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Outdoor hot tub buying guide

Updated: October 2026

You have a spare corner of patio and a shortlist of outdoor hot tubs whose titles do not match their own specification lines. One page says six people and then prints a smaller number. Another quotes gallons and never says imperial or US. A cover is sometimes in the box and sometimes only inside a sentence about saving energy. This outdoor hot tub buying guide is the re-read we use before a row becomes a shortlist. Prices and star lines stay on the [outdoor hot tub comparison](/hub/steam-baths/outdoor-hot-tub). The amazon.co.uk listings were checked, not a lab soak. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have a spare corner of patio and a shortlist of outdoor hot tubs whose titles do not match their own specification lines. One page says six people and then prints a smaller number.

Our top picks

Lay-Z-Spa Lay-Z-Spa Aruba AirJet (2–3)

Best overall

Lay-Z-Spa Lay-Z-Spa Aruba AirJet (2–3)
9.2/10about £394.74
View offer
EASE.ZONE EASE.ZONE inflatable spa (4–6 title)

Alternative

EASE.ZONE EASE.ZONE inflatable spa (4–6 title)
9.2/10about £667.92
View offer
MSpa MSpa Tekapo 6

Best value

MSpa MSpa Tekapo 6
6.4/10about £399.00
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.How many people the listing really seats
  2. 2.Size, weight and the ground under it
  3. 3.Cover, filter and claims with no test
  4. 4.Socket, voltage and the England planning line

How many people the listing really seats

Advertised seats are a maximum. Hot Tub Geek's 2026 notes say to leave a spare seat, and not to plan the tub as a full house every evening. The Lay-Z-Spa Aruba title says 2–3 and the seating field says 3. The MSpa Tekapo title and field both say 6, while a France review says the width suited four adults. The EASE.ZONE title says 4–6 and the field says 4. An Italian review, not a UK comment, would stop at three adults. Measure the people who will actually get in, then treat the higher number as advertising.

Size, weight and the ground under it

Water is the weight, not the pump. The EASE.ZONE bullets say up to 910 litres, about 910 kg before anyone climbs in. Add the 29 kg tub and two or three adults and you are over a tonne. Lay-Z-Spa's Miami, a different 2–4 person model, is given as 696 kg filled before people. That figure is a brand example, not the Aruba's own line. The Tekapo prints 245 gallons and does not say imperial or US. As a rule of thumb, 245 US gallons is about 930 litres and 245 imperial gallons is about 1,110 litres, so the silence moves the mass by roughly 180 kg. The SENODON files print 299 gallons on two ASINs and 907 litres on the third. A deck or balcony is a structural question. The base sequence is on how to set up an outdoor hot tub.
Lay-Z-Spa Lay-Z-Spa Aruba AirJet (2–3)

Testsieger

Lay-Z-Spa Lay-Z-Spa Aruba AirJet (2–3)
9.2/10about £394.74
View offer

Cover, filter and claims with no test

A cover you can put on is part of the product. A cover that appears only in a saving claim is a spare you may still have to buy. The Aruba lists a pool cover, a Type VI filter, a ChemConnect dispenser and a repair patch. The EASE.ZONE lists a cover, an underlay and two cartridges. The Tekapo bullets do not list a cover or a filter. Two SENODON pages mention a cover only inside an up to 50% energy sentence. Lines of 40, 50 or 80 per cent energy saved have no test method. AirJet on the Aruba is warm air, 110 jets. Freeze Shield is named on the Aruba only. That split is on outdoor hot tub in winter.

Socket, voltage and the England planning line

None of these nine listings names a BS 1363 plug. The Tekapo voltage field says 230 V AC, while the power-source field says DC/CA. The EASE.ZONE bullets say 220–240 V. The Aruba's power-source field says Battery Powered, and the bullets never mention a battery. The SENODON trio is corded electric with no voltage. Lay-Z-Spa's UK setup page says a brand cable is about 7 metres to an RCD socket, and that an extension lead must not be used. Do not paste that ban onto a SENODON or a Generic. A new outdoor circuit in England is notifiable under Part P. The Planning Portal says a typical portable garden hot tub in England often does not need planning permission. Listed buildings, conservation areas and the other UK nations are different.

Common questions

How many people fit if the title says six?
Six is the Tekapo's title and its seating field, not a measured UK test. A France review says the width suited four adults. The EASE.ZONE title also reaches six, while its seating field says 4 and an Italian review would stop at three adults. Treat six as the maximum printed, and sit fewer people if you want room to move.
Why do two seat numbers appear on one page?
The title, a bullet and the seating field were not written as one specification. The Generic model A-1 says 4–6 in the title and 2–3 or 4–6 in a bullet. One SENODON says 2–4, 2–3 and a seating capacity of 3. When two numbers disagree, you do not have a capacity. You have a listing that has not settled.
Is a cover in the box?
It is listed for the Aruba, for the EASE.ZONE, and in the title of two Generic listings. It is not listed for the Tekapo. On two SENODON ASINs a cover is only assumed by an energy-saving sentence, while the third names a thermal cover in the title. If cover is missing from the included list, budget for one.
Does any listing state a UK plug?
No. None of the nine listings names BS 1363. The Tekapo states 230 V AC and the EASE.ZONE states 220–240 V, both without a plug type. The Aruba field says Battery Powered, which the bullets do not explain. The SENODON pages say corded electric.
What should the patio support before I order?
It has to support the water, the tub and the people, on a flat base. The clearest litre figure here is the EASE.ZONE's 910 litres, about 910 kg of water, plus a 29 kg tub. A deck or balcony needs a structural check. Stones or a slope are reasons to move the site.
Why do three SENODON pages look the same?
They share the manufacturer name SHENGDONG SHOP, the same model string, the same 27 kg weight and nearly the same bullets, yet they are three ASINs at about £660. Jet counts and cover wording differ slightly. Treat them as one copy family until a manual proves a difference.

Related pages

Best outdoor hot tub

Inflatable or hard shell

Outdoor hot tub

How to set up an outdoor hot tub: ground, fill, plug

Outdoor hot tub in winter: freeze guard or pack away

Sources

Public UK sources and Lay-Z-Spa’s own pages, as listed in the research digest. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these nine ASINs. Retrieved 21 October 2026.

  1. Planning Portal hot tub FAQ (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. GOV.UK permitted development technical guidance (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. IET domestic electrical supplies to hot tubs (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. IET Wiring Matters, hot tubs, July 2021 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. Approved Document P (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. HSE HSG282 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. Lay-Z-Spa Freeze Shield (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  9. Lay-Z-Spa winter use (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  10. Lay-Z-Spa setup essentials (retrieved 21 October 2026)