Everybody dreams of having a hot tub. They are great for relaxing in after a long day—far superior to a regular bath tub. Regular bath tubs do not typically come with jet streamed water and bubbles and foam. Admit it, right now you were reading about the hot water, bubbles and jets and started wishing you had one of your own. Hot tubs are great for entertaining and for reviving sore muscles.

There are two basic types of hot tub, the self contained and the non self contained.

Self contained hot tubs are sometimes called portable spas. With these, the heating, filtration and electrical systems are contained in the exterior of the spa or in the spa’s cabinet. These are usually installed as "above ground," but you can easily achieve an "in ground look" by having the self contained hot tub installed into your raised deck. Self contained spas can be moved and reinstalled, should you feel the need to do so.

Non Self Contained spas are installed in ground and are "permanent." These non self contained spas are usually part of a pool and spa combination and the heating, filtration and electrical systems are located away from the hot tub.

There are many different makes and models of spa and hot tub. There are different brands in different states though there are a number of national brands as well. The most recognizable national brands are Thermospas, Aquatech, Marquis, LA Spas, Hydro Spas, Hot Spring, Doughboy Recreational, Caldera, Cal Spas and Anthony & Sylvan Pools.

The best way to find out which of the different hot tubs brands is the best for you is to compare the common hot tubs that are available in your area. You always want to go with a local dealer because then, if there are ever any problems, you have resources available to you locally. Buying locally also makes the delivery and the installation far less of a headache for you and your family.

Make sure you do your research—while there are far too many different brands available to accurately tell you which brand is the most common (that would vary by location anyway), you can still do research on the various brands available to you. Visit your local hot tub dealers and shops. Gather the information on each of the spas available and then do some research of your own. Perhaps you have friends who have a hot tub or you know of someone who recently purchased one. Talk to them to see what kind they went with and why. Talk to the dealer to find out which kind of hot tub or spa would work best for you.

Buying a hot tub is something that most people dream of doing. While "going hot tubbing" might not sound as classy as it did a couple of decades ago, most people will admit that there is nothing more relaxing than spending some time in their own hot tub at the end of the day.