Most portable hot tubs only blow air. Bubbles feel relaxing, but they do not push on your muscles. Water jets (makers call them HydroJets or hydrotherapy jets) use a separate pump to fire a stream of water at your back or feet. Only 7 of the 32 tubs in our data have them.
We have not sat in these tubs. The figures below come from the Amazon.co.uk listings and makers' pages, checked on 30 October 2026.
Air jets vs water jets
| Air jets | Water jets | |
|---|---|---|
| What moves | Air blown through holes in the floor | Water pumped through nozzles in the wall |
| Feel | Fizzing bubbles all round | A focused push on one spot |
| Extra pump | No, the blower does it | Yes |
| Price | Every tub has them | From £316 in our data |
| Power | Adds to the load on your socket | Adds a second motor |
A tub with water jets usually has air jets too, so you get both.
All seven tubs with water jets
| Hot tub | Price | Seats | Water jets | Air jets | Pump | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intex PureSpa Onyx Octagon | £316 | 4 | 4 | 120 | 1,000 W | 4.0 |
| Intex PureSpa Jet & Bubble Deluxe | £777 | 6 | Not published | 140 | 1,000 W | 3.5 |
| Lay-Z-Spa Santorini | £909 | 7 | 10 | 180 | Not published | 6.0 |
| Lay-Z-Spa Maldives | £1,000 | 7 | 8 | 180 | Not published | 6.0 |
| Lay-Z-Spa San Francisco | £1,219 | 7 | 10 | 180 | Not published | 5.5 |
| MSpa Denver | £1,230 | 6 | Four sets (count not published) | 120 | 1,100 W | 5.7 |
| MSpa Aero Plus | £1,899 | 6 | Not published | 120 | 1,100 W | 5.7 |
Best overall: Lay-Z-Spa Santorini
The Santorini ties for the top score among jet tubs at 6.0. For £909 you get 10 HydroJets and 180 AirJets, an EnergySense insulated liner (Lay-Z-Spa claims up to 40 % more efficient), app control and water-powered LED lights. It measures 216 cm across and is sold for 5 to 7 people. Buyers give it 4.6 stars from 12 reviews, too few for our score to count, and it carries a 2-year guarantee.
Square alternative: Lay-Z-Spa Maldives
The Maldives costs £1,000 and has 8 HydroJets, 180 AirJets and a foot massager in a square, 201 cm tub. It shares the liner, app control, LED lights and 2-year guarantee. 3.8 stars from 8 reviews.
Best insulated: MSpa Denver
The Denver has a rigid frame with a TempXcel insulation layer between the shell and the liner, which matters if you plan to use jets through the winter. MSpa gives four sets of hydrotherapy jets on a 1,100 W pump, plus 120 air jets, a UVC sanitiser, LED lights, app control and confirmed 13 A plug and play. It holds 970 litres and costs £1,230. MSpa publishes no guarantee and the listing has no reviews yet.
The MSpa Aero Plus (£1,899) has the same insulation layer and pump size, a quiet motor and 1,150 litres, but costs £669 more.
Cheapest: Intex PureSpa Onyx Octagon
At £316 the Onyx is the cheapest way into water jets by a long way. It has 4 water jets on a 1,000 W pump, 120 bubble jets and a 2,200 W heater, and holds 795 litres. Intex says it heats 1.5 to 2.5 °C an hour. It has no reviews on Amazon.co.uk and no published guarantee, so you buy on the spec alone.
Biggest: Lay-Z-Spa San Francisco
230 cm square, three loungers and a bench, 10 HydroJets and 180 AirJets, for £1,219. It suits people who want to lie back. Buyers give it 3.2 stars from 9 reviews, the lowest rating among the Lay-Z-Spa jet tubs.
The one to read carefully: Intex Jet & Bubble Deluxe
Intex lists an 800 W bubble blower, a 1,000 W jet pump and a 2,200 W heater, but not the number of water jets. Add those three motors and you get 4,000 W, more than a 13 A socket can supply, so they cannot all run together. Our 13 A plug guide explains why. 3.6 stars from 15 reviews and no published guarantee give it the lowest score of the seven.
What water jets cost you
- Money. The cheapest jet tub with a published guarantee is the Santorini at £909. Our best hot tubs under £500 has only one with water jets.
- Power. A second pump adds 1,000 W or more while it runs.
- Heat. On many tubs the heater pauses while the jets run, because the socket cannot feed both. The water cools a little during a long jet session.
Who should pay for water jets?
Buy jets if you use the tub for sore muscles or a stiff back and want more than a fizz. If you mostly sit and chat, air bubbles do the job and the money goes further on insulation. See inflatable, foam or frame.
Browse every hot tub with water jets, and compare the two Lay-Z-Spa options side by side on Maldives vs Santorini.
Quick answers
Are water jets the same as a real hard tub? No. A hard tub has many more jets and bigger pumps on a 32 A supply. These are the portable version.
Can I add water jets later? Not to the tubs here. The pump and nozzles are part of the build.
Do jets make the water dirtier? No, but they move more water through the system, so keep the filter clean. See hot tub chemicals for beginners.
