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Are Hudson Bay Hot Tubs Good?

By: Author Jeff Campbell

Posted on  - Last updated:

Categories Hot Tub Buyer's Guides

This is one make of hot tub I knew very little about, so I decided to do some research to find out if Hudson Bay hot tubs are just another cheap plug-and-play like many others. So are Hudson Bay hot tubs good?

Hudson Bay Spas manufactures entry-level low-priced hot tubs and is another brand from the parent company LPI, Inc, which makes Home and Garden hot tubs. While 80% of their reviews are good, LPI, Inc. does have a significant number of complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

But they could be worth considering if you are looking for something more than an inflatable tub but not wanting to spend over $4,000. And don’t worry. We’ll take a look at reviews of Hudson Bay too.

If you want to know more about Hudson Bay and what owners think of them, read on.

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What do the Hudson Bay spas reviews say?

There are a total of 8 models under the Hudson Bay brand, and one of the most popular is the 4-person HB15 model. This scored 4.3 out of 5 stars from 96 global ratings on Amazon, of which 14% of these were 1- or 2-star.

This may be considered a little high, but you have to look at what people complained about other than delivery times.

The main issues were:

  • Outdated equipment
  • Heating coil burn-out
  • Poor customer support
  • You can only buy the filters through the manufacturer

However, the vast majority – 80% scored it 4- or 5-star – loved it. Good value for money is the common theme amongst reviewers, and you can’t ask for more than that.

On the Wayfair site, the same model scored 4.4 out of 5 from 46 ratings with no real issues regarding the tub itself. These are some of the features owners liked: 

  • The backlit waterfall is a feature normally found on much more expensive hot tubs
  • Multi-colored underwater mood lighting
  • It can be switched to ozone sanitization to reduce chemical usage
  • Proudly made in the USA

Overall, Hudson Bay spas are much loved by their owners, who felt they were good value for money.

Who makes Hudson Bay spas, and where are they made?

Hudson Bay spas are the plug-and-play range made by LPI, Inc, makers of Home and Garden Spas in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Because of their long history of building quality acrylic portable spas, Home and Garden included a lot of the features from their range into the smaller 110v models.

Hudson Bay spas boast that their hot tubs have the power and performance of a 220-240v tub, and that is reflected in the specification. 

These are some of the things you get that you would normally find only on more expensive hot tubs:

  • Balboa controls
  • HeatFlow manifolds
  • Multi-layered fiberglass-reinforced acrylic shell
  • High-density spray foam insulation
  • ABS bottom for protection from corrosion
  • Lockable deluxe insulated cover
  • Anti-fungicide tubing to prevent bacteria build-up in plumbing lines reducing chemical use

As for power and performance, there have been no complaints on that score.

The pumps are sized to match the number of jets, so the effect at the point of delivery is excellent for the money. By comparison, if you look at the Home and Garden HG32 spa, equivalent to the HB19 in size but with 32 jets, the pump is 6HP (4.5kW), but the cost is around $4,000, and it has to be hard-wired.

What are the different models of Hudson Bay hot tubs? 

There are eight models in the Hudson Bay range of varying shapes and sizes—rectangular, square, oval, and triangular—so there should be one to suit all back yards, gardens, and even indoor spaces.

Model Base price* Size (number of people in brackets) No. of jets
HB34 $3,760 80″ x 80″ x 34″ (6) 34
HB29 $3,150 80″ x 80″ x 34″ (6) 29
HB21O $2,700 78″ x 68″ x 30″ (5) 21
HB15 $2,470 60″ x 70″ x 30″ (4) 14
HB19 $2,430 76″ x 76″ x 34″ (6) 19
HB14C $2,300 72″ x 72″ x 30″ (3) 14
HB14O $2,200 71″ x 64″ x 30″ (5) 14
HBSL $2,050 36″ X 80″ X32″ (1) 19

*Prices taken from Wayfair.com and may include a discount that is no longer available

The number of jets is not always a measure of how good the spa is, so you may find similar-sized tubs with more jets, but if the pump doesn’t have the power, the effect will be lessened.

The pumps used by Hudson Bay are sized to suit the number of jets from 1HP to 2HP (0.75kW – 1.5kW), which is good for a tub running off 110v.

The positioning of the jets is also important. Hudson Bay hot tubs have hydro-jets strategically positioned to give a good massage to your shoulders, lower back, and feet.

How do you drain a Hudson Bay hot tub?

To drain a Hudson Bay hot tub, first, disconnect the spa from the power supply. Locate the drain plug behind one of the removable panels and connect a hose. Pull the plug out to start the flow of water and discharge the water away from the tub location by running the hose to an inconspicuous location.

It takes about 1-2 hours to drain fully, depending on how many gallons are in your hot tub.

However, using a submersible pump like the EZ Travel Collection portable drain pump on Amazon, you can drain a 300-gallon hot tub in less than 10 minutes.

A MUCH better alternative as it will get you back in your hot tub much faster.

Before you do anything, you need to work out where the water is going to go. You don’t really want it on your lawn or planted areas, and you may be restricted by State, Local and Community requirements when disposing of the water in public sewers.

The water contains chemicals which, although highly diluted, could harm the grass.

Chlorine and bromine are concentrated sanitizers, and they not only kill bacteria but also other microorganisms that your grass and plants depend on. I discussed this in a recent article.

Just click the link to see it on my site.

Are all Hudson Bay hot tubs plug and play? 

All Hudson Bay hot tubs run off 110v, so they do come under the category of plug and play, but they claim their hot tubs have the power and performance of a 220v hot tub.

Hudson Bay pumps are rated 0.75kW, 1.1kW, or 1.5kW, depending on the number of jets they have to serve. With the strategic placing of the jets, this is good enough to provide a great hydrotherapy session.

Hudson Bay hot tubs come fitted with a GFCI breaker and a 10’ long cord.

You cannot use an extension cord, so make sure you have an outlet nearby with a waterproof cover such as a hinged plastic lid.

Because the pump and heater are less powerful than a regular hot tub running on 240v, it costs a little more to run. I explained this in a recent article.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

As with most plug-and-play hot tubs, the pump and heater cannot run at the same time, so when you have the jets running full blast, the hot tub will start to lose heat.

Not a problem during the summertime, but if you want to use your hot tub all year round, this is something you might want to consider.

Final Thoughts

I hope this covers everything you wanted to know about Hudson Bay hot tubs. If you are looking for a decent, low-cost spa that you can simply unpack, set up, fill with water and plugin, this is one that is well worth considering.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment or drop me a line, and don’t forget to click on the links to read associated articles on my site. 

If this is your first time buying a hot tub, you should read this recent article on my website before you do anything. Just click on the link to read about the 23 crucial things to consider before buying.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases if you click on Amazon from my site and choose to make a purchase. You can read my complete affiliate disclosure for more details.

Jeff Campbell
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