Kohler Walk in Tub Review - Liberty Bathing

Kohler has been around since 1873, providing the world with engines, bath, kitchen and home interior products for over a century. The company has been awardees of innovation, design and environmental awareness, which Kohler definitely prioritizes when manufacturing their products.

The Kohler brand is famous for their walk-in baths, which are all backed by a lifetime limited warranty and designed, manufactured and assembled in the United States.

Kohler walk-in tubs are available in the basic soaker model, designed only with a seat, leak-proof door and low-entry setup but without any fancy parts like water jets and air pressure. Almost all walk-in tubs of Kohler include grab bars, anti-slip seats, and custom options to make your bath experience uniquely yours.

Is having a Kohler walk-in tub worth the investment? This Kohler walk in tub review should answer everything you need to know about Kohler walk-in tubs, from the models available to installation details.

Kohler Walk-in Tub Models and Features

Kohler’s walk-in tub is designed to prevent anyone from slipping and falling while taking a bath. Whether you simply have bad balance, limited mobility, aging, or you are suffering from a serious condition, Kohler walk-in tub will keep you safe guaranteed.

Although fully customizable in design, safety features, technology to include and accessories, Kohler technically offers only one walk-in tub.

ALL Kohler walk in tubs feature:

Dimensions: The Kohler walk-in bath is designed to fit within any standard bathtub size. It measures 21½-inch wide and 17-inch high inside and 52-inch long 28-inch wide and 39-inch high outside.
Air jets and hydrotherapy whirlpool jets: These 10 hydrotherapy jets and 17 BubbleMassage air jets work hand-in-hand in massaging the back, legs, and feet simultaneously. They’re strategically positioned to offer maximum comfort throughout your bath. You can control these jets from a user-friendly control panel.
Safety features: The Kohler walk-in bath has low, three-inch high threshold and two handrails inside and outside the rim to allow you to go in and out the tub safely. The door is also extra-wide than standard size and come with an easy-to-turn handle. To add more grip while you’re taking a bath, the floor has extra texture, as well as the seats.
Flexible Hand shower: The hand shower installed with the Kohler walk-in tub is retractable with an ergonomic design. It has temperature settings and water spray control options as well.
More massage features: This tub also has adjustable heated surface for the back and neck, which is very useful if you’re suffering from achy joints and tired muscles.
Wide seats: The seats are wider than standard size, which makes it comfortable even if you’re above water when filling and draining the tub.
Super–fast draining time: Kohler’s Fast-fill and Drain technology already was among the fastest in the bathtub market, but in 2019, the company upgraded its designed drain to be 4 times faster in filling up and draining water.

Features you can ask to have customized include:

Design details: The company lets you choose from 11 patterns, colors and textures from its KOHLER LuxStone_®Bath Walls, which is made of natural marble and durable fibers for a chip-free, fade-free wall design. You can even pick the tub color and metal faucet finish of your preference. Get inspired by how amazing some of Kohler’s walk-tin tubs look.

Pros of a Kohler Walk-in Tub

Fits where your old bath tub was – This is one of the best things I like about Kohler’s tubs. If you’re upgrading from an old bathtub to a walk-in tub, the Kohl walk-in tubs can be custom-fit from 52 to 60 inches long and 28 to 32 inches wide, so it could seamlessly fit every bathtub space. This removes the need for an overall bathroom renovation.
Fast-drain technology – Who doesn’t want quick water refill and drainage right? A Kohler walk-in tub not only fills the tub very quickly, it also drains it just as fast once you’re done.
Super-quiet operation – This is a surprising one because most highly-technological tubs are quit noisy when in operation.
Spa-like technology: With the air jets and air bubble technology, you can get to experience spa-like activities without leaving your home.
Safety features – The low 3-inch threshold, two safety handrails, textured tub seat and flooring, elevated seats all contribute to a unique experience on Kohler walk-in tubs can provide.
Good 1-year locked-in (Other brands have longer lock-in periods)
Industry-leading warranty – Your investment is well protected thanks to in-house installers and a solid warranty that protects almost all major parts of the tub.

Cons of a Kohler Walk-in Tub

Not accessible to wheelchairs and no bariatric options – This may only be the disadvantage to the Kohler walk-in tub, but they’re definitely a big deal.

Kohler Walk-in Tub Price

Kohler walk-in tubs cost somewhere between $4,000 and $12,000. This price already includes a heated backrest, the whirlpool jets, an extra-wide seat and wide door, and a hand shower.

However, if you’re planning to customize your Kohler walk-in tub, prepare to shell out a whole lot more money. This is also the reason why Kohler doesn’t publish general cost information on the website, or even if you call them over the phone.

