Roundup
The Best Hot Tub Cover Lifters
The most common problem with a cover lifter is not that it fails. It is that it physically cannot open in the space available.
By Scooter M. · Published · How we pick
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The short answer
Top pick
Leisure Concepts CoverMate Easy
The version for tubs closer to a wall or a fence than the standard lifter allows.
Quick picks
Tap a row to jump to the full write-up. Prices come from the live price layer, never from memory.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No imageLeisure Concepts CoverMate EasyThe version for tubs closer to a wall or a fence than the standard lifter allows. | Low rear clearance | 8.1out of 10 | Check price on Amazon →#ad how this is funded |
| 2 | No imageCover Valet cover lifterLifts and pivots rather than sliding back, so it needs less room behind the tub. | Tight side clearance | 8.0out of 10 | Check price on Amazon →#ad how this is funded |
| 3 | No imageLeisure Concepts CoverMate IThe default bar-style lifter. Widely fitted, widely supported, parts easy to get. | The standard install | 8.0out of 10 | Check price on Amazon →#ad how this is funded |
| 4 | No imageLeisure Concepts CoverMate IIIHydraulic assistance, which matters most on the covers that are hardest to lift. | Heavy covers | 8.0out of 10 | Check price on Amazon →#ad how this is funded |
| 5 | No imageBudget bar-style cover lifterDoes the job on a light cover. Hardware quality is where the savings come from. | Trying the idea cheaply | 7.1out of 10 | Check price on Amazon →#ad how this is funded |
Scores are our own, from the published scoring method on how we pick. They are an editorial judgment of published specifications, not a test result, and they are deliberately kept out of the page’s structured data.
Before anything else: measure your clearances. All four sides, plus the height available above the tub rim. The most common return in this category is not a faulty lifter, it is a lifter that cannot open where it was installed, and no amount of product research substitutes for a tape measure.
The four measurements to take
- Behind the tub — from the cabinet to the nearest wall, fence or obstruction. This is the number most lifters are specified against.
- Each side — some designs mount on a side rather than the back.
- Above the rim — for anything overhanging, such as a pergola or a low roof.
- Your cover — length, width and folded thickness. A thick, well-insulated cover folds bulkier than a thin one.
Then check those against the manufacturer’s stated clearance for the specific model. Low-clearance designs exist precisely because the standard ones need more room than a lot of installations have.
What a lifter is actually worth
People describe cover lifters as life-changing, which sounds absurd until you have wrestled a wet foam cover off a tub in the dark in February. A cover that gets heavier every year turns a casual soak into a chore, and the number of times a tub gets used drops accordingly.
There is a second benefit that is less obvious: a lifter stops the cover being dragged across the ground and propped against a fence, which is how covers get scuffed, torn and left in standing water. A lifter is partly a cover-preservation device.
The types, and who each suits
| Type | Clearance needed | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar-style (standard) | Moderate behind the tub | Open installations | Needs the most rear space |
| Low-clearance | Least | Tubs close to a wall or fence | Folds the cover more tightly; check folded height |
| Pivoting | Less to the side | Awkward corners | Needs room on the pivot side |
| Hydraulic-assisted | Moderate | Heavy or ageing covers | More install work; more to go wrong |
| Undermount | Varies by design | Tubs with no cabinet to bracket to | Load path depends on the tub base |
Installation is where the cheap ones show
Most lifters bracket to the cabinet, which means drilling into it. Read the template instructions before committing, because bracket height decides whether the cover clears the rim on its way over. Getting that wrong means a second set of holes in the cabinet.
The hardware is where budget models save money. Thin brackets and short screws into a thin cabinet panel are the usual failure point, and both are fixable with better fasteners from a hardware store. If you buy the cheap option, plan on upgrading the screws.
If your cover is too heavy for a lifter
Consider that the weight itself is the symptom. Cover weight is not static: a waterlogged foam core gains weight steadily, and a cover heavy enough to need hydraulic assistance is often a cover approaching the end of its life. A lifter will make it manageable; it will not stop it costing you money in heat loss.
Work through replace or repair a waterlogged cover before spending on a hydraulic lifter for a cover that needs replacing anyway. Sometimes the right sequence is a new cover first, then a standard lifter.
What to do after it is fitted
Keep the cover conditioned, because a lifter does not stop UV, and keep the fold line in mind: a lifter folds the cover at the hinge every time, which is exactly where the vinyl cracks first. Conditioning the fold is worth doing specifically, and the products are on the cover care roundup.
