Buying a Bathtub Without Getting Soaked

Material mindset
Bathtubs come in all shapes, sizes and all manner of materials, such as metal, porcelain, acrylic, glass, cast iron and even stone or wood. For sheer beauty, it's hard to beat copper, but the Robert Kuo Wavelet copper tub also is double-walled to help retain heat. Go au naturel and bathe in a boulder with a granite bathtub from Stone Forest. An old-fashioned clawfoot or freestanding tub doesn't have to be made of cast iron — Victoria + Albert tubs, such as the Marlborough, are cast from a patented solid surface composite.

Size matters
Decide how big your bathtub should be, big enough for you (and for anyone else who may use it). but not so big that you waste water when you fill it. And do you want to bathe alone or with company? Also, if you're going to be bathing little ones in the tub, consider your back and avoid getting the largest model available.

Speaking of tub users, if there is an elderly person in the household, look for tubs that are ADA compliant. They have nonslip bottoms and grab rails, are larger than usual, are accessible from three sides and sometimes have a door so they can be entered without having to high step into them.