Ella’s Bubbles

Retirement Living’s editorial team visited a showroom to evaluate walk-in tubs offered by Ella’s Bubbles. The brand stands out for its long list of luxury and safety features as well as the customization options available—20 different models offer many more design combinations than competitor brands.

For example, walk-in tubs from Ella’s Bubbles feature a fast dual-drain system, grab bars, a low threshold for safety, therapeutic air and hydro jets, and ozone sanitation. You have a choice of faucets and accessories like a convenient 360-degree swivel tray to hold a beverage, book or other items.

Pros

• Solid construction
• Hydro and air massage jets and Infusion Microbubble Therapy
• Assembled and jetted in the U.S.
• Service-oriented dealer and installer network
• 4 financing payment plan options
• Extensive list of size, feature, and accessory customizations

Cons

• Pricey, but lasts for years with a lifetime warranty
• Difficult to find gel coat tubs on the website

Our Experience Testing Ella’s Bubbles Walk-In Tubs

Retirement Living’s editor visited a local showroom to evaluate the Monaco walk-in tub from Ella’s Bubbles and found it more spacious than expected. The Monanco measures 32 inches wide and 52 inches long, and is roughly the same size as a standard alcove bathtub. Its 23-inch seat is also larger and deeper than some seats offered by other brands. While this standard-size tub had more than enough room for our editor’s five-foot, three-inch frame, we think it could easily accommodate larger bathers.

More importantly, this tub has an outward swinging door with a lever handle and a low four-inch threshold, which is key for creating a safer, easier entry and exit of the tub. Lever handles are easier to use than door knobs, however, we found the lever tough to operate. Still, we think this design is intentional, and helps ensure the door creates a tight, leakproof seal.

Ella’s Bubbles walk-in tubs offer some of the most robust sets of size and feature customizations, which the dealer told us helps ensure the tub can fit into almost any existing bathroom setup.

As for maintenance and repairs? The dealer we spoke to told us that they only sell Ella’s Bubble’s tub because most of its parts are made in the U.S., which in their experience, helps provide the customer with a better, longer-lasting product and cut down the warranty and maintenance costs for the dealer.

Lastly, our editor was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality and design of the piece. Walk-in tubs are perhaps incorrectly thought of as oversized eyesores, but Ella’s Bubbles’ stainless steel fixtures are attractive and modern and the tub looked intentional when surrounded by a tile wall. (Though we suspect installing a walk-in tub against a freshly painted wall would also do the trick!)

Ella’s Bubbles Walk-In Tub Types

Ella’s Bubbles manufactures walk-in tubs with several features that those with mobility concerns would appreciate. For example, seated walk-in tubs with outward-swinging doors give the bather more room to ease getting into or out of the tub. The company also offers transfer tubs, more commonly known as wheel-chair accessible tubs.

Ella’s Bubbles offers the following walk-in tub types:

• Standard tubs
• Lay-down tubs
• Two-seater tubs
• Wheel-chair accessible tubs
• Extra-long tubs for tall bathers
• Bariatric tubs with a 20-inch wide seat

Inward-Swing Door Models

Ella’s walk-in tubs with U-shaped inward-swinging stainless steel, a tempered glass door, and lower thresholds come in five models.

• The Elite is the most popular model. It features a wide seat, textured floor, and rubber backrest. The Elite measures 30 inches by 52 inches.
• The space-saving Petite measures 28 inches by 52 inches.
• The substantially-sized Ultimate is 30 inches wide and 60 inches long.
• Ella’s Bubbles Lay Down walk-in bathtubs offer extra room so you can stand closer to the wall of the tub for stability. This model has a broad, flat floor space and an optional glass shower screen. Tub sizes are 30 inches by 60 inches and 32 inches by 72 inches.
• Ella’s Bubbles also offers a two-seater model.

Ella’s Bubbles Walk-In Tubs With Outward-Swing Doors

Ella’s Bubbles outward-swing door models have U-shaped or L-shaped entrances. Five tubs feature U-shaped doors. Ella’s Bubbles has one L-shaped model called the Transfer, available in multiple sizes.