Note that the quotation your Kohler rep would give you may also include installation and bathroom remodeling, which would be on top of the actual tub cost.

The good thing though is that like most walk-in tub brands, Kohler offers financing options such as monthly payments.

Also note that to get a proper quote; you’ll have to follow these steps:

Call Kohler and schedule a free in-home appointment
Tell the rep about your tub needs and features you want
The rep will ask you questions. They have a 35-point checklist to help determine what installation involves, from plumbing to electrical and bathroom space.
The rep will give you an estimate and discuss additional expenses on upgrades and the warranty policies.
Don’t worry about not committing just yet. Kohler cannot force you to get one if you’re not ready.

In fact, Kohler reportedly has a no-surprise quote or “Price Promise” that makes the quote they give you valid for 1 year from the day you receive your estimate.

Kohler Walk-In Tub Warranty

All Kohler walk-in tubs are installed by a Kohler-certified installation specialist. Unfortunately, this means you can’t have it installed just by anyone out there, regardless of how talented they are.

The upside to this is that Kohler’s warranty can withstand for as long as you own your house. If ever the walk-in tub, pumps, water jets, motors, bath doors, hand shower gets damaged, it is protected by the warranty and will be repaired or replaced when necessary.

Kohler Walk-in Tub Reviews: What Users Say about Kohler Walk-in Tubs

Kohler has a very good reputation.

From the representatives who you talk to when asking for a proper quote, to the installation crew who professionally builds the tub in your home, Kohler seems to be investing on its own people and it shows. The quality of customer service can be felt no matter what concern you have.

People have no qualms about the Kohler walk-in tub. It is a well-built bath and shower that is a perfect ally especially for those who are aging. The functionality and technology built into the Kohler tubs are just enough, never exaggeratedly accessorized. The features, parts and accessories all work together to provide a positive impact on the life of the people going to use this walk-in tub.

The Kohler warranty is unmatched in this industry. While the shower heads, doors and actual tub are often included in warranties, the technologies built into the tub are normally left out. With Kohler, almost all the parts have warranty, which will give you peace of mind that if something breaks out of your control, you won’t have to shoulder the repair.

Many of the complaints about Kohler revolve around bad installation crews and other smaller Kohler bathroom and sink products.

Walk in Tub Buying Guide: Is a Kohler Walk-in Tub Worth it?

Is a Kohler walk-in tub the right tub for you?

User type: Do you have mobility issues? Are you planning to redesign your bathroom because you need a tub with assistance? As I noted earlier, the Kohler walk-in tub does a good job by adding sturdy grab handles and non-slip textures all over. However, this tub cannot accommodate wheelchairs, so please take note.
Cleaning: What kinds of cleaning function do you want your tub? The Kohl walk-in tubs only have fast draining capability, but no advanced cleaning function. If this is enough, then you’d be please to know that Kohler tubs drain its water 4x faster than the competition tubs.
Spa-features: Are you looking for a tub with all the spa features you could possibly find in walk-in tubs? The Kohl walk-in tubs only have water jets and bubble massage on certain parts of the tub. If you’re interested in other technologies for soothing muscle joint or other aches and pains, then you might need to find another brand.
Safety features: What kind of controls do you need? Do you want easy-to-access towel bars near you? Additional grab bars? Benches that never gets slippery? Kohler walk-in tubs have slip-resistant floors and seats, but not enough grab bars.
Design and Accessibility: My biggest problem with Kohler’s walk-in tubs isn’t about the design. I’m actually impressed by the color combinations, patterns and themes Kohler made available for customization. What bothers me is that these tubs have no outward-opening doors because it wasn’t designed to provide access to people in wheelchairs. The redeeming feature is that Kohler made the seats extra-wide.

If you have a heart condition, ask your doctor about switching to a walk-in tub first. This is extremely important since the water in tubs like these fill up vertically, you’ll feel pressure on your chest as the water goes up. Normally, this pressure shouldn’t be a problem and may just be a little inconvenient. But if you have breathing difficulties like asthma, or have a serious heart condition, the pressure can be painful.

Make sure to weigh these considerations before investing in the Kohler walk-in tub. After all, the company does give you a year to think about the quotation before actually signing the dotted line.

Kohler Walk-in Tubs: Verdict

If you’re looking for a walk-in tub from a reputable company, make sure to check if Kohler’s offering would fit your needs first.

If it does, I’m absolutely sure you won’t regret going with Kohler. Just make sure the installation comes from the company as well.

The Kohler walk-in tubs are some of the fanciest-looking walk-in tubs around. Instead of the stuffy-looking, square-shaped tub that is common in modern walk-in tubs, Kohler have made a distinct change with its design options, greatly toning down the sharp edges with patterns, colors and textures the customers choose themselves.