Is a hybrid hot tub worth the extra cost?

A hybrid hot tub has two heaters, a wood-fired heater and an electric heater. On evenings when you have time, you heat the tub with wood. On other days, the heater makes sure the water is already warm by the time you get home. You can also turn them on together.

That combination costs €950 more than the same Q-tub with only a wood-fired heater. Whether you earn that back mainly depends on how often you use the tub. How the heater works and which models are available as hybrid can be found on our page about the hybrid hot tub.

How long does heating up take?

With the 38 kW wood-fired heater, a cold tub reaches temperature the fastest. The small Q-tub Mini is warm in 2 to 3 hours, the Q-tub XL in 2.5 to 3 hours, and the large Q-tub XXL in around 3 to 3.5 hours. Electric heating takes longer.

Let the fire and the heater work together, and more heat enters the water at the same time, getting you ready faster than with wood alone. Especially in winter, that makes a real difference.

Twelve hours sounds long for the 3 kW heater, and it isn't meant to heat up a cold bath either. If you first heat it with wood, 3 kW is usually enough to keep the water warm afterwards. You don't need three-phase power for that, just a dedicated circuit.

What does it cost to heat up once?

There's a bit of physics involved. For every 1,000 litres of water and every degree it needs to rise, about 1.16 kWh is needed. An XL with an external stove holds around 1,000 litres. Heating that bath from 10 degrees tap water to 38 degrees therefore uses just over 32 kWh. With only the heater and an electricity price of €0.30 per kWh, that's about €10. For the XXL, with 1,400 litres, you'll reach around €14.

A heat pump needs much less electricity for the same amount of heat, because it draws most of it from the outside air. When it's freezing, that advantage is smaller.

If you heat with wood, you only pay for your firewood. If you already have wood lying around, heating is almost free.

After that, the heater only needs to top up the heat the water loses. How much that is mainly depends on the weather and the cover. An open bath cools down a lot overnight, while under a good, well-sealing insulating cover that happens much more slowly. It gets expensive mainly if you often start from cold water, for example after you've refreshed the water. With a hybrid tub, you do that with wood.

Price difference per version

Compared to wood only, you pay €950 extra for the hybrid version with heater. Compared to a fully electric Q-tub, the difference is €450 to €500, depending on the model. If you want a heat pump instead of the heater, factor in another €650. These are the prices from October 2026. You can see what your version costs in the quote configurator.

Who is a hybrid worth it for?

If you mainly go in the weekend and enjoy lighting a fire, simply choose the wood-fired hot tub and keep that €950 in your pocket. If you never want to deal with wood, an electric hot tub or a heat pump suits you better.

You earn back the extra cost if you also want to sit in warm water on an ordinary Tuesday evening, without lighting a fire for hours first. It also works well for rentals, since not every guest at a holiday home wants to make their own fire.

A reason that's often forgotten is the Stookwijzer (Dutch wood-burning advisory). On windless evenings, exactly the evenings you'd love to sit outside in the tub, it often shows code red. Some municipalities even ban wood burning then. The fire stays out and the heater does the work.

Still unsure? You can also start with wood only. A heat pump can be added later, a built-in heater cannot. You can read how that works in from wood to electric.

You do need both, a dry spot for the wood and a power connection in the garden. Have that connection installed by a qualified electrician.

The Q-tub XL in five versions

Prices from October 2026. The electricity cost per heating session is calculated for 1,000 litres of water heated from 10 to 38 degrees, with electricity at €0.30 per kWh.

With a heat pump alongside the wood stove, you don't need heavy-duty power, and keeping the water warm costs very little electricity. You can light the fire whenever you feel like it.

Heater in the tub or next to it

With the XL and XXL, you can have the wood stove built into the tub or placed next to it, while the Mini always has an external stove. This makes no difference to the heating time. An internal stove saves space in your garden but takes up some room in the tub. The XL holds about 900 litres with an internal stove, and 1,000 litres with an external stove. Also read how to safely use a wood stove.

A few practical tips

• Burn dry wood with less than 20% moisture. Wet wood produces less heat and more smoke. Find out more in our burning tips.
• With a dynamic energy contract, you can switch on the heater during the hours when electricity is cheap.
• Don't count on your solar panels in winter. On a winter evening, they generate nothing.
• Put the cover back on as soon as you're out of the tub.
• Only remove the ash from the stove once it has cooled down. The filter and water values need the same attention as with any other hot tub, see hot tub water maintenance.

Hybrid hot tubs at Qrest

The Q-tub Mini for two people, the XL for four to six, and the XXL for six to eight people are all three also available as hybrids, with a heater or with a heat pump. You'll find them together with prices in the hybrid hot tubs category. We deliver free throughout the Netherlands, except for the Wadden Islands, and you get 2 years of warranty.

You can view our hot tubs in person at our showroom in Zutphen, from Tuesday to Saturday. Plan your visit, or choose a video call if Zutphen is too far away. Already know what you want? Build your own hot tub in the configurator and download your quote right away.