The 10 Best Hot Tub Accessories of 2023

Best Overall

Vevor Hot Tub Handrail

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Entering a hot tub safely and conveniently shouldn’t be an add-on. Yet, the default way to enter most hot tubs is by grasping a slippery side while stepping over it. This entry can be awkward for even the most sure-footed among us, which makes having a reliable handrail an essential for safety and convenience. The Vevor Hot Tub Handrail is designed to take on that challenge of being one of your hardest-working, durable hot tub accessories.

Many hot tub rails appear similar. But what puts the Vevor ahead of its competitors is the 8-inch rubber grip, wrapped around the railing’s handle. We especially appreciate this thoughtful design touch if you’re using a hot tub in an extremely cold or hot climate, as the spongy grip keeps your wet hand from touching a sizzling or freezing piece of metal. (If you’re familiar with the movie “A Christmas Story,” you know you don’t want wet skin touching an icy piece of metal!).

Some handrails are designed to mount on the side of your hot tub such as a towel rack on a bathroom wall. But the Vevor doesn't attach to your hot tub, so you have more flexibility as to where to place it. The Vevor is mounted on a roughly 20-inch-long bracket base, designed to slide underneath your hot tub, so the weight of your spa holds the handrail in place. If you want extra reassurance that your rail is stable, you can attach the base to another surface such as the deck your hot tub sits on. You can also use more than one Vevor, so you have a handrail on either side of you as you enter and exit your hot tub, an option that may be especially appealing to kids, the elderly or those who need additional stability. 

Finally, the handrail loops around to serve as a makeshift towel holder/hook—a perk you might appreciate if you’re using an expensive device such as a smartphone and want easy access to a towel to dry your hands.

Price at time of publish: $92

_{Material: Waterproof, powder-coated iron | Height: Two adjustable settings, about 30 inches or about 56 inches high. | Waterproof rating: Not applicable}

Best Steps

Puri Tech Universal Spa & Hot Tub Outdoor Steps

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Another way to enter or exit a hot tub is with steps. This product from Puri Tech is designed to fit the shape and size of most hot tubs and comes in any of three colors. We like the no-slip treads on each step, which also act to repel water and repel ultraviolet (UV) rays. 

The product comes with two steps: a curved step and a step with more of a straight edge. These are interchangeable. So if your hot tub is curved, you could place the curved step as the top step to more closely align with the hot tub’s shape. Assembly requires no tools, and the steps lock in place. However, it may take a little while to figure out the directions. 

At a maximum height of 15.5 inches, most people should find it comfortable to enter the hot tub from the top step, and access it to leave. While the manufacturer says the maximum weight is 320 pounds, we also note that  all steps “give” a little regardless of the weight put on it. Also, being plastic, the steps may tend to soften a bit if continuously placed in hot sun under extreme summer temperatures.

Also, please note that these steps are designed to be positioned outside the hot tub. Because they are plastic, with hollow cores, they float in water, so they would need to be anchored to the hot tub floor—which could severely damage it.

Price at time of publish: $100

_{Step dimensions: 31 inches long by 11 inches deep | Material: Plastic | Weight capacity: 320 pounds | Waterproof rating: Not applicable}

Best Floating Light

Frontgate LED Color Changing Glow Balls

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One Frontgate LED Color Changing Glow Ball costs more than a package of similar-looking globe lights. But before you consider a more affordable option, read the fine print to make sure the light can actually go in the water. Frontgate’s glow balls are made of waterproof polyethylene and designed to be used in or outside the water. Many vastly cheaper options are not recommended to put in the water and should be used next to a hot tub or pool. Even among lights that are designed to go in the water, Frontgate’s lights still have a better waterproof rating than its competitors.

Although solar lights might be more convenient for a pool, where they can leisurely float on the surface, a hot tub should be covered when not in use. So the Frontgate lights, which need to be charged (on an included plug-in stand), need to be stored. Nevertheless, charging is easier and error-proof than replacing batteries, which requires opening and successfully closing a waterproof case.

A remote controls the light options, which include a standard white light and seven colored lights. You also can control the intensity of the lights and the speed at which the colors change.

The smallest glow ball has a 10-inch diameter, which is slightly bigger than a basketball, which means you really only need one to start an impressive light show.

Price at time of publish: $99

_{Material: Waterproof polyethylene | Size: Available in 10-inch up to 31.5-inch diameter | Waterproof rating: IP68}

Best Cover Lift

Blue Wave NP5022 Low Mount Spa Cover Lift

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Covering your hot tub protects it from rain and windblown debris. But removing that cover can be a chore. Blue Wave's NP5022 Low Mount Spa Cover Lift is a simple powder-coated steel frame that fits your hot tub's cover and effectively allows you to remove and replace it as you would open and close a convertible sofa.

The cover is designed to fit most square or rectangular hot tubs with radius corners up to 8 feet. (Although we've noted that it may not fit spas with square corners.) The standard assembly can cover a hot tub up to 72 inches, and up to 96 inches with its included coupler extension.

Once assembled and attached to your hot tub, you fold the cover over the lift's hinge, and use the bar to lift the cover off. The cover slides down the back of the hot tub. To replace the cover, push the bar the other way and extend the cover over the hot tub. The manufacturer suggests at least 4 feet between a wall and the hot tub.

Blue Wave covers the NP5022 with a 1-year warranty.

