Here are some tips about things you may Want to Know about Hot Tub Jets.
There are over 100 kinds of jets, some good, some bad. But there’s more to it than that.
What’s a hot tub without jets? This is an important enough category to spill some ink on the subject if you care to be informed. Here are some things to consider:
1- Powerful Jets vs Weak jets
Lower quality models often have underpowered jets. That’s likely more due to poor engineering than insufficient horsepower.
A bigger pump doesn’t necessarily mean stronger jets. Some brands deliver more pressure per jet per horsepower than others because their plumbing arterial systems are more efficient.
It’s pointless to have more horsepower than is needed to deliver appropriate pressure to each jet because a jet can only put through so many litres per minute no matter how much pressure is behind it (like you can’t rush an hourglass by pushing on the sand).
Too much pressure needlessly strains the plumbing and jets, and increases the chances of leaks.
Tip:
Don’t worry about the horsepower specs, as it doesn’t mean much when it comes to actual jetting power. Rather, ask how many pounds pressure there is at each jet, as that’s what really matters (10-12 is ideal for a high quality jet).
2- Number of Jets
First time buyers tend to pay way too much attention on the number of jets. Most of the artfully laid out jetting nowadays is designed more for “wow’ appeal than for practical purposes. Although we do offer spa models with loads of jets for those who want them, our records show that return customers almost always go for something with less jets the second time around.
A simpler arterial system with fewer jets is sometimes the better way to go.
Tip:
Don’t take the jet count too seriously when making your choice – just look at a hot tub more intuitively, and ask would this be enough? Is there good reason for you want more?
3- Jet placement
What’s the point of having lots of jets if they aren’t strategically placed for effective and soothing massage? Some spa models have jets placed in spots that don’t make sense – they either miss your body completely or even worse, are at pressure points that are actually annoying. Why pay for jets that aren’t being used and appreciated?
Tip:
Ask yourself, are the jets located in areas where you want them to be? Are they intelligently placed?
4- Jet Clustering
One might imagine that a seat sporting twenty jets might give you four times the massage than one with only five jets. But if you get too many gets pushing against you at the same time, you lose the massage effect. Instead of feeling twenty pressure points against your back all you feel is a general current that pushes you away – especially if the jets are placed too closely together.
Tip:
Imagine all the jets on at once and ask yourself if it would cause you to hydroplane/levitate more than offer a good massage?
5- Does Every Seat Really Need To Be A Massage Seat?
When you’re in a hot tub alone, it’s great to close your eyes and really focus on the massage. When two are in a tub, it’s nice to have a couple very comfortable, nicely jetted seats to sit in and chat while enjoying a massage. But when the hot tub is full of people, they’re not there for therapeutic massage – they’re there to socialize. So the more people in a tub, the less important jetting becomes. Hot swirling water is usually good enough for group tubbing – not every seat has to offer an amazing jet cluster.
If budget is an issue, you can get away with a simpler tub that takes this into consideration. Instead of having eight incredibly-jetted seats, you might consider choosing a simpler spa that only has a couple of really nicely jetted seats, with more modestly jetted “overflow seating” for guests. That way you can save money, stay with a simpler system and entertain guests without compromising your own comfort.
Tip:
Look for the one or two “good seats” with the best massage package, then ask yourself if that would be good enough for your massage needs? Would you really need more than that?
6- Jet Brands
Hot tub manufacturers do not usually make their own jets – they almost all buy their jets from the same several jet manufacturers out there.
Some hot tub manufacturers will ask the jet makers to customize them for their particular brand or a particular model so the buyer is forced to go through the dealer to get them in the future.
Some jet are better than others of course, but that’s beyond the scope of this quick overview. Feel free to ask more about this when we meet to discuss things in person, and I can show you.
Tips:
Ask the vendor if their jets are standard or proprietary
Ask what brand they are (if they’re not Waterways, Pentair/Balboa or CMP jets, it might be a bad sign)
7- Adjustable Jets
Some jets can be turned on and off on a gradient fade by turning them clockwise and counterclockwise, while others are on or off, all or nothing.
Some hot tub systems have a diverter valve, where you can adjust the water flow to one section of the tub to another, or leave it half-way and share each section shares the pressure at 50%.
Some models have air valves along the sill of a hot tub, which adjusts how much air is introduced through the jets in different sections of the hot tub. The more air, the stronger the massage because the bubbles increase the friction against your skin.
Tips:
Ask the vendor about each of these things and become familiar with what each model offers.
8- Stainless Steel Jets
Stainless steel jets are no better than regular plastic ones. They’re exactly the same jet, and the only difference is cosmetic. Jets are all made of plastic, and the “stainless steel” part of a jet is only a metal cap clamped over the plastic to make it look pretty.
Tips:
Don’t turn your nose up at bland-looking plastic jets, as they work just as well.
Keep in mind that jets are underwater and aren’t really visible when the hot tub is in use, so the only time that stainless steel jets make a real impression is when you’re viewing a hot tub empty on a showroom floor.
