Where to buy a swim spa: What you REALLY need to know
Once you decide you want a swim spa, your next decision is: Where are you going to get it?
We will go through the list of options for you in this article. We actually don’t get asked “where should I buy a swim spa” at our Hydropool stores very often. We know it’s a question people ask BEFORE they come into the store. Once we get to talking with customers, we do sometimes get asked things like “who else sells these?” or “should I buy one online?”
They are fair questions and we will answer them in this article.
Where is the best place to buy a swim spa? The best place to buy a swim spa is from a store that specializes in them. We will cover that option and the other common ones below:
- Buying a swim spa in a hot tub and swim spa store: Pros and cons
- Buying a swim spa from a pool dealer: Pros and cons
- Buying a swim spa online: Pros and cons
- Buying a swim spa from a big box store: Pros and cons
- Buying a swim spa from a tent sale: Pros and cons
Hopefully by the end you’ll have a strong sense of where to head to pick your swim spa!
Where to buy a swim spa: A swim spa specialty store
A retail store that specializes in swim spas is our No. 1 recommendation when buying a swim spa, especially if you’re a first-time buyer. This is the only way Hydropool sells swim spas today. Here’s what you get from a local retailer:
- Expertise: Stores that specialize in swim spas are likely to have a deeper understanding and knowledge of the products they sell. Their staff will be more knowledgeable about the different features, benefits, and maintenance requirements of swim spas, and can provide you with expert advice on choosing the right model for your needs.
- Wider selection: Swim spa stores will carry the widest possible selection of swim spa models, and sizes. This gives you more options to choose from and a better chance at finding a swim spa that fits your specific requirements and budget
- Quality assurance: Stores that specialize in swim spas are more likely to carry high-quality products from a reputable brand. They are invested in maintaining their reputation and customer satisfaction, so they are more likely to sell swim spas that are durable, reliable, and backed by good warranties.
- Customization options: Specialized swim spa stores may offer customization options that allow you to personalize your swim spa to suit your preferences and needs. This can include choosing specific features, colors, and accessories to create a unique and tailored swim spa experience.
- Installation and maintenance services: Specialized swim spa stores often offer installation and maintenance services to help you set up and maintain your swim spa properly. You don’t want to be in a situation where a swim spa is dropped on your front lawn and you’re left to figure it all out from there.
Of course, retailers vary. Here’s a few ways to determine if you have a good one:
- You’ll want to make sure there’s a company and a retailer behind you who will honor your warranty. So one of your first questions to ask is “how long have you been in business?”
- And another question to ask early on is: “Who does your repair work?” You want to know if the company contracts it out or does it themselves. When you buy a hot tub from a good retailer, it is like getting a car and a mechanic from a car dealership. After-sales support is a key benefit of a good retailer, so asking about how that works from anybody you’re seeking to buy from is a key question. A warranty is useless if there is no one around who will honor it for you.
- Look for published pricing as well. You shouldn’t have to go to a store to find out the rough price of something like a swim spa. A website should give you a decent range.
The cons of buying from a local retailer will often depend on the retailer. A good one makes the process easy, providing help but not wasting your time. A bad one will talk your ear off or show you products you don’t need or will walk you through a sales process that takes way too much of your time.
Finding the time to go to one can also be an inconvenience: Retailers are often in industrial areas or more remote parts of cities, because they need space for their products. They are places you need to go, as they aren’t built for walk-in traffic (after all, people rarely casually decide to buy a swim spa on a whim).
But we see these as small and necessary obstacles. So our recommendation remains the same, whether you buy a Hydropool or another brand: Shop at a specialized local retailer.
You can do everything you can in a pool in a swim spa, plus it acts like a giant hot tub, at less cost than a pool. As for landscaping, a swim spa can look just as glorious, such as this in-ground 14-foot Hydropool Aquasport.
Where to buy a swim spa: A pool store that sells swim spas
This can also be very good. Everything good that we said above about local retailers applies here. A pool retailer who has sold swim spas for any length of time will be able to provide you with a range of models and will have experience in their installation (although we developed our line of swim spas going back to the 1980s, Hydropool actually began as a pool company).
The only con is that you can expect to hear a pool sales pitch while you’re looking at the swim spas, as a pool would be considered an upsell for any salesperson. But if you can weather that, you’ll still be in good hands.
Buying a swim spa online: What are you actually getting?
You can buy anything online today and swim spas are no exception. We know that most people want to see a product in person before they buy if they are paying the price that swim spas sell at. You can’t do that online.
You’re also not going to get the sales support during the delivery process and after you purchase. Chances are you’re going to get a swim spa left on your front lawn, and installation will be up to you, which is something we wouldn’t wish on anyone.
It’s easy, efficient, and you’ll get a swim spa without having to talk to a salesperson. So there are perks! But we’d say only to do this if you really know and trust the product and you’ve got all the details sorted, like the cement pad to support it built and the electrical all figured out. If it’s your second swim spa, then we can see why people would be confident and know enough to try this method.
Otherwise, get ready for a lot of hassle and a lot of “what do I do know” style questions, without anyone there to guide you through it.
Buying a swim spa from a big box store: Do you recommend it?
We do not. And we’re not the only ones. Consider Wirecutter, which is owned by the New York Times, in this article. They are talking about hot tubs, but the same advice applies to swim spas:
“… we strongly recommend working with a local, specialized hot tub dealership, rather than ordering a hot tub from one of the major retailers that carry them (Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Costco among them). You’ll have more options and more salespeople who can walk you through them. You’ll get advice on the site prep you need, as well as manufacturer specifications that contractors can use to ensure a safe setup. And your hot tub will be installed and hooked up by the dealership. The big-box stores simply drop the hot tub at the curb, and then it’s up to you to figure out how to get it into your backyard or onto your deck.”
Don’t let that happen to you!
Buying a swim spa from a tent sale: Are the deals real?
The deals can be real at tent sales. But there are two kinds of tent sales for swim spas, and one is legitimate, and one is not.
- The legit kind of swim spa tent sale is held by a local retailer (see, here they are again!). They will generally hold sales when they have too much inventory piled up and need to move product out quickly, for fear of being stuck with it over the winter when sales slow. These sales are legitimate and are often held in the spring and early fall – which coincide with peak buying times. You can buy from these tent sales with peace of mind, because you’re still buying from a local dealer who will support you post-purchase.
- The kind of tent sale we don’t like is from a manufacturer who does not generally sell in the community, blowing through town and dumping a bunch of discounted swim spas on the market, with no intention of servicing them or providing any long-term support. These sales will often pretend they are representing multiple brands, but this is almost never the case – at best it will be one umbrella company with multiple brands underneath them. You might get a deal on the upfront price, but in the long-term, it’s not going to be worth it: a warranty is worthless if there is no one around to honour it.
The best place to buy a swim spa
If you can, buy from a local retailer. If you go on the chatrooms on Reddit and Facebook, you’ll see some people say the retailer can be more important than the brand you buy. We aren’t quite there, but we understand why people would say that.
A swim spa is the kind of purchase where you are going to need support from time to time and you don’t want that time to be a monstrous hassle. In every other situation than buying from a local retailer, you are going to be chasing after people trying to get their help, rather than someone who understands their role is to help.
We hope this article helped you decide where to shop. Have more questions? If you want to talk to your local Hydropool retailer, click here.
