The Pennsylvania factory behind many warehouse-club hot tubs, known for its patented hard cover, a sealed base on a steel frame, and low posted prices.
Holds upFew othersLifetime cabinet, parts and laborPremium Series spas use an acrylic DURA-LAST cabinet warranted not to rot, crack or peel for as long as the…1 catchDetails
The pitchPremium Series spas use an acrylic DURA-LAST cabinet warranted not to rot, crack or peel for as long as the original owner has the tub, parts and labor included.
Offered on: Premium Series
Our takeThe term is in writing in the 2022 Premium warranty, labor included. It ends if you sell the spa or move it from the original address.
Who else has it: Master Spas' DuraMaster lifetime skirting warranty covers parts only; most brands give 2 to 5 years.
The catchLifetime means as long as the original owner keeps the tub at the original address: sell it, move it, or miss the 30-day registration and the cabinet coverage is gone. The 2022 Premium warranty ties the lifetime cabinet term to the original consumer's ownership, voids all warranties if the spa is relocated from the original ship-to address or transferred, and requires registration within 30 days of delivery.
Partly trueFew othersPatented DURA-SHIELD hard coverMost Strong series ship with the DURA-SHIELD HardCover, a rigid cover on a built-in stainless lifter that the…Details
The pitchMost Strong series ship with the DURA-SHIELD HardCover, a rigid cover on a built-in stainless lifter that the company calls exclusive and patented and says holds well over 1,000 pounds.
Our takeThe rigid design does solve waterlogging, but Strong publishes no patent number and no R-value or energy test. The one Strong warranty we read (Premium Series) covers the standard cover for 1 year, replacement only; DURA-SHIELD's own terms weren't found.
Who else has it: LPI's Tuff Spas sells a rival patented hard cover (Tuff Top) with the same 1,000-pound claim; most brands use vinyl-wrapped foam covers.
Often said, not trueThe knock: Strong's 'patented' hard cover has no patent behind it. Strong Industries holds granted U.S. patents on the design, including US 10,533,334 (vacuum-molded acrylic halves bonded with injected closed-cell foam, active to 2037) and US 9,181,721 (a two-piece cover with gas-spring lift assist, active to 2033).
Partly trueFew othersWarehouse-club prices, factory-builtStrong builds the Evolution line sold at Costco and supplies other big retailers, delivering to your curb…1 catchDetails
The pitchStrong builds the Evolution line sold at Costco and supplies other big retailers, delivering to your curb with a cover and steps included.
Offered on: Evolution (Costco) and other retail labels; Strong-brand series through dealers
Our takePrices are posted and low, but Costco buyers get curbside delivery in 3 to 5 weeks, deal with the factory for service, and lose the warranty if the tub is moved. The wider partner list (Sam's Club, Home Depot, BJ's, Wayfair, Amazon) comes from a 2022 profile and may have changed.
Who else has it: Most brands here sell only through specialty dealers; LPI also sells factory-direct, but through its own stores.
The catchThe warehouse version carries shorter coverage: Evolution acrylic spas get 2 years on equipment, plumbing and labor, versus 3 years on Strong's own Premium series. Evolution's warranty page lists 2-year equipment, plumbing and labor terms and 5 years on shell surface and cabinet for the synthetic-wood acrylic line, ending if the spa leaves its original delivery address; the 2022 Premium warranty gives 3 years parts and labor on plumbing and equipment.
The catchLifetime means as long as the original owner keeps the tub at the original address: sell it, move it, or miss the 30-day registration and the cabinet coverage is gone.
More of what Strong Spas says about itself5
Partly trueBuilt in central PennsylvaniaStrong builds its tubs at its Northumberland plant and a newer Danville plant, which trade press put at…Details
The pitchStrong builds its tubs at its Northumberland plant and a newer Danville plant, which trade press put at 70,000 spas a year of combined capacity, and it ships to more than 40 countries.
Our takeThe plants are documented, but 70,000 was a 2022 capacity estimate, not output, and Strong publishes no production numbers. A critic lumps Strong's retail labels in with disguised imports; we found no evidence of that for its own series, though an unbranded 2024 manual on its site is unexplained.
Who else has it: Many brands build in the US, including PDC elsewhere in Pennsylvania; Strong's scale in big-box supply is the unusual part.
Partly trueSealed base on galvanized steelStrong's patented DURA-BASE is a dual-walled, sealed foundation with a galvanized steel frame built in, which…Details
The pitchStrong's patented DURA-BASE is a dual-walled, sealed foundation with a galvanized steel frame built in, which the company calls the industry's thickest and strongest base and ten times thicker than most.
Offered on: Summit, Iconic and other series listing DURA-BASE
Our takeThe steel frame and sealed base are real on Summit and Iconic, but 'thickest and strongest' and 'ten times thicker' come without measurements, and no patent number is published.
Who else has it: Sealed plastic bases are common (Master Spas Legend, Sundance, Marquis, Hot Spring), and steel frames also appear at Jacuzzi, Sundance, Vita Spa and American Whirlpool.
Partly trueTriple-layer, styrene-free shellStrong-Bond shells laminate acrylic to co-extruded ABS with a rigidizing layer, which Strong says resists…Details
The pitchStrong-Bond shells laminate acrylic to co-extruded ABS with a rigidizing layer, which Strong says resists delamination and sagging and avoids the styrene fumes of fiberglass.
