Most buyers spend weeks looking at photos and forget the most important question: how many people will actually use it on a typical evening? Choosing the wrong size is one of the most common — and most expensive — mistakes in this market. This guide shows you how to get it right.
A 25 cm difference in diameter sounds minor on paper. In practice, it changes:
A €5,900 hot tub bought in the wrong size becomes a €5,900 mistake. A €6,700 hot tub bought in the right size becomes a 15-year investment.
Here's what the two models actually offer, and how to choose between them with confidence.
Both models share the same materials, the same AISI 316 marine-grade stove, the same insulated thermo lid, and the same fully equipped accessory package. The choice between them isn't about quality — it's about scale.
The 225 cm model is our most popular choice — and the reason most buyers land on it after thinking it through is straightforward: real hot tub use is more social than buyers initially expect.
Many people approach the decision assuming they'll mostly use the tub alone or as a couple. In practice, an outdoor hot tub becomes a focal point of the household. Friends visit. Family come over. Teenagers bring their friends. Weekend evenings turn into impromptu gatherings. The "twice-a-year hosting" that buyers imagine often becomes a regular thing once the tub exists.
The Amber 225 fits 4–6 adults comfortably, with full personal space for everyone in the tub. Up to 8 people can fit for occasional larger gatherings. That added 25 cm of diameter translates to roughly 30% more usable interior space — enough that even when only two of you are in it, the experience feels more spacious and less confined.
The trade-off is honest: the 225 holds 300 L more water, takes about an hour longer to heat, and burns more firewood per session. For most buyers, that trade-off is worth it. For some, it isn't — and that's what the rest of this guide is about.
The 200 cm model isn't a compromise — it's the right tub for a specific kind of household. Choose it if:
The 200 is the practical, efficient choice. It serves smaller households well, and serves them for years.
Buy for your typical use, not your maximum use. If your real evenings are mostly the two of you with the occasional friend visiting, the Amber 200 is genuinely the right size. If your real evenings often involve 4–6 people, the Amber 225 is the right size. Don't overbuy out of optimism — and don't underbuy out of caution.
Both models heat water from approximately 5°C to 39°C. The 225 holds roughly 27% more water, which translates to longer heating time and more firewood per session.
| Per Session | Amber 200 | Amber 225 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water volume | ~1,100 L | ~1,400 L | +300 L (+27%) |
| Heating time | 2–2.5 hours | 3–3.5 hours | +1 hour |
| Firewood used | ~20–30 kg | ~35–45 kg | +10–15 kg per session |
| Firewood cost* | €5–€17 | €9–€25 | +€4–€8 per session |
*Based on €0.25–€0.55/kg for kiln-dried hardwood across Continental EU markets. Self-collected or locally seasoned wood can reduce these costs significantly.
For occasional use, the difference is a few extra euros per session. For frequent users (3+ sessions per week), the gap accumulates: roughly €200–€600 extra per year in firewood for the Amber 225 compared to the Amber 200.
The bigger practical factor for many owners isn't the cost — it's the time. An extra hour of heating means you light the fire earlier and plan around it differently. If spontaneity matters to you, the faster-heating 200 is worth considering even if your household could use the larger size.
Both models need at least 50 cm of clearance on all sides for safe operation, ventilation, and maintenance access. The chimney needs roughly 3 metres of clear vertical space above it.
| Space Planning | Amber 200 | Amber 225 |
|---|---|---|
| Outer diameter | 200 cm | 225 cm |
| Inner diameter | 180 cm | 204 cm |
| Tub height | 105 cm | 105 cm |
| Total height with chimney | 250 cm | 250 cm |
| Empty weight | ~200 kg | ~250 kg |
| Filled weight (with users) | ~1,400–1,600 kg | ~1,800–2,100 kg |
| Minimum usable area (with clearance) | ~3.0 × 3.0 m | ~3.25 × 3.25 m |
| Recommended area (with stove access + steps) | ~3.5 × 4.0 m | ~3.8 × 4.2 m |
The 225 doesn't need dramatically more space — about 25 cm more in each direction. But the difference matters in tighter gardens, terraces, and decks. For installations where space is genuinely limited, the 200 integrates more proportionally and leaves more room for paths, planting, or seating around it.
If you're planning your installation in detail, our garden preparation guide covers foundation, drainage, and access requirements for both models.
Before the differences, the similarities — because they're the parts of the purchase that matter most over a decade of ownership.
Both Amber models include identical:
The structural quality, materials, and warranty are identical. The size decision affects daily use and operating cost — not the build quality you're investing in.
| Specification | Amber 200 | Amber 225 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (incl. 21% VAT) | €5,900 | €6,700 |
| Outer diameter | 200 cm | 225 cm |
| Inner diameter | 180 cm | 204 cm |
| Tub height | 105 cm | 105 cm |
| Height with chimney | 250 cm | 250 cm |
| Empty weight | ~200 kg | ~250 kg |
| Water volume | ~1,100 L | ~1,400 L |
| Comfortable for | 2–4 adults | 4–6 adults |
| Maximum capacity | Up to 6 | Up to 8 |
| Bubble massage jets | 12 | 14 |
| Hydromassage jets | 6 | 8 |
| Heating time (5°C → 39°C) | 2–2.5 hours | 3–3.5 hours |
| Firewood per session | ~20–30 kg | ~35–45 kg |
| Firewood cost per session | €5–€17 | €9–€25 |
| Minimum installation area | ~3.0 × 3.0 m | ~3.25 × 3.25 m |
| Heating system | AISI 316 dual-chamber | AISI 316 dual-chamber |
| Insulation | Thermo lid + foam layer | Thermo lid + foam layer |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
| Shipping | Free EU | Free EU |
Buyer profiles we see most often, and which model fits each situation:
A wood-fired hot tub is a permanent garden installation. Trading up from a 200 to a 225 — or down from a 225 to a 200 — means buying a whole second tub, dealing with disposal or resale of the first, and redoing your foundation. Get the size right the first time.
Some buyers choose the larger model "just in case" — and then resent the extra heating time and firewood cost for the sessions where two or three people are in it. Buy for your typical use, not your aspirational one.
If your household grows or your usage pattern shifts toward hosting, an undersized tub gets used less over time. Less use = worse value per session. The right size is the one you'll actually want to use 10 years from now.
The most consistent feedback we get from owners is that once the tub is installed, it gets used socially more often than they expected. Friends visit specifically to use it. Family gatherings shift to include it. This is why the Amber 225 ends up being the more popular choice for most households — but it's also why the Amber 200 is the right call for buyers who genuinely know their usage will stay small and consistent.
Whichever size you choose, your tub arrives delivered fully assembled with everything needed to start using it:
Still uncertain? We're a small team and genuinely happy to help you choose based on your space, household, and how you'll realistically use the tub.
Talk to us →Best for 4–6 adults, up to 8 for gatherings. Most popular choice — more interior space, built for hosting and larger households.
View Amber 225 →Best for 2–4 adults. Faster heating, lower running cost, smaller footprint. Ideal for couples and smaller families.
View Amber 200 →Both models include free EU shipping, 2-year warranty, and direct support from the team that built your tub.
Whichever model you choose, it's built with the same materials, the same standards, and the same direct manufacturer support. The size decision is about your space and your household — not about quality.
Tell us about your plans and we will prepare a personalised recommendation.
We typically respond within 24 hours.
Tell us about your plans and we will prepare a personalised recommendation.
We typically respond within 24 hours.
