Before learning about walk-in bathtub pros and cons, we should learn what is it. Moreover, who is this for, how to get one and other important things.
There are many reasons to have an walk-in tub installed in your bathroom. These bathtubs are expensive and installing requires much fees comparing regular ones.
Moreover, its price is really higher and installation fees higher too. So, are walk-in tubs worth it? What are the walk-in tubs problems? We must these answers before deciding.
We will be discussing about all these matters along with top 10 walk-in bathtub companies. In other words, you will get everything you need to know before buying one.
What is an Walk-in Bathtub
Walk-in bathtub is a type of bathtub that comes with a door to walk in and a seat to bath while seating. Regular acrylic bathtubs don’t contain a seating option or door.
The seat isn’t mandatory. Therefore, you may find some low budget walk in tubs with doors only, no seating option. However, all standard size walk-in tubs have seats.
The doors may open inward or outward. Inward doors are self-sealing. Inside water pressure seals the door. Outward doors have special seal installed to prevent water leakage.
You may also find tubs with walls, those walls can raise or lower to get easy access. Walk-in tubs with sliding doors are also available. These tub doors can slide into the tub wall. And after sliding-out water seal will be active.
Although, these walk-in tubs come with easy access through doors. However, you may need to use step in 3-8 inches. That is to say, wheel-chair access walk-in tubs easy access are assured.
Popular Types of Walk-in Bathtub
There are many features and types for walk-in bathtub to choose from. However, first you should know what you really need. After that, finding the most suitable one will become easy.
We have categorized walk-in tubs based on features and other important matters. Therefore check the walk-in tub types list below to sort out your preferences.
Soaking Tub: Regular acrylic soaking bathtub along with a door. Usually these tubs don’t contain any seating facility. Other than the walk-in door, its a regular soaking tub.
Hydrotherapy Tubs: This type of walk-in tubs comes with water jets installed and seating option. The water jets will provide much needed massage to the joints and muscles. Great for relieving muscle and joint pain.
Aerotherapy Tubs: This tubs are similar like hydrotherapy tubs. The difference is air jets instead of water jets. Great for massage bath and relieving pain. Moreover, air jets are much smoother for sensitive skins than water jets.
Aromatherapy with Dual Massage: This tub contains both air jets and water jets. In addition, it mixes aromas and other essential minerals in the tub water. This ensures, similar experience like a high level spa.
Bariatric Bathtubs: This type tub is for heavy weight persons. Regular size bathtubs can handle highest 300 lb persons. People heavier than those need bariatric tubs. In addition, these tubs are sturdier with reinforced structure and doors. Moreover, these tub have higher capacity with larger and wider doors.
Wheelchair Accessibility: These tubs are specially built for wheelchair bound people. People with restricted mobility really like these tub. Moreover, these walk-in tubs have wider doors and handrails to support easy access.
Walk-in Tubs Pros
Walk-in tubs are for safety and health benefits. So, surely it comes with features those are needed and helpful for bathing in it. Sometimes, these features are needed for health treatment. Other times, these features will make your bathing more relaxing and pleasant experience.
We have listed most of the benefits for having an walk-in bathtubs here. If we miss any, your recommendation is much appreciated.
We have categorized the pros into 2 different sections for understanding purpose. One is safety, another is health. Therefore, you can clearly understand both safety and health benefits.
Safety Benefits
Low Step-in: With the doors to walk-in, the step-in become really low. Usually, the step-in is 3 inches to 8 inches high. There are other heights for step-in too.
Slip Resistance: Regular bathtubs may have smooth inside without slip resistance. However, walk-tubs are slip resistance. Mainly, elderly and physically challenged people use walk-in tubs. So, slip resistance is a much needed feature.
Handrails: Physically challenged and elderly people need support to move into a bathtub. Therefore, the handrails will provide the support to walk-into the bathtub with confidence.
Wide Door: Walk-in tubs come with wide doors to get into. However, if you are heavier than regular people with large body. Its recommended you check first the door wide and if not suitable, we suggest you to use bariatric tubs.
Control Panel: Usually, modern day walk-in bathtubs contains many extra features like hydrotherapy and others. These tubs have easy to understand and operate control panel for older people.
Seat: Walk-in tubs come with easy to remove or fixed seat. So, people who have problems with getting up from bathtub, they can use the seat. That way, they can easily get up.
Water Depth: Walk-in tubs have higher water depth comparing regular stand alone bathtub or soaking tubs. Regular tubs have 30-42 inches depth. However, standard walk in tubs have 36-48 inches depth. The seats are 16-20 inch high. So, you still have 20-24 inches to soak up to your torso in the tub.
