You’re looking for the best hot tub heater, are you? Do you know what to look for? We do. We gathered some electricians, installation experts, salespeople, and hot tub enthusiasts to help us sort through all of the heaters out there. Whittled the stock down to the best, then reviewed all the ones that have outstanding and useful features that you need.
Take a look at the five best ones, then stick around to learn about the features you need and see the answers to the most common questions.
Let’s jump in and find you your new heater. These are the top contenders. Look at each one carefully:
5 Best Hot Tub Heaters on the Market:
1. American Standard 9075.120 Safe-T-Heater
Review
This is a very user-friendly hot tub heater, at least for Whirlpool tub owners. That’s the only brand it will work with. But it’s pre-plumbed for Whirlpools, so you won’t need a pro for installation.
It keeps the water at a relaxing temperature, but the temp can’t be adjusted. Don’t worry. It’s not too hot or cold. It’s just right, no matter what the weather is like.
What Customers Are Saying
People often remark about how easy it is to use. They also like that they can save a bunch of money by connecting it themselves. Electricity savings is also a hot topic. Some people have remarked that it would be better if the temperature was adjustable, though. At the end of the day, almost everyone is satisfied with their purchase.
Pros
- Uses relatively little electricity
- Easy to install
- Easy to operate
Cons
- Only works with Whirlpool brand hot tubs
- Temperature isn’t adjustable
2. Hayward Universal W3H200FDP H-Series Pool And Spa Heater
Review
This propane hot tub heater lets you adjust the temperature of your water to your liking, as long as that’s not over 104 degrees F. And it doesn’t take a lot of propane to do it. It’s on the smaller side, so it takes longer to heat the water up, but that saves gas.
It will fit any tub, but installation is rather difficult. Pro installation would be a wise choice if you’ve never done anything like this before.
What Customers Are Saying
They really like that the temperature is adjustable. The energy savings compared to more powerful heaters come up a lot, too. The biggest complaint is about Hayward’s response to warranty claims.
They don’t have the best customer service, and their authorized warranty repair shops are few and far between. People love this heater unless they encounter a malfunction that necessitates a warranty claim.
Pros
- Adjustable temperature
- Energy efficient
- Low emissions
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Bad customer service
- Rather expensive
3. Hayward CSPAXI11 11-KW Electric Spa Heater
Review
If you’re looking for a powerful electric spa heater, this may be the one for you. It heats water up fast. It is rather costly to operate if it’s used often.
You shouldn’t have any problems because it is built well. But the warranty is short and many have gotten the run-around from Hayward when they had a problem and needed to get some warranty work done.
What Customers Are Saying
According to people who use this heater, its best feature is the speed at which it heats the water. But that uses a lot of electricity. That’s something that folks complain about. And then there’s Hayward’s customer service, which receives a lot of complaints. Just like Hayward’s propane heater, people love it unless they have to file a warranty claim.
Pros
- Heats water quickly
- Small and easy to hide
- Easy to install
- Easy to operate
Cons
- Uses a lot of electricity
- Bad customer service
4. Ecosmart 5.5 Smart Electric Spa Heater
Review
This is a tankless hot tub water heater. That means that it heats water as it is pumped through. It’s very efficient since it is only on when the water drops below your setting. And it is very small, only about 12”x10-½” and 5” deep. It can be concealed pretty easily so it doesn’t become an eyesore.
What Customers Are Saying
Many are amazed at the heating capability that such a small unit has. Some people have hung theirs on the wall behind their hot tubs. There are a lot of online reviews that mention power savings as well. This is one of the best-reviewed spa heaters on the market right now.
Pros
- Very efficient
- Compact
- Adjustable temperature
Cons
- Can be expensive to have serviced outside of the warranty period
5. VEVOR Electric SPA Heater 15KW 240V 50-60HZ Digital SPA Water Heater with Adjustable Temperature Controller Heater for Swimming Pool and Hot Bathtubs Self Modulating Pool SPA Heater with CE
Review
Are you looking for a jacuzzi heater that will get your water really hot really fast? If so, take a good look at this one. The raw power of this unit is its greatest feature.
