Wood Fired Hot Tubs vs. Electric: What’s the Difference? | Stoked Hot Tubs

Electric heaters and wood fired heaters are two of the most common methods of heating up hot tubs. There are pros and cons of both, and depending on your style, home design and preference, one might make more sense than the other. Overall, wood fired hot tubs heat up faster, are very low maintenance and are long lasting. However, electric heaters can be affordable and convenient as well.

Whether you’re designing a new house or investing in making your current home more luxurious, adding a hot tub or spa to your backyard will create a special relaxing ambiance. While wood fired and electric hot tubs both offer the same potential for at-home relaxation, what is the difference between a wood fired hot tub and an electric spa? Here are the key differences between the two you’ll want to consider.

As you have probably realized, wood fired hot tubs are powered by burning wood, while electric heaters use electricity to heat up a spa. Both get the job done, but there are significant differences between the two. While the heating time for all hot tubs depend on a few factors, including what temperature the water starts at, how cold it is outside and the volume of water in your tub, wood fired hot tubs heat up significantly faster than spas powered by electricity. A Stoked Stainless wood fired hot tub takes on average 2.5 hours to heat up from cold to 38 degrees C, while a standard electric hot tub of the same size can take up to 15 hours to heat! Clearly a wood fired tub is the winner in this situation.

Since wood fired tubs heat up 5 times more quickly than electric ones, it’s natural to wonder how much it would cost to make them that much more efficient. Wood fired tubs only require dry firewood to run – no need for cords or electricity. Electric tubs require electricity to run, and thus your operating costs will depend on how often you’re using your spa and the cost of utilities in your area. While actual costs will vary due to costs of firewood in your area, we did the math and discovered that it would cost less than $1.80 to use a Stoked tub per day. The cost of running an electric spa will depend on power prices and temperatures in your region and can also be quite affordable, but they all have an upfront setup cost of several hundred dollars.

Hot tubs are a lovely addition to backyards and decks, and there’s nothing more soothing than a night time soak while gazing up at the stars in your outdoor wood fired hot tub. If you prefer, setting up your hot tub indoors is also an excellent option. However, with electric powered spas, you are limited by proximity to power sources. Wood fired tubs can be placed anywhere you’d like, provided the foundation is sturdy enough to support it.

If you’ve ever sat in a hot tub/jacuzzi before, you know that there’s often chemicals being used to sanitize the water. These chemicals balance the pH of the water and thus keep it clean for you to sit in, but require effort to ensure they’re being used in the right quantities. Plus, when you drain your spa for a regular scrub down, the chemicals in the water are added to the drainage system, which can be harmful to the environment. Stoked wood fired hot tubs are made with the highest quality stainless steel on the inside. Just like an electric hot tub, they’ll need to be drained and cleaned regularly, but they don’t require any chemicals to clean, maintain or operate. The material is designed to resist mould, algae and other contaminants. Just use fresh water as you would in a bath, and when you need to drain it, you can reuse the water for irrigation, cleaning or anything else you might reuse water for. Stainless steel is the most hygienic material that can be used for a hot tub.

Generally speaking, conventional hot tubs are made of acrylic plastic or fiberglass with plastic parts. Over time, the constant exposure to hot water and maintenance chemicals will cause these materials to wear out. The average lifespan of a standard hot tub is 5 to 10 years. The interior and internal components of every Stoked Stainless hot tub is made from durable stainless steel. The metal resists wear, damage and corrosion and never rusts, cracks or stains. The exterior is beautifully made with 100% natural cedar that is strong enough to resist the elements should you choose to place your hot tub outdoors. With solid, quality construction, Stoked wood fired hot tubs are guaranteed to last.

Generally speaking, conventional hot tubs are made of acrylic plastic or fiberglass with plastic parts. Over time, the constant exposure to hot water and maintenance chemicals will cause these materials to wear out. The average lifespan of a standard hot tub is 5 to 10 years. The interior and internal components of every Stoked Stainless hot tub is made from durable stainless steel. The metal resists wear, damage and corrosion and never rusts, cracks or stains. The exterior is beautifully made with 100% natural cedar that is strong enough to resist the elements should you choose to place your hot tub outdoors. With solid, quality construction, Stoked wood fired hot tubs are guaranteed to last.

The world of hot tubs has gone beyond just vinyl jacuzzis placed on your deck – they’ve evolved to become more sustainable, eco-friendly, elegant visual masterpieces. Contact us to enquire about getting your very own wood fired hot tub today.