Black Friday Hot Tub Deals
The sticker price is one bill. The electricity is another, every month. Here is what to compare before a Black Friday hot tub deal, how to spot a markdown from a price that was never charged, and a dated list of deals we have verified.
Facts and sources last checked September 30, 2026.
Price the running cost first
Two tubs with the same sale price can cost very different amounts to keep hot. Standby heat loss is the part you pay whether or not anyone uses the tub, and California's Energy Commission puts a number on it for spas made on or after June 1, 2019. For a standard spa the limit is 3.75 x V^(2/3) + 40 watts, where V is the fill volume in gallons, at a 37 F difference between water and air. For an inflatable it is 7 x V^(2/3). Here are those limits for four sizes:
| Water capacity | Standard spa limit | Inflatable spa limit |
|---|---|---|
| 250 gal | 189 W | 278 W |
| 400 gal | 244 W | 380 W |
| 550 gal | 292 W | 470 W |
| 700 gal | 336 W | 552 W |
Ask the seller for the exact model's standby power and the conditions it was measured under. A number well under the limit for its size is a point in the tub's favor; if a seller cannot give one, ask for it in writing. Then put it in the hot tub running cost calculator with your own electricity price and climate.
What a markdown is worth against running cost
A worked example with the same formulas as the calculator: a 400-gallon tub held at 102 F in 50 F air at the U.S. average price. If one tub loses 30% more heat than the limit, it costs about $165 more a year than one at the limit; at 60% more, about $329 more. A $500 markdown on the leakier tub is used up in roughly 3 years at 30% and 1.5 years at 60%. The $500 is an illustration, and so are the 30% and 60%; your own numbers will differ, which is the point of running them.
What goes on sale, and how big the discounts are
We will not print a "typical Black Friday hot tub discount". We could not find a verifiable one, and a number without a source is the kind of claim this site does not make. The deals table below lists prices we saw on a seller's own page, with the date, and nothing else.
Real deal or inflated "was" price
The Federal Trade Commission says a former price is a fair basis for a comparison only if it was "the actual, bona fide price at which the article was offered to the public on a regular basis for a reasonably substantial period of time", and that "an artificial, inflated price was established for the purpose of enabling the subsequent offer of a large reduction" makes the bargain not real. For a tub:
- Get the ordinary-day price in writing before the sale, for the exact model.
- Compare the same model at other sellers, and judge the deal against what you would pay on an ordinary day.
- Compare running cost, not just price. A larger discount on a tub that uses more power can be the worse buy, as the example above shows.
Costs that are not in the sale price
- Electrical work. Ask for the tub's voltage and breaker size and have a licensed electrician quote the circuit.
- Delivery, and what the tub will sit on.
- A cover and its lifter, if not included, and the first fill of water and chemicals.
- The monthly electricity, from the calculator.
2026 hot tub deals we have verified
No verified 2026 hot tub deals yet. We list a price only after seeing it on the retailer's own page, with the date, and we do not have any to show today.
Planned updates: around November 9, 2026, and again on Monday, November 23, 2026, the week of Thanksgiving. Until then, here is what to look for when you check a listing yourself:
- The exact model, the water capacity in gallons, and the standby power the maker publishes, with the test conditions behind it.
- The tub's voltage and breaker size requirement, so an electrician can quote the circuit before you commit.
- What the tub sold for before the sale, and whether the same model is offered elsewhere.
- What delivery, the base it sits on, the cover and the first chemicals cost, and whether any of it is included.
- The warranty terms in writing.
Questions people ask
When is Black Friday this year?
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November (5 U.S.C. 6103), which makes it November 26, 2026, and Black Friday November 27, 2026. Dealers and retailers often start earlier and run later, so check each seller's own offer for its dates.
Are hot tubs cheaper on Black Friday?
We cannot say, and we will not guess. We could not find a verifiable typical discount for hot tubs, and a percentage without a source would be made up. Record the price of the exact model before the sale, ask what it sold for recently, and compare. The dated deals section on this page lists only prices we saw on a seller's own page, with the date.
What should I compare besides the price?
Running cost, because you pay it every month for years. Ask for the tub's standby power and the conditions it was measured under, then run the tub through the running cost calculator. California's rule for spas made on or after June 1, 2019 caps standby power for a standard spa at 3.75 times the fill volume in gallons to the 2/3 power, plus 40 watts, at a 37 F difference between water and air, which gives you a yardstick to hold a dealer's number against.
How do I tell a fake "was" price from a real one?
The Federal Trade Commission's pricing guide says a former price is a legitimate basis for a comparison only if it is the actual, bona fide price at which the article was offered to the public on a regular basis for a reasonably substantial period of time, and that an inflated price set to allow a big "reduction" is fictitious. Ask the seller what the tub sold for before the sale and write it down. Judge the deal against what you would pay for that tub on an ordinary day, not against the crossed-out number.
Does an inflatable hot tub cost more to run than a hard-shell one?
California allows an inflatable spa more standby loss than a standard one of the same size: 7 times the volume to the 2/3 power, against 3.75 times that plus 40 watts. At 400 gallons that is about 380 watts against about 244 watts, so the ceiling for an inflatable is higher.
What does it cost to run a hot tub?
For a 400-gallon standard tub at 102 F in 50 F air at the U.S. average residential price (18.31 cents per kWh, EIA, July 2026), the calculator gives about $46 a month as a ceiling for a tub that just meets California's standby limit. Your tub, climate and price change that, so use the calculator with your own numbers.
Do I need an electrician?
Ask the dealer for the tub's voltage and breaker size, and have a licensed electrician quote the circuit before you buy, since the electrical work is a cost outside the sale price. Follow the tub's installation manual and your local electrical code.
How is this page updated?
The guide has no year in its address so it can be reused. Each year the deals section is refreshed with prices we have seen on sellers' own pages, with the date. If we have not verified a deal, we do not list one. The "facts last checked" date at the top shows when the sourced material on this page was last reviewed.
Where these facts come from
- 16 CFR 233.1, Guides Against Deceptive Pricing: Former price comparisons (Federal Trade Commission, via Cornell LII; checked Sep 30, 2026)
- California Code of Regulations, Title 20, section 1605.3(g)(7) and Table G-5, portable electric spas (via Cornell LII; checked Sep 30, 2026)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, July 2026 (released Sep 24, 2026)
- 5 U.S.C. 6103, Holidays: Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November (Cornell LII; checked Sep 30, 2026)
Related
- Hot tub running cost calculator: monthly electricity for your tub, with a budget solver
- Black Friday generator deals: the same checks for a generator
- Energy & power calculators: all the tools in this section