Swim spa reviews: what owners say, limits, who it suits

A swim spa works, but it is not a pool in miniature. You swim in place against an adjustable current: there are no turns, no push off the wall, and the stroke is more constrained than in a 25 metre pool. It suits people who want to stay fit all year round without leaving home; it is not the right choice for people who want to train as they would in a pool.

Here is what some owners told us after the first months, what the studies say, and the four points to check before you choose one: length, number of tubs, running costs and buying second hand.

Does swimming against a current at home really work?

Yes, if you know what you are buying. Dedicated jets push a continuous flow of water towards you, and you swim against that flow while staying in place. The intensity is adjustable, from a gentle warm up swim to a current that asks for a sustained pace. That is why a tub four or six metres long can take the place of a 25 metre pool.

There are studies on swimming against a current, but they were carried out in research flumes, not in home swim spas. Two findings are still useful.

The first: in a study of 18 swimmers presented at the European College of Sport Science congress, the same tests performed in a flume and in a pool gave, at submaximal speeds, lower heart rate, lactate and oxygen uptake in the flume. The authors attributed the difference in times mainly to the absence of turns (Reer and colleagues, ECSS 2004).

The second: in eight elite swimmers, arm coordination stayed more rigid in the flume than in the pool, and at the highest speeds the range of possible movement was strongly limited (Guignard and colleagues, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 2020).

In practical terms: the current makes you swim continuously and without breaks, but it does not reproduce everything that happens in a long pool. For a competitive swimmer it complements pool training; it does not replace it.

What owners told us after the first months

In 2016, for an article in our old magazine, we asked three customers who had bought the BL-850 swim spa for their opinion. Each one stressed something different. I report them as they came, with their limit: three people, a single model and a few years ago.

• The children use it most. In the first opinion the tub worked well, but it was used less than planned: it was mostly the children who used it, with their friends.
• Swimming against the current is hard work. The second opinion warned that it is not easy: it is tiring, a way of doing sport. For relaxing, there is the hot tub zone.
• It needs covering in winter. The third recommended covering it, because left uncovered it gets dirty inside.

Public reviews say something about the company and less about a single product: our more than 1,300 Google reviews, with an average of 4.7, cover hot tubs, saunas and swim spas together. For an opinion on this product, the most reliable way is still to try it, and I come back to that at the end.

How long does it need to be so the stroke is not cramped?

This is the most important question before you choose. Our swim spas range from 3.85 to almost 12 metres, and length changes the swim more than any other figure.

Below 4 metres the movement is cramped: arms and legs come close to the walls and the stroke loses continuity. Those sizes make sense if the main use is relaxing, with occasional swims. Between 4 and 6 metres sits the most balanced range, which still fits in an ordinary garden.

The most requested models are the compact ones around 4 metres: they fit in an ordinary garden and are designed for people who alternate swimming and the hot tub. The garden often decides the size, and it is better to know that before choosing.

The BL-823 swim spa measures 430 cm by 220, with the swim zone and hot tub seats in the same tub, and takes up about 9.5 square metres. The current list price is € 16.217.

If you are tall or swim with a long stroke, look at sizes above 5.5 metres: the BL-861PRO swim spa measures 590 cm and is designed for people who train regularly.

One tub or two: temperature matters more than space

The second opinion, from someone who swims and then relaxes in the other zone, points the same way as the technical side. For swimming the right water sits between 26 and 28 degrees; for relaxing in the hot tub it goes up to 39. These two needs sit badly together in a single tub: there is one temperature, and you choose which one to give up.

A twin tub physically separates the two zones, each with its own system. The BL-850, 585 cm, is the reference model: whoever swims stays in the cooler water, whoever uses the hot tub stays in the warm zone, even at the same time. It costs more and takes more space: the current list price is € 25.193.

The criterion I suggest: if one person in the family swims and the others mostly want to stay warm, a twin tub saves you from choosing every time between water for swimming and water for relaxing. If you swim and relax in turns, a single tub is enough.

What it costs to run, beyond the price

Running costs depend on the litres you heat, and here the difference with a hot tub is clear. The BL-823 holds about 5,400 litres, the BL-850 about 8,000, the largest model almost 27,000. A four to six seat hot tub holds between 700 and 1,850.

