Sensational Soaking Tubs for Small Spaces Pt. 2

Dreaming of a soaking tub but short on space? Don't despair. There are small, yet luxe tubs out there to suit every room. Believe me, I know – I've considered everything out there while planning my own recent bathroom renovation.

Last week I looked at soaking tub shopping tips. This week, I'm going to highlight some top bathtubs for small spaces by two top brands: American Standard and Kohler. Excluded from my search? Really cheap and really expensive tubs. I'm only looking at quality, but moderately priced soaking tubs within roughly a $300 to $600 range.

The Standard Collection acrylic bathtub by American Standard seems like a great buy. At 5ft x 32 in. x 20 in. it fits in a small bathroom nicely, plus it is very affordable ($429 at the Home Depot). It has thoughtful details like a backrest and lumbar support, too. On the down side, it's only 14 in. deep to overflow, so it's not the best choice if you plan to do a lot of soaking.

Kohler's Devonshire is another excellent choice. If you can squeeze in a 32 in. wide tub, you get a great tub for the price. It's only $399 at Home Depot and measures 5 ft x 32 in. x 20 in. Unfortunately, this is yet another lovely tub with a disappointing depth: only 14 in. to overflow.

The Evolution acrylic tub by American Standard is a beauty. It is 5 ft x 32 in. x 21.5 in. deep, with an impressive 17.5 in. to overflow. It has a nice head and backrest area, plus molded armrests for comfortable soaking. For me, the depth is the best part, but note you do need to order a special drain to accommodate this tub – the Deep Soak Max drain from American Standard. (Tub and integral apron, $510 at Faucet.com.)

Kohler's equivalent to the Evolution is the Archer bathtub. It is 5 ft x 32 in. x 19 in. Purchase the special Comfort Depth slotted overflow and you'll get to enjoy a luxuriously deep bathing well. This tub also has armrests and lumbar support. It's priced at $480, including integral apron.

If your room is extremely narrow, the Colony by American Standard is a nice choice. It's five feet long, but only 30 in. wide. This acrylic tub is 19.25 in. deep, however the depth to overflow is a disappointing 11.5 in. (Recently priced at $477 by the Home Depot.)

A lower-priced alternative might be American Standard's Princeton. At 5 ft x 30 in. x 14 in., it's ideal for tiny rooms and last time I checked it was only $278 at the Home Depot. On the down side, this one's not ideal for soaking either: it's only 9.5 in. to overflow. Another consideration: this tub is made from Americast, a fairly new cast iron substitute.

Another tub that's great for narrow rooms is Kohler's Hourglass tub. It's 5 ft x 30 in. x 17 in. This acrylic tub, like American Standards's Colony, is somewhat shallow once you take into account that it's only 12 in. deep to overflow. Home Depot prices this tub at $540.

American Standard's Cambridge is also made from Americast. This one has lumbar support and head rest areas and measures 5 ft x 32 in. x 17 ¾ in. It's certainly more affordable than cast iron, priced by Home Depot at $537.60 recently. It is a respectable 14 in. depth to overflow.

If your bathroom is truly teensy, consider the Huron by American Standard. It's 4 ft x 27 in. x 15 ½ in. This tub is porcelain on steel, which my contractor tells me is extra sturdy, yet also affordable. He's right: this one is only $337.28 at eFaucets.com.

A good in-betweener is American Standard's Mackenzie, also porcelain on steel. At 4 ½ ft x 30 in. x 15 ¼ it's not the deepest tub out there, but it's a good compromise in terms of length if fitting a bathtub into your bathroom is a challenge. Also very affordable, it's only $358.36 at eFaucets.com.

Kohler says the Villager is its most popular model. Not deep, this 5 ft x 30 ¼ x 14 in. tub is made of durable cast iron and is only $329 at Home Depot. Not a great soaking tub, but it's low-profile and affordable ... and because it's made of cast iron you know it'll last forever.

Was this list helpful to you? I hope so! Regarding your budget, just remember to allow plenty for the cost of installation, which is likely to dwarf the price of the actual bathtub. Also, even though many tubs can be purchased online these days, don't forget to factor in the cost of freight and tax, which can really add up, too.

Check out this three piece tub surround that is super easy to install! Watch this video to see how: