On the top tubs every massage seat gets its own pump and its own controls, all built in Las Vegas with full foam and a lifetime structure warranty, with a line for every budget below that.
Holds upFew othersDirectFlow: a pump per seatOn Artesian Elite, each massage seat has its own jet pump plus an on/off button, air control and high/low…Details
The pitchOn Artesian Elite, each massage seat has its own jet pump plus an on/off button, air control and high/low flow at the seat, so one person can run deep massage while the next sits in calm water. Reps add that you only run the pumps for the seats in use.
Offered on: Artesian Elite; Island Spas Elite trim as an upgrade
Our takePer-seat pumps and switches are real hardware and a genuine way to give each person control. The energy savings are unquantified apart from a dealer's claim that low speed uses 40% less power than a tub with diverters.
Who else has it: Marquis gives per-seat flow valves (Dynamic Flow Control on Crown, V3 on Vector21) but not a separate pump per seat, and among the brands we track we found no other advertising one. Artesian's patent on the idea (US 6,681,414, filed 2002) expired in March 2022, though Artesian still calls it patented.
Holds upFull foam, lifetime structureElite and Island tubs are fully foamed on a sealed ABS base, and every Artesian line, down to the budget…1 catchDetails
The pitchElite and Island tubs are fully foamed on a sealed ABS base, and every Artesian line, down to the budget Garden Spas, carries a lifetime structure warranty.
Offered on: Full foam: Artesian Elite and Island Spas (optional on South Seas and Garden). Lifetime structure: all lines.
Our takeFull foam on an ABS pan is a solid build that even a critical independent reviewer credits to Artesian. The rest of the warranty shrinks by line (surface 7 years on Elite, 1 year on Garden), and none of it transfers to a new owner.
Who else has it: Full foam is common among premium tubs (Marquis Crown, Beachcomber's full-foam models), and lifetime shell structure warranties are common too (Nordic, Beachcomber, Arctic's Custom series). Keeping lifetime structure coverage on the entry-level line is less usual; Marquis drops to 5 years on Celebrity.
The catch'Lifetime' structure coverage can start before you own the tub and leaves the big bills to you: the clock starts at delivery or 18 months after manufacture, whichever comes first, and a shell replacement means paying freight to the factory plus removal and reinstallation. The Elite warranty makes the owner pay one-way freight to the factory and all removal, crane and access costs, reinstalls only the original equipment, and ends on transfer of ownership; the Island and Garden warranties use the same 18-month rule.
Holds upUS-built with standard partsReps stress that Artesian builds in its own Las Vegas plant with name-brand controls and pumps rather than…Details
The pitchReps stress that Artesian builds in its own Las Vegas plant with name-brand controls and pumps rather than proprietary parts, so repairs are easy to source.
Our takeAn independent reviewer credits Artesian with Balboa controls, Waterway pumps and reasonably priced parts, and Island's flx.go keypad is a Gecko product. Owners still report topside and control-board failures and being sent back to their dealer for service.
Who else has it: Off-the-shelf control systems are widespread: Nordic uses Balboa and Arctic uses Gecko. Building in the US is common too, including sister brands Marquis and Nordic.
The catch'Lifetime' structure coverage can start before you own the tub and leaves the big bills to you: the clock starts at delivery or 18 months after manufacture, whichever comes first, and a shell replacement means paying freight to the factory plus removal and reinstallation.
More of what Artesian Spas says about itself5
Partly trueFew othersFour or five jet pumpsReps count pumps: Elite models run four or five 3.0 BHP jet pumps, where the biggest tubs from many brands…1 catchDetails
The pitchReps count pumps: Elite models run four or five 3.0 BHP jet pumps, where the biggest tubs from many brands have two.
Offered on: Artesian Elite (Island Elite trim has 3-4)
Our takeThe pump count is real, but each pump is single-speed and rated in brake HP, which Artesian's own brochure defines as a no-load maximum (its UK distributor gives about 1.5 HP continuous each). More motors also means more parts to service, and the line is 240V only.
