Best hot tubs 2018: the top jacuzzis for the money

The best hot tub in 2018 can be enjoyed year-round and should seamlessly slip into your life like you plan to slip into a warm, jet-filled jacuzzi. From inflatable hot tubs ideal for small spaces to acrylic tubs meant for the great outdoors (your backyard), we have outlined our picks for most soothing at-home spa solutions based on value and the best price.

You know what's not soothing? Figuring out which are the top hot tub brands and finding the best deals. There's no Apple, Samsung, or other household names to make recommendations easy. Instead, it's niche hot tub companies like Canadian Spa, Bestway, Coleman and Essential that offer a variety of great pop-up and full-sized tub choices.

Pause your neck and back pain for just a minute, and get yourself ready for our full-treatment hydrotherapy research with this up-to-date hot tubs list for 2018. It's based on our aquatic expertise, diligent research, and soaking wet wrinkled skin.

Don't be fooled by the black-and-white color scheme of this hot tub – it's the gold standard of acrylic hot tubs from the experts at Canadian Spa. It has a six-person capacity, 44 adjustable stainless steel jets and, just to show off, multi-colored LED mood lighting along the perimeter of the tub.

This over-the-top hot tub gets better with luxury features like LED pop-up speakers for the built-in digital audio system, an aromatherapy canister for soothing scents and even a cascading waterfall. This hot tub includes a hardtop cover, filters, and curbside delivery from most stores.

They call Paris 'the city of lights', so this aptly named inflatable hot tub from Bestway of course lights up with underwater LEDs. You'll fall in love. There are seven different colors for relaxing and soothing effects, according to the manufacturer, and it comes with an RF remote for control. There are 87 bubble jets inside this jacuzzi, and while it may not be the easiest to set up, it's one of the best pop-up hot tubs you can buy for under $500 / £600 today.

Intex makes one of the most affordable pop-up jacuzzis you can buy in 2018, with a sturdy puncture-resistant three-ply laminated material that holds up better than the low price suggests. It includes 120 bubble jets and holds 210 gallons of water. There are built-in handles on the side, making it easy to carry and move around (when it's empty, of course). You can relax in two ways: by sitting in this spa and knowing you didn't spend a lot of money to buy it.

The new Coleman SaluSpa Inflatable AirJet Hot Tub bucks the trend of circular hot tubs in favor of a more square-shaped design, but it's able to provide 114 air jets to pamper you in relaxing heated water, up the the 104 degree maximum temperature. This four-seater Coleman hot tub is rather new, so reviews are scarce on it. However, you may also find it under the Bestway brand and an older version in circular form. However, the 2018 has more jets and is easy to set up. Buy this one instead.

This spa from Essential Hot Tubs is very different from the rest because it's molded from premium-quality granite resin. That means it's the most durable option in our buying guide and a good pick if you're willing to spend a lot of money on an above-ground jacuzzi. It has 20 powerful stainless steel jets, contoured seating for up to five people (although five is a more reasonable max), has a heat pump that plugs into a normal outlet, and holds 241 gallons of water. Reviews indicate that the hard resin base gives it better insulation than inflatable hot tubs, but the cover is harder to keep snapped in place. It's the best hot tub if you're willing to spend and have the extra space.

Intex makes it onto our best hot tub list with a larger, though more expensive entry. It's an inflatable jacuzzi so you can still get a good deal on it, and it holds up to six people and more water than most: up to 290Gal (1097L). That's why you're paying a slight premium. The setup is easy enough on this one, but heating the tub is slow going. Despite that, it remains one of the better hot tub buys in 2018.