Health Benefits
Easy Access: People with mobility problem can easily access these walk-in tubs. Safety is assured. Moreover, soothing and comforting bath all the time.
Hydrotherapy: Usually known as whirlpool bathtub. This comes with water jets and pressurized water flow. The whole feeling ensures full body massage with water jets. Great for people with arthritis or other diseases or health problems that requires massage and relief pain.
Aerotherapy: Similar likes the hydrotherapy. However, air jets provides the massage system instead of water jets. Great for relieving pain and gives body total relaxation. Works better than hydrotherapy if the receiving person has any skin problem.
Aromatherapy: Usually, its an extra feature that can help you make the bathing more appealing and relaxing. Aromatic essential oils are released along with other necessary water agents. Therefore, it will ensure total satisfaction while bathing.
Chromatherapy: Another high level benefit for walk-in tub users. Specialized lights installed within the tub to get the therapy. Moreover, it will increase the overall comfort and relaxation level of your bathing. All these features will provide dynamic bathing experience with better health benefits.
Increase Blood Circulation: While having regular walk-in tub baths with air and water jets massage ensures better blood circulation. The skin will be smoother with it too.
Walk-in Tubs Cons
Like all the thing of the world, walk-in tubs have cons along with pros. So, what are those? Are they enough to leave this tub facility? Before answering these questions, you can’t decide.
We will discuss the typical disadvantages or flaws of walk-in bathtubs. So, that you can better understanding before using them. Lets check the list below:
Price: Ordinary and regular bathtubs usually cost $300 to $2000. However, the most basic walk-in tub cost around $1500. Usually the price ranges from $2000-$1500. It depends of associated features and quality.
Installation: The price doesn’t include installation fees. Moreover, installing an walk-in tub is a huge job and it costs a lot. You should consider the installation fees along with price when buying one.
Water Heater: Regular tanked water heaters have a capacity around 20-40 gallon. However, regular walk-in tub capacity 40-60 gallon. So, you may need to change the water heater while installing the tub. Our suggestion, you pick a tankless water heater.
Fill and Drain: You can only start filling the tub after getting inside. Moreover, filling 40+ gallon water will be time consuming. In addition, to get out of the tub, first you have to drain the water completely. In other words, both fill and drain will take a lot of time.
Water Temperature: After entering the tub and locking the door, you start filling the tub with hot water. If the temperature isn’t maintained or the water is too hot. Then, it will become a cause of concern.
Flooding: Swing in or inward doors aren’t easy to use comparing swing out or outward doors. However, swing out doors can lose the water sealing or accidentally open the door before draining completely. The result is flooding the whole bathroom.
Top 10 Walk-in Bathtub Brands
There are many brands and manufacturers for walk-in tubs. Some prioritize the safety, some prioritize features. However, the brands listed below prioritize both safety and features. They maintain high quality and satisfaction for their walk-in tubs. Moreover, you will have most relaxing and enjoying bathing experience from them.
Kohler
Kohler is a renowned home sanitary ware brand. All their products have top level quality. Moreover, their all products have high level safety measures. They have different models and sizes for top rated walk-in bathtubs.
They have over 140 years of experience. In addition, you can customize your walk-in tub based on their provided features. These features include whirlpool jets, easy drain and filling, inline heater, wide doors, low step-in, wide and comfortable seat, hand-held shower head along many more.
You can easily pick customization option for color, finish and design. Moreover, all their products have conditional lifetime warranty.
American Standard
Like all other products of American Standard, their walk-in bathtubs have superior design and highest level durability. In addition, they comes with different features and sizes.
The price can vary for different models with exclusive features. You can get air jets or water jets separately. Or, you can pick a tub with both option installed. They provide top level warranty for all their products. However, the warranty period vary product to product.
Jacuzzi
You just can’t compare Jacuzzi product with others. All their products have exceptional but attractive design and style. You will get both bathtub and hot tub feeling from their walk-in tubs.
With longer lifetime and warranty period and superior design, they will make you happy all the time. Their tubs have inline heater to keep the water warm for as long as you bath. In addition, easy drain will ensure faster drain too.
Hydro Dimensions
Comparing with Kohler and Jacuzzi, Hydro Dimensions only has 20 years experience. However, they manufactures large variety of regular bathtubs along with walk-in bathtubs.
They always maintain top quality for their products. Moreover, they use modern and most advanced technology to manufacture all their products. Therefore, all their products have better service life with high level customer satisfaction.
Bathing Safety
Although, Bathing Safety may be unknown for some but whoever have knowledge about bathtub industry, must know about them. They are renowned for their walk-in tubs with most advanced and finest hydrotherapy technology.
