I love ski trips—the deep powder, exploring new terrain, making friends on the lift—but my favorite part of any ski trip might be sinking into a hot tub after said skiing. There’s nothing more relaxing than easing my tired body into a bubbling pool of 104-degree water, beer in hand, memories of powder stashes dancing through my head.
That moment is so sublime for me, in fact, that I toyed with purchasing my own spa to recreate the feeling at home. But I was hesitant to pull the trigger—mostly, I balked at the cost (do I really want to drop $5,000 on a bathtub for my backyard?), and I also heard the upkeep can be a nightmare. Would I use it enough to justify the cost and maintenance? And am I even a hot tub guy? “Hot tub guys” wear gold chains and have shag carpet in their basement. “Hot tub guys” always have a blender full of daiquiris on hand and say things like, “bathing suits are optional.” I’m not sure that I fit the mold.
Nevertheless, my wife convinced me to buy an inexpensive, inflatable hot tub as an experiment. If we liked the inflatable version, we’d fork over the cash for a “real” hot tub next fall. So, I spent $450 on a Coleman SaluSpa AirJet on Amazon during a Black Friday sale, and I’ve been using it for the last two months. Though the results of this experiment were mixed at first, I’m now currently looking for the perfect gold chain to go with the shag carpet I just installed.
Coleman SaluSpa AirJet
$454 at Amazon $454 at Walmart
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How the SaluSpa AirJet Hot Tub Works
There are a lot of inflatable hot tubs on the market, but I went with the Coleman SaluSpa AirJet because of the price, size, and reputation. At under $500, it’s a fraction of the cost of a “real” hot tub, but it holds 200 gallons of water and fits two to four people. On top of all that, it has insanely good reviews, including a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with more than 10,000 comments.
Upon arrival, the tub itself was easy to set up. The heat pump doubles as an electric air pump, inflating the walls in just a few minutes. I filled the tub with a garden hose, screwed in the filter, and set the temperature to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. I let it warm up overnight, and by the morning it was fully heated.
The Coleman SaluSpa model is a fairly simple system, with an exterior pump that heats the water to up to 104 degrees. You can adjust the temperature and even set a timer days in advance so the tub will be hot when you want to jump in, but it’s a slow-working pump and it takes several hours to increase the temperature of the water significantly. Because of this, I now know to keep the tub set at 102 degrees (unless I know I’m not going to be able to soak for a few days, in which case I’ll drop it to 95).
That said, dialing in the chemicals was not so easy. I’ve never maintained a pool or spa before, so I had to learn on the job about things like alkalinity and PH balance. This is what a lot of hot tub owners complain about, and the upkeep should not be overlooked. You have to be vigilant. It took me the better part of a month to get the system dialed, during which time I barely used the thing because I couldn’t get the balance of chemicals right. That first month with this tub in my backyard, I was convinced it was a waste of money that was destined to become a mosquito breeding ground come summer. But over time, I figured out a steady rhythm of testing the chemical balance, replacing the filter, and keeping an even supply of bromine in the system. Now that I’ve figured out the secret recipe, I’ve changed my tune about the hot tub entirely: I love this thing.
Is the Energy Bill Worth It?
I know I’m supposed to cut my energy consumption at all costs because—you know, the environment—but having this hot tub is worth the extra energy expenditure because I use it significantly more than I expected. I thought I’d enjoy soaking in the tub after a day of skiing or mountain biking, but I find myself using it most often early in the morning. Starting the day with a cup of coffee while watching the sun rise from my inflatable backyard bathtub is absolutely wonderful. Now I fully understand the hot tub hype. Every morning I wake up and congratulate myself for making the purchase. I’ll cut energy use in some other aspect of my life—I’ll play less Xbox and charge my phone less, I swear—but the hot tub stays.
I got the smaller size on purpose, because I was concerned about energy consumption. You can plug this hot tub into a regular 120-volt socket, so you don’t need to add a 240-volt outlet like with a “real” hot tub. So far, I’ve seen a small bump in my monthly electric bill because of the addition (roughly $20 a month), but it’s nothing more significant than when my teenage kids leave every light on in the house for seven days straight.
The Downsides
Realistically, the inflatable hot tub experience isn’t exactly like soaking in a “real” hot tub. Inflatable hot tubs are the equivalent of above ground pools: They’re considered a little “less than,” bordering on trashy. But I had an above ground pool growing up, and it was way better than not having a pool at all, so I can handle the stigma. Besides, inflatables are hot right now. There are inflatable boats, coolers, Adirondack chairs—I even have an inflatable sleeping platform in the back of my truck. Viva the blow-up revolution!
Another ding: the marketing materials say the Coleman SaluSpa AirJet is big enough for two to four people, but it would have to be four really small people. It’s big enough for two adults that know each other really well and don’t mind body parts touching. My wife and I fit in there just fine, and there’s plenty of room for me to do my early morning stretches when I’m in there solo, but this is not a four-person tub. Beyond the demure size of the Coleman SaluSpa and the overall above ground pool stigma, I have to occasionally top off the air in the tub’s walls to keep them rigid. The lid in particular seems to leak air at a steady clip.
But the biggest difference between a “real” hot tub and this inflatable model is the jets. The Coleman SaluSpa boasts 120 jets, which create tons of bubbles that add ambiance, but they don’t offer the sort of massage that powerful jets in real hot tubs offer. They’re not strong enough or positioned in the right place to massage your lower back or any other body part. The bubbles are just there for show, and when you turn them on, they drop the water temperature by a couple of degrees within a few minutes. If the reason you would consider a hot tub is for the massage, the Coleman SaluSpa might not be the best option for you.
So, Is an Inflatable Hot Tub Worth it?
That said, I have no regrets buying this thing. If this inflatable experiment went well, my wife and I originally thought we would purchase a “real” hot tub next fall, but now I’m wondering if it’s even necessary to level up. Do I need to spend another $5,000 to get a slightly better experience? Maybe I’m not a hot tub guy after all. Maybe I’m just an inflatable hot tub guy.