It usually doesn’t take much to convince someone why they should take a bath in a tub with spa jets. You should know however there are some significant benefits beyond just making your feel clean and refreshed.
For starters, a jet spa can improve your cardiovascular health and greatly reduce aches and pains throughout your body. The hot water helps relax your body, while the jets lightly massage and take away tension away from sore muscles.
One of the main reasons why people use jet spa bathtubs is their ability to reduce stress. As you might suspect, the relaxing warmth helps a person feel at ease, which can have tremendous benefits for your mental health.
Many people suffer from stress and anxiety, so taking a relaxing soak can really offer relief. In fact, those who struggle with sleeplessness may find that a long soak in a jet spa bathtub before they go to bed improves their quality of sleep.
While all of this sounds great, there is one issue: jet spa bathtubs can be expensive to install. Setting up a new jet spa bathtub requires significant renovation. And not only are the tubs expensive, but you’d almost certainly have to hire a contractor and plumber to install it.
Fortunately, there’s an affordable and practical solution. For those of us who want the benefits of a jet spa bathtub, but lack the time, money, or tools to install one should take a look at detachable jet spas.
What Are Jet Spas for Your Bathtub?
Essentially, a jet bath spa is a small, removable device that comes in the form of plastic mat, or a clippable jet tube. It’s generally inexpensive, extremely portable, and easy to install.
With a simple little gadget, you can transform your standard bathtub into a relaxing spa that gives you the same benefits you would get with an expensive jacuzzi tub.
Which Jet Spa Should You Choose?
As with most practical appliances, there’s plenty of competition in the jet spa market. While most jet spas have really similar features, they vary substantially when it comes to quality and durability.
If you’re looking for a jet spa, you probably want to take the time to know it’s going to work well and last a long time. Jet spas can feature differing levels of air pressure, rotating heads, whirlpool functions, and much more.
Before we get down to what we consider to be the best jet spas for bathtubs on the market today, we’ll go over a few things to keep an eye out for:
- Measure your existing bathtub before you start shopping. This will give you an idea of how powerful you need the jet to be. Naturally, larger tubs require more powerful jets and vice versa.
- Decide whether you’d prefer a massaging mat, or a detachable jet. Massaging mats tend to provide more of a full body massage, but they lack the power that you’ll get with a jet. Clippable jets usually stream bubbles from a single source, so they have to be more powerful than mats.
- If you only need a massing jet for your feet, rather than your entire body, you might want to look into foot tubs. While these can feel great, you do miss out on the benefits of a jet spa that works on your entire body.
- Consider portability. If you’re someone who suffers from chronic muscle pain, like a competitive athlete, you might want a jet spa that you can take with you when you’re on the road. Some jet spas are extremely portable and easy to set up; these work great for those who live out of a suitcase for extended periods.
- Consider your personal budget. While you might assume that a decent jet spa will be expensive, you would be surprised at how many affordable jet spas still work incredibly well. However, it’s still important to have a rough idea of how much you’re comfortable with spending before you start to shop. Remember, no matter which type of jet spa you choose, you’ll still be saving a fortune compared to the costs that would go with a full permanent jet tub installation.
The Best Bathtub Jet Spas Available Today
Now that you know a little more about bathtub jet spas, we’ll go over those that we consider to be the best on the market today. Remember to consider your own personal preferences and choose the jet spa that’ll work best for you.
Conair—BTS7 Dual Jet Bath Spa
- Turns existing baths into jet spas
- Clips to the side of any bathtub
- Dual adjustable water jets direct water where you want it
- Side-mounted intake valves ensure continuous water flow and pressure
- Secures in place with adjustable neck and included suction cups
- Uses a straightforward on and off dial and a simple flow control switch
As the name suggests, the Conair BTS7 uses two jets to shoot separate streams of bubbles that help swirl the water in your bathtub.
You can choose to set the jet spa up at the end of the tub furthest away from your body to give your bathwater a gentler swirl, or, if you’re suffering from sore neck and shoulder muscles, you can position the jet closer to your body.
The unit tends to have a bit of a vibrating effect on the bath water, which can feel great. What we really liked about this particular jet spa was how incredibly simple it is to install. Since all you have to do is clip it to the edge of your existing bathtub, it works with any size tub.
Given the reasonable price point, this unit is an excellent way to make your baths that more relaxing and enjoyable. The one thing to keep in mind is that the jets are not quite as strong as you would get with a permanent spa tub, but this is to be expected given its small size and low cost.
