The company file
Artesian Spas
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.
The long read: how the tubs are built, the complaint record, the warranty part by part, and the company’s history.
How it started
Founding partners who claimed 100+ years of combined spa experience started Artesian in 1993. Its first model, the La Paz, followed in 1994.
What Artesian Spas is known for, and the catch
How it’s built
Eight things that decide whether it lasts. Tap any for the detail.
Self-supporting shellFiberglass-backed shell, but a wood frame and foam share the loadPartly
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.
What this means, and how to check it →artesianspas.com ↗artesianspas.com ↗
Clamped plumbingGlued barb joints, no clamps on the main runs since 2019Partly
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.
What this means, and how to check it →artesianspas.com ↗artesianspas.com ↗
Manifold-fed jetsManifolds on Elite models; the maker doesn't say for the rest of the rangePartly
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.
What this means, and how to check it →patents.google.com ↗artesianspas.com ↗
Standard partsBalboa, Gecko and Waterway inside, but fitting your own voids coveragePartly
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.
What this means, and how to check it →hottuboutpost.com ↗spaparts123.com ↗
Compression-fitted jetsSome jet bodies come with a nut and gasket; most aren't documentedPartly
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.
What this means, and how to check it →hottuboutpost.com ↗hottuboutpost.com ↗
Adjustable jetsEach Elite seat gets its own pump, air and flow controlYes
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.
What this means, and how to check it →artesianspas.com ↗patents.google.com ↗
Service networkDealer-only service, and Artesian never publishes how many dealers existPartly
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.
What this means, and how to check it →artesianspas.com ↗artesianspas.com ↗
American made?Built in North Las Vegas, NevadaYes
North Las Vegas, Nevada: 100,124 sq ft plant built by Alston Construction, opened 2005; it has also built Marquis since 2023.
What Artesian Spas says, part by part8
Since October 2019, Shur-Grip hose is glued onto smooth barbs at jets and fittings without clamps; clamps remain on some lines.
Shur-Grip is reinforced flex hose with a rigid PVC helix inside, per Artesian, which says it costs 10% more than clear tubing.
Barbed, clamped or glued? What it means3
Hose slides over a ridged fitting and a clamp holds it. Easy to service, but clamps are one more thing that can loosen.
Pipe is solvent-welded into the fitting and becomes one piece. A strong seal, but a leak repair means cutting and re-gluing.
Which method this model uses, whether the joints are reachable for repair, and what the plumbing warranty covers.
What owners and watchdogs say
A BBB letter grade rates how a company handles complaints, not how happy owners are. Read it next to the complaint count and the reviews.
What owners complain about4
The most-reported fault: blank or unresponsive topside control panels and main boards, sometimes replaced repeatedly on the same tub.
Owners report circulation and jet pumps failing within the first one to three years of ownership.
What owners praise3
Ratings on other sites & BBB details4
The warranty, part by part
Read the warranty card before you sign: what labor is covered after year one, and whether the coverage moves to a second owner.
History and ownership
Founded in 1993 in Las Vegas, Nevada (early manufacturing in Victorville, California). Changed hands once. Owner today: Monomoy Capital Partners (private equity), through platform company May Manufacturing.
Who has owned it
Full timeline15
- 1993FoundedArtesian Spas founded by a group of founding partners.
- 1994BrandFirst hot tub model, the La Paz, introduced.
- 2005FactoryManufacturing moved from Victorville, California, to a new 100,124 sq ft plant in North Las Vegas.
- 2007BrandPlatinum Elite line and DirectFlow technology debuted at the Aqua Show in Las Vegas.
- 2009BrandSouth Seas Spas launched with 16 models; TidalFit swim spa line launched with one model.
- 2010BrandGarden Spas line launched, focused on compact, energy-efficient plug-and-play tubs.
- 2013BrandIsland Spas line launched, including the company's first double-lounger model.
- 2019BrandPlatinum Elite rebranded and upgraded as Artesian Elite.
- 2020–2021FactoryAdded a roughly 34,000 sq ft distribution and shipping facility.
- 2021Changed handsFamily-owned Artesian sold to private equity firm Monomoy Capital Partners; closed October 2021, announced January 2022.
- 2022LeadershipMonomoy's November 2022 release names Rick Gallagher as Artesian's CEO.
- 2023FactorySister brand Marquis moved its production into Artesian's Las Vegas plant in August–September 2023.
- 2023BrandWaVS variable-speed swim system introduced for TidalFit swim spas.
- 2024LeadershipRick Gallagher stepped down; board member Bob Rowan became interim CEO.
- 2025LeadershipJosh Cowley, formerly Latham Pool's chief commercial officer, named CEO of May Manufacturing.
Where it's built1
Builds here today
Past plants
Charity and sponsorships2
Recent news2
Good to know6
- Artesian's legal maker is May Manufacturing, LLC; swim spas are sold as May Manufacturing dba TidalFit.
- Sale date varies by source: Piper Sandler's deal page says September 2021; Artesian's own history page says 2022.
- Monomoy combined Artesian and Marquis under one parent holding company to form a pool and spa platform.
- A KTNV profile said the plant employs 400+ people and can build up to 120 spas a day.
- Artesian says it has over 250 dealers worldwide.
- Artesian's site shows a BBB A+ badge, but BBB's own profile showed 'Not Rated' during our September 2026 check.
Ownership last checked September 2026. Who owns every hot tub brand.
What’s a good deal on an Artesian Spas hot tub?
We send you the price range, then introduce you to one Artesian Spas dealer near you.