Who else has it: The largest Marquis Crown tubs (Summit, Epic, Euphoria) and Nordic's Luxury Series use two jet pumps; Artesian Elite uses four or five.
The catchFive pumps need a big electrical service: the Elite manual calls for a 60 A GFCI on its 6- and 7-pump builds, more than the 50 A circuit a two-pump Marquis Crown uses. And each '3.0 BHP' pump is about 1.5 HP running continuously. The Artesian Elite manual gives 240 VAC, 48 A maximum current, 4 wires and a 60 A GFCI rating, while the Crown manual specifies a 50 A breaker; Artesian's UK distributor lists the Pelican Bay's pumps as five 1.5 HP continuous (3.0 BHP) units. $295.65-$366.77 per replacement 3 HP single-speed jet pump (Hot Tub Outpost)
Partly truePatented Helix jetsIsland Spas use Helix jets, which have a spiral inside the nozzle that twists the water into a pulsing…Details
The pitchIsland Spas use Helix jets, which have a spiral inside the nozzle that twists the water into a pulsing massage, sold as Artesian's own patented design.
Offered on: Island Spas
Our takeThe spiral design is real and exclusive to Artesian, but we found no patent number for it, and the massage benefit is a matter of feel. One independent reviewer calls Artesian's jetting mostly small jets.
Who else has it: Pulsing and rotating jets are offered by most brands (for example Marquis's Pulse Touch and Nordic's Dual Rotational jets). The internal-spiral Helix design itself is Artesian's own, introduced around 2010.
Partly trueIsland Spas: choose your trimEach Island model comes as Essential, Luxury or Elite, so buyers pick the pumps, jets and lighting they want…Details
The pitchEach Island model comes as Essential, Luxury or Elite, so buyers pick the pumps, jets and lighting they want on the same shell; Island also introduced Artesian's first double-lounger layout.
Offered on: Island Spas
Our takeThe ladder is real (Grand Cayman goes from 44 to 64 jets across trims), but Essential drops the footblaster pump and makes ozone optional, and every trim uses single-speed jet pumps on 240V.
Who else has it: Selling one shell at several feature levels is common; Marquis, for example, sells each Celebrity shell again as an upgraded Elite model.
Partly trueShur-Grip reinforced plumbingArtesian says it upgraded in 2019 to Shur-Grip hose, which has a rigid spiral inside that locks onto each…Details
The pitchArtesian says it upgraded in 2019 to Shur-Grip hose, which has a rigid spiral inside that locks onto each fitting and costs about 10% more than clear tubing.
Our takeThe hose is real and costs more, but Artesian publishes no test data, it removed clamps from main joints (keeping them on some lines), and an independent reviewer demoted the brand for it. We found no reported failures either way.
Who else has it: Reinforced flex hose is widely used; a forum defender of the change noted Marquis uses similar hose. What changed at Artesian is dropping clamps on the main joints.
Partly trueSouth Seas and Garden valueFor tighter budgets, reps steer buyers to South Seas, with a strong 5.0 BHP two-speed pump, or Garden Spas…1 catchDetails
The pitchFor tighter budgets, reps steer buyers to South Seas, with a strong 5.0 BHP two-speed pump, or Garden Spas, which plug into a regular 120V outlet. Both are built in the same Las Vegas plant.
Offered on: South Seas Spas, Garden Spas
Our takeIts maker doesn't post prices, so we can't check the price part of this claim.
Who else has it: Most makers have a value line, and 120V plug-in models are common (Marquis Celebrity, Nordic All-In-110V).
The catchThe savings come out of coverage and efficiency: Garden Spas get 1 year on surface, plumbing, electrical and cabinet (with the clock possibly starting 18 months after manufacture), and several Garden and South Seas models barely pass California's standby limit. The Garden warranty gives one year on everything but the structure; the CEC lists the Garden Camellia 240V at 175 of 177 W allowed, the Garden Iris 240V at 170 of 171 W and the South Seas 748B at 215 of 217 W.
