You’ve just got into your hot tub after a long week, the jets are doing their thing, you’re properly relaxing for the first time in days — and then you realise your drink is sitting on the patio three metres away. You consider getting out, but the air is freezing and you’re comfortable. So you sit there, drink-less, wondering why you didn’t sort this out before you got in.
Hot tub accessories are one of those things nobody thinks about until they’re actually sitting in the water. And once you’re in, everything you need is suddenly just out of reach. The right accessories for your hot tub aren’t about luxury — they’re about making the experience actually practical. Drink holders, trays, headrests, towel hooks — small things that stop you climbing in and out every five minutes.
I’ve tested more hot tub gadgets than I’d like to admit, and most of them are rubbish. Suction cups that don’t stick, floating trays that capsize when the jets come on, inflatable headrests that deflate within a week. But there are some genuinely useful accessories worth buying, and this guide covers the ones that actually work.
Drink Holders: The Most Essential Accessory
This is the number one accessory every hot tub owner should buy first. Not an exaggeration. You will use it every single session.
Clip-On Drink Holders
These clip directly onto the edge of your hot tub, sitting at arm’s reach. The best ones have adjustable clamps that fit most hot tub shell thicknesses (typically 5-15cm).
- Pros: Stable, easy to reach, don’t interfere with the water, work with cans, bottles, and glasses
- Cons: Can scratch the shell if cheaply made, need the right clamp size for your tub
The Lay-Z-Spa drink holder (about £12-15 from Argos or Amazon UK) is the standard for inflatable hot tubs — it clips onto the inflated wall and holds two drinks. Simple, cheap, does the job. For hard-shell tubs, look for weighted or clamped holders that sit on the rim — the CupCozy (about £15-20) is a popular option on Amazon UK.
Floating Drink Holders
These sit in the water and hold your drinks on the surface. They sound great in theory.
In practice, they’re the most annoying accessory you can buy. The moment you turn the jets on, your floating drink holder goes on a journey. It drifts away from you, catches in the current, and eventually tips your drink into the water. The inflatable flamingo versions look fun for about twenty minutes.
My honest advice: Skip floating drink holders entirely. They’re novelty items, not practical accessories. Clip-on or edge-mounted holders are what you actually want.
Edge-Mounted Trays
These are wider than drink holders — essentially small tables that sit across or along the edge of your hot tub. They’re brilliant for holding drinks, phones, snacks, or a book.
- Bamboo spa trays (about £20-40 on Amazon UK) look great and are naturally water-resistant, but they need occasional oiling to prevent cracking. Make sure you measure your hot tub edge width before buying — many are designed for bath-sized rims.
- Weighted spa caddies (about £25-35) sit on top of the hot tub rim using their own weight. More stable than clip-ons, but they take up rim space.
- Custom-fit trays from your hot tub manufacturer are the best option if available — they’re designed to fit your specific model. Check with your dealer, typically £30-60.
Headrests and Pillows
Your hot tub’s built-in headrest situation is probably either non-existent or a hard plastic edge that leaves you with a sore neck after 20 minutes. Aftermarket headrests are a big quality-of-life improvement.
Suction Cup Headrests
The most common type. They stick to the inside wall of your tub at neck height.
- Expect to pay: £10-25 for a pair
- The problem: Suction cups lose grip over time, especially in warm, humid conditions. You’ll re-stick them every few uses, and eventually, the suction cups wear out.
- The fix: Look for headrests with at least 4 suction cups per pad (not 2), and clean both the cups and the tub surface with rubbing alcohol before attaching. Some brands include replacement suction cups — a good sign.
The Bestway headrest pillow (about £10 from Argos) works fine for inflatable hot tubs but won’t last more than a season. For hard-shell tubs, the Essential Hot Tubs padded headrest (about £20 per pair on Amazon UK) has larger suction cups that grip better.
Weighted Headrests
These hook over the edge of the tub and hang down to neck height, using gravity instead of suction. More reliable, especially for hard-shell hot tubs where the suction cup surface is curved or textured.
Weighted headrests cost more (£25-40 per pair) but last longer and don’t randomly fall off during a soak. Worth the upgrade if you use your tub regularly.
Towel and Robe Hooks
Getting out of a hot tub in a British winter without a towel within arm’s reach is really unpleasant. You’re wet, it’s 3°C, and your towel is hanging in the bathroom. Outdoor towel storage is a minor accessory that makes a massive difference to comfort.
- Hook-over-rail towel holders (about £10-15) attach to fences, pergola posts, or gazebo frames near your tub
- Freestanding towel racks (about £25-40) sit next to the tub on the patio — look for stainless steel or weather-treated wood
- Heated towel buckets (about £60-100 — yes, they exist) are the premium option. They keep your towel warm and dry while you soak. Absolute luxury, but owners who buy them swear by them
If you have a hot tub gazebo or enclosure, mounting a simple hook set on an internal post is the easiest solution.
Phone Protection
Let’s be realistic — you’re going to use your phone in the hot tub. Music, messages, scrolling. Water-resistant phones survive splashes, but sustained steam and humidity cause problems over time.
- Waterproof phone pouches (about £8-12 for a pair) — the touchscreen works through the plastic, and you can still use Face ID or fingerprint. Get one with a lanyard so it hangs from your neck rather than sitting in water.