Price at time of publish: $150

_{Dimensions: 69 x 102 x 1 inches | Weight: 20 pounds | Material: Powder-coated steel | Assembly required? Yes | Waterproof rating: Not applicable}

Best Submersible Light

LOFTEK Submersible Pool Light

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If you’re trying an underwater light for the first time, you can get one LOFTEK Submersible Pool Light for about $12; a 4-pack of lights costs only about twice as much as one light. No matter how many lights you have, the California-based manufacturer says they should all work on one remote. 

When you’re not using your hot tub, you can leave the light in the water or enjoy in another underwater setting such as a fish tank, fountain, or bathtub; or even use it out of water as a makeshift party light. 

The remote gives you a lot of control over the visuals: You can choose among 16 color options or rotate between the rainbow. You also use the remote to dim or flash the lights, which you can also program on a 2-, 4-, or 6-hour timer. Either way, you get a lot of options for little money. One downside: While the lights are waterproof, the remote is not. If you get it wet, the manufacturer says it will not work. 

If you use these lights a lot, be prepared to change the battery every 35-50 hours, which presents its own challenges. Every time you unscrew the cap to change the battery, you run the risk of not closing and sealing it properly, which can quickly result in your light’s demise.

Price at time of publish: $50

_{Materials: LED light, remote | Size: About 3.5 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches thick | Power: Requires three AA batteries | Longevity: Estimated 35-50 hours use before battery change needed. | Waterproof rating: IP68}

Best Toy

Schylling Large Rubber Duck

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OK—sometimes you need to do something besides read Shakespeare in your hot tub. (Well, some of us do, anyway.) But whether you’re using your hot tub as a place to party or de-stress, a rubber duck brings an inexpensive, welcome touch of whimsy to all sorts of occasions. Pool and spa vendors have long used rubber ducks as gimmicks to sell hot tubs, and some even sell rubber ducks in their stores. 

While you can toss most rubber ducks in a hot tub, our favorite is the Schylling Large Rubber Duck, an oversized version of the yellow classic bath tub toy. Many rubber ducks have holes in the bottom that can trap moisture and breed bacteria. Schylling’s ducks are sealed on the bottom to prevent moisture from getting inside and are also weighted, so they aren’t as likely to tip over. Schylling also makes smaller classic and themed-ducks, such as a bride and/or groom ducks that would look cute in a hot tub during your honeymoon.

Price at time of publish: $17

_{Material: Rubber | Weight: 2.2 pounds | Size: 7.75 inches by 10 inches by 9.5 inches | Waterproof rating: Not applicable}

Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Soundcore Motion Boom

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The Soundcore Motion Boom is waterproof and designed to float. The speaker’s design is reminiscent of a boom box, complete with handle: a nostalgic touch for those looking to reconnect with the ‘80s. But you don’t have to touch anything if you use the speaker’s voice-activated function, which is especially helpful if you don’t want to handle electronics while your hands are wet. 

The speaker doubles as a charger, so you can plug in a device such as a phone while simultaneously using it to play music. The Soundcore is designed to play music at a high volume while outdoors—helpful since bubbling hot tub jets are not the quietest sound.

Price at time of publish: $110

_{Size: 15.3 inches by 5.5 inches by 7.7 inches | Weight: 4.4 pounds | Waterproof rating: IPX7}

Best Shade Provider

Hampton Bay 11 ft. LED Offset Solar Umbrella

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A cantilevered patio umbrella shades your hot tub by using an offset pole rather than a traditional center pole, which would be awkward to use with a hot tub. The Hampton Bay 11 ft. LED Offset Solar Umbrella is the one best suited for using with a hot tub, for several reasons. An umbrella should provide some protection for you against the sun, and the Hampton’s canopy is made from UV-resistant material. Also, the Hampton’s frame is rust-resistant powder-coated steel, which resists the hot tub’s rust-causing chlorine.

We also prefer this product over patio umbrellas made specifically for hot tubs because it is easier to reposition. The manufacturer does recommend stabilizing the base with 220 pounds of sand. But many hot-tub-specific umbrella bases stabilize their poles by sliding the bases under the hot tub. Moving the umbrella requires emptying or lifting the hot tub. 

Mood lighting is an additional perk for hot tub users, so we also love the environmentally friendly solar LED lights on the umbrella’s frame, which can be switched on or off.

Price at time of publish: $699

_{Material: Aluminum and steel frame, olefin fabric canopy | Umbrella diameter: 11 feet | Size: 141 x 126.75 x 113 inches | Weight: 66 pounds | Color options: Chili Red, Henna, Midnight, Sand, Putty | Waterproof rating: Not applicable}

Best Cup Holder

Intex PureSpa Cup Holder

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Hydration is important when immersing yourself in a hot tub. This product securely but softly attaches to a wall of your hot tub and keeps two standard-size containers upright and within easy reach. The plastic resists the corrosive effects of spa chemicals and chlorine, and includes an additional area for anything else that's essential.

The small footprint (under 11 inches) means the Intex PureSpa Cup Holder doesn't overwhelm your hot tub's perimeter, regardless of its size. And it removes as easily as it attaches, so you can cover your hot tub when not in use without out worrying about the cup holder breaking under the weight of the cover. We've also noted that the cup holder fits inflatable hot tub walls as well as permanent structures.

However, this may not be the product for your hot tub if the walls are included or there are lights studding the perimeter, as there is no way to adjust the legs that secure this product to the walls.

Price at time of publish: $16

_{Material: Plastic | Dimensions: 10.25"L x 8.63"W x 7"H | Waterproof rating: Not applicable}