What rivals and critics say3
An independent review site dropped Artesian from its top tier because it stopped clamping its plumbing and now relies on glued Shur-Grip hose, which the site says prevents leaks less well.Our check: Artesian confirms the 2019 switch and says the reinforced hose grips harder under strain, but neither side offers test or failure data. A 2021 forum thread found no failure reports, and the plumbing warranty terms did not change.
The same site says prices jumped after private-equity investors bought Artesian.Our check: The 2021 sale to Monomoy is confirmed, but we found no before-and-after price data to test the claim; Artesian publishes no MSRP.
The site also calls Artesian's jetting weak: lots of jets, but mostly small, cheap ones.Our check: Artesian Elite puts about 13-16 jets on each pump (for example 67 jets on 5 pumps), fewer per pump than the 20-30 Sundance calls typical, which argues against weak flow per jet. Jet size and feel are judged in person: feel them with the back of your hand on a running display.
The Artesian Spas lineup. Entry line first, flagship last.
41 hot tubs in 4 series. Tap a tub for its seats, size, power and price, or save it to compare.
Garden Spas
Value9 models · 2–6 seats
Small 2- to 6-seat tubs for tight spaces indoors or out that plug into a standard 120V/15A outlet.
Artesian's flagship line (formerly Platinum Elite): one jet pump per massage seat with DirectFlow controls at each seat, 316L stainless H2O PowerFlow jets, full foam and the largest water-feature and lighting package.
Strong jetsBuyers often chose Artesian after wet tests, praising jet power and neck, shoulder and foot jets.
Standard, easy-to-source partsTrade reviewers and owners note non-proprietary components, so motors and heater parts can be sourced generically.
Full foam suits cold climatesCold-climate owners credit the full-foam insulation for reasonable running costs.
What they complain about
Control panel and board failuresThe most-reported fault: blank or unresponsive topside control panels and main boards, sometimes replaced repeatedly on the same tub.
Early pump failuresOwners report circulation and jet pumps failing within the first one to three years of ownership.
Factory redirects owners to dealersOwners calling the Las Vegas factory report being told to go through their dealer, which hurts when the dealer is weak or closed.
Complaint records: BBB, recalls and review sites5
Better Business Bureau
Not rated. Checked Sep 23, 2026.
ConsumerAffairs
No ConsumerAffairs review page
U.S. and Canada recalls
None on record.
Google (via Birdeye), factory listing
3.8 of 5 from 181 reviews.
PissedConsumer
2.5 of 5 from 24 reviews.
Yelp, factory listing
1.8 of 5 from 22 reviews.
A BBB letter grade rates how a company handles complaints, not how happy owners are, and complaint counts grow with the number of tubs a company sells.
Every theme owners raise7
Reviewer faults unclamped joints Hot Tub University demoted Artesian from its top tier solely for switching to unclamped Shur-Grip joints, calling them weaker than glued-and-clamped.
What decides whether a tub lasts is mostly hidden under the shell. Here is what Artesian Spas publishes about it, and where it publishes nothing, we say so.
PartlySelf-supporting shellFiberglass-backed shell, but a wood frame and foam share the load.
PartlyClamped plumbingGlued barb joints, no clamps on the main runs since 2019.
PartlyManifold-fed jetsManifolds on Elite models; the maker doesn't say for the rest of the range.
How it's kept hotInsulationFull foam: the space between cabinet and structure is filled with insulating foam.
PartlySelf-supporting shell · Applies to: All models
Artesian's warranty names the fiberglass backing behind the acrylic as the structure it covers for life. The shell sits on a pressure-treated wood frame and ABS base, and Artesian credits the frame and foam with the strength rather than claiming the shell stands alone. Island and Elite are full foam; most South Seas tubs use ArcticPac insulation instead.
PartlyClamped plumbing · Applies to: All models built from October 2019 on
In October 2019 Artesian moved to Shur-Grip hose, a reinforced flex line with a PVC helix inside that glues onto a smooth barb with no clamp over it. Clamps are still used on other hose types, such as the FROG @ease plumbing. Tubs built before that change used clear tubing with clamps.
