The Best Hot Tubs for Tall People (It’s Not Just About Depth)

Jennifer Rhodes

By Jennifer Rhodes · Updated

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If you're tall, then you know it can be difficult to find furniture or clothing that fits. Sadly, this problem also applies to hot tubs.

You need a spa that's deep enough to submerge your neck and shoulders—and has plenty of space for you to stretch out and relax without feeling cramped. The good news is there are several models out there that will work for you.

In this article, we'll discuss what features and specifications you should look for when shopping for a new hot tub, and explore some of the best options for tall people on the market today.

What makes a hot tub good for tall people?

As a tall person, you have to be a little more selective when picking out a spa. The difference between a comfortable soak and a cramped experience is going to determined by depth, but also the specific design of the seats, and how well the tub fits your frame overall.

You cannot always go by brand name to know the best hot tubs for tall folks specifically, but several top-tier manufacturers do have hot tubs that will work well for tall people. You just have to know a few important details to look out for.

Before buying a spa, always try to wet test it. Ask the dealer if they can fill the tub with water so you can soak for a little while. You'll want to stretch out your legs, try all the different seats, and see how you like it. This is the only true way to know if you're onto a winner.

Let's take a look at some of the key features that determine whether a hot tub is going to work for tall people or not.

Overall size

The first important feature of the hot tub is the size. It makes sense that a hot tub with a greater width and length is going to be more accommodating of a taller person, right?

This is partly because there's more room for greater seating variation, but also space for a larger footwell. This means your legs can stretch out further, giving you a more comfortable and relaxed position as opposed to having your knees bent up towards your chest.

One spa that is great for overall capacity and loved by many tall spa owners is the Tundra by Arctic Spas.

This hot tub has a massive interior, with room for up to seven people. Yet it still manages to maintain plenty of leg room in every seat thanks to its large footwell.

In terms of seating, it offers four deep bucket seats as well as other multi-level seating. This gives you all kinds of options when choosing where you want to sit (also good if not everyone in your family is tall!).

Depth

After finding a large enough hot tub, the next thing to consider is depth. A tub with adequate length and width may accommodate a tall frame in terms of legroom, but without depth, your shoulders are going to be out of the water.

It's not quite as simple as looking at the published dimensions though. That's because some hot tub shells have plumbing and insulation running all the way underneath, whereas others go right to the ground.

What's more, the overall depth is not as relevant as the depth of the seats themselves. More on that in a second.

Seating

Seating height matters more than the overall depth of the spa. Why? Because people come in all shapes and sizes, so what you actually care about is if a hot tub seats fits your frame.

For instance, even though one person may have longer legs than another (making them taller overall), their torsos might be roughly equal—which means they're the same height once seated in a spa.

This means someone with a longer torso will want a deeper seat, but someone with longer legs will want a shallower seat but more legroom. It all depends on your specific proportions.

The solution to this? Go for hot tubs with versatile seating. This way, you can select the most comfortable seat for your height.

The Grandee by Hot Spring is one such spa that's rated highly by tall folks. It has a range of seat depths, and an overall depth of 38". It also has seating provisions for up to seven people.

This hot tub is an excellent choice if you have a lot of tall people in your family—but also if you're all different heights. The different depths of seats will accommodate short, average, and tall people so you all can enjoy the tub together.

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Hot tubs with loungers for tall people

The purpose of a lounger is to help you to relax in a more reclined position, but tall people and loungers don't always get along. This is because loungers are molded in one position, so they require you to be able to fit their fixed shape.

The problem is, if you're tall and have long legs for your height, it's likely that your legs are going to too long for the lounger—which then forces you into a bent-legs position where your knees are out of the water. Then you don't get the full benefit of any hydrotherapy jets meant for the back of your legs. It just doesn't work!

That said, if you're set on a lounger, there are some hot tubs with loungers that can work for tall people:

  • The Jacuzzi J-465 only seats four to five people, but is very spacious and does feature a pretty long lounge seat.
  • The Hot Spring Envoy is another good choice for tall people. It's Hot Spring's largest lounge spa and also has room for up to five.

As always, the best way to figure out if a spa has a lounger that will work for you is to visit one in person, and wet test it!

The best round hot tub for tall people

So far we've focused exclusively on square spas, but there are round hot tubs that can work for tall people too.

One example is the Crown XL™ by Nordic, which is 38.5" deep. It has multi-level, barrier free seating for up to six adults.

And don't forget about wooden hot tubs—they can be a great option for tall people! These tubs come in a range of custom depths (up to 5 feet deep!) and can work very well for people with long torsos in particular because they have sturdy benches that allow you to sit up straight.

While there's a more limited range of seating options available, this might not matter if you're tall. What use is it having four different types of seat if you can't actually fit in any of them?

The best inflatable hot tub for tall people

I'll be honest here; inflatable hot tubs are never going to be as great for tall people as a roomy acrylic model.

This is because most inflatable spas have lower walls (25 to 28 inches on average) and no seats, so you sit on the floor. That means your shoulders will probably end up out of the water—and with no other position to sit in, there's nothing you can really do about it.

But if you're set on an inflatable, my advice would be to go for the largest one you can find. I wrote an article all about the largest inflatable hot tubs on the market today, so check out the models featured there to get an idea of what to look for.

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