Hot Spring Spas with Hydromassage Rotary Jets Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada jointly recalled Hydromassage Rotary Jets sold in Hot Spring Highlife Collection spas on February 12, 2026. Watkins Wellness issued the recall, numbered 26-268, after a report of a hair-entanglement hazard.

The recalled jets can create a suction force strong enough to entangle a user’s hair and submerge their head underwater. Eight Highlife Collection models from model years 2023 through 2025 are affected, along with jets sold separately as replacement parts.

About 32,900 units were sold in the United States, plus additional units in Canada. Owners should stop using the recalled jets and check their serial number. The recall remains open.

Latest Hot Spring Spas with Hydromassage Rotary Jets Recall Updates

August 12, 2026: Court Stays the Watkins Wellness Class Action

A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California granted a joint motion to stay Strong v. Watkins Wellness LLC et al., No. 3:26-cv-01896-BTM-SBC, pending a final settlement [1].

Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz signed the order on August 12, 2026. The stay pauses the litigation while the parties finalize a settlement, and no settlement terms or dollar figures have been made public.

March 25, 2026: Proposed Class Action Filed Against Watkins Wellness

Anthony Strong, a California spa owner, filed a proposed class action on March 25, 2026. He sued Watkins Wellness LLC and Watkins Manufacturing Corporation in the same case the court later stayed.

The complaint alleges the recalled jets were defective. It also says the recall made owners install their own replacement parts instead of a company repair. Court records list the case as a fraud claim filed under diversity jurisdiction.

February 12, 2026: CPSC and Health Canada Announce Recall No. 26-268

Recall No. 26-268 covered the Hydromassage Rotary Jets in Hot Spring’s Highlife spas, affecting about 32,900 units in the United States. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall jointly with Health Canada.

Health Canada counted about 853 affected spas, and both agencies warned the jets could trap a swimmer’s hair and pull them below the surface [2]. The firm logged one hair-entanglement incident and no injuries in either country.

Which Hot Spring Spas with Hydromassage Rotary Jets Are Affected?

The recall covers two categories of Hot Spring hydromassage rotary jet products, listed below by model name or use:

• Highlife Collection spas, model years 2023 through 2025: Grandee, Envoy, Vanguard, Aria, Prodigy, Sovereign, Jetsetter and Jetsetter LX
• Standalone replacement jet inserts sold for these spas, identified the same way by serial number

Owners can confirm whether their spa is included by locating the serial number stamped on the spa’s base pan, described in the recall notice above.

Dealers nationwide carried the affected spas and jets from October 2022 through September 2025, so a spa or a replacement jet bought in that window may be covered.

Why Were Hot Spring Spas with Hydromassage Rotary Jets Recalled?

Hot Spring Spas with Hydromassage Rotary Jets were recalled because the six-fin jets create enough pull to catch loose hair. That pull can hold a user’s head below the waterline, an entanglement and drowning hazard.

Before the recall, the firm logged a single case of a bather’s hair catching in the jet, though no injury resulted from that incident.

Watkins Wellness and Watkins Manufacturing Corporation, the jets’ importer, voluntarily recalled the jets in coordination with the CPSC and Health Canada, announced February 12, 2026.

A related class action filed against the companies alleges the jet defect existed in the products from the time they were manufactured and sold.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

The CPSC recall notice lists one U.S. report of a consumer’s hair becoming entangled in the recalled jets. No injuries were reported as of the notice’s publication date.

Health Canada reports no incidents or injuries in Canada as of February 10, 2026, two days before the joint notice was announced. Reports received by the firm or the agencies are not proof that a product caused every incident.

No deaths have been reported in connection with the recalled jets. The CPSC and Health Canada continue to accept incident reports from consumers who experience a problem with the recalled hydromassage rotary jets.

What Should Consumers Do?

Owners of a Hot Spring Highlife Collection spa affected by the recall should take the following steps to stay safe and get a free repair:

1. Stop using the recalled hydromassage rotary jets immediately, or turn them off if the spa remains in use.
2. Check your spa’s serial number on the right side of the base pan to confirm it is included in the recall.
3. Visit hotspring.com/recalls or call Watkins Wellness to request a free replacement jet insert [3].
4. Install the replacement jets using the company’s video instructions – no draining or power shutdown is required.
5. Contact Watkins Wellness at 888-450-5748, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, or email jetrecall@watkinsmfg.com. Report an incident to the CPSC through SaferProducts.gov or at 800-638-2772.

Legal Options

A proposed class action against Watkins Wellness, described above under Latest Updates, was filed March 25, 2026 in the same court, alleging the recalled jets were defective. The complaint also alleges the recall pushed repair costs onto owners.

The court stayed the case on August 12, 2026, and the settlement terms remain undisclosed while the parties continue negotiating.

The recall itself provided no monetary compensation, only free replacement jets. A recall does not automatically establish liability or eligibility for compensation, and no MDL has formed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Know If My Hot Spring Spa Has the Recalled Jets?

You can tell whether your Hot Spring spa has the recalled jets by checking the serial number on the base pan. Look for a D or E, then a production-quarter code such as 123 or 425.

Can I Get Compensation for the Hot Spring Spa Jet Recall?

Getting compensation from the Hot Spring spa jet recall depends on the pending class action, which meets Class Action Fairness Act jurisdiction requirements based on the proposed class size and damages alleged in the complaint. See the case review above for next steps.

Who Manufactures the Recalled Hydromassage Jets?

The recalled hydromassage rotary jets are manufactured in China, according to the CPSC recall notice. Watkins Manufacturing Corporation, based in Vista, California, imports them for Hot Spring’s Highlife Collection spas, made by Watkins Wellness.

Who Does the Watkins Wellness Class Action Cover?

The proposed class action covers Hot Spring Highlife Collection spa owners who bought a spa for personal use, not resale. The complaint alleges a putative class of 100 or more members and an amount in controversy exceeding $5,000,000.

What Happens Now That the Watkins Wellness Case Is Stayed?

Now that the Watkins Wellness case is stayed, the parties are negotiating a settlement. The complaint seeks class certification under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 23(a), 23(b)(2), 23(b)(3), and 23(c)(4), and the recall’s free jet-replacement remedy continues regardless of the lawsuit’s status.

Where Can Consumers Report a Problem with the Recalled Jets?

Canadian owners can report a problem with the recalled jets to Health Canada using its Consumer Product Incident Report Form. U.S. consumers can reach Watkins Wellness at 888-450-5748 or report to the CPSC through SaferProducts.gov.

References

1. https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-casd-3_26-cv-01896
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