A rigid-frame hot tub puts stiff panels around a liner. From the garden it looks like a hard tub, but it still fills from a hose, runs from a 13 A plug and needs no electrician or crane. All five frame tubs on this site come from MSpa, and they cost £1,000 to £1,899. We have not tested or sat in them. We compared the spec sheets and scored them with our method.
What a frame gets you
- Looks. Panels with a wood or stone effect read as garden furniture, not as a paddling pool.
- Stiff sides. You can sit on the edge and lean against the wall without it giving way.
- Insulation. The panel adds a layer between the water and the air. Two of the MSpa tubs add a TempXcel insulation layer between the frame and the liner on top of that.
- Plug and play. MSpa confirms 13 A plug and play on all five.
What you give up: price and portability. The cheapest frame tub here costs more than most foam-wall tubs, and the Oslo weighs 118 kg before you add water.
The five frame tubs side by side
| Hot tub | Shape | Size | Water | Insulation | Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSpa Denver | Round | 182 cm | 970 litres | TempXcel layer | £1,230 | 5.7 |
| MSpa Aero Plus | Square | 180 x 180 cm | 1,150 litres | TempXcel layer | £1,899 | 5.7 |
| MSpa Tuscany | Octagon | 193 cm | 1,100 litres | Rigid panels | £1,000 | 4.6 |
| MSpa Oslo | Square | 160 x 160 cm | not published | ABS frame | £1,699 | 4.3 |
| MSpa Tribeca | Square | 160 x 160 cm | not published | Modular frame | £1,395 | 4.0 |
All five are sold for 6 people, all have app control, and none of the listings shows a maker's guarantee. That last point costs every one of them 2 points in our score.
Best overall: MSpa Denver
The Denver has the TempXcel layer, four sets of hydrotherapy jets on a 1,100 W pump, 120 air jets, LED lights and a UVC sanitiser. MSpa does not publish the number of individual water jets. At £1,230 it costs about £205 a seat, more than £600 less than the Aero Plus with the same insulation.
The catch: it had no Amazon rating when we checked. You are buying on the spec sheet alone.
Best square frame: MSpa Aero Plus
The Aero Plus is the biggest frame tub here: 180 cm square and 1,150 litres. It has the TempXcel layer, a 1,100 W hydrotherapy pump with what MSpa calls a quiet motor, a UVC sanitiser and LED lights. At £1,899 it is also the most expensive tub on the site, and it has no rating yet. Compare it on MSpa Aero Plus vs MSpa Oslo.
Cheapest frame: MSpa Tuscany
The octagonal Tuscany costs £1,000 and holds 1,100 litres. It has 138 air jets, no water jets, and an all-in-one control box with a weather cover. It is the only MSpa frame tub with more than 20 reviews (4.2 stars from 22), so it is the one with the most buyer feedback behind it. Its panels have no extra insulation layer, so it scores lower on heat loss than the Denver.
For the look: MSpa Oslo and Tribeca
Both measure 160 cm square, the smallest frame tubs here. The Oslo has wood-effect panels, LED lights and 4.7 stars from 12 reviews. It weighs 118 kg and arrives with a two-person delivery. The Tribeca has a modular frame and a UVC sanitiser, and 5 stars from only 2 reviews. Neither publishes how many litres it holds. If you sell your seat count on six adults, 160 cm across will disappoint you: plan on three or four.
Frame or foam?
At £1,000 you can also buy the Lay-Z-Spa Stockholm, a square foam-wall tub. It scores 7.0 against the Tuscany's 4.6, because it has the heater built into the wall, a published 2-year guarantee and a foam core that the maker says is up to 60 % more efficient. The MSpa tubs win on looks and on stiff sides. Pick the frame if the tub will sit in view of the house all year. Pick foam if running costs come first. Our inflatable, foam or frame guide has the full comparison.
Before you order
- Weight and base. A frame tub stays where you fill it. Check the base takes the load: 1,100 litres of water weighs 1,100 kg. See hot tub base options and hot tubs on decking.
- Delivery. The Oslo and Tribeca come with a two-person delivery. Check the route from the kerb to the garden.
- Guarantee. Ask MSpa or the seller what cover you get before you pay, and keep the answer in writing.
- Power. Use a weatherproof outdoor socket with RCD protection. See the 13 A plug explained.
Quick answers
Do frame tubs need an electrician? Not the ones here. All five run from a 13 A plug, as long as you have a suitable outdoor socket.
Can I take a frame tub down for winter? You can, but it takes longer than deflating an inflatable. Most owners leave it up.
More detail per model: MSpa hot tubs compared. All frame tubs: rigid-frame hot tubs.
