Exhibitor Press Releases

Article featured in SpaRetailer, 2/5/24

Updated 8/27/24

Watkins Wellness: FreshWater IQ

Watkins’ FreshWater^® IQ marks a new era in hot tub maintenance

Watkins Wellness, the parent company to Caldera Spas, Hot Spring Spas and other well-known brands, has been committed to excellence and innovation since launching the first Hot Spring portable spa in 1977. For years, a top priority has been improving the ownership experience with simpler, more effective water care solutions. “Second to price, fear of water care is the biggest barrier to entry for our category,” says Caitlin Woelfel, director of brand and channel marketing. 

With FreshWater IQ—a powerful combination of the FreshWater^® Salt System and the all new Smart Monitoring Sensor—Watkins Wellness has set their products apart by providing a seamless, worry-free water care experience that enhances customer confidence and satisfaction.

At its core, the Smart Monitoring System is a meticulous caretaker, continuously monitoring a hot tub’s water every hour and offering precise recommendations on maintaining its balance. The system tests pH, chlorine and salt levels and is designed specifically to complement Watkins’ FreshWater Salt System.

“We wanted to focus our innovation efforts on how to make water care — which is the hardest part of spa ownership — easier and less time consuming for the customer,” says Steve Stigers, executive vice president. “So [FreshWater IQ is] this groundbreaking innovation we’ve come out with. There’s nothing else in the world like it.”

According to Woelfel, the patented system uses a unique sensor electrode that allows for the combination of many sensors and test parameters in a compact size. The sensor is integrated into the design of the Hot Spring Spas^® Highlife^® and Limelight^® Collections along with the Caldera Spas® Utopia^® and Paradise^® Series. It offers real-time chemical readings through the top-side digital control panel. The notification will go away once viewed, but if the condition is not resolved, it will reappear to remind the customer to take action.

“[Customers] frequently get impatient, and then they overdo it one way or another,” says Kirsten Roesch, senior content and social media marketing manager. “So, the fact that it’s smart enough to help guide them through that process is really beneficial.”

App development is underway that will soon allow hot tub owners to have notifications sent directly to their phones to help them manage water care. 

The sensor has a lifespan of a year, and the salt cartridge, an essential component, is designed to last for four months, packaged in a three-pack bundle to match the lifespan of the sensor. The sensor is fully in-line, helping to protect it from damage, and unlike some other common pH and ORP sensors that use fragile blast bulb technology, the Freshwater IQ system doesn’t need to be kept wet or require calibration. 

The development of the Smart Monitoring Sensor was the result of nearly a decade of collaborations between Watkins, the R&D department of its parent company, Masco, and the University of Michigan. Together, the team developed a chip that could act as a sensor while also solving multiple challenges.

According to Carl Krumrei, vice president of product, the sensor had to be able to function in a hot, humid environment, be durable, be easily installed and replaced and be able to be submerged in water — all while remaining about an 3,8 cm in length. In addition, accuracy was crucial, overcoming the unpredictability of traditional test strips.

“The industry’s been waiting for [an accurate water testing sensor] for years,” Krumrei says. “And it’s because it’s not easy.”

Our goal is not to sell more salt systems,” Woelfel says. “It’s about creating more hot tubbers. By making the experience easier, owners can hot tub every day, and that’s when you really start accruing all the mental, emotional and physical benefits of hot water.”

Watkins Wellness has received an enthusiastic reception to the FreshWater IQ system, with Stigers calling it a “game-changer” for both consumers and dealers. 

“It’s not only [about] the product; it’s also the throughput through the dealer network to educate them,” Krumrei says. “They’re the ones who have to explain it and set it up for [the customer], so the whole team has to be aligned.”

With their next generation water care system, Watkins continues to demonstrate their commitment to enhancing business for its dealer network. “Hopefully, this is one more arrow in their quiver to help them sell more spas and make them more competitive,” Woelfel says. 

FreshWater IQ is an available option on Hot Spring Spas’ Highlife and Limelight Collection. It is included with all Caldera Spas Utopia Series models and is an available option on the Paradise Series.  While proud of the product, Stigers says the company isn’t done. 

“We’ve created something special; it’s the best comprehensive water care system for the consumer,” he says. “We believe if we can continue to push the boundaries with innovation and deliver innovative products that remove barriers to entry and improve the ownership experience, we’re going to continue to grow the category.”