Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki AirJet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa review: a stylish, spacious spa that's easy to use

Wondering if the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa is worth the investment? I'm here to help you find out. 

If you’ve ever considered an inflatable hot tub, you may have asked yourself, is it really worth it? Yes, they’re more affordable, but I wanted to know if they offered a similar relaxing experience to their permanent counterparts. When I was offered a chance to try out the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki AirJet 7-Person Inflatable Hot Tub, I took it. 

As a new homeowner, I’ve been excited to take on home maintenance challenges and craft a relaxing and fun atmosphere at my house. I’m glad to say that the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa fits right in and offers me a chance to disconnect once – sometimes twice – a day. 

If you’re interested in one of the best hot tubs to soothe sore muscles or make your outdoor space into a relaxing retreat, then look no further than this review. I’ll offer an in-depth look at my experience so you can decide if the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki is the best fit for you, and for more options, make sure to check out our guide to the best hot tub deals.

Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki AirJet inflatable hot tub Spa SPECIFICATIONS:

• Size: L71 x W71 x H26 in 
• Seats: advertised as 7 people, but comfortably fits 4-5
• Heating range: 40-140˚F 
• Heating system: Approximately 23 degrees per hour
• Power cable length: 12 feet
• Power type: 120 volts
• Number of jets: 83
• Included features: built-in cup holders on pump, power saving mode, filter pump doubles as air pump, manual air pump included in packaging, locking cover, and ChemConnect dispenser 

Unboxing and set up of the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki AirJet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa

I was lucky to be home when FedEx arrived with the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki AirJet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa. They were kind enough to take it to the back of my house. I live alone so I think I would have had trouble getting the box to my back porch on my own because it was heavy. However, if I had help, it would have been easy as Bestway included handles on either side of the packaging.

I’m the kind of person that likes instructional pamphlets to have pictures and words combined, but the instructions for this hot tub only had pictures. This is becoming more common as the picture guides are meant to assist people who have poor reading skills or whose first language is different than English. 

That said, I became confused and overwhelmed when first trying to set up the spa, so I went to Bestway’s website and found an instructional video for the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki AirJet Inflatable Hot Tub. This was incredibly helpful and made the set-up process extremely quick.

Putting the hot tub together can be done all on your own. It doesn’t require assistance or any considerable amount of strength. Before blowing up the hot tub, I placed a tarp down, as suggested by Bestway. 

The pump doubles as an air pump and aired up the spa in just a few minutes. I stopped airing the hot tub when the sides felt taut and solid. 

I then aired up the cover insert, before hooking up the pump to the hot tub and installing the filter and ChemConnect dispenser inside the spa. It took about 25 minutes to fill up the hot tub with my garden hose.

I plugged the pump cord into a 110 V outlet, making sure to test the GFCI so I wouldn’t get shocked while using the hot tub. After filling up the hot tub with water, the display on the pump said that the water temperature was 63 degrees. It took about 25 hours before the hot tub heated to 104 degrees. According to the manual, it takes about 24-36 hours for the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki AirJet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa to heat to maximum temperature before first use.

What is the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa like to use?

While I haven’t tried any other inflatable hot tubs, I’m inclined to say that I would pick the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa over any of its competitors. Search among inflatable hot tubs and they tend to look like gigantic children’s inflatable pools in shades of blues, greens, and reds. They don’t necessarily blend with the style of a home. The Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa has wood paneling printed on the exterior of the spa, and though that may sound kitschy, it actually looks attractive. 

The hot tub wall (which is circular in shape) is about two inches thick, not bulbous and bubbly like other inflatable spas. The rigidity and the shape of the hot tub is maintained by a drop-stitch material, which adds to the appealing aesthetic. 

Size-wise, this is a large hot tub at almost 6 feet in diameter. Bestway advertises that it fits seven people, and you can probably fit seven petite people in this hot tub, but I think up to five is going to be the most comfortable - and prevent the water spilling over the sides. 

At first, I filled the pool between the ‘minimum’ and the ‘maximum’ lines notated in the hot tub. After I got in the hot tub, the water rose, which wasn’t a problem, until I hit the massage system button. Little holes have been placed in a circle around the inner edge of the hot tub and when the massage button is pressed, air rushes through the air jets, creating an intense bubble experience. The water bubbled quite high and nearly overflowed. 

