Master Spas vs Hot Spring hot tubs
Best known for: full foam, clamped manifold plumbing (Master Spas) and Moto-Massage jet travels your back (Hot Spring). Master Spas lists 29 hot tubs for 3 to 8 people, Hot Spring 24 hot tubs for 2 to 7 people. Published prices start at $7,295 for Master Spas and $5,499 for Hot Spring.
Master Spas
Shown: LSX 850
A big Indiana factory that builds all of its hot tubs in the USA, puts Michael Phelps's name on its flagship, and fits a mineral cartridge to every model.
From $7,295
Get the price range
Hot Spring
Shown: Vanguard
The world's best-selling hot tub, built by its own maker since 1977: a massage jet that travels up and down your back, salt water that can go up to a year between drains, and filtration that runs around the clock.
From $5,499
Get the price rangeHow they differ
- Full foam, clamped manifold plumbing
- Built in its own Indiana plant
- Copper-zinc mineral filter standard
- Moto-Massage jet travels your back
- 24-hour, no-bypass filtration
- Built-in salt water system
- Yes Self-supporting shell
- Yes Clamped plumbing
- Yes Manifold-fed jets
- Yes Standard parts
- Partly Self-supporting shell
- Not published Clamped plumbing
- Not published Manifold-fed jets
- Partly Standard parts
- Strong sales and installation ratings
- Good local dealers earn praise
- Long service life
- Seating, looks and setup
- Slow dealer-handled warranty repairs
- Control panel and pump failures
- Slow, costly leak repairs
- Salt cartridges dying early
Which lines compete? Tier by tier.
Each maker sorts its own series from entry to flagship; we group them the same way so you can price like against like.
- Getaway Spas5 models · 3–5 seats · from $7,295
- LH Series5 models · 3–7 seats · from $9,695
- Freeflow5 models · 2–5 seats · from $5,499
- Clarity Spas7 models · 5–7 seats · from $11,999
- Hot Spot6 models · 2–7 seats · from $9,999
- Twilight Series7 models · 3–7 seats · from $14,499
- Limelight5 models · 4–7 seats · from $14,499
- Michael Phelps Legend Series5 models · 5–8 seats · from $19,999
- Highlife8 models · 3–7 seats · from $17,499
Which suits whom?
Master Spas, if you want
- Full foam, clamped manifold plumbing
- A longer shell warranty (up to 10 years against 7 years)
- Room for 8
Hot Spring, if you want
- A lower starting price ($5,499 against $7,295)
- Moto-Massage jet travels your back
- A tub that plugs into a regular outlet (11 models)
Fit decides more than any figure here. Sit in both in the seat you would use most (dry is fine), feel the jets on a running display tub with the back of your hand, and read both warranty cards before you sign.
What’s a good deal on either?
Pick a brand. We send you the price range, then connect you with one dealer near you for it.
The details
Keeping it hot: standby power and cost2
Standby is what a tub draws to hold its heat with the cover on and nobody in it. California tests it for every spa sold in the state. At the US average 18.19¢ per kWh (January to July 2026), the middle Master Spas model costs about $25 a month to keep hot and the middle Hot Spring about $23 a month. In watts: 191.5 W (28 filings) and 175.5 W (24). Your bill also depends on your climate, how hot you keep it and how often the cover is off.
| Seats | Master Spas | Hot Spring |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 148 W | 146 W |
| 4 | 169.5 W | 159 W |
| 5 | 190.5 W | 178 W |
| 6 | 198 W | 196 W |
| 7 | 206.5 W | 211 W |
Complaint records2
Master Spas. Better Business Bureau grade A+, 20 complaints in three years. ConsumerAffairs 4.1 of 5 from 1,476 reviews. Latest U.S. recall: 2019.
Hot Spring. Better Business Bureau grade C-, 18 complaints in three years. ConsumerAffairs 2.8 of 5 from 163 reviews. Latest U.S. recall: 2026.
Complaint counts grow with the number of tubs a company sells; how it answers them tells you more than the count.
Who owns them2
Master Spas is privately held. Hot Spring belongs to Masco Corporation. Each company’s history: Master Spas and Hot Spring.
What to ask in the showroom2
- Clamped plumbing: Hot Spring doesn't publish it. Ask: “Are the hoses on this model clamped at the barbs, or just glued?”
- Manifold-fed jets: Hot Spring doesn't publish it. Ask: “Does each jet here get its own hose from a manifold, or are they chained?”
Every figure side by side30
No manufacturer pays us. How we make money
Common questions
Is Master Spas better than Hot Spring?
Neither is better for everyone. Master Spas suits you if you want a longer shell warranty (up to 10 years against 7 years) and room for 8. Hot Spring suits you if you want a lower starting price ($5,499 against $7,295) and a tub that plugs into a regular outlet (11 models). Sit in both before you choose; dry is fine.
Which costs less, Master Spas or Hot Spring?
Master Spas: $7,295 to $21,999 (reported prices and list prices). Hot Spring: $5,499 to $27,999 (list prices, MSRP). What you pay depends on the model, options, delivery and the dealer, so ask each for a written, itemized quote.
Are Master Spas and Hot Spring made by the same company?
No. Master Spas is privately held; Hot Spring belongs to Masco Corporation.
Where are Master Spas and Hot Spring hot tubs made?
Master Spas builds in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Hot Spring builds in Vista, California and Tijuana, Mexico.
Sources
12
- California Energy Commission appliance database (spas)standby watts for Master Spas and Hot Spring models
- Master Spas warrantyMichael Phelps Legend Series and Twilight Series warranty terms
- Better Business Bureau: Master Spasrating and complaint count
- ConsumerAffairs: Master Spasowner rating
- CPSC recall, 2019 (Master Spas)recall notice
- Ownership record: Master SpasPrivately held
- Hot Spring warrantyHighlife and Limelight warranty terms
- Better Business Bureau: Hot Springrating and complaint count
- ConsumerAffairs: Hot Springowner rating
- CPSC recall, 2026 (Hot Spring)recall notice
- CPSC recall, 2012 (Hot Spring)recall notice
- Ownership record: Hot SpringMasco Corporation