Acrylic, Stone, or Cast Iron: Which Bathtub is Better?

Acrylic, steel, cast iron, artificial stone — all these materials have their own characteristics. Let's find out which bathtub to choose.

Acrylic

Advantages: low price, light weight, variety of designs. You can find a model in almost any shape and color. If you need to fit a bathtub into an awkward corner of an unusual shape, look for an acrylic one.

Disadvantages: fragility. A heavy object dropped into the bathtub may crack it completely. Acrylic bathtubs do not retain heat well — water in them cools down twice as fast as in cast iron ones. Special cleaning products are needed for maintenance.

Design: Antonina Sinchugova
Steel

Advantages: low price, durability (a steel bathtub can last 10–15 years).

Disadvantages: loud noise when filling with water. Have you heard how rain taps on a metal roof? Cheap models often have fragile enamel. Also, steel does not retain heat well — water in a steel bathtub will cool down quickly.

Design: Alirezа Nemati
Cast Iron

Advantages: attractive appearance, durability, longevity. Cast iron bathtubs are designed for 25 years, but can last even half a century. They retain heat well, and the sound of flowing water is not noticeable.

Disadvantages: they are heavy. Large weight complicates delivery and installation. More conservative in design — you have to adapt to them.

Design: Nadezhda Zотовa
Stone

Advantages: long service life (bathtubs made from artificial stone are nearly eternal), decorativeness (any imagination can be realized using this beautiful and pliable material). Low thermal conductivity (retains water temperature well).

Disadvantages: high cost, complexity of repair, sensitivity of the material (does not tolerate abrasive cleaning and coloring agents, including hair dye).

Design: Marina Zhukova

On the cover: design project by Nika Vorotyntseva.