Sundance vs Hot Spring hot tubs
Best known for: Fluidix jets, no moving parts (Sundance) and Moto-Massage jet travels your back (Hot Spring). Sundance lists 19 hot tubs for 3 to 8 people, Hot Spring 24 hot tubs for 2 to 7 people. Hot Spring prices start at $5,499 (list prices, MSRP); Sundance prices come from a dealer.
Sundance
Shown: Claremont
Massage jets with no moving parts, big two-stage filters and UV-C water care on every model.
Price on request
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
- Fluidix jets, no moving parts
- Two-stage MicroClean filtration
- Steel frame, 10-year warranty
- Moto-Massage jet travels your back
- 24-hour, no-bypass filtration
- Built-in salt water system
- No Self-supporting shell
- Partly Clamped plumbing
- Yes Manifold-fed jets
- Partly Standard parts
- Partly Self-supporting shell
- Not published Clamped plumbing
- Not published Manifold-fed jets
- Partly Standard parts
- Massage and jet quality
- Solid shell and mechanicals
- Long service life
- Seating, looks and setup
- Warranty claim disputes
- Dealer service quality
- 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.
- 680 Series5 models · 3–7 seats
- Freeflow5 models · 2–5 seats · from $5,499
- 780 Series5 models · 3–7 seats
- Hot Spot6 models · 2–7 seats · from $9,999
- 980 Series2 models · 6–7 seats
- Highlife8 models · 3–7 seats · from $17,499
Which suits whom?
Sundance, if you want
- Fluidix jets, no moving parts
- A longer shell warranty (up to 10 years against 7 years)
- Room for 8
Hot Spring, if you want
- Moto-Massage jet travels your back
- A tub that plugs into a regular outlet (11 models)
- A 2-seat tub for a small space
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 Sundance model costs about $21 a month to keep hot and the middle Hot Spring about $23 a month. In watts: 157 W (19 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 | Sundance | Hot Spring |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 123 W | 146 W |
| 5 | 136 W | 178 W |
| 6 | 160 W | 196 W |
| 7 | 164 W | 211 W |
Complaint records2
Sundance. Better Business Bureau grade D-, 5 complaints in three years. ConsumerAffairs 1.1 of 5 from 66 reviews. Latest U.S. recall: 2022.
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
Sundance belongs to Investindustrial. Hot Spring belongs to Masco Corporation. Each company’s history: Sundance 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 Sundance better than Hot Spring?
Neither is better for everyone. Sundance 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 tub that plugs into a regular outlet (11 models) and a 2-seat tub for a small space. Sit in both before you choose; dry is fine.
Which costs less, Sundance or Hot Spring?
Hot Spring prices run $5,499 to $27,999 (list prices, MSRP). Sundance doesn't post prices we can publish, so a dealer quotes them. Compare like with like: the lines that compete tier by tier are listed on this page.
Are Sundance and Hot Spring made by the same company?
No. Sundance belongs to Investindustrial; Hot Spring belongs to Masco Corporation.
Where are Sundance and Hot Spring hot tubs made?
Sundance builds in Mexico. Hot Spring builds in Vista, California and Tijuana, Mexico.
Sources
12
- California Energy Commission appliance database (spas)standby watts for Sundance and Hot Spring models
- Sundance Spas warranty880 Series, 980 Series and 780 Series warranty terms
- Better Business Bureau: Sundance Spasrating and complaint count
- ConsumerAffairs: Sundance Spasowner rating
- CPSC recall, 2022 (Sundance)recall notice
- Ownership record: Sundance SpasInvestindustrial
- 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