Essential Hot Tubs: 2020 Polara

We originally ordered this hot tub from Amazon in early May and were told it would be delivered in about 4-6 weeks. Amazon ran our credit card at original order date. Around 6 weeks later, our credit card showed a refund from Amazon for the exact amount of the hot tub. We were very confused so spent the next 2 days attempting to get a hold of someone at Amazon who could explain what was happening. We were transferred, placed on hold, transferred, placed on hold and talked to some nice Amazon reps, but no one could explain what had happened, except likely related to pandemic situation. Fine. It was our own stupid fault, after that experience, to try again with Amazon (at this point all other online hot tub providers are now 1-3 months out for delivery, Amazon was closer to a month). The same model we originally ordered was no longer available but you could pay a little more and order almost an identical model from the same company, Essential spas, so that’s what we did. Fast forward 4 1/2 weeks, Amazon showing that my product has been delivered? Spend another half a day on the phone trying to find out where the hot tub is. Finally told that it was shipped with a company called ABF, and that they will contact us soon, given a tracking number. We waited 3-4 days and never heard from the company. Found their number online and called but the tracking number I had was inaccurate. The woman I spoke to seemed very put out but managed to find our order with my other information. Finally found our hot tub?!? Oh no, that order was shipped/transferred to another company called RAC transport. I’m given another tracking number and a phone number. Again, no one has ever contacted us, it’s been all on us to find out any info. Call RAC, the phone just rings and rings and rings, all weekend, no recording, no voice mail. Have to use my morning break at work to try calling Monday. Guess what?...the tracking number is incorrect. She can’t seem to find my “item”. She finally finds my name and says “oh, it’s a hot tub cover” and I assure her that, “no, it’s a hot tub”. She says either way, they no longer have it. It was transferred to their “summit office”, she quickly transfers me to another number without a word and they don’t answer their phone. On Tuesday, I’m finally able to get a hold of a woman at the summit office after finding the number on my own, still no tracking number but she actually gives me one. She says someone will be contacting me that afternoon to set up delivery. 3 days later, still no contact. I try again to call and beg to schedule a date. They only deliver on Wednesdays and Fridays and there needs to be an adult home,delivery hours between 9-5. They either have this Friday, in 2 days or not for a couple weeks. Now my husband has to take off work for the day since we both work outside of the home. Delivery day comes, company states will arrive around “lunch time”, then around 2:30. At 5:30, this poor little old man shows up, by himself, in a truck that was most recently a Penske moving truck that has been painted over with RAC transport. With absolutely no idea how he is going to get a 800 pound hot tub out of the back of his truck and onto the ground from high up. He was sweating profusely and looked to be having a panic attack when I arrived home from work to see my husband and 14 year old son trying to assist him and figure out a way toget the tub off of the truck. What if I had been the only one home? I took video because I was so scared that either they were going to get crushed or the hot tub would be seriously damaged. After about an hour, my very strong husband helped devise a way using several of our dollies to get the tub down to the ground fairly safely but it was scary in the process. My son had now missed his soccer practice that started at 6pm. So, yesterday was the big day, finally, we got the concrete pad installed, the wiring done, filled with water and the tub got to around 97 degrees. My kids got in and turned the jets on and within 5 minutes the hot tub shut down. Error code HH, which supposedly means temp above 110 detected. We opened the service panel and it looked a little wet even though it hadn’t appeared to have any leaks when tested earlier?? My husband blew it out and we let it sit off overnight. We went out this morning and turned it back on, display acting funky but seemed to be working. Tub got to 98 degrees again, jets were on and again, shut down. Now display reading all kinds of random numbers. Husband opened up service panel and it’s soaking wet, so there’s a big leak when the jets are used. Which, he’s now trying to investigate. The really scary part is while he was messing with the buttons, his hand grazed the water and he felt an electrical current. So now I’m scared to go near the thing. I just came inside to start the painful process of trying to get a hold of someone at the company to help us. After reading current reviews, sounds like it’s going to be torture. Interestingly enough, the reviews for this brand were fairly solid at original order date in May. Now, they’re terrible. I get the feeling this company starting churning out hot tubs as fast as they could with little oversight to cash in on high demand. This was a large purchase for our family that we’ve debated for years. I feel like we just threw $5000 down the drain with many headaches in the process. Oh how I wish we had paid more and went with a local dealer. Amazon is not the place to make a large purchase like this. And, yes, that’s my husband and son holding that hot tub up while the driver in red tries to get a hold of himself and come up with a plan. In the drivers defense, this was the delivery company’s fault for sending him by himself and without proper equipment.

One two three four!Hot tub! Ha! Da!Ah-full of water!I say hot tub! Ha!Day! Ba! Very, very hot... Very hot! Da!Hot tub! Gonna get ya hot-a!Gonna make ya sweat! Hey! Say!Hot tub! Rub a dub in the hot tub!Rub a dub with me!Should I get in the hot tub?(Yeah!)Will it make me sweat?(Yeah!)Should I get in the hot tub?(Yeah!)Will it make me wet?(Yeah!)Well, well, well...Hot tub! Ah!Get in!Gonna get in the water!Gonna make me sweat! Ah!Here I go in the hot tub!HHHHIIIGGGHH!!Too hot in the hot tub! Ma!Burn myself!Make it cooler!Good God!Gonna make me...I'm gonna get in the hot tub.I'm gonna get in the hot tub.I'm gonna get in the hot tub.Ha! Lilin! Lidilin! Eh!A gonna make me sweat-ah!Dah! Gonna make me sweat!Gonna make me sweat-ah!Dah! Gonna get me in the hot tub!I can't stand it!Here I go! I can't stand it!Here I go in the hot tub!Gonna get in the hot tub!Gonna get it wet-ah!Good God!HHHIIIIGGHHH!! Ha!Good God!Rub a dub!In the hot tub!Rub a dub with me!Good God!Rub a dub in the hot tub!Gonna set me free!

Our third attempt at getting a spa through amazon, two other attempts failed because our spa vanished somehow the day before delivery, ABF was great though they delivered right to our deck. Electrical and setting in place was easy with only a small leak from condensation on the control panel months later, caulk fix and done. One problem we had was the pump only ran on one speed and I finally figured out that from the factory the pump plug was only in by one of the two clips running only on “low”, turned off the breaker and fully clipped it in an wow do we have pressure now! Overall good spa

Great product for the money. The access panel is a little difficult to access, but everything works as it should. Delivery was delayed a day, but they made up for it by delivering it on a flatbed with a forklift so they could put it where i wanted it. I've used this hot tub everyday since i got it and haven't had a single issue so far.

Got this hot tub about a month ago. Works well so far, except the control panel is somehow wired backwards. The buttons dont do what they are labeled to do. We were able to figure it out but dont know who to contact about getting it fixed. Jets are nice and heat works well, just wish the panel was correct

Warm, Nice design, Nice aesthetics, several of the jets do not work properly or at all. I'm trying to figure out how to contact the dealer, hopefully won't have to hire a professional that will cost an arm and a leg.

Arrived much quicker than expected so wasn't quite ready for it, however it is up and running for approximately 2 weeks now with no issues. I love it!Update - continue to be very satisfied with this hot tub

ABF shipping was very good with me Only had running for a day No leaks had a small hole in cover To early to tellhow it will be 6 months from this is our second hot tub