Ella’s Bubbles U-shaped outward-swing doors are constructed with a unique gear and shaft-driven three-latch system. This system provides a more reliable watertight door seal compared with a standard single-latch door.

• At 32 inches by 40 inches, the Front Entry is ideal for small or narrow bathrooms where a conventional tub or shower will not fit.
• Tall bathers benefit from the Lounger measuring 27 inches by 59 inches or the 36-inch-by-72-inch ShaK, which is the largest single-seat, outward swing-walk-in tub on the market.
• The Mobile is designed for narrow spaces, with a 26-inch width, and is best for average-sized bathers.
• Ella’s Bubbles Capri and Zen walk-in tubs are designed for the average-sized bather, at 30 inches by 52 inches.
• The Monaco measures 32 inches by 52 inches with an extra-wide seat and a roomier tub interior. Retirement Living’s editor evaluated this tub in a showroom. More on her experience below.

Wheelchair-Accessible Walk-In Tubs

Ella’s Bubbles transfer models feature an L-shaped door designed for easily sliding into and out of the tub. The Transfer’s larger opening allows for ease of movement and is wheelchair-accessible. The doors are lightweight, durable aluminum with a two-latch lock mechanism, and leakproof seal. The Transfer is available in five sizes.

Ella’s Bubbles Walk-In Tubs are Built to Last

Feature	Ella’s Bubbles	Competition
Frame	Stainless steel	Steel tubing
Door	Leakproof seal	Torsion bar adjustment
Leveling feet	Four corners plus center points	Four corners
Drain	Two 2-inch independent drains	One drain, sometimes with a pump
Shipping container	Reinforced cardboard or plywood box wrapped securely to a custom skid	Standard corrugated cardboard box

Ella’s Bubbles walk-in tubs are made for a lifetime of use. Rustproof stainless steel frames include a center support not found in all competing brands. All four frame corners and the center support have leveling feet for optimum stability. These details ensure the weight of the filled tub is properly distributed.

You can’t get out of a walk-in tub until it fully drains, so the faster the water level recedes, the better. Ella’s Bubbles gravity-driven dual drains empty the tub in as little as 80 seconds. Both drain openers have ADA-compliant extension handles for people with arthritis or weak hands. Ella’s Bubbles dual-drain technology carries away four times more water than a standard drain, with no splash back into the tub that overflow pump-driven drains often creates.

Many walk-in tubs come with a torsion bar to adjust when the door starts leaking. Ella’s Bubbles does not rely on a torsion system. The doors are leakproof and require no adjusting.

(See the image below that reflects an Ella’s Bubbles door seal, which Retirement Living’s editor took while visiting a local showroom.)

Comfort and Therapeutic Features

Like most walk-in tub brands, Ella’s Bubbles offers four types of jets to help relax sore muscles, relieve arthritis pain and improve skin tone. LED color therapy (chromotherapy) adds to relaxation, and a heated seat makes waiting for the walk-in tub to fill less chilly.

However, Ella’s Bubbles offers several additional features that other brands do not, such as:

• An independent foot massage features a foot well with four jets. You can enjoy a foot massage while you’re taking a bath, or only fill the well to treat your feet while you stay dry.
• NuWhirl’s CozyHeat heated seat and backrest keep you warm while you wait for the tub to fill. CozyHeat has one of the fastest heating curves in the industry, with a durable and long-lasting design.
• Bluetooth speakers
• Panels on all sides to hide plumbing and make free-standing and corner installations possible

Safety Features

Many seniors prefer to stay in their homes as long as they can. Aging in place requires safe at-home products, including in the bathroom. Using a walk-in tub is much safer than stepping over the edge of a standard tub.

In addition to a low threshold, Ella’s Bubbles walk-in tubs come with grab bars on the tub wall and deck. Other safety features include:

• Ozone sterilization system cleans the tub’s surface and jetting lines so they are free of contaminants, mold and odor.
• Auto purge and backflow valves prevent water from stagnating in the air jet hosing. Auto purge blows out any water and bacteria from the hoses after your bath.
• Thermostatic control valves prevent scalding and keep water at a consistent temperature during tub filling. The TCV comes standard on Ella’s Bubbles walk-in tubs with a five-piece faucet set.

