From massaging jets to backrests, the best inflatable hot tubs for relaxing in style

Score: 90/100

This premium hot tub impressed in testing. Its textured, pleather-like exterior proved sturdy and durable (even withstanding some scratches from our panellist’s dog), while the integrated seating adds an extra layer of luxury.

Set-up was reasonably straightforward, taking around 47 minutes (excluding filling time). The control pad was intuitive to use and responsive, even with wet hands, while the companion app features a handy timer and scheduling function, making it easy to prepare the water temperature and bubble cycles.

Once switched on, our tester found it comfortable and relaxing. The bubbles and jets are evenly distributed and didn’t cause excessive splashing. While shorter bathers may find their feet don’t quite reach the foot massage area, the rest of the seating and backrests were well-positioned.

Energy efficiency was a highlight. A 90-minute session with bubbles consumed 3.2kWh (the equivalent of 82 pence based on the current energy price cap). Lay-Z Spa’s use of integrated thermal insulation to maintain the water temperature certainly helps here, plus there’s an energy saving timer in the app that kept the tub at a lower temperature before raising it just in time for use.

Score: 88/100

One of our panellists summed this hot tub up best, saying it “delivered relaxation, convenience and thoughtful design in one perfect package.”

Inflating the tub took a speedy three-and-a-half minutes, but the overall set-up took closer to an hour and a half. Clearer instructions would have sped things along, as our panellist had to look some steps up online for clarity. Once up and filled, however, it felt sturdy and spacious, with enough room to accommodate any long legs!

The control panel could have been more responsive when used with wet hands, but the companion app more than made up for it, allowing our tester to easily adjust the settings straight their phone. During use, the well-positioned bubbles provided a soothing experience, but the jets lack some of the customisation options of more premium models. That said, one panellist said it made a “noticeable difference” to how their wind down routine at the end of the day, even crediting the hot tub with improving their sleep quality.

Score: 86/100

Despite being one of the more affordable buys on our list, this tub still proved a luxurious addition to our tester’s garden.

Set-up was impressively quick, taking just 39 minutes from unboxing to full inflation, making it the fastest of the models we’ve tested. The pump was a little fiddly to align, but once connected, everything fitted together securely. Plus, the walls of the hot tub remained sturdy throughout testing, with no need for re-inflating.

Heating needs some patience – roughly 15 hours vs. and average of around 8 to 12 hours – and the initial energy consumption was quite costly at almost £10. However, the running cost per hot tub session was more reasonable (£1.52 for 90 minutes) and worth it for the relaxing bubbles. While there’s no connected app, the intuitive control panel made adjusting the controls a breeze and was responsive even when up against wet hands.

Score: 84/100

This sleek, dark grey hot tub delivered on its promise of total relaxation with its powerful bubbles, and it also helped ease tension in our panellist’s back.

Full assembly (minus filling up) took just under an hour thanks to clear step-by-step instructions, and once inflated, the sides felt stable and supportive, giving the hot tub a reassuringly durable feel. Patience will be key when heating though, as it took almost 48 hours to reach an optimal temperature from cold.

While the tub does come with a Wi-Fi enabled app, it requires a strong connection, and our tester wasn’t able to get it working in their garden. Luckily, the standard controls are intuitive and responsive.

We were particularly pleased by how little energy the hot tub consumed when compared to the others on this list. An hour-and-a-half session with the bubbles on used around 30 pence, earning it a big thumbs up from us.

Score: 83/100

This hot tub helped our panellist enjoy “a lovely summer in the back garden” thanks to its easy-to-assemble design, high-quality, durable materials, and relaxing bubbles.

What was perhaps the biggest highlight was its low energy consumption – it cost just £2.83 to heat from cold. It was one of the cheapest to run too (at 77 pence for 90 minutes with bubbles), making it a good pick for those worried about electricity usage. The trade-off is speed – the water temperature only rose by 0.8-1.5 degrees an hour, meaning it took almost 23 hours, so make sure you factor that in.

In terms of size, this hot tub is one of the smallest we’ve tested. While it can comfortably fit four adults, our panellist found that three was the sweet spot for comfort, leaving enough space to fully stretch out. If you’re shorter, you may also find the water level sits quite high, which is worth keeping in mind when filling.