Picking the Right Walk In Tub for You: a 101
A shower is great, but a bathtub is better. That’s not a just quote–it’s a fact. When it comes to relaxation, nothing can quite match the pure comfort of taking a long dip in a bathtub. Is it any wonder that most hotels worth their salt (and five-star ratings) boast a bathtub at their best rooms? With so many choices out there, picking the right tub for you can be a bit of a challenge. With these few tips, your shopping experience can be made so much easier.
If the tub fits…
The first thing to do when picking out your very own walk in bathtub is to figure out how much space you can allocate to it. It wouldn’t do you—or your wallet—any good to pick out the best and biggest tub on the market if you have nowhere to put it.
Your best bet is to get a measurement of height, length, and width of the area where your tub will be installed, giving allowance all around to be sure and safe. Armed with these measurements, you can narrow down the options by only having the salesperson show you which ones will fit. Ask the salesperson for different kinds of bathtubs. For small spaces, there are cube-style bathtubs. There are also walk-in tubs that are ideal for the elderly and individuals with physical disabilities.
Pick the right material
Bathtubs have been around for a fairly long time now, so naturally, there are many materials to choose from when picking out the best walk in tub for your personal use. A popular choice these days is acrylic. Acrylic is naturally warm, very easy to maintain, can be formed into softer contours, and is resilient enough to last you several years of use. Branded acrylic now comes boasting of biocidal properties to kill off mold and mildew that can have adverse effect. The best part is that, for all these benefits, acrylic tubs remain very affordable.
Try Before You Buy
Dimensions are all great and good, but nothing will tell you that a bathtub is a great fit for you more than getting in the thing and trying it out. That way you’re sure that it’ll be a comfortable experience every time you use it. The idea here is to be able to sit comfortably with your legs outstretched—so when you’re soaking, you’re fully immersed and relaxed. If you’re buying for a whole bunch of people, the smart way to go is to have the largest and tallest be your benchmark—this ensures that others will fit.
You get what you pay for
Lastly, a walk in bathtub is not a cheap investment—it can be affordable, but not cheap. Chances are that your decision to get one is motivated by a little extra cash lying around to spend on one. So don’t skimp on quality. Apart from often being more comfortable, a quality tub will last longer without needing replacement. Remember, part of the cost of a bathtub is installation. What you might save up on a cheaper model compounds the cost through repeated replacement installations. If you want a great experience, get ready to splurge a little.