Ella’s Bubbles Gelcoat Walk-In Tubs

Most Ella’s Bubbles tub products we found are acrylic walk-in tubs. However, Ella’s Bubbles offers gelcoat walk-in bathtubs with a glossy gel coat with fiberglass reinforcement for additional strength and durability. These are specialty walk-in baths, like the 170-gallon Bariatric-35, with options for 18 air jets and six water jets.

Gelcoat models come with a five-piece Fast Fill Faucet, a hand-held showerhead, and a quick-drain system. These tubs do not come with end panels at this time, so they are only appropriate for installation in alcoves or similar locations.

Cost of an Ella’s Bubbles Walk-In Tub

The cost of a walk-in tub varies a great deal between manufacturers (and dealers, according to one local dealer representative). Ella’s Bubbles walk-in tubs are more expensive than other brands but they offer exceptional durability and four financing payment plan options to accommodate your budget.

• The Capri Acrylic Outward Swing Door Walk-In Bathtub, one of Ella’s standard soakers, runs between $3,922 and $6,632.
• Ella’s two-seater options (there are four) range from $7,057 to $13,286, depending on the model, size, and features you choose.
• The Transfer, one of Ella’s wheelchair-accessible models for larger bathers, costs $4,709 to $8,357, depending on the add-ons and accessories you choose.
• Adding a heated seat and back to your tub costs around $490, while jetting packages can bump the price up by a few thousand dollars.

Ella’s Bubbles Warranty

Ella’s Bubbles provides a lifetime limited warranty on its walk-in tub shells, frames, doors and parts, but not on labor or installation. The thermostatic control valve faucet is only covered for one year, given that the part is heavily affected by water quality variations, like calcium levels.

One important distinction is that the warranty only covers the original purchaser. If you plan to sell your home soon and use the tub as a sales feature, you may need to look into additional ways to transfer the warranty.

Where to Buy Ella’s Bubbles Walk-In Tubs

You can request a free quote on Ella’s Bubbles’ website, but you’ll actually purchase your walk-in tub from one of the company’s approved dealers in your area. Ella’s Bubbles partners with both dealers and installation professionals who have a proven record of customer satisfaction. The company is happy to share approved installers via phone via the online quote feature.

Once you buy a walk-in tub from Ella’s Bubbles, the manufacturer will ship the tub to your local dealer. Retirement Living’s editor visited a local retailer in Charlotte, North Carolina, who told us that they personally test each walk-in tub before delivering it to the customers. With the help of plumbers and contractors, they fill the tub, inspect it for leaks, and ensure all parts and pieces are working properly. Then, they’ll visit your home and install the tub in your existing bathroom space.

Ella’s Bubbles Walk-In Tub Complaints

Ella’s Bubbles lives up to its promise of outstanding customer service. The company has exceptional manufacturing standards and high expectations for its dealer and installation partners.

The Better Business Bureau gives Ella’s Bubbles an A+ rating, and there’s only been one complaint (now closed) over the past three years. Consumers rated Ella’s Bubbles with 4.95 out of 5 stars on the BBB site and frequently mention product durability and customer service agents who go above and beyond.

ConsumerAffairs readers give Ella’s Bubbles 4.75 out of 5 stars. Google reviews average 4.9 out of 5 stars, and reviews on Facebook yield a perfect 5 out of 5 rating.

ConsumersAdvocate gave Ella’s Bubbles walk-in tubs 3.7 out of 5 stars, but the review includes incorrect data. The review says the tubs lack features Ella’s Bubbles actually offers, like ozone cleaning, extension panels and heated backrests.

Ella’s Bubbles FAQs

Bottom Line

Ella’s Bubbles walk-in tubs are engineered and manufactured to be sturdy enough to last for many years. The company makes a walk-in tub to fit in nearly any bathroom. Ella’s Bubbles walk-in tubs are attractive, with features to help relieve pain and promote relaxation and independence. The warranty is exceptional, and the tubs are constructed and tested in the U.S.