Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I felt the need to write a review after reading some of the others. Maybe some people that complained about this tub didn't go out and look at other products before buying this, or they didn't compare prices. I shopped tubs for months, both in stores and all over the internet. I was on a budget but I also wanted certain features that were non negotiable- especially deep water depth. So it was important to pick the best features and quality for the best price. I figured that American Standard would fit the bill. I'm definitely not disappointed. My husband and I, who are both handy but we're not pros either, installed the faucet and tub both in a matter of hours. If you read all the installation instructions ahead of time, if you understand what you're supposed to be doing, and if you're prepared with the tools and supplies you will need ahead of time, I see no reason why this would take someone more than an afternoon to complete. If you are not handy with basic plumbing and hand tools at the very least, do not attempt to do this installation yourself. As with all home improvement projects, common sense rules. Yes, the tub is, as the description says, fiberglass reinforced. Fiberglass reinforcement is generally not smooth and pretty. It is there for function, not looks. The acrylic is there to make the outside pretty. Yes, the edges, because of the fiberglass, are a little rough. I found this mostly to be the case with the outer shell because you don't see the edge when it is put together. Again, it just takes a little common sense to wear gloves when handling fiberglass. Admittedly my tub did have a little bit of roughness on the edge of the inner shell that wraps over the top. In the one spot where this was noticeable, I took an emery board to the rough edge (not on the visible acrylic, please!) and lightly filed it smooth. Simple 10 second fix. One reviewer said you have to pull up your subfloors in order to install. Unless you do not have access below the tub to finish off the plumbing (which would be required for practically any tub installation), that's completely incorrect. As long as you have access from the floor below or a crawl space, all you need to do is cut a small rectangle in the bathroom floor to fit the drain through and a circular hole for the tub filler. It is all in the directions, measurements and all. No need for major demo! I will also wholeheartedly disagree with the reviewer that said the tub filler was wobbly and flimsy. All I can say is, maybe their installer didn't put it together and secure it properly. The filler is heavy and of good quality. Is there better quality out there? Sure, but you'll be paying close to the price of this entire tub package just for the filler itself. Even similar quality models I've found were 600-800 on there own, no tub included. There's nothing more pointless than a bath that I have to stick my legs up out of to be comfortable, and the water level only covers 1/2 of the bits that do actually fit in. This tub is comfy, deep, and the perfect length to fit arms, legs, and all the other bits too. Yes, it does seem flimsy while it is in its separate parts, but once it is put together (if done properly), it feels just as sturdy as any other acrylic tub I've compared. I'm not sure what people's expectations of acrylic tubs are, but they're not ever going to as rigid as cast iron, stone, etc. If that's what you're expecting, please do yourself a favor and go out to a local bath fixture shop or home center, and compare models and materials (and their prices) in person. Climb in and try them out (with clothes on please :-0). Maybe you'll find that acrylic is not the right material for you. In my opinion, acrylic offers good quality at great prices. And its easy-care. Lastly, the tub is not insulated- if you wish, there's enough space between inner and outer tub to fit insulation of your own. I was a little concerned that we didn't do this when we installed our tub, but after my first bath, I was happy we didn't bother with the hassle. The water stayed hot for about 1/2 hour, and probably would have sustained the temperature for longer than that, but 30 minutes is my limit for sitting around doing nothing. Hoping this review helps others and at the very least informs potential buyers about what you're getting into (and I hope its a nice, hot, relaxing bath).