An evening soak starts with the space outside the back door: room for a tub, a place for firewood or an outlet nearby, and time to heat the water before stepping in. The wood fired vs acrylic hot tub choice turns on that setup: pick wood fired if you want firewood heat and are building a tub around a coil, and pick acrylic if you want a complete tub with seats and jets that plugs in.
This comparison covers heat source, seats, jets, power and size, using one coil kit and two acrylic tubs as examples. It treats the coil listing as what it is: a heating part, not a complete tub. Listings were collected 3 November 2026.
This article is informational and is not medical advice. Hot water raises body temperature, so keep sessions short, stay hydrated, and ask a clinician first if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, or are pregnant. See our Medical Disclaimer.
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Wood fired vs acrylic hot tub at a glance
| Wood fired coil example | Acrylic tub examples | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A stainless steel heating coil kit for building a tub | Complete tubs with seats, jets and pumps |
| Heat source | Firewood, no plug | Plug-in electric; heater figure stated only for AquaLife, at 1kW/4kW |
| Seats | Not stated, the listing describes a part | 3-person and 5-6 person listings |
| Jets | Not stated | 21 jets and 28 jets |
| Power | No plug stated | 110V and 120V/240V listings |
| Size | 14.0 x 26.5 x 14.0 inches for the coil | 77.6 x 66.9 x 29.9 inches and 74.0 x 74.0 x 35.0 inches |
Heat source and what you actually buy
The wood-fired side here is a single coil kit, not a tub. The listing describes a stainless steel heating coil that heats water in tanks, barrels, tubs and pools by burning wood pieces, for off-grid living, outdoor bathing, camping and farming. It calls the coil an essential key part and accessory for building a wooden fired hot tub, so a tub or barrel, seats, jets and a pump are not part of what the listing describes. The acrylic side is two complete tubs: the Jocisland listing describes a 3-person tub with 21 stainless steel jets, and the AquaLife listing describes a 5-6 person tub with 28 stainless steel adjustable jets. Because the coil listing states no seats or jets, this comparison does not call either side better on seats or jets: the coil listing gives no seats or jets, since it sells a part.
Power and installation
Power separates the acrylic tubs from each other as much as from the coil. The Jocisland listing describes a 110V plug and play tub with a GFCI-protected power cord, and it requires a dedicated 20A GFCI circuit. The same listing also says no installation is needed, so treat the dedicated circuit as the deciding requirement and check whether one is already in place. The AquaLife listing plugs into a standard 120V/15A outlet with a GFCI cord included, or converts to a 240V electrical unit at 1kW/4kW. A licensed electrician should install the circuit for a 240V spa. The coil listing states no plug, outlet or circuit at all: it heats by burning wood pieces, which suits a site without power and leaves heat-up time unstated.
Size and weight
The coil is the smallest item here by far: the spec table lists 14.0 x 26.5 x 14.0 inches, while the size field lists 14 x 27,00 x 14,0 in, and the review notes that disagreement. The acrylic tubs are full-size items: the Jocisland listing lists 77.6 x 66.9 x 29.9 inches at 358.3 pounds, and the AquaLife listing lists 74.0 x 74.0 x 35.0 inches at 500.0 pounds. Floor space and access for delivery matter far more for the acrylic tubs than for the coil kit, which fits the dimensions of a part rather than a tub.
| Product | Chill Score | Perf. /35 | Build /25 | Value /25 | Safety /10 | Warranty /5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AquaLife Edgewater | 9.6 | 32 | 22 | 20 | 7 | 0 |
| Jocisland 3-Person | 9.6 | 30 | 21 | 20 | 7 | 0 |
| Wood Fired Coil Kit | 9.3 | 23 | 19 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each product’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score.
Choose wood fired if
- You want firewood heat with no plug or circuit.
- You are building a tub or heating a tank, barrel or pool with a coil.
- You accept that seats, jets and a pump are not part of the coil listing.
Choose acrylic if
- You want a complete tub with seats and jets.
- You want plug-in power at 110V or 120V, or a 240V conversion.
- You want stated jets and pumps from the listings.
Check Your Space First
- Measure the floor space against the listed dimensions: 77.6 x 66.9 x 29.9 inches for the Jocisland tub and 74.0 x 74.0 x 35.0 inches for the AquaLife tub.
- Check the listed weight: 358.3 pounds for the Jocisland tub and 500.0 pounds for the AquaLife tub.
- Check the power: the Jocisland listing requires a dedicated 20A GFCI circuit, and the AquaLife listing plugs into a 120V/15A outlet or converts to 240V.
- Check storage for firewood and the coil kit if choosing the wood-fired route: the coil listing measures 14.0 x 26.5 x 14.0 inches.
- Check that a tub or barrel is on hand for the coil kit, since the listing describes a heating part for building a tub.
Common questions
Which side needs an electrician?
The AquaLife listing converts to a 240V electrical unit, and a licensed electrician should install the circuit for a 240V spa. The Jocisland listing requires a dedicated 20A GFCI circuit for its 110V tub. The coil listing states no electrical circuit at all, since it heats with firewood.
Can the coil kit heat a complete tub on its own?
No, not as listed: the coil is a heating part for building a wooden fired hot tub, or for heating water in tanks, barrels, tubs and pools. Seats, jets and a pump are not part of the coil listing, so a tub or barrel must come from elsewhere. Heat-up time is not stated in the coil listing.
How many people do the acrylic tubs seat?
The Jocisland listing describes a 3-person tub with 1 lounger and 2 seats, plus cup holders and headrests. The AquaLife listing describes a 5-6 person lounger tub. Seat counts come from the listings, and the coil listing states no seats.
Do the acrylic tubs plug into a normal outlet?
The Jocisland listing plugs into a 110V outlet, but that outlet must be on a dedicated 20A GFCI circuit, not a shared circuit. The AquaLife listing plugs into a standard 120V/15A outlet with a GFCI cord included, or converts to a 240V electrical unit. Check the circuit requirements before buying, since the two tubs do not share the same power setup.
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