More than a place to get clean, a well-made bathtub offers a sanctuary for relaxation and self-care. High-end bathtub brands put great care into designing fixtures that meet every requirement of a luxury bath. These brands produce distinctive yet timeless designs that are also comfortable to use. The durable materials they work with ensure your tub remains an inviting focal point in your bathroom for decades.

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Choosing a Beautiful, Comfortable Bathtub

High-end bathtub brands offer a wide selection of styles, but remember, the tub’s design also affects how you can use it. Freestanding tubs, long the hallmark of a luxury bathroom, are back in a big way, but many brands also offer built-in baths that are just as stylish and durable, and even easier to install and clean.

Think carefully about shape and drain configuration, particularly if you’re looking for a freestanding bath. The classic roll-top is easy to find and always in style. The slipper bath, named for the shoe-like shape created by its single higher side, is ideal for soaking. The symmetrical bateau, or “boat,” bath is loved for its graceful silhouette.

While single-ended baths have their faucet and drain at one end, double-ended tubs place them in the middle, allowing two people to share the bath comfortably.

Material is an equally important consideration. Copper and cast iron are both classics for their beauty and durability. While copper is lighter and heats more quickly than cast iron, it also loses heat quickly. Stone bathtubs lend a spa-like ambiance to your bathroom, but they’re even heavier than metal baths, heat slowly, and require careful cleaning.

Many luxury brands use fiberglass-reinforced acrylic or composite material to combine the best qualities of traditional materials.


High-End Bathtub Brands to Watch

Jacuzzi

A household name for hot tubs, Jacuzzi also produces bathtubs that give you up to six different Hydrotherapy Experiences, including heated soak, whirlpool, Swirlpool, and the spa-like Pure Air bath option. Most of these features are found in their acrylic drop-in and skirted baths.

The brand’s freestanding tubs are designed for soaking. Among these are the Solid Surface collection made from Luxecast, a mineral-based composite material. Other freestanding tubs are made from fiberglass-reinforced acrylic. With their simple, fluid forms, Jacuzzi’s bathtubs are ideal for a modern minimalist bathroom.

Kohler

Kohler introduced the world’s first enameled cast iron bathtub in 1883 and have continued to innovate ever since. Their freestanding, drop-in, undermount, and alcove baths combine classic style with modern technology.

Their overflow baths create a continuous cascade of water to give you the experience of soaking in a natural spring. Chromatherapy lights aim to improve your mood, the Heated BubbleMassage Air Baths and Whirlpool features soothe sore muscles and promote circulation, and Vibracoustic baths use sound vibrations to help you relax.

In addition to acrylic baths, Kohler produces freestanding baths from Lithocase, a solid-surface acrylic with the look of stone. The majority of the brand’s baths fit a modern aesthetic, but the Ironworks and Artifacts line offers a more vintage look.

Waterworks

Waterworks produces artisanal freestanding and drop-in baths inspired by European bath traditions. Their Classic line includes freestanding and skirted tubs in vintage and simple, timeless styles, the Modern line strikes out with smooth, rounded forms, and the Transitional line blends the best of both, but leans toward vintage. Several models include air and whirlpool features.

Most models are made from high-density acrylic, but you’ll also find a few metal tubs. Prime among them is the opulent French-style Clothilde tub, a double-ended bateau bath handcrafted from copper with no visible seams using original 19th-century tools and methods. If understated sophistication is more your style, try the cast iron models.

Victoria + Albert

Owned by House of Rohl, the Victoria + Albert brand is known for the graceful elegance of its freestanding and undermount/drop-in tubs.

The symmetrical Barcelona Classic is the picture of contemporary simplicity, the Almafi slipper bathtub takes a more traditional approach, and the Amiata’s gentle curves blend modern and conventional forms. Other tubs, such as the asymmetrical egg-shaped Napoli and the contoured Cabrits, are sculptural works of art in their own right.

The bathtubs are made in South Africa with Volcanic Limestone, a strong, naturally white material that allows the tubs to be cast seamlessly in one piece. If white isn’t your preference, the brand’s RAL color service lets you choose a hue that better suits your tastes.

Ove Decors

One of the more budget-friendly luxury bathtub brands, this Canadian company offers a collection of freestanding oval, rectangular, and slipper tubs. Nearly all their models are made from fiberglass-reinforced acrylic, making them relatively lightweight and easy to install and helping them resist yellowing and fading.

If the vintage look appeals to you, try the Clawfoot tub, the somewhat larger Classic tub, or the even larger, but simpler Castor tub. These models feature classic clawfoot supports, but are made of acrylic instead of traditional cast iron. For a modern take on footed tubs, try the Sayuri, which stands in a black metal cradle that lends it a dramatic contemporary edge.

Urban Archaeology

This luxury bathtub brand began with one man’s architectural salvage work and now produces a relatively small, but highly unique collection of bathtubs in high-end materials including marble, brass, copper, and pewter. Their marble bathtubs are hand-carved out of a solid block.

The Estate series tubs rest on a base with ogee detailing that lends it a classical look worthy of an architectural magazine. The City series takes a more understated approach.

Metal bathtubs in the Mercer collection draw on traditional styles that have been popular since the 18th-century. The optional front rivets offered with these models make them perfect for an industrial-style bathroom. If rustic style is more your thing, look to the Country series.

For durability and easier cleaning, the company’s metal tubs are made with either a vitreous porcelain interior or an insert of porcelain enameled cast iron.

Devon & Devon

Based in Florence, Italy, Devon & Devon draws much of its inspiration from its home city’s architectural traditions. The brand focuses on timeless designs in cast iron and marble as well as their proprietary materials White Tec, a mineral-based composite, and White Tec Plus, made from plant-derived resins.

Among the cast iron models, you’ll find the striking neo-classic Capital series bathtubs, which feature geometrical designs in bas-relief. The President bath offers a similar look in marble.

White Tec and White Tec Plus baths are available with shapely ogee bases as well as in sleek, contemporary forms. For any model, you’ll have your choice of matt or gloss finish in any of more than 500 colors.

LaCava

This Chicago-based company with Italian roots produces acrylic and solid-surface bathtubs in modern designs. The brand stands out for its creative bath shapes you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else.

If you’re looking for a distinctive bathroom focal point, consider the La Scala low-profile slipper bath with cascading levels, the flowing vase-like Lirico bath, or the Suave, a fluid semi-circle bath framed by a dramatic rectangular rim. LaCava also offers oval, rectangular, and round baths if you favor pure geometric forms.

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Henry Parker

Henry Parker is a home improvement enthusiast who loves to share his passion and expertise with others. He writes on a variety of topics, such as painting, flooring, windows, and lawn care, to help homeowners make informed decisions and achieve their desired results. Henry strives to write high quality guides and reviews that are easy to understand and practical to follow. Whether you are looking for the best electric riding lawn mower, the easiest way to remove paint from flooring, or the signs of a bad tile job, Henry has you covered with his insightful and honest articles. Henry lives in Florida with his wife and two kids, and enjoys spending his free time on DIY projects around the house. You can find some of his work on Today’s Homeowner, where he is a regular contributor.

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