- Bluetooth speakers are a better option for music — mount one near the tub and control it from inside. Check our guide to choosing the right hot tub base for ideas about positioning entertainment near your setup.
- Never charge your phone near the hot tub. This sounds obvious, but people do it. Water and electricity are a bad combination.
Lighting
Good lighting transforms a hot tub session, especially in winter when you’re soaking in the dark at 5pm.
Floating LED Lights
These sit on the water surface and change colour. They’re inexpensive (about £10-20 for a pack on Amazon UK) and create genuine ambiance. Unlike floating drink holders, they work fine with jets on — they’re small and light enough to bob around without being annoying.
Look for solar-powered versions that charge during the day and automatically turn on at dusk. No batteries to replace, no cables to manage.
Underwater LED Lights
Some hot tubs have these built in, but aftermarket options are available. Magnetic underwater lights (about £15-25) attach to the inside of hard-shell tubs using magnets — one inside the water, one outside the shell. They create a beautiful glow but only work with non-metallic shells.
Perimeter Lighting
LED strip lights around the base of your hot tub or along the path from your house to the tub are practical and atmospheric. Waterproof LED strips (IP65 or higher) cost about £15-30 from Amazon UK or Screwfix and are easy to install with self-adhesive backing.
Steps and Entry Aids
If your hot tub sits on a raised base or deck, you need steps. Slipping on a wet surface in the dark while getting out of a tub is a truly dangerous scenario.
- Dedicated hot tub steps (about £40-80) have non-slip surfaces, handrails, and are designed for wet barefoot use. The best hot tub steps and surrounds offer both safety and storage space.
- Look for: Wide treads, non-slip coating or rubber, built-in storage compartment (useful for chemicals or spare towels), weight capacity matching your needs.
- Avoid: Generic household step stools, wooden steps without non-slip treatment, anything that wobbles on uneven ground.
For inflatable hot tubs, which sit lower to the ground, dedicated steps are less critical but still useful if the tub is on a raised platform.
Aromatherapy
Hot tub aromatherapy is one of those accessories that sounds gimmicky but is actually quite nice. The steam from the hot water disperses the scent, turning a regular soak into something more spa-like.
Important warning: Only use products specifically designed for hot tubs. Bath bombs, bubble bath, essential oils, and regular bath products will foam uncontrollably, clog your filters, and mess up your water chemistry. Hot tub aromatherapy products are formulated to be compatible with your filtration system and sanitiser.
- Hot tub aromatherapy crystals (about £8-15 per jar) dissolve in the water without residue. Scents like eucalyptus, lavender, and citrus are popular. Available from hot tub dealers and Amazon UK.
- Aromatherapy cartridges — some brands (like Marquis) have built-in aromatherapy dispensers. If your tub has one, use the matching cartridges.
Accessories That Aren’t Worth It
Not everything marketed as a “hot tub accessory” deserves your money:
- Floating Bluetooth speakers — just use a regular waterproof speaker on the edge. Floating speakers have terrible bass because they can’t create a proper seal with anything.
- Inflatable spa bars — they drift, they deflate, they flip. Get a proper edge-mounted tray instead.
- Hot tub scent diffusers that clip to the filter — they clog your filter housing and make maintenance harder. Use proper aromatherapy crystals instead.
- UV sanitiser “accessories” — if your tub doesn’t have built-in UV, adding an aftermarket clip-on UV light does essentially nothing. Proper UV sanitisers are plumbed into the circulation system.
- Phone speakers that float — same drift problem as floating drink holders, with the added issue of audio quality being terrible on the water.
What to Buy First
If you’re just starting out, here’s the order I’d recommend:
- First: Clip-on drink holders (£12-15). You’ll use these every session.
- Second: Headrest pillows (£15-25 for a pair). Your neck will thank you.
- Third: Non-slip steps if your tub is raised (£40-80). Safety first.
- Fourth: Waterproof phone pouch (£8-12). Accept reality.
- Fifth: Floating LED lights (£10-20). The atmosphere upgrade is worth it.
Total cost: about £85-150 for all five. That’s less than a single hot tub chemical restock, and it’ll make every soak noticeably more enjoyable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular bath products in my hot tub? No. Bath bombs, bubble bath, essential oils, and similar products will create excessive foam, clog your filters, and disrupt the water chemistry. Only use products specifically labelled for hot tub use. Hot tub aromatherapy crystals are formulated to dissolve without residue.
Do floating drink holders actually work? Not well. They drift away when the jets are on and tend to tip drinks into the water. Clip-on or edge-mounted drink holders are far more practical and stable. Floating holders are novelty items at best.
How do I stop suction cup headrests falling off? Clean both the suction cups and the tub surface with rubbing alcohol before attaching. Make sure the surface is completely smooth and dry. Choose headrests with at least four suction cups per pad. If suction cups keep failing, switch to weighted or hook-over-rail headrests instead.
Are hot tub LED lights safe to use in water? Floating LED lights designed for pools and hot tubs are safe — they are sealed, battery-powered, and designed for submersion. Never use mains-powered lights or any electrical device not specifically rated for water use. Check for IP67 or IP68 rating on any underwater light.
What is the most important hot tub accessory to buy first? A clip-on drink holder. It costs about £12-15 and you will use it every single session. After that, headrest pillows and non-slip steps are the next most practical upgrades.