It is hard to install, but simple to operate. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to go on in the way of customer service. This is a relatively new company, so there’s little info about them. But the price is right, so it may be worth taking the chance if you want the most powerful heater you can get.
What Customers Are Saying
Be warned: According to people who’ve actually done it themselves, this heater is pretty hard to install. The big problem is the instructions. If you don’t have any experience in both electrical work and plumbing, you may have a heck of a time. But it is easy to set. And the water gets really hot, according to customers.
Pros
- Affordable
- Much higher max temp than most other heaters
- Heats quickly
Cons
- Very hard-to-understand installation instructions
- Water at the maximum temperature may actually cause burns
Factors to Consider When Buying the Best Hot Tub Heater
Know Your Hot Tub Heaters
You must know what you’re looking for in order to get what you need. Study the things to look for and the frequently asked question to understand the matter deeply.
Things To Look For In A Hot Tub Heater
So, what features are important? Pay attention here, especially if this will be your first spa heater. Don’t worry, there are really only a few main things you need to consider.
Power Source
Do you need electric, propane, or natural gas model? Gas is the most efficient and cheapest to operate, with power rating being the same.
So you should probably go with gas if you can. But electric units are pretty efficient nowadays, so don’t be afraid of them.
Gas and electric heaters heat the water for basically the same amount of time. Cost of operation is the key here. Gas is cheaper in all localities within the continental United States. Check your rates if you live in another country.
Electric Power Rating
The lowest you should go is 5.5 kilowatts. Anything less than that will have a hard time keeping the water hot.
And that’s usually all heaters of this power rating can do. They don’t raise the temperature much, but they do keep the temp steady.
If you want to actually raise the temperature and keep it up, you likely need a heater with a rating of at least 10 kilowatts. They use more electricity, but they heat water fast and keep it hot.
Generally speaking, the higher the kilowatt rating, the quicker the heater will get the water up to your desired temp.
Gas Power Rating
This is measured in BTUs. A 200,000 BTU heater is as small as you’ll want to go, even if your tub is small.
For a four-person tub, you’ll need about 400,000 BTUs. If you want the fastest heat, go with 500,000. Anything above that is a waste because water can only be heated so quickly.
Ease Of Installation
You can save a lot of money by installing your heater yourself. But some are really hard to install.
Check and see how easy it is for DIY’ers. You may need to pay a pro to install it for you, and you don’t want that to be an unexpected expense.
Warranty
Don’t settle for less than a one-year warranty. Rarely, a heater may have a factory defect. It may take a while for it to become apparent. So you need to have a year to run the heater through its paces to make sure it isn’t defective.
Since repairing these kinds of heaters can be costly, a three-year or lifetime warranty is often worth the extra cost that they add to the price.
Hot Tub Heater FAQs
What Is A Tankless Hot Tub Heater?
They don’t work by keeping a big tank of water hot. They work by heating water as it is pumped through them by the spa’s circulation pump. That makes them very efficient. Most of them are pretty easy to install as well.
Are All Heater Adjustable?
Some people have made the mistake of buying a heater without looking to see if it is capable of heating water. That may sound silly, but some less powerful models only take the chill out of water and maintain its temperature. If you don’t want really hot water, that’s fine. But if you like a hot soak, make sure you get a heater that actually raises the temperature of the water.
How Hot Do Heaters Make The Water?
Most have a maximum temp of 104 degrees F. That’s enough for the vast majority of folks. If you do some searching, you can find heaters that get hotter. The KookYou Spa heater that we reviewed above, for example, gets up to almost 150 degrees F. Be careful. That’s too hot. You don’t want to get burned.
Summary
The top electric heater is the Ecosmart Smart Electric Spa Heater. It is the cheapest to operate, and it gets the water up to the standard and safe 104 degrees F. It’s also very compact and easy to hide. If you want really hot water, consider the KookYou heater. It heats the water up to almost 150 degrees F, and it does it quickly.
As far as gas models go, our favorite is the 200,000 BTU Hayward Universal W3H200FDP H-Series Pool And Spa Heater. It does the job efficiently and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
Go ahead and get the best hot tub heater for your spa today. The sooner you get it installed, the sooner you can spend some nice relaxing time in your jacuzzi.