PartlyManifold-fed jets · Applies to: DirectFlow models (Artesian Elite, Island Elite); the rest of the range isn't verified
Artesian's patent puts a discharge manifold on each seat's own pump, and Elite tubs run four or five jet pumps for four to nine seats, so one seat cannot starve another. South Seas, Garden and lower Island trims use two or three pumps, and nothing shows how those jets are fed.
Independent suppliers openly sell Artesian packs, pumps, jets and filters from the usual industry brands, so no tech is locked out. The owner's manual excludes any part not purchased from Artesian and says unapproved replacements terminate the whole spa warranty. Go through the dealer until the coverage runs out.
PartlyCompression-fitted jets · Applies to: All series
An independent parts seller lists Artesian's 3-inch Typhoon body with a mounting nut and gasket, and its whirlpool body with a nut. Other sizes don't say, and Artesian publishes nothing on it. Nothing shows glued bodies.
YesAdjustable jets · Applies to: Per-seat control on Artesian Elite and Island Spas Elite (DirectFlow); other lines get zone diverters and per-jet face adjustment
DirectFlow gives every seat on Artesian Elite and Island Elite an air control, a pump switch and a high or low flow dial, so one person can soak quietly while the next runs a hard massage. Artesian holds the patent on it. Other lines use zone diverters plus adjustable jet faces.
Artesian sells and services through authorized dealers, and the warranty is void if anyone else does the repair. It does not transfer to a second owner. Parts are easy to buy independently, but owner reports on service are mixed, including a nine-month wait for a replacement control panel.
Warranty by part, the numbers across the lineup, and where every fact comes from.
Warranty by part6
Structure
Lifetime against water loss, all collections
Surface
7 years Elite lines; 5 years Island; 3 years South Seas; 1 year Garden
Electrical, including heater
5 years Elite lines; 3 years Island and South Seas; 1 year Garden
Plumbing
5 years Elite lines; 3 years Island and South Seas; 1 year Garden
Cabinet
2 years Elite and Island; 1 year South Seas and Garden
Transferability
Original owner only; ends on transfer of ownership
Read the warranty card before you sign: what labor is covered after year one, and whether it moves to a second owner.
The numbers across the lineup8
Seats
2–9
Models with a lounger
8 of 41
Plug into a regular outlet (120V)
10 of 41
Jets
21–71
Jet pumps
1–5
Jet pump power
0.8–7.5 HP continuous
Water
170–683 gal
Keeping it hot
About $24 a month on standby (cover on, nobody in it) for the middle model, at the US average 18.19¢ per kWh (January to July 2026).California test figures: 135–270 W across 37 filed models, median 177 W.
Tell us which hot tubs you like. We send you the price range, then introduce you to one Artesian Spas dealer near you, who reaches out knowing what you expect to pay.
Dove Canyon · Artesian Elite
Azalea2 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Hibiscus2 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Forsythia3 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Viola3 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Camellia4 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Hydrangea4 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Iris4 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Plume6 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Wisteria6 seats · No loungerPrice on request
532L3 seats · No loungerPrice on request
533DL3 seats · No loungerPrice on request
519P4 seats · No loungerPrice on request
627M5 seats · No loungerPrice on request
743D5 seats · No loungerPrice on request
853DL5 seats · No loungerPrice on request
729L6 seats · No loungerPrice on request
737LE6 seats · No loungerPrice on request
748L6 seats · No loungerPrice on request
840LE6 seats · No loungerPrice on request
850L6 seats · No loungerPrice on request
860L6 seats · LoungerPrice on request
729B7 seats · No loungerPrice on request
737BE7 seats · No loungerPrice on request
748B7 seats · No loungerPrice on request
840BE7 seats · No loungerPrice on request
850B7 seats · No loungerPrice on request
860B7 seats · No loungerPrice on request
965L8 seats · LoungerPrice on request
Santa Cruz3 seats · LoungerPrice on request
Antigua6 seats · LoungerPrice on request
Grand Bahama6 seats · LoungerPrice on request
Nevis6 seats · LoungerPrice on request
Captiva7 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Grand Cayman7 seats · No loungerPrice on request
Bimini9 seats · LoungerPrice on request
Isla Margarita9 seats · No loungerPrice on request
