It’s clear why swim spas have become so popular in recent years as soon as you step inside one. Combining the best elements of a spa pool, lap pool and a hydrotherapy pool, but in a compact and cost-effective package measuring just a few metres long and a couple of metres wide, a swim spa is a luxurious, adaptable and stunning addition to your home. But which swim spa is best?
The best swim spa in Australia will be one that is beautiful, well built, feature-packed, energy efficient, and offers an unmatched swim-in-place experience. While there are a number of brands now offering swim spas, Fastlane Pools continues to lead the way in terms of quality, design and innovation and swim experience.
A swim spa is a significant and rather unique investment. If you choose well it is one that you might only need to make once in your life. But if you haven’t bought a swim spa before, shopping can feel like an overwhelming experience, full of words you’ve never heard and questions you’ve never been asked before.
In this article we’d like to share our extensive swim spa knowledge and experience to offer you a clear brand-by-brand comparison that will help you make a wise investment. How do the major Aussie swim spa brands compare? Read on to find out.
Fastlane Pools
- Manufactured in: California and Mexico.
- Price range: Premium
Fastlane Pools is the swim spa arm of Hot Spring spa pools, both brands being owned by the world’s largest spa pool and swim spa manufacturer, Watkins Wellness. Fastlane is generally considered the global leader in terms of quality, innovation and swim-in-place experience, with these qualities put on full display in the premium E-Series Fitness System collection. The two other Fastlane collections – the X-Series and R-Series – offer mid-range and entry-level swim spas. Fastlane Pools offer airless swimming (no air in jets) which produces a natural swim without that sinking feeling.
The desire to be the best means Fastlane invests heavily in quality and innovation. These swim spas offer powerful, controllable and perfectly smooth currents produced by high-end propulsion systems which can move up to 19,000L of water every minute, and each includes an extensive array of hydromassage jets, usually found in a separate seated section. Fastlane Pools swim spas are also energy efficient meeting the California Energy Commission Standard, the toughest standard in the world for energy efficiency. They are also visually stunning and built to last.
Fastlane Pools swim spas tend to have a higher sticker price than the other brands on this list, but between their longevity and energy efficiency and swim experience this upfront investment tends to pay itself back over time.
Fastlane Pools pros:
- A trusted, proven brand known for high quality swim spas.
- The E-Series offers arguably the world’s finest swim-in-place experience.
- Water care technologies minimise work and maximise play.
- Built to last with guaranteed spare part replacement for 20+ years.
- The most energy efficient swim spas on the market.
- Luxurious hydromassage included in every model.
- Diversify your aquacise with the underwater treadmill, aquabike, rowing kit, resistance bands, swim tether and more.
Fastlane Pools cons:
- A higher upfront investment (though one that can quickly pay itself back).
- Higher cost for premium spare parts.
Jacuzzi
- Manufactured in: Five locations worldwide, predominantly Mexico.
- Price range: Premium
A brand synonymous with spa pools, Jacuzzi also offers swim spas to Australian consumers in the shape of the PowerActive and PowerPro collections. Like Fastlane Pools, Jacuzzi sits at the premium end of the swim spa market, priding itself on quality and innovation, and boasting a hydromassage history that stretches back over six decades.
This innovation can be seen in features like the WaterWatch™, the only fitness watch made specifically for use in swim spas. Certain Jacuzzi swim spa models also include an underwater treadmill, granting owners an opportunity to enjoy jogging in a low impact yet high resistance environment.
There are a couple of areas in which Jacuzzi swim spas fall behind when compared to similarly-priced Fastlane Pools machines. Jacuzzi doesn’t quite offer the same level of features and optional extras as Fastlane, and the swim-in-place experience isn’t quite as immersive.
Jacuzzi pros:
- A proven performer featuring high-quality construction.
- High-end hydromassage.
- WaterWatch™ is the only swim watch made specifically for swim spas.
- Underwater treadmill included on some models.
Jacuzzi cons:
- A significant upfront investment.
- Not as feature-packed as equivalent Fastlane Pools models.
- The swim-in-place technology isn’t quite as advanced as that offered by Fastlane Pools.