If you’re someone that travels often and likes to take some of the comforts of home with you, this highly portable jet spa might be just what you’re looking for.
BodyHealt—Portable Whirlpool Bath Jet Spa
- Turns your existing bathtub into a personal jet spa
- Made with durable materials
- Hangs over the side of any tub
- Uses dual adjustable water jets to direct water streams to sore muscles that are difficult to reach
- Constant flow and pressure ensures the same experience every time
- Secures in place using a neck and suction cup
- Simple on and off switch as well as an aeration control dial
The BodyHealt jet spa has a similar design to the Conair jet spa. Essentially, you get a small unit that can be attached to just about any tub to transform it into a relaxing jet spa.
Where this unit really stands out is in its compact and durable design, which is also portable. You get all of the benefits of owning a home Jacuzzi due to the unit’s turbo jet air bubbles. The jet spa creates hundreds of tiny, swirling jet bubbles to help relieve tension and stress by soothing sore muscles and joints.
As with the Conair jet spa, this unit is incredibly easy to install and use. All you need to do is affix the jet spa to the side of your tub using suction cups and the adjustable neck.
Once the unit is in place, you just fill your tub with the desired level of water and turn the switch to the “On” position. The jets work well for those with sore feet, as it’s easy to position your feet near the jets.
The unit operates on a standard DC12V low voltage, which is safe. It also comes equipped with an extra long DC power cord, so even if your tub is located far from an outlet, you’ll have no issues using this device.
Serene Life—Electric Bathtub Bubble Massage Spa Mat
- Simple button control operation
- Sits on the bottom of your bathtub and is secured in place with a non-slip suction bottom
- Cushioned surfaced creates a padded barrier between the user and the unit
- Includes a remote control for convenience
- 8’2” air pump hose allows you to place the pump a reasonable distance away from the tub
Unlike the previous two jet spas, the Serene Life unit is a massage mat style jet spa. It uses a reasonably powerful air pump, which sits outside of the tub, to pump air bubbles upwards out of the mat. The user simply lays on top of the padded mat and enjoys the soothing bubbles.
Where this jet spa really shines is in its built-in heater, which helps keep your bath water warm and directly soothes your skin. The heated bubbles are excellent for those that suffer from sore muscles and chronic aches and pains. Not having to worry about your bathwater cooling down prematurely is obviously a huge bonus.
The entire unit is completely waterproof and uses a suction cup bottom to make sure it remains in place during use. The user has full control over the bubble intensity, which makes it that much more of an enjoyable spa experience. The remote control is a nice touch, as it offers a hassle-free way to get the exact pressure you desire.
The mat itself measures 47 inches by 14.2 inches, so it covers a significant portion of the user’s body. Some of the lower quality jet spa mats tend to be rather noisy when they are being used.
Fortunately the Serene Life mat is quiet and will not disturb neither you during your bath, nor anyone else in a surrounding room.
One interesting feature that’s worth mentioning is the option to add essential oils. The unit will automatically heat the oils and release their scent through the bubble jets. This makes your spa experience that much more relaxing.
Tru Beauty Harmony—Bath Spa With Adjustable Swivel Jet
- Straightforward operation with an easy on and off switch. Control knob can be used to customize jet pressure
- Universal design is compatible with most tubs
- Portable size designed to be travel friendly
- Adjustable swivel jet makes it easy to direct the bubble stream exactly where you want it
This simple jet unit is designed for maximum portability. It’s a spa accessory you can take with you wherever you go. The adjustable swivel head allows you to direct its surprisingly powerful bubble stream exactly where you want it. This makes it useful for those that want a targeted massage experience from their bathtub jet spa.
Despite its small size, this jet spa was designed to promote a relaxing experience that’ll help relieve muscle soreness and stress.
Conclusion
Whether you just want to improve your bath experience at home with some healthy water movement, or you want to recreate the spa or hot tub experience, a bathtub jet spa is an affordable and convenient way to take your standard bathtub in a new direction.
Baths that feature jet spas are not only more enjoyable. They can have real world health benefits, such as stress relief and muscle relaxation. If you have sore muscles from the gym, an aching back from work, lingering pain from an old injury, or just sore feet from walking, a jet spa bath is a convenient way to get relief at home.
Best of all, you don’t need to spend the money and time required to install permanent jets into your bath.