Are Plug And Play (110v) Hot Tubs Worth It?

Are Plug And Play (110v) Hot Tubs Worth It?

If you’re on the market for a new hot tub, you’ve no doubt at least heard the phrase “plug and play” hot tub. If you’ve never owned one or have any experience with one, you might be asking yourself questions like “what is a plug and play hot tub?” and “are they better or worse than a hard wired hot tub?”. In this article, we’ll answer these questions.

• What is “plug and play”?
• Is An Electrician Required At All?
• Are they better than hard wired hot tubs?
• Are they as efficient as hard wired?
• Can they be converted to 220V hard wired?
• Why aren’t all hot tubs plug and play?

What Exactly Is A Plug And Play Hot Tub?

In North America we essentially have two options for a hot tub, either a “normal” hard wired one, or a plug and play. Hard wired hot tubs require a dedicated 220v line, usually 50 amps. Think of this like wiring for your house air conditioner, electric stove, or EV car charger. On the flip side, a plug and play hot tub doesn’t need any special wiring, it just plugs into a regular 110v outlet, hence “plug and play”. Sounds like a huge advantage, right? Well, sort of. Let’s dive a bit deeper into it.

Do You Need An Electrician?

95% of the time the answer is no, you do not need an electrician to hook up a plug and play hot tub. The other 5% of the time however an electrician may be required, we’ll outline those circumstances below.

• If you don’t have an outlet within 10ft of where the hot tub wants to go.
• If the circuit has something else plugged into it that has a high power draw, typically appliances like fridges or microwaves. The hot tub needs to be alone on the circuit.
• If the outlet is GFCI protected it will need to be changed to a standard one, the hot tub has a GFCI built in.

Are Plug And Play Hot Tubs Better Than Hard Wired Ones?

Better is a subjective term, one isn’t superior to the other, they simply have a different set of pros and cons.

Do They Use More Electricity Than A Hard Wired Version?

The short answer is yes. Under normal conditions they will cost around $5-10 more per month, thats around 15-20%.

Most plug & play hot tubs are insulated the same way as other hot tubs, so under normal conditions they won’t lose any more or less heat. The difference comes when the hot tub is being used, because the heater can’t run at the same time as the high speed jets, the temperature can drop while you use it, usually 1-4 degrees F per hour of use. What this means is after you get out and shut the jets off, the hot tub needs to heat back up that same amount. Because the heater will be running more frequently, the energy usage will be a bit higher.

Can You Convert A Plug & Play to 220V Hard Wired?

The majority of plug & play hot tubs can be converted to 220V, this comes with a list of advantages at the cost of having a professional electrician upgrade the wiring. Typically, in Oxford County we see this service cost around $1000-2000 depending on how much work is required. What you will gain from this is as follows:

• 1kW heater becomes a 4kW for faster and more efficient heating.
• Gain the ability to run heater and high speed jets at the same time.
• No temperature drop while using the hot tub.

For a more comprehensive breakdown of the costs associated with buying a hot tub, check out our pricing page here.

Why Aren’t Plug & Play Hot Tubs More Common?

The simple reason is most people prioritize the advantages of a hard wired model over the cost savings of a plug & play. In our area of Southwestern Ontario, we get particularly cold winters, and if a plug and play hot tub isn’t installed in a relatively sheltered area, then its not uncommon for them to have a hard time keeping the water hot. Another reason is that plug & play hot tubs are restricted by their size, because of their lower power heaters, they can typically only heat up to around 1,000 litres of water, this means that large plug & play hot tubs don’t really exist, they’re typically only available in 2-3 seat versions, and sometimes 4-6.

Should You Buy A Plug & Play Hot Tub?

Plug & play hot tubs are a great value and provide an awesome option for first time hot tub buyers, renters, or for the cottage. If you travel in the winter and don’t use your in the cold, or if your intent to install the hot tub in a sheltered space then a plug & play model is a great option.

They have a lower upfront cost, but higher operational costs. Ultimately its up to you to determine if its a better fit for you. You can view our plug & play options here.