I decided to remove some water so that the water line stopped at the ‘minimum’ line. The next time I hit the massage button, the water didn’t overflow when the bubbles came on. That is – until I invited two friends to experience the hot tub with me. With all three of us in the hot tub, it raised the water line to above the maximum line, and the water spilled over the sides when we hit the massage button. 

That said I find this hot tub to be an overwhelmingly lovely experience that I use twice a day. I’ve been in many hot tubs, and I can confidently say that when the LED display reads “104 degrees,” that the gauge is pretty accurate. Sometimes when I hit the massage button, the temperature immediately drops to 102 degrees, but I think this is a little quirk and not actually the hot tub losing two degrees of heat (because when I turn off the massage button, it returns to 104 degrees immediately). Even when I’ve been in the hot tub for about 20 minutes, the water maintains the 104-degree temperature, which is nice because inflatable spas aren’t particularly known for having great insulation. 

As for the control panel, the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa has an off/on button and a LED light display with the temperature of the water. You can toggle between Celsius and Fahrenheit. When you hit the arrow buttons up or down, it flashes the temperature at which you’d like the spa to be. The button that looks like a flame is the heat button. The water filter will automatically turn on when you hit this button, but there’s also a separate water filter button if you need it. 

The power-saving button lets you set a timer for when you want the heater to turn on. So, for instance, if you know you want to use hot tub in nine hours, you can set the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa to start heating in six or seven hours. I tried this once, and it heated the hot tub to 102 degrees versus 104 degrees. I didn’t correctly time my hot tub usage correctly, so next time I’ll be sure to schedule the heater to come on earlier. 

Take note that the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa doesn’t have seats like you might find in a regular spa. However, the floor is cushioned, as it is filled with air, making it quite comfortable to sit on for a significant amount of time. I’m glad to say that I can lean against the side of the hot tub and it supports my weight (165 lbs). I liked that the pump had two cup holders to hold drinks. They’re found under the control panel, which can rotate up and down. 

My only pet peeve with this hot tub is that in testing when I pressed the massage button, the pump emitted a fairly loud, high-pitched noise, indicating that the pump is working double-time to push air through the air jets. 

Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa maintenance 

You’ll need to add air to the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa and the cover insert from time to time (especially if there is a significant drop in temperature). I found that the cover insert doesn’t hold air as well as the spa itself. To keep the water clean, you’ll need to clean the water filter at least once per week. When the filter becomes soiled or discolored, replace it with another filter. Good thing Bestway includes a second filter in the package! 

Like other spas, chemicals, like chlorine or bromine tablets, are necessary to keep the water clean. You can add them to the ChemConnect dispenser, which is above the filter. The dispenser releases the chemicals at a controlled pace. 

While I haven’t deflated the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub yet, I think it would be easy to do. The instructions for deflation are easier to understand now that I know how to set up the spa. 

Take note that the spa pump is water-resistant – not waterproof. If it lightly rains or sprinkles, the pump may be okay, but it can’t get soaked or remain constantly wet. If it storms, or worse, the pump won’t hold up. If you have the spa indoors (which it can be) or under a covering, you don’t have to worry about this. I don’t have an awning on my outdoor patio, so I cover the hot tub with a tarp when I think it’s going to rain. 

In my opinion, the biggest drawback to this hot tub is that you can’t use it outdoors in the winter in the US. This is typical for all inflatable hot tubs, not just the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa. The plastic will become brittle and break in sub-zero or freezing temperatures. In fact, this hot tub shouldn’t be set up or left out if the temperature dips below 40 degrees.  

Is the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa worth the money?

At about $900-$1,000 (depending on where you buy the spa), the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa costs a bit more than some inflatable hot tubs, but when you think of the quality of the materials it’s well worth the investment. (Besides, it’s much cheaper than non-inflatable hot tubs, which range from $2,500 to $10,000.)  

When it comes to style and setup, not many other inflatable hot tubs compare to the Bestway SaluSpa Helsinki Airjet Inflatable Hot Tub Spa. It’s easy to use, keeps the temperature at 104 degrees, and can be moved around your yard or even taken on vacation. 

I'm not sure it would fit seven average or above-average people comfortably at a time, but it is extremely spacious and will fit at least five. For just me (or me and a few friends), this spa is perfect, and I find it a delight to use twice a day. It’s helped improve my sleep and digestion considerably and let me tell you – that’s worth it. 

About this reviewer

Alex Temblador is a Mixed Latinx award-winning author and freelance writer based in Dallas, Texas. As a new homeowner, Alex is keen to take on home maintenance challenges and craft a home with a relaxed and fun atmosphere.

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