Bullfrog Spas, a spa manufacturer headquartered in Herriman, Utah, recently released a redesign of its most popular hot tub line: the A series. The launch includes nine models that have a range of three to nine seats, three to seven JetPaks and a host of new or improved features.
Bullfrog’s original A series, first introduced in 2013, was already a great seller for the company, so why the revamp?
Simply put: It was time.
The life span of a spa series or model is typically seven to nine years, says Todd Anderson, product development team manager for Bullfrog, and the original A series was going on 10 years. Sometimes a refresh or feature update will be done in that time frame, but the new A series design is a total overhaul for Bullfrog.
Beyond that, Bullfrog also wanted to improve the functionality and aesthetics of its product. “We’re always striving to make the best spa possible,” Anderson says.
To accomplish this three-year project, the Bullfrog team gathered representatives from departments across the company, including production, warranty, sales, marketing and manufacturing. The departments could weigh in with ideas about what they felt could be improved with the product line, providing insight into what a customer or dealer might want, says Mike Andersen, industrial designer at Bullfrog.
This collaboration created a product packed with new features — so much so that when it was unveiled, many dealers were shocked at the number of changes.
“Some of our dealers said, ‘Wow, you guys really tackled a lot,’” Todd Anderson says. “They saw the things that were changing on our build sheet and were blown away by how many things were different than our current model.”
One major focus was increasing space and seating.
Jake Ricks, Bullfrog’s vice president of marketing, shares that the filter and suction fittings have been moved behind one of the JetPaks. Moving these out of the main body of water frees up space for an extra seat and makes clean, open footwells, free of obstructions.
The JetPaks — customizable, modular jetted seat backs that Bullfrog may be best known for — have also gotten an upgrade. They now feature induction lighting and can also be changed out in one simple movement — from inside or outside the spa — making customization easier. The seats have also been comfort-tested across a range of body types to provide the best seating option for the largest array of people.
There are also improvements “under the hood,” Ricks says.
“One feature you don’t see but makes a big difference in terms of longevity and durability is a wood-free frame structure that’s 100% molded composite material, so it doesn’t rot or rust,” Ricks says. “It’s lighter and really durable, so that ends up being a big deal in the life of the spa.”
The A series redesign did have a unique set of challenges. One of the biggest was the size of the project; designing, prototyping, testing, programming and working with the various departments all took time, Anderson says.
The redesign also occurred as the pandemic began.
“It was hard from a business perspective to make the commitment when your supply chain is going nuts, and your demand is off the charts,” Ricks says. “It would’ve been an easy time not to do a new product development project, but we tried to be disciplined in our pursuit of pushing innovation forward and make sure that we got it done for our customers.”
Despite the challenges, the team succeeded, and one of the biggest rewards was seeing the final product in person after years of work.
“The first time that we saw this final product was at the Las Vegas show back in November,” Anderson shares. “When everything came together and all the lights were on, it was rewarding to see all the blood, sweat and tears, late nights and early mornings that we put into this finally come together, and we can show it off to the world.”
Though the products are just hitting showrooms, dealer feedback on functionality and design has been positive. As for customers, Bullfrog hopes the new line can help fulfill its mission to create peaceful lives.
“The hope is that a customer doesn’t necessarily realize all these individual features,” Mike Andersen says. “They just know when they get into it, it’s a good experience. They don’t have to overthink it. It’s simple. It’s relaxing. It brings an extra element of joy into their lives, and that’s what we’re hoping for.”
Learn about other Bullfrog Spas product launches:
The Swim Series
The M Series