Many of their tubs are fully made in the US. However, for some specific models, they also import from other countries.
Ella’s Bubbles
Its a Chicago based acrylic bathtub manufacturer. From 2005, they are the leading acrylic walk-in tub manufacturer in the US. They sell and provide services all the states.
All of their bathtub models have superior design and exceptional fitting. They provide top notch customer services for their users along with distributors.
Premier Care in Bathing
You may not heard about them, if you never buy their bathing products. However, with standard quality maintain and customer support, they have a loyal user base all other the country.
Along with bathing accessories, they manufacture and supply top rated walk-in tubs. Most of their products have unique design and customer satisfying features.
Freedom BathTubs
Freedom BathTubs or Accessibility Professionals has a reputation for being one of the top level bathing accessories and service provider. They help their customer organize their bath along with homes as their needs and requirements.
Accessibility Professionals has a wide variety for walk-in bathtubs to choose from. Their products have higher warranty period. Moreover, their after sell service record is something you must respect.
Safe Step Walk-In Tub Co.
Safe Step’s walk-in bathtubs are popular among senior persons. People who used their products always recommend them. Their walk-in tubs are specially built for mobility restricted or handicapped people.
User safety is their highest concern. In addition, the hydrotherapy ensures stress and pain relief for their customers. Their tubs comes with grab bars, really low step in along with non-slip tub surface.
Independent Home
Independent Home products don’t have highly stylish design. They always prefer most safe and practical solution and application for their products.
Their walk-in bathtubs comes with all necessary features. It can make you feel independent. In addition, their tubs are sturdier and fit perfectly on any bathroom surface with ease.
Common Walk-in Tub FAQs
Reading so far, you may not have all the answers of your questions. That’s why, this walk-in bathtub FAQ section. Hopefully, you will get the answer you seek. Please ask us, if you need more to learn.
What are the basic Walk-in Tub Problems?
Usually, cost is the main problem. Walk-in tubs are expensive. Moreover, its installation charge also heavy. In addition, it requires more space and settings.
Other than cost, your current drain and water faucet may not work well with it. These tubs require 40+ gallon water to fill up. So, you need a faucet fast enough to fill the tub quickly.
Then, the tub drain must be fast too. Otherwise, you have to wait long for fully drain the tub and get out of the bath. Moreover, regular tanked water heater may not fill the tub completely because of low capacity. So, you may have to buy a new heater with higher capacity.
Are Walk in Tubs Worth It?
The price range for an walk-in tub is $2000-$20000. However, low price ones don’t have desired features like hydrotherapy or others. That reason, with complete features the price may be between $5000-$20000.
That’s a huge sum. Are walk-in tubs really worth it? But the cost doesn’t end there. You have to consider the installation fees. Moreover, if the drain and water heater doesn’t have the capacity to fit the tub. Then you have to change them too. You should add those cost with the tub price too.
However, according to research, all the injuries occurred for 70+ elderly people, 80% of them are bathroom related. After installing an walk-in bathtub, the rate take sharp turns to 35%. Considering this rate and possibility, walk-in bathtubs really worth the price.
Moreover, the inline water heater along with water and air jets will help the user with body stress and joint pain relieving. If you only consider the health benefit, walk in tubs really worth the price.
What Type of Warranty It Comes With?
Usually walk-in tubs come with dedicated warranty. Many offers limited lifetime warranty for the tub. However, most warranty only cover the tub. You may find no warranty for other parts or accessories the tubs full package contain.
Sometimes, other than tub, the accessories have specific warranty. However, parts warranty duration can be 1-5 years where the tub has lifetime warranty. So, please check first about the warranty. What the warranty cover for and how long the warranty period is.
Can You Financing to Buy Walk-in Bathtub?
Without a doubt, walk-in bathtubs are highly expensive. You may have all the money to buy it at once, but don’t have. Therefore, you may need financing to buy one.
Usually, the tub manufacturer or seller manages the financing for your. But, if you don’t have good credit, you may not get the loan. So, make sure you have good credit before applying for walk-in tub financing.
End Words
Walk-in bathtubs are usually for elderly and handicapped people. People who have mobility problem and need extra safety precaution to use bathroom are the main users.
However, everyone can use it. As some researches showed that, 50% of walk-in bathtub users are healthy below 50 years old people. So, if you are young and healthy, you can buy and use this tub for a pleasant bath in a relaxing atmosphere.
After reading so far, we can safely assume you have a complete idea of walk-in bathtub pros or cons. However, if you are unclear about anything, its better to always ask professionals or friends who already have walk-in bathtub.