About a decade ago, a couple of mates were on a mountain bike ride in Otago. They got to chatting about hot tubs, and, as it turned out, the conversation would continue and ultimately result in a fresh — and entirely Kiwi — approach to the outdoor soak.
Dan Young and Andrew Horton, both sheet-metal engineers, had different ideas about what made a great hot tub. Over their ride that day, they discussed the nuances of jets and cedar — the pros and cons of what they had experienced to date. The next two years saw the pair using their skills in stainless steel to prototype their own tubs.
Those prototypes gave rise to their company, Stoked Stainless, which specialises in handcrafted stainless steel and cedar hot tubs and plunge spa pools. When they first started, they were building one handmade, wood-fired tub at a time. Since then, and after relocating to Wānaka, Stoked Stainless has grown significantly; it now employs a team of 16.
The basic design elements haven’t changed much since those first prototypes, but the offering has. All crafted with marine-grade stainless steel and cedar and extensively insulated, the range now includes various sizes, and electric, wood-fired, and hybrid hot tubs and bath-tubs, as well as the latest: an above-ground plunge spa pool range in two colours and two sizes, comfortably fitting 10 to 14 people.
“Our plunge spa pools are designed to last a lifetime and can be heated up to 42 degrees. The materials allow for chemical-free treatments, so you care for yourself and the environment; a winning solution for family and friends,” Stoked Stainless general manager Mike Daish tells us.
Next on the cards for the Stoked Stainless team? A new 2m x 2m square spa pool, available in either black or natural cedar.
