Top 8 best acrylic bathtub manufacturers - market review

Acrylic bathtub is a wonderful modern solution for bathroom arrangement. Acrylic bathtubs are very popular among buyers all over the world, that's why the range presented in the stores is very wide. Going to buy, you need to have at least a rough idea of the main characteristics and the leading manufacturers of acrylic bathtubs, and then it will be easier to make the right choice. All the necessary information is contained in this article.

There are many nuances that should be considered in order to choose a quality acrylic bathtub:

• Type of material. Acrylic, which is used for the production, bathtubs can be cast or extruded. They are close in chemical composition, but have different degrees of strength. Cast acrylic is more preferable, as a bathtub made of this material will last you much longer.
• Acrylic layer.. It should be as thick as possible, at least 0.5-0.6 cm. You should pay special attention to this parameter, because most of the commercially available baths acrylic coating does not exceed 0.4 cm, so they wear out rather quickly.
• The appearance of the acrylic coating. A quality acrylic bathtub should be boiling white (unless, of course, you choose some other color). On its surface there should be no roughness, it is always perfectly flat and smooth.
• The amount of materials used. In the manufacture of acrylic baths, the acrylic coating is applied to the polyurethane base, in order to provide greater rigidity. Therefore, the final product turns out to be two-layered. A bathtub consisting only of one acrylic is a very fragile and unstable thing.
• Stiffness. This is undoubtedly one of the main criteria. After all, it depends on how rigid the tub is, what weight it will be able to withstand and what method of installation it will require (especially fragile products need additional reinforcement). Test the rigidity of acrylic baths is easy - just press the bottom of it harder by hand: if it yields, then the product is not good.
• Light transmittance of the material. Real acrylic is not a transparent material. If acrylic bathtub transmits light, then with high probability you can say that this is a fake.
• The outer layer. As we have already found out, it is made of polyurethane. The outer surface of acrylic bathtub should be dark and smooth to the touch. If it is rough and, moreover, produces an unpleasant chemical smell, then, most likely, the manufacturer decided to save money and used as a base glass fiber, mixed with synthetic resins. You should not buy such a bathtub.
• The design of the frame. Ideally, it should be a mounting frame made just for this model of bathtub, legs that are adjustable in height and supports at the corners. If there is only one frame, which is attached directly under the rims, then such a design will be completely unstable.
• Additional features. If you do not need them, then in order not to overpay, you should buy an ordinary bath, because behind a lot of "frills" may hide a low quality of the product itself. If you, for example, need a bathtub with whirlpool, then you should pay attention to the manufacturers that specialize in this type of products.
• Shape. The simpler it is, the stronger and more stable the bath will be. Large-sized or complex shape bathtubs should be of very high quality. Consequently, and they will cost much more.
• The system of overflow and drain. It can be traditional, semi-automatic or automatic. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is solely a matter of your individual preferences.

Acrylic, as a material for the manufacture of sanitary ware, has a lot of advantages over traditional materials: cast iron and steel. Acrylic bathtubs weigh very little, so you can easily do the installation alone. In addition, the production technology allows for the production of acrylic baths in a variety of shapes and sizes. Neither steel nor cast iron baths can boast such a variety of design.

Among other advantages of acrylic baths, it is worth mentioning a rather low price, excellent thermal insulation and easy care.

In European countries, most popular baths of Czech company "Ravak". Production is carried out on modern equipment using high-quality raw materials.

The main advantage of baths of this manufacturer is a thick acrylic layer, which makes all products very high quality., thanks to which all products are very durable and wear-resistant. Besides, the company "Ravak" offers a buyer a big choice of acrylic baths of non-standard shapes and sizes, including asymmetric fonts and baths with concave sides.

There are few disadvantages with this company's products. The most significant one is the difficulties associated with the selection of accessories and accessories for some models.

The Polish company "Cersanit" is well known to the Russian customer. It is engaged not only in production of sanitary equipment, but also finishing materials for bathroom and kitchen.

Acrylic baths from this company are notable for the fact that they are good quality products for a very reasonable price. The manufacturer provides a 7-year warranty on its products. The disadvantage of Cersanit baths is that they are covered with a rather thin layer of acrylic - only 0.4 cm, so they are not rigid enough and are subjected to physical wear faster.

Dutch company "Riho" uses the highest quality acrylic for its baths. It is lightweight, durable and completely environmentally friendly. The thickness of the acrylic layer on baths of this manufacturer is 0,6-0,8 cm.

"Aquanet" is a Russian company, which produces acrylic baths. Among the advantages of domestic producers - a relatively low price, a wide range of models, as well as the presence of internal equipment - head restraints, handrails and armrests. Minus - not thick enough layer of acrylic - only 0.5 cm.

Acrylic baths of the Spanish manufacturer "Pool SPA" are known for their incredibly beautiful and thoughtful design.. Simple, elegant forms, accessories selected in the style - all this forms a single ensemble and can decorate any bathroom. For each model there is a large selection of accessories. The drawback of acrylic baths from Pool SPA is a high price, but the quality is worth it.

Another widely known Russian manufacturer of acrylic bathtubs is the company "BAS". Production is carried out on Italian equipment, using imported components, and therefore the products meet all European quality standards. Read more about bathtubs Bass read in another article.

"Villeroy&Boch is one of the oldest French companies engaged in the manufacture of sanitary ware. They have been on the market since 1836. Almost two centuries of manufacturing experience certainly affects the quality of their products. Acrylic baths of this company attracts with an exquisite, original design and long service life.

The Polish company "Kolo" produces inexpensive acrylic baths, which have good characteristics. The company boasts a wide model range. The only disadvantage - it is quite difficult to find a bath, equipped with a whirlpool. It should be noted that acrylic baths by "Kolo" are quite rare in stores in our country.

In the last decade, production of acrylic baths has increased significantly, both in Russia and abroad. According to experts, over time, acrylic baths will gradually replace cast iron and steel products. For example, in the past year of 2014 the leading place was occupied by cast iron baths - they accounted for 47% of the bathtub market. However, during the year the production of such baths decreased by 8%. In turn, the production of steel bathtubs decreased by 13%, while the volume of acrylic products increased by 8%.

For convenience, we give information about the prices of acrylic bathtubs from the leading manufacturers in the form of a table. The cheapest baths are so-called "baby baths" with a length of 120 cm, and the most expensive - designer baths of unusual shapes and sizes. For the standard bath, we took a single bath length of 170 cm. The prices are presented in average for Russia.

Thus, prices for acrylic baths fluctuate between several thousands and several hundreds of thousands rubles. A standard single bath, oval or rectangular shape, without a whirlpool and other additional functions can be bought for 10-30 thousand rubles. Much higher is a good quality product from leading Russian or European manufacturers.