Highlife Spa Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

Watkins Manufacturing Corp. recalled its Highlife Collection spas after the Hydromassage Rotary Jet inside them showed an entanglement and drowning hazard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the recall February 12, 2026, covering about 32,900 spas nationwide. The recall affects eight spa models built with a six-fin Hydromassage Rotary Jet, sold between October 2022 and September 2025. The jet’s suction can trap a bather’s hair and pull it under the water, the agency said. The recall remains open. Watkins Wellness is providing a free jet-insert replacement at no cost. Owners should stop using the jets, check their spa’s serial number, and contact the company for a repair kit.

Latest Highlife Spas Recall Updates

March 25, 2026: Class Action Filed over Recall Remedy

California resident Anthony Strong filed a proposed class action against Watkins Wellness and Watkins Manufacturing Corp. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, Case No. 3:26-cv-01896-BTM-SBC. The complaint claims the recall’s self-install jet-replacement remedy breaches express and implied warranties. It also claims the remedy violates California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act and Unfair Competition Law. No settlement or trial date has been set.

February 12, 2026: CPSC Announces Recall No. 26-268

The CPSC announced Recall No. 26-268 for the Hydromassage Rotary Jet in Highlife Collection spas [1]. The recall covers about 32,900 spas sold nationwide, citing entanglement and drowning hazards. Watkins Wellness is offering free replacement jet inserts to affected owners, with company instructions and an installation video. One hair-entanglement report was logged, and no injuries have been reported to date.

February 12, 2026: Health Canada Issues a Parallel Recall

Health Canada published a parallel recall the same day as the CPSC’s action, covering Highlife Collection spas sold in Canada with the same recalled jet [2]. The Canadian notice matches the CPSC’s hazard description and offers the same free replacement-jet remedy Watkins Wellness provides in the United States. Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions below has the full unit count for Canada.

Which Highlife Spas Are Affected?

The recall covers eight named Highlife Collection spa models, plus the Hydromassage Rotary Jet sold on its own as a replacement part. All are built with the same recalled 6-fin jet:

• Highlife Collection spas: Grandee, Envoy, Vanguard, Aria, Prodigy, Sovereign, Jetsetter, and Jetsetter LX (model years 2023-2025)
• Hydromassage rotary jets sold as standalone replacement parts, separate from the spas

Spas were sold through independent pool and spa dealers nationwide from October 2022 through September 2025, priced between $16,000 and $24,000. The replacement jets alone sold for $18 to $35. About 32,900 units were sold in the United States, and roughly 2,606 more were sold in Canada.

Why Were the Highlife Spas Recalled?

The Highlife Spas were recalled because the Hydromassage Rotary Jet’s suction can pull a user’s hair and head underwater. The CPSC said this creates an entanglement and drowning hazard. The six-fin jet design produced enough pull to trap hair against the jet opening. Watkins Manufacturing Corp. recalled the jet under CPSC Recall No. 26-268. The hazard applies specifically to the six-fin Hydromassage Rotary Jet installed in the eight named Highlife Collection models. Other jet types on the company’s other spas are not part of this recall. No contamination, chemical exposure, or labeling problem is involved. The cause is mechanical. The jet’s suction design is responsible, separate from the spa’s water system and other components.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

The CPSC has received one report connected to Recall No. 26-268: a Highlife Spa owner’s hair became entangled in the recalled jet, the notice states. No injuries were reported in that incident. One entanglement report does not prove the jet caused an injury. Owners who believe the recalled jet caused an injury or a close call can contact Watkins Wellness. Call 888-450-5748, email jetrecall@watkinsmfg.com, or report the incident to the CPSC directly. Health Canada’s notice states that, as of February 10, 2026, the company had received no incident or injury reports in Canada connected to this recall. Owners who have not checked their spa can confirm coverage through the recall notice.

What Should Consumers Do?

Highlife Spa owners can take the following steps to address the recall:

1. Stop using the spa’s Hydromassage Rotary Jet immediately, even if you are not sure it is one of the recalled models.
2. Check your spa’s serial number at hotspring.com/recalls to confirm whether it has the recalled six-fin jet installed [3].
3. Contact Watkins Wellness at 888-450-5748, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, or email jetrecall@watkinsmfg.com to request a free replacement jet insert.
4. Follow the company’s written instructions and installation video to turn off the jet and install the replacement insert yourself, without draining the spa.
5. Report any hair entanglement or other problem involving the recalled jet directly to the CPSC in addition to notifying Watkins Wellness.

Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions

Health Canada issued a parallel recall for the same jet on February 12, 2026. It covered about 2,606 units sold in Canada: 853 spas and 1,753 replacement jets. No recall has been reported in any other country.

Legal Options

A proposed class action, Strong v. Watkins Wellness LLC and Watkins Manufacturing Corp., was filed March 25, 2026 in federal court in California. It alleges the recall’s self-install remedy breaches warranty law. A recall does not automatically establish liability or eligibility for compensation. Read more on the related hydromassage jet lawsuit page.

Filing Deadlines

Deadlines for filing a product-liability or warranty claim over the Highlife Spa recall are set by state law. Schmidt & Clark and Watkins Wellness do not set these deadlines. How much time a reader has can depend on where they live and when they discovered the defect, the injury, or the recall itself. Missing an applicable deadline can end a claim, even one supported by strong evidence, so anyone considering a claim should speak with a lawyer promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Highlife Spa Recall Still Active?

Yes, the Highlife Spa recall remains active as of September 28, 2026. CPSC has not announced that Recall No. 26-268 has ended, and the recall covers about 32,900 Highlife Collection spas sold in the US.

Why Do Some Sources Give a Different Filing Date for the Highlife Spa Lawsuit?

Some sources give a different filing date for the Highlife Spa lawsuit because the complaint itself states February 25, 2026 in one paragraph. The court’s official filing stamp on every page of the docket shows March 25, 2026, the date this page uses.

Where in the Complaint Does the Incorrect Highlife Spa Lawsuit Date Appear?

The incorrect Highlife Spa lawsuit date appears in paragraph 141. That section of the complaint argues the case was filed promptly after the CPSC’s recall announcement. That paragraph addresses timeliness. The case’s actual court-stamped filing date is covered in the previous question.

Is There a Lawsuit Against Watkins over the Highlife Recall?

Yes, a proposed class action naming Watkins Wellness and Watkins Manufacturing Corp. remains pending as of September 28, 2026, over the Highlife Spa recall’s replacement-jet remedy. Filing it does not guarantee any owner will recover compensation, and eligibility depends on an individual case review.

Is There a Consolidated or Multidistrict Lawsuit over the Highlife Spa Recall?

There is no consolidated or multidistrict (MDL) lawsuit over the Highlife Spa recall. Only the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation can create an MDL. No petition or transfer order for this product has been reported.

Does the Highlife Spa Recall Cover Replacement Jets Sold Separately?

Yes, the Highlife Spa recall covers replacement jets sold separately, current as of September 28, 2026. The Hydromassage Rotary Jet is covered even when bought alone, not only when installed in a named spa model. Standalone buyers get the same free replacement insert as spa owners.

References

1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/Watkins-Manufacturing-Recalls-Hydromassage-Rotary-Jets-in-Highlife-Collection-Spas-Due-to-Entanglement-and-Drowning-Hazards
2. https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/hydromassage-rotary-jets-recalled-due-potential-entrapment-and-drowning-hazards
3. https://www.hotspring.com/recalls