The method for the calculation is the one explained in the guide on hot tub running costs, using the litres of the model you are considering. Two things move the figure a lot.

The first is the cover: it keeps the heat in and stops the tub getting dirty, and it is what the third customer recommended for winter. The thermal cover for swim spas (BL-ASS001) has a current list price of € 1.403. The second is heating: on the larger models it is often worth considering a dedicated heat pump, because a 3 kW heater on thousands of litres runs for a long time.

Is a second hand swim spa worth it?

It can be, but the saving on the price has to be weighed against three costs that fall on you when you buy used.

1. Transport. An empty tub weighs from about 700 kg to over 2 tonnes. Taking it out of one garden and installing it in another usually needs a crane and a truck, and should be priced before you negotiate.
2. Pumps and control panel. These are the parts that work hardest. Ask to see it running with the current at maximum, and to know its age and the repairs done.
3. The warranty. On our new models the warranty is 24 months for private buyers and 12 for businesses, as set out in our terms of sale. On a used one, check in writing what is left and who provides it, before you pay.

Also check the acrylic shell (cracks, blisters, fading) and the cover, which on a tub left outdoors should be checked first.

Who it suits, and who it does not

From the opinions we collected and from what customers ask before buying, the picture is fairly clear.

It makes sense if you want to swim regularly without depending on pool opening hours and closures, if your household has both a swimmer and someone who prefers the hot tub, and if you have room for at least 4 metres of tub. To give a sense of scale: three half hour swims make 90 minutes a week, and the World Health Organization guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate activity for adults.

It makes less sense if you need it to prepare for races in a long pool, where turns and pace matter, or if what you really want is to relax: in that case a hot tub costs and takes up much less.

Frequently asked questions

What is it like to swim in a swim spa?
You swim in place against an adjustable flow of water. It is more tiring than people expect, because there are no breaks at the turns, and the stroke is more constrained than in a long pool.

How long should a swim spa be?
Below 4 metres the stroke is cramped and the tub is mainly for relaxing. Between 4 and 6 metres is the most balanced compromise; above 5.5 metres are the models for people who train regularly.

Can a swim spa go indoors?
Yes, our models are for outdoor and indoor use. Indoors you need a floor or a base sized for the weight of the full tub, which for the compact models is over 6 tonnes, and a ventilated room for the humidity.

Which is the best swim spa?
The one with the right length for the way you swim and the right number of tubs for the people who will use it. For the same space, the choice between a single and a twin tub matters more than jets and extras.

Can a counter current system be added to an ordinary pool?
There are units that can be fitted to existing pools, which we do not sell, and the choice depends on the pool you have. A swim spa is a different thing: its jets, seats and heating are designed together.

Is a used swim spa worth buying?
Only if the saving covers transport by crane, a check of pumps and control panel, and the lack of a full warranty. Ask to see it running with the current at maximum before you negotiate.

What to do, in order

1. Decide what you need it for: regular swimming at home yes, a replacement for a 25 metre pool for racing no.
2. Measure the space: at least 4 metres of tub to really swim, more than 5.5 if you are tall or train often.
3. Choose between a single and a twin tub with temperature in mind: 26 to 28 degrees for swimming, up to 39 for the hot tub.
4. Work out the running costs with the litres of the model, and include the thermal cover in your budget.
5. If you consider a used one, price the crane transport and see the tub running with the current at maximum.
6. Try one before you buy, at a venue that has one installed.

The most common mistake is choosing from photos and the number of jets, without ever having swum against a current. Among the venues where you can try our products before buying, seven have a swim spa as of October 2026; visits must be arranged with the venue.

The models are on the swim spas page, and four questions about your space and how you will swim narrow down the catalogue. Then there is customer service and about us.

Catalogue data (sizes, weights and prices) are read from the product pages and update with the catalogue; weights refer to the empty tub, and the full weight includes water and people. Capacities in litres and temperatures come from the technical documentation of the models we sell and are indicative. The opinions reported were collected in 2016 among customers of one model and do not describe every installation. This guide is for information only and does not replace the instructions in the manual or a check by a qualified technician on your specific case.