Vortex
- Manufactured in: China
- Price range: Mid-range
A spa pool and swim spa brand established in 2002 with the goal of designing the best value spas on the market, Vortex is Australia’s most popular brand in terms of spa pools sold. In terms of swim spas it offers five models that all sit comfortably in the mid-range category.
While Vortex certainly offers good value for money, the differences between their machines and those at the more premium end of the market are immediately apparent when looking at the materials used, the features included and the beauty and quality of the machines.
Perhaps the most notable difference is the swim-in-place experience. Vortex swim spas come with between one and four swim jets, each of which can move 600L/min. What they call the ‘Extreme’ option includes four such jets, which move a total of 2400L/min. Compare this with Fastlane Pools E-Series range, which is capable of moving 19,000L/min – almost 8x the volume.
Nevertheless, Vortex offers decent bang for your buck. While the swim spas might be imported from China, they are designed for local conditions.
Vortex pros:
- Australian owned, with swim spas designed for local conditions.
- Decent quality machines at the right price.
Vortex cons:
- Higher running costs vs premium brands.
- A less powerful and immersive swim experience.
- Short warranties.
Just Spas
- Manufactured in: Victoria.
- Price range: Mid-range
Just Spas is a spa company that brings together three distinct swim spa brands: Leisurerite, Signature and Bullfrog. These brands tend to focus on different niches, although there is some overlap in the ranges.
The company manufactures most of its models in Victoria, making it one of the few swim spa brands to build in Australia. That hasn’t always been the case, however – when the company was sold to a Hong Kong conglomerate called Catalina, it began building its machines in China, though Australian manufacture recommenced in 2018.
There are two sides to the local manufacturing coin. For the price, it’s hard to find a swim spa with better build quality, but the higher cost of Australian manufacturing means that savings must be made elsewhere. For Just Spas this is reflected in innovation and energy efficiency.
Just Spas pros:
- Australian made.
- One of the most extensive ranges on the Australian market: 14 swim spas spread across three distinct brands.
- High quality spas in the mid-range bracket.
Just Spas cons:
- High-cost Australian manufacturing can compromise value elsewhere.
- Higher running costs vs premium models.
- A lack of innovative features.
Sapphire
- Manufactured in: Melbourne (with parts imported from China)
- Price range: Mid-range
The other swim spa brand to offer locally produced products, again out of Victoria, Sapphire also competes rather directly with Just Spas in terms of features and price point too. A brand known for high quality yet low fuss machines, it offers an extensive range of 10 swim spas in all shapes and sizes and fit for all purposes.
If you’re looking for a decent quality swim spa, Sapphire machines certainly do the basics well and sit at a tempting price point. On the flipside, you shouldn’t expect high-end features, an immersive swim-in-place experience or energy efficiency. This last point means the upfront savings can be chipped away over time through higher power bills.
Sapphire pros:
- Assembled in Australia.
- An extensive range of 10 swim spas that offer good value for money.
Sapphire cons:
- A relative lack of innovation and luxury versus premium brands.
- A rather basic swim-in-place experience.
- Higher running costs.
Oasis
- Manufactured in: China
- Price range: Entry-level to mid-range
Beginning life as an Australian spa brand, Oasis is now backed by Crystal Island, a major Chinese spa manufacturer. This means that the Oasis swim spa range is made in China, although this is not necessarily a bad thing, as it allows the brand to offer decent quality swim spas at a near-unbeatable price.
The large Oasis swim spa range consists of 16 models in all, spread across three distinct collections: Easy Life, Aqua Life and Posiedon.
As is always the case with technology purchases, you get what you pay for. The Oasis range offers a serviceable swim spa experience, though not one that will ever blow your mind. A relative lack of insulation can mean higher running costs, and a lack of pumping power means the swim-in-place experience isn’t as immersive as others on the market, particularly when measured against Fastlane Pools.
Oasis pros:
- Some of the most affordable swim spas on the Australian market.
- A complete range of 16 models.
- Backed by an established spa pool brand.
Oasis cons:
- Timber frames may compromise longevity.
- A lack of pumping power and included features.
- High running costs.
