Hot tubs by category

Inflatable tubs are the cheapest way into a hot tub. You pump up the wall, fill it from the garden hose and plug it in. The catch is heat loss: a plain air wall lets the warmth out fast on a cold night. Look for an insulated liner or drop-stitch panels if you plan to use the tub after September.

Foam-wall tubs swap the air wall for solid foam panels under a PVC skin. The makers claim up to 60 % lower heat loss, and most of them have the heater built into the wall, so there is no pump box on the patio. They cost more than an inflatable but less than a frame tub.

Frame tubs have stiff panels around a liner, so they look like a hard tub but still plug into a 13 A socket and need no crane or electrician. They are heavier and dearer than inflatables, and they stay put once filled.

A square tub fits snugly into a corner of the patio and gives each person a flat side to lean against. For the same width, a square tub also holds more water and more legs than a round one.

Small tubs heat faster, cost less to run and fit on a modest patio. Makers are generous with seat counts, so a tub sold for four is usually comfortable for two or three adults.

Most tubs sold as six-seaters fit four adults comfortably. If you really want six adults in at once, look at the inside size and go for 200 cm or more across.

The biggest tubs hold well over 1,000 litres. That is great for parties and hard on the electricity bill in winter, so pair a big tub with the best insulation you can afford.

Under £500 you are buying an inflatable. The best ones here still come with a thermal cover, and a few even have the heater built into the wall. Check the price per seat and the review count before you pick.

Between £500 and £1,000 you get insulated liners, foam walls, app control and in a few cases water jets. This is where most UK buyers end up.

App control lets you turn the heater on from work so the water is at 38 °C when you get home, and turn it down when you go away. It also makes it easy to heat on cheap off-peak electricity.

Most inflatable tubs only blow air bubbles. Water jets push a stream of water at your back and feel more like a real massage. They need a separate pump, so they cost more and use more power.