An inflatable is the cheapest way into a hot tub. You pump up the wall, fill it from the hose and plug it into a 13 A socket. We list 22 inflatables on this site, from £299 to £1,219. We have not filled or sat in any of them: the picks below come from the spec sheets and buyer reviews, scored with our published method.
Not all inflatables are the same
The wall decides how much heat you lose, and the inflatables on this site use four kinds.
| Wall | Examples | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Plain air wall | Lay-Z-Spa Miami (TriTech), Intex PureSpa (Fiber-Tech) | Cheapest. Loses heat fastest on a cold night. |
| Insulated liner | Lay-Z-Spa Rome, New York, Santorini (EnergySense) | An extra layer inside. Lay-Z-Spa claims up to 40 % more efficient. |
| Drop-stitch | Lay-Z-Spa Helsinki | Stiff panels, a bit like a paddleboard. Stands firmer. |
| Foam core under PVC | Wave Atlantic 6 (PU-insulated foam core) | Sold as an inflatable, but with a foam core in the wall. |
If you plan to use the tub after September, skip the plain air wall. More on this in inflatable, foam or frame.
Top inflatables by score
| Hot tub | Seats | Price | Wall | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lay-Z-Spa Rome | 6 | £530 | Insulated liner | 6.7 |
| Lay-Z-Spa Helsinki | 7 | £730 | Drop-stitch | 6.5 |
| Lay-Z-Spa Grenada | 8 | £749 | Insulated liner | 6.5 |
| Lay-Z-Spa Santorini | 7 | £909 | Insulated liner | 6.0 |
| Lay-Z-Spa Maldives | 7 | £1,000 | Insulated liner | 6.0 |
| Aoxun 208 cm | 6 | £349 | Plain wall, insulated cover | 5.4 |
| Wave Atlantic 6 | 6 | £570 | PU-insulated foam core | 5.3 |
| Lay-Z-Spa Boracay | 4 | £390 | DuraPlus beam wall | 5.2 |
Best overall: Lay-Z-Spa Rome
The Rome is square, 180 cm across and sold for 4 to 6 people. For £530 you get the EnergySense liner, a heater built into the wall (no pump box), app control and 140 air jets. It holds 4.5 stars from 25 reviews and comes with a 2-year guarantee. No other inflatable here packs a built-in heater, an insulated liner and wifi at that price.
Best for a group: Lay-Z-Spa Helsinki or Grenada
The Helsinki has drop-stitch walls with a wood print, 180 air jets and app control for £730. It scored 4.6 stars from 35 reviews. Be careful with the seat count: it is sold for 5 to 7 people but measures 180 cm across, the same as the Miami.
If you really want space, the Grenada measures 236 cm, is sold for 6 to 8 people and has its heater in the wall plus 190 air jets for £749. It only had 4 reviews when we checked, so the rating tells you little yet.
Best budget pick: Aoxun 208 cm
At £349 for a tub sold for 4 to 6 people, the Aoxun costs about £58 a seat. The heater (1,800 W) sits in the wall, it comes with an RCD plug for a 13 A socket and a 2-year guarantee, and it has 4.2 stars from 20 reviews. The maker itself says 4 adults are most comfortable. The wall is a plain inflatable with an insulated cover, so expect a bigger bill in winter.
The safe classic: Lay-Z-Spa Miami
The Miami costs £299 and has 1,246 reviews at 4.5 stars, far more than any other tub on this site. It has a plain TriTech wall, 120 air jets, a separate pump box and no app. It scores 4.6. Buy it to find out whether a hot tub suits you, and use it mainly in the warmer months.
Best for water jets: Lay-Z-Spa Santorini
Most inflatables only blow bubbles. The Santorini adds 10 HydroJets to 180 AirJets, plus water-powered LED lights, for £909. It has 4.6 stars from 12 reviews. On a smaller budget, the Intex PureSpa Onyx Octagon has 4 water jets on a 1,000 W pump for £316, but it had no rating on its listing when we checked and Intex publishes no guarantee. See our water jets guide.
What to check before you buy
- Built-in heater or pump box. The Rome, Grenada, Aoxun, Wave Atlantic 6, Wave Pacific 4 and Nordivale have the heater in the wall. Most others need a box beside the tub.
- Guarantee. Lay-Z-Spa, Wave and Aoxun list 2 years. Intex, Arebos, Nordivale and Canadian Spa Co. listings show none, which leaves you with your rights under the Consumer Rights Act.
- Real seat count. Divide the maker's top number by about 1.5 for adults who want to stretch out.
- Heater power. Few makers publish it. Intex lists 2,200 W, Arebos and Aoxun 1,800 W. The rest do not say.
Quick answers
Can I leave an inflatable up all winter? Many owners do. Pick an insulated liner or a heater with a frost mode, and read using a hot tub in winter.
How long will it last? No maker publishes a lifespan. Our guide on how long inflatable hot tubs last covers what wears out first.
All 22, sorted by score: inflatable hot tubs.
