Hot tubs have grown hugely in popularity in the past decade as something of a revolution has been happening across the gardens in Britain, with water features of a different kind making an appearance. Hot tubs have become, if you'll pardon the pun, one of the hottest lifestyle accessories.

But surely you need to be a millionaire to afford such indulgent luxury? Not at all! Hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms come in all shapes and sizes to suit all budgets, and adding items such as hot tubs to your home can add real value into the bargain.

Cheap hot tubs - buyer beware...a worrying trend

There is no wonder that hot tubs have become so popular with so much fun and relaxation being enjoyed by families around the UK, and telling their friends all about the benefits that their hot tubs have bestowed upon them. However all is not well as an influx of cheap hot tubs have hit UK shores in recent months, often from anonymous manufacturers in the far east using cheap components with little regard for quality control and serviceability of the hot tubs that they build.

Couple this trend with a plentiful supply of rogue traders who have targeted the hot tubs market with savvy online marketing and inflated prices discounted to offer too-good-to-be-true deals on their cheap hot tubs, and you have the recipe for disaster.

Many trusting consumers have fallen foul of the sharp practice of these retailers of cheap and nasty hot tubs to their cost. Nick Clamp, Editor of What Spa? Magazine explains "we get at least 5 or 6 emails a week from readers who have fallen victim to these online suppliers of cheap hot tubs who promise the earth and deliver substandard goods that are not even worth the entry level prices that people pay in good faith".

He goes on "we just urge everyone to be extremely cautious when considering online suppliers of hot tubs as the waiting times are up to 6 months and several high profile suppliers such as Insparations (investigated by BBC's Watchdog) have already gone into liquidation owing hundreds of thousands of pounds to unsuspecting victims...the people behind this company are still operating on the internet offering cheap hot tubs and continue to disappoint their clients with long lead times, missing parts and substandard service."

Cheap hot tubs - tread carefully & do your homework

A healthy degree of caution is required when looking for affordable hot tubs; visit your local showrooms, try before you buy and ensure as much as possible that your supplier is bonafide and professional. For more information about the UK's leading brands of Hot Tubs why not request a copy of What Spa? Magazine by visiting www.whatspa.com