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Pros and Cons of a Whirlpool Bathtub

Whirlpool Bathtub ProsWhirlpool Bathtub Cons
You can get an in-built heater to keep your water warm.It is expensive.
It’s a great way to unwind.The tub requires maintenance.
Helps with recovery post-workout.The jets aren’t enjoyable for everyone.
You get better bubble baths.It is big and takes a lot of water to fill.
Can have therapeutic benefit for some medical conditions.It can be noisy.
 There is, unfortunately, such a thing as too much when it comes to bubble baths.
 You may need to change your bathroom ventilation system.


Whirlpool bathtubs can keep water hot for longer. They are therapeutic for mind and body if you enjoy them. The jets maximize bubble bath; but, it can become too much. They are more costly, require maintenance, can be noisy, need lots of water to fill, and alter ventilation requirements.

Whirlpool bathtub pros and cons

Pros of a Whirlpool Bathtub

You Can Have a Heater Installed in the Tub

Whirlpool tubs can have a small heater installed that maintains the heat of the bathwater.

A bathtub that keeps the water warm, yes, please!

The worst part of a bath is when it starts getting cold. You have moved from relaxation to dread at this stage as that seeping cold is enough to remind you that your me-time is over.

In a standard tub, the solution to a chilling bath is to run more hot water into the tub. This isn’t the most efficient method for maintaining heat and, if you are like me, I always feel like it’s a bit of a waste.

So, a bathtub that can hold its heat is wonderful. Especially if you are using the large tub for a romantic evening.

Another way that the in-built heater helps is to counter the heat loss effects resulting from ventilation by a bathroom exhaust fan.

A Great Way to Unwind

A warm bath is known for its ability to help with stress and muscle tension. Add the water jets of a whirlpool bathtub and you have got a great way to unwind.

This is that coveted spa experience in the comfort of your own home. The one where you get into the warm bathtub that slowly massages away your troubles, and you can forget about the outside world.

With the heating system, you can stay as long as you need to for your mind and body to relax and unwind.

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Add in some bath salts or bubbles and pour yourself a glass of wine (or your preferred beverage, there’s no rule here!), and you don’t need to go any further than your bathroom for that holiday feeling.

Can Be Beneficial for Active Persons

I love exercising. But a really great workout often comes with the cost of stiff muscles, especially when you need to switch up your routine or are pushing to that next level.

You need to get those gains, but also, it would be nice to help out those hard-working muscles!

Weight training, marathon prepping, whatever it is, you are likely going to love a whirlpool tub.

The warm water that can be maintained for more than a few minutes and the gentle massaging of the water from the jets will be a blissful post-workout experience. Those sore muscles are going to get some attention, and this is going to help you recover faster.

Better Bubbles for Your Bubble Bath

More bubbles mean more happiness, obviously!

If you enjoy a good bubble bath, of the extra bubbly variety, then this is going to be your dream come true.

The whirlpool bathtub is the king of the bubble bath. Just add in your favorite bubble mix and let the movement of the water create and maintain a bath worthy of old Hollywood.

Just a drop of normal bubble bath will be more than enough, or you can go a more controlled route and get the kind of bubble bath intended for jetted bathtubs. Many people recommend inSPAration Spa and Bath Aromatherapy.

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Can Be Therapeutic for Some Medical Conditions

A whirlpool bathtub might be helpful for its ability, in part, to replicate the effects of whirlpool therapy. This helps to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and swelling, and can help improve mobility.

For individuals who struggle with long-term or chronic conditions, then the whirlpool bathtub might prove to be less of a spa luxury and more of a tool for the healing and treatment process.

Someone with a condition such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, or who suffers from back pain would probably benefit from a whirlpool tub.

Consult your professional healthcare providers before you use a whirlpool bathtub with any medical condition.

Cons of a Whirlpool Bathtub

The Cost

The whirlpool tub is going to cost you. Unlike a regular tub, the whirlpool has many extras and moving parts that show on the price tag.

The cheapest whirlpool tubs can cost around $1,000-$1,700. However, to get the best experience of a whirlpool tub, you might need to spend closer to $3,000-$5,000.

Not only will the tub itself cost you more, but you are going to have to pay to use it. The heating and water cost to fill the tub will be more, as well as the electricity it takes to run the heat-holding system.

