Arctic Spas vs Beachcomber: which Canadian hot tub fits your backyard?

Last reviewed September 2026. Beachcomber details come from Beachcomber's own website on that date. Specs change, so check with them before you decide.

Both of these are Canadian-built hot tubs. Both companies have been at it for decades, and both make a good tub. We sell Arctic Spas, so we're not neutral. What we can do is lay the two side by side honestly and tell you where each one wins.

The short version

• Beachcomber has built tubs in Surrey, BC since 1978. It's known for energy efficiency and straightforward ownership. You can buy through its dealers, its own stores or online. Participating dealers offer a 100-day in-home trial.
• Arctic Spas was founded in 1994 and builds its tubs in Thorsby, Alberta. It offers salt water, and on Classic and Custom tubs a built-in floor that doesn't need a poured concrete pad. In Kitchener, London and Windsor, it's sold and serviced by us.
• The biggest practical difference in our area is local support. In September 2026, Beachcomber's store locator lists no location in Kitchener-Waterloo, London or Windsor. Its nearest company store is in Oakville.

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Heritage and where they're built

Beachcomber: A family-owned company founded in 1978, with its factory in Surrey, BC. It sells three ways: independent dealers, its own company stores ("Experience Centres") and an online store. It says it's represented in more than 40 countries.

Arctic Spas: Founded in 1994 and built in Thorsby, Alberta. Arctic says its tubs are purpose-built for extreme weather. They're sold and serviced through dealers. For Kitchener, London and Windsor, that dealer is us.

Insulation and winter running costs

This is where the two brands genuinely think differently, and it's worth understanding.

Beachcomber: Its Hybrid4 tubs use what it calls Eco4WALL, which fills the cabinet cavity with insulation. Its LEEP tubs use Eco3WALL, Icynene spray foam on three walls. Beachcomber introduced the Hybrid4 design in 1983 and still builds that way. It says Hybrid4 saves up to 33% more energy than "industry standard portables", based on the California Energy Commission's standard spa test. That's a real strength.

Arctic Spas: Insulates the floor and the walls instead, and leaves the inside of the cabinet open. Two reasons:
1. The pumps give off heat while they run. With the cabinet insulated rather than filled, that heat stays inside and warms the shell and the water. Arctic calls this FreeHeat.
2. You can reach the pumps, valves and motors without cutting through foam. That matters in year eight, when something needs attention in January.

Water care

Beachcomber: Lists ozone among its factory-installed components, offers a UV-C sterilizer (ClearTech BLU, standard on the top model), and chlorine, bromine or its Care Free program. Beachcomber doesn't recommend salt systems in its tubs. Its own FAQ says salt is hard on pump seals and heaters, and that adding a salt system would void its warranty.

Arctic Spas: Arctic designs its tubs for salt water. Nearly 9 in 10 of the hot tubs and swim spas we sold in the past year went out with it.

• Spa Boy is a salt water system exclusive to Arctic Spas. It monitors the water and helps keep conditions where they should be, which makes hot tubbing easy. It isn't hands-off: you'll still test the water and add chemicals from time to time. Spa Boy is available on Custom Series tubs, on swim spas, and on Classic tubs with the Custom upgrade.
• Onzen, Arctic's simpler salt system, is available on every Arctic model.

Arctic's factory salt systems are covered by its warranty, as long as you use Arctic Pure salt at the recommended level.

Where each wins: if you're happy with bromine or chlorine and want the most familiar chemistry, Beachcomber is a solid choice. If you want salt water, Arctic designs for it and Beachcomber advises against it.

Floor, base and installation

Beachcomber: Uses a sealed thermoplastic base called Perma-Seal. It recommends a level concrete slab, and says interlocking pavers or patio slabs on a sand base also work.

Arctic Spas: Classic and Custom hot tubs sit on the Forever Floor, an SMC fibreglass floor built into the tub. You don't need a poured concrete pad; a solid, level base does the job. The Forever Floor carries a lifetime warranty for the original owner against rot and structural cracking, provided it sits on a solid, level base. Core Series tubs use the Everlast Floor, which has a 3-year warranty against structural cracking. For a Forever Floor tub, that base can be a level concrete pad, patio stones, compacted gravel, or a deck built to carry the weight. Bare grass or soil won't do.