Offered on: acrylic series (not the rotomolded Durasport)
Our takeThe cleaner-factory point is fair, but 'among the strongest and thickest' is unmeasured, and the Premium warranty covers the shell for 7 years and the surface for 5, shorter than many acrylic brands' 10 and 7.
Who else has it: Multi-layer shells without hand-rolled fiberglass are sold by others too: Jacuzzi claims a three-layer ProFusion shell, and Dimension One uses a robot-applied backing instead of fiberglass.
Partly trueFew othersPlug-in HydroPod jet seatsThe Iconic line's patent-pending HydroPods are pre-plumbed seat modules that dock into pockets in the shell…Details
The pitchThe Iconic line's patent-pending HydroPods are pre-plumbed seat modules that dock into pockets in the shell, which Strong says cuts hose length by 80% and reduces holes in the shell.
Offered on: Iconic Series
Our takeThe design logic is sound, but it launched in 2023, the patent is still pending, and there's no long-term reliability record yet.
Who else has it: Bullfrog's JetPak system, removable seat-back jet modules fed by a manifold, is the closest comparable.
Mostly marketingUV/ozone 'million times faster' cleaningSummit tubs pair UV and ozone as standard, and Strong says the combination cleans a million times faster than…1 catchDetails
The pitchSummit tubs pair UV and ozone as standard, and Strong says the combination cleans a million times faster than traditional oxidizers with no chemical by-products.
Offered on: Summit (standard); other series vary
Our takeUV and ozone are real supplements, but the 'million times faster' figure has no cited test. You still need chlorine or bromine, because UV leaves no sanitizer in the water.
Who else has it: UV plus ozone is also offered by Cal Spas (Platinum), PDC (EverPure2), Catalina and Jacuzzi (ClearRay).
The catchUV and ozone don't replace sanitizer: UV leaves no residual in the water, so chlorine or bromine is still required, and the 'million times faster' figure has no cited test. The Model Aquatic Health Code annex says UV disinfects but leaves no persistent residual; Strong's 2025 Summit flyer states the million-times figure without a source, and the Premium warranty covers ozonators for just 1 year.
What rivals and critics say3
A buyer's-service site lumps Strong's big-box labels with 'middle brands' that use thin, cradle-supported shells, glue-only plumbing and little insulation, with spotty quality control, and calls them imports in disguise.Our check: Trade press places Strong's own lines in Pennsylvania plants, so the import charge isn't supported for them. The shell is indeed ABS-backed acrylic rather than hand-rolled fiberglass, the joint method is unpublished (the manual mentions glued valves), and insulation coverage isn't stated.
A hot tub review site says Costco tubs carry shorter warranties, sometimes without labor, and weak after-sale support, leaving owners to deal with the manufacturer.Our check: Strong's Premium warranty does include 3 years of parts and labor on equipment through its authorized agents. The Costco listing links to Evolution's own warranty, which we didn't read, and notes that moving the tub voids it.
Dealers on a hot tub forum said local shops often won't service Costco-sold units.Our check: Old (2012) but still worth checking: service runs through Strong's authorized agents, so confirm who covers your area before buying.
What owners say
What they like
Fit, finish and valueA new owner of a Costco-sold Strong-built spa (2012) was pleased with its fit, finish and features for the price.
What they complain about
Hard-to-repair plumbingCommenters say PVC fittings at low points are prone to cracking and plumbing repairs are very difficult.
Slow parts and supportA commenter reports weeks waiting on a display problem without a manufacturer callback.
Limited local service (Costco units)Dealers in a 2012 forum thread said local shops often won't service Costco-sold units, leaving owners dependent on the factory.
Complaint records: BBB, recalls and review sites2
Better Business Bureau
Not rated, not accredited. Checked Sep 23, 2026.
ConsumerAffairs
No ConsumerAffairs review page
U.S. and Canada recalls
None on record.
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.
How it’s built. In plain words.
What decides whether a tub lasts is mostly hidden under the shell. Here is what Strong Spas publishes about it, and where it publishes nothing, we say so.
Not publishedSelf-supporting shellStrong Spas doesn't publish this. Ask the dealer to show you.
Not publishedClamped plumbingStrong Spas doesn't publish this. Ask the dealer to show you.
Not publishedManifold-fed jetsStrong Spas doesn't publish this. Ask the dealer to show you.
How it's kept hotInsulationThe 2020 manual cites patented 'HEATSHIELD' insulation with the DURA-LAST cabinet.
Founded in 1992 in Started from a dorm room at Alfred University, then Sayre, Pennsylvania. Never sold; owned today by a private company.
Wade Spicer started Strong Industries in his last semester at Alfred University as its only employee, first making pet products. It later became a fiberglass and plastics contract manufacturer before turning to pools and spas.
Who has owned it
1992Founded by Wade Spicer in Started from a dorm room at Alfred University, then Sayre, Pennsylvania.
TodayPrivately held; founder Wade Spicer is CEO. No outside owner or investor was found.
Where it builds today
Northumberland, Pennsylvania: Headquarters and main plant since the late 1990s.
Every figure on the page also carries its own source dot. Specs come from Strong Spas' own documents.
What’s a good deal on a Strong Spas hot tub?
Tell us which hot tubs you like. We send you the price range, then introduce you to one Strong Spas dealer near you, who reaches out knowing what you expect to pay.
