual hot tub liner or body. Assuming this is the case it makes sense to factor in and expect to buy a replacement liner in order to get the most from your pump. You could theoretically at least more or less double the life of your inflatable hot tub by doing this.

Is an inflatable hot tub good value for money?

Ok, let’s have a bit of fun here and compare the possibility of buying the cheapest hard shell hot tub you can find with the option of just going for an inflatable.

The cheapest hard shell hot tub I could find currently is $3000. You may well get one for less during sale time or if you look around really hard.

Inflatable hot tubs start from around $300.

Now, for the purposes of this let’s assume that it will cost the same to connect each to electricity and that the hard shell hot tub comes with delivery included. Extras like steps, chemicals etc will be the same for both.

In terms of lifespan, the hard shell hot tub comes with a 2 year warranty for mechanical parts and a 5 year shell warranty. Most lower end hard shell hot tubs are expected to last at the lower end of 5 – 10 years so let’s say you might get 7 years of trouble free use out of it.

A basic hard shell hot tub will not be particularly efficient so could use $50 per month electricity and, if left on for the full 7 years this comes to a total of $4200. With the cost of the tub itself the grand total is $7200.

The inflatable hot tub would cost $300. With regular continuous use, you should get two years of use out of the hot tub liner, replacement liners are around $100 so they would cost an additional $300 to do 7 years. The pump and heater should last longer, let’s say you just need one replacement in 7 years at $250. The electricity is going to cost about the same at $50 per month making a grand total of $5050.

Now, this is interesting because the electricity is a huge cost over 7 years and actually, over that period of time the hard shell hot tub could only cost about $2150 more. That’s only around $26 per month over 7 years – it’s possible that you might just save this in electricity as the hard shell should theoretically be more efficient and the inflatable could be less hard wearing!

Related questions

Can I put an inflatable hot tub indoors? Yes, but bear in mind that the hot tub will be very heavy when full of water and you need to be sure that the floor will support it’s weight. There will also be issues with steam and condensation so make sure that you have adequate ventilation The other issue is with water getting inside the house. Filling the hot tub and using it may only cause minor spillages but you need to have a plan for how you will empty the hot tub. Outside you simply undo the drain plug and let the water flow but indoors you will need to empty the hot tub with a sump pump or attach a hose to the drain plug to direct the water away.

How long does an inflatable hot tub take to warm up? Generally speaking between 6 and 12 hours. This might seem a long time particularly as the great beauty of an inflatable hot tub is it’s portability and the speed with which you can set it up. Unfortunately, you can’t have instant hot water as well and you will just have to wait for the heater to do it’s job!

Can I use an inflatable hot tub in winter? Yes, great idea! Inflatable hot tubs can be used during the winter but you will need to keep it on all the time to prevent freezing. Really cold weather isn’t great for the hot tub liner but winter hot tubbing is such a lovely feeling and life’s too short not to do it if you have the opportunity!