Cabinet and cover

Beachcomber: EnviroSkirt cabinets, a patented recyclable plastic composite that Beachcomber describes as weather-, fade- and crack-resistant. Its model pages list a Heatshield cover as included, tapering from 4 inches to 3 inches.

Arctic Spas: Cabinets are cedar, NOM composite or SMC on Classic and Custom, and INF-Stone on Core. Cedar cabinets carry a 10-year warranty on Classic and Custom. Classic and Custom come with the Mylovac Weathershield cover, which tapers from 5 inches to 4 inches and is built with double-density foam, a metal C-channel and vacuum-sealed foam cores. Core comes with a 4-to-2-inch cover, with the 5-to-4 available as an upgrade.

Jets and comfort

Beachcomber: FlexJets, with one or two Massage Master pumps depending on the model. Its top Hybrid model lists up to 192 jets.

Arctic Spas: Arctic favours fewer, larger jets over a high jet count, with up to three pumps and 60 jets on Custom Series tubs. It's a different philosophy, and the only way to know which you prefer is to sit in both.

Warranty

These are the standard warranties, taken from each company's published terms. Read the full terms before you buy.

Beachcomber's guarantee page calls its included guarantee the "Premium Guarantee", while its checkout labels the included option "Standard" and sells an upgrade. Check which applies to the tub you're pricing.

*Labour is subject to Arctic's per-claim limits, and travel is extra; see the full terms.

Swim spas

Beachcomber doesn't make swim spas. Its own blog says they aren't part of its lineup. Arctic Spas makes eight All-Weather Pool models from 14 to 18 feet. See our swim spas.

Service: who answers the phone in February?

This is the part people don't think about in the showroom.

Beachcomber sells through independently owned dealers, its own stores and online. If you buy from a dealer, your guarantee is with that dealer; if you buy online or from a Beachcomber store, it's with Beachcomber. In September 2026, Beachcomber's store locator lists no location in Kitchener-Waterloo, London or Windsor, and its nearest company store is in Oakville.

We sell, deliver, install and service Arctic Spas from three Ontario showrooms: Kitchener, London and Windsor. The same team is there when a pump needs attention in year six.

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Choose Beachcomber if…

• You want a proven foam-insulated tub and are happy with bromine or chlorine.
• You like the idea of buying online, or of a 100-day in-home trial (participating dealers, conditions apply).
• You want a 120-volt plug-in model. Beachcomber offers three, from 2 to 7 seats.

Choose Arctic Spas if…

• You want a salt water system designed into the tub and covered by the warranty.
• You'd rather not pour a concrete pad (Classic and Custom).
• You want a 5-inch cover (Classic and Custom) and cabinets you can open for service.
• You want the people who sold it to you close by to service it, in Kitchener, London or Windsor.
• You're also considering a swim spa.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Beachcomber a good hot tub brand?

Yes. Beachcomber has built tubs in Canada since 1978 and is known for energy efficiency. Its design approach is different from Arctic's, not worse.

Where are Arctic Spas and Beachcomber made?

Arctic Spas are built in Thorsby, Alberta. Beachcomber tubs are built in Surrey, British Columbia.

Can I get a salt water Beachcomber?

Beachcomber doesn't offer a factory salt system. Its own FAQ advises against salt generators and says installing one would void its warranty. Arctic Spas offers factory salt systems, Spa Boy and Onzen, which are covered by its warranty.

Which is more energy efficient?

Both are built to hold heat, in different ways. Beachcomber insulates the cabinet with foam. Arctic insulates the floor and walls and keeps the pump heat inside the cabinet. Come see how an Arctic is put together and we'll walk you through it.

Is there a Beachcomber dealer in Kitchener, London or Windsor?

In September 2026, Beachcomber's store locator shows no location in those cities, and its nearest company store is in Oakville. Arctic Spas has showrooms in all three.

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Sit in one before you decide. Visit us in Kitchener, London or Windsor, or find the model that fits. Financing is available through FinanceIt, on approved credit.

Beachcomber®, Hybrid4™, LEEP™, Eco4WALL™, EnviroSkirt™, Heatshield™ and ClearTech BLU™ are trademarks of their respective owner, used here only to identify their products. Competitor information was taken from beachcomberhottubs.com on September 27, 2026 and may have changed since. Arctic Spas Ontario is an authorized Arctic Spas dealer.