If you are only going to use this tub a couple of times a year, then it won’t be worth it. I would recommend booking yourself into a spa or hotel with such facilities if you want that experience every so often. It will cost you less, and you won’t have to clean it!

You Will Have to Do Maintenance

This luxury bathtub comes with the cost of a whole bunch of components.

These components, with constant use, are going to experience wear and tear. So, you are going to have to keep up with the maintenance of your bathtub if you want it to keep working well.

If you are looking to de-stress with a bath, the last thing you want is to find that half your jets have stopped working or the heating system is acting up.

To preserve the sanctity of your bathing, you will have to maintain the functionality of the bathtub. This means you will end up with a more regular cost to the tub after you buy it. One that you don’t get with a normal tub.

You Might Not Actually Enjoy It

The water jets sound heavenly. The relaxation of a warm bath while little streams of water gently knead away the worries of the day is awesome. But not always.

If you happen to struggle with any tactile sensitivity, I would not recommend this tub for you. The jets might end up annoying you.

Constantly having water pushing against you might not always be comforting, especially if you had a stressful day. Sometimes the most relaxing part of a bath can be the stillness you experience.

Usually Larger and Takes Longer to Fill

Whirlpool bathtubs are quite a bit bigger than a standard tub. It’s part of the spa-like experience to submerge yourself in a colossal tub, but along with taking up a lot of space, this giant is going to take a lot more water to fill.

And the problem with the whirlpool tub is that you won’t get the benefit of the tub if you do not put in sufficient amounts of water.

If you are more water-conservation conscious, like I am, then you might not be comfortable with how much water you will have to use for each bath. The resulting guilt or anxiety is something that not even the massaging jets can assuage.

Water faucet running in full power

Can Be Noisy

Be prepared: this bathtub comes with a motor. So, if you prefer a quiet bath to unwind in, you may not be looking in the right place here.

The whirlpool tub has a motor to keep the water moving and warm, which as yet does not come with a silent running mode.

If you want to use a nice, warm bath to help with your headache or you like to listen to an audiobook or watch YouTube while relaxing, then this tub might prove to be unhelpful and annoying.

Bubble Baths Can Get Out of Control

Normally, bubbles are created by the movement of running water as you fill your tub. Once the water stops, so does the motion that activates the bubbles.

With the constant bubble-creating action of a whirlpool tub, there’s always the chance of ending up with more bubbles than a bath. Especially if you use a little too much bubble solution (or your kid throws in an extra dash while you aren’t looking!).

A regular bubble bath is designed to get you decent foaming with minimal agitation of the water. Add in the whirlpool action, and you will access the super-powered version of a regular bubble bath.

To stop the bubbles from becoming excessive you would need to turn off your entire bath. It’s a hassle, and you probably won’t have the best experience.

If you have children, this excess could become a game. More bubbles equal more fun for the kids. As a kid, the saddest part was when the bubbles faded. I could see my younger self thinking that the only way a bubble bath that didn’t run out of bubbles could be better would be if there were more bubbles.

However, there is such a thing as too many bubbles to whichever adult has to clean them up!

Airflow Requirements

Ventilation is very important to keep your bathroom hygienic and safe.

The whirlpool tub might increase your bathroom’s exhaust rate and compensation requirements.

The exhaust requirements for an ordinary bathtub are 50 CFM, a standard exhaust rate for bathrooms. A bathroom under 50 ft2 is 50 CFM. A bathroom bigger than that follows the ratio of 1 CFM per 1 ft2.

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ETL Certified Quiet Bath Fan Light Combo 1.0 Sones, 110 CFM

If you have the space to install a whirlpool tub, you may have a bathroom that exceeds 100 ft2, in which case you adhere to the 1:1 ratio mentioned above, with the addition of airflow rates for the water fixtures as defined by the Home Ventilation Institute.

A standard bath adds 50 CFM. A whirlpool adds on 100 CFM. So, if you’re planning to install a whirlpool bathtub in your bathroom, you may need to adjust your ventilation system.

Related article: Best High CFM Bathroom Fans

Sources

https://www.hvi.org/resources/publications/bathroom-exhaust-fans/

https://www.thewhirlpoolbathshop.com/blog/can-you-use-bubble-bath-or-oil-in-a-whirlpool-bath

https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-bathtub-replacement-cost.htm

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