Hot tubs in the UK have never been so popular, the market is expanding rapidly and there are literally hundreds of new companies starting to sell hot tubs. This is great news for consumer choice, however it does have its pitfalls as will be explained here.

When it comes to the mechanics of a hot tub they are fairly simple, they include a pump, a control box, heater, jets and pipe work. There construction is not that complex, however, if corners are cut this can spell disaster. This is because you are mixing two very dangerous elements, water and electricity.

As the market has seen a period of extended rapid growth the supply of hot tubs from the UK as been limited with excess demand. Because of this quite a lot of manufacturing companies have been set up in a rush, particularly in the middle east and Asia. Most of these companies have not produced hot tubs before and therefore do not have the experience in manufacture. They are also operating to tight budgets and are inclined to cut economise where possible.

When a product is manufactured in another country, it is the manufacturing companies responsibility to make sure it is up to the safety standards for that country, often these countries have very lax regulations and those regulations that exist are often not adhered to. In the UK it is the importers responsibility to make sure the product is suitable for the UK market. However, with large profit margins to be had these are often overlooked.

So how does this affect you as a buyer? Well firstly check on where the product has been manufactured. This is not to say that there are not some good products coming from the Middle East and Asia, however you should treat all products, especially when mixing water and electricity with a certain amount of caution. You want to avoid risking you and your family / visitors safety, don’t you?