Every pick, in full
The picks in detail
Specifications below are the manufacturer’s own published figures, attributed as such. We have not tested these units and the scores are an editorial judgment of published data against the published method, not a test result.
#1 · Best for low rear clearance
Leisure Concepts CoverMate Easy
Leisure Concepts · scored 8.1/10
The version for tubs closer to a wall or a fence than the standard lifter allows.
Clearance is the whole reason this variant exists. If a tape measure says you have less room behind the tub than the standard lifter wants, this is the model to look at rather than assuming any lifter will do.
The cover still has to go somewhere. Low-clearance designs fold the cover more tightly rather than making it disappear, so check the folded height too.
What the maker states
- Type
- Low-clearance lifter
- Mounting
- Cabinet brackets
- Clearance needed
- Less than the standard model, per the maker
- Fits
- Check against your tub dimensions
How it scored
- Effort saved
- 8.5
- Clearance required
- 9.0
- Build quality
- 8.5
- Installation
- 7.5
- Value
- 7.0
Skip this one if: you have plenty of space behind the tub, in which case the standard model costs less.
#2 · Best for tight side clearance
Cover Valet cover lifter
Cover Valet · scored 8.0/10
Lifts and pivots rather than sliding back, so it needs less room behind the tub.
A cover lifter is the accessory people are most likely to call life-changing, and the reason is mundane: a wet foam cover is heavy and awkward, and a two-person job becomes a one-person one.
Measure your clearances before ordering, on every side. The most common return in this category is not a faulty lifter, it is a lifter that physically cannot open in the space available.
What the maker states
- Type
- Pivoting lifter
- Mounting
- Bracket to the cabinet, per the instructions
- Clearance needed
- Behind the tub, per the maker
- Fits
- Most square and rectangular tubs, check the spec
How it scored
- Effort saved
- 9.0
- Clearance required
- 8.5
- Build quality
- 8.0
- Installation
- 7.0
- Value
- 7.0
Skip this one if: your tub is against a wall on the mounting side. Every lifter needs clearance somewhere; check which side before you buy.
#3 · Best for the standard install
Leisure Concepts CoverMate I
Leisure Concepts · scored 8.0/10
The default bar-style lifter. Widely fitted, widely supported, parts easy to get.
If a lifter came fitted to your tub from the dealer, there is a decent chance it is this or a close relative. That ubiquity is a real advantage when a strap or a bracket eventually needs replacing.
Installation involves drilling the cabinet. Read the template instructions before committing, because bracket height determines whether the cover clears the rim on the way over.
What the maker states
- Type
- Bar-style lifter
- Mounting
- Cabinet brackets
- Clearance needed
- Behind the tub, per the maker
- Spares
- Widely available
How it scored
- Effort saved
- 8.5
- Clearance required
- 7.0
- Build quality
- 8.5
- Installation
- 7.5
- Value
- 7.5
Skip this one if: you have under about a foot of clearance behind the tub.
#4 · Best for heavy covers
Leisure Concepts CoverMate III
Leisure Concepts · scored 8.0/10
Hydraulic assistance, which matters most on the covers that are hardest to lift.
Cover weight is not static. A cover that was manageable when new gets heavier every year as the foam takes on moisture, and hydraulic assist is what keeps an ageing cover usable single-handed.
It is worth being honest that a cover heavy enough to need hydraulics is often a cover approaching replacement. Weigh the assist against the cost of fixing the actual problem.
What the maker states
- Type
- Hydraulic-assisted lifter
- Mounting
- Cabinet brackets
- Assist
- Gas strut, per the maker
- Fits
- Check against your tub dimensions
How it scored
- Effort saved
- 9.5
- Clearance required
- 7.5
- Build quality
- 8.5
- Installation
- 6.5
- Value
- 6.5
Skip this one if: your cover is light and new. Hydraulics are a solution to weight, and a dry cover on a small tub does not have a weight problem yet.
#5 · Best for trying the idea cheaply
Budget bar-style cover lifter
Generic · scored 7.1/10
Does the job on a light cover. Hardware quality is where the savings come from.
If you are not sure a lifter will change your life, a cheap one answers that question for a fraction of the price. Plenty of owners find out it does and upgrade later with no regrets about the first purchase.
Inspect the mounting hardware when it arrives. Thin brackets and short screws into a thin cabinet panel are the failure point, and both are fixable with better fasteners from a hardware store.
What the maker states
- Type
- Bar-style lifter
- Mounting
- Cabinet brackets
- Hardware
- Varies widely by seller
- Fits
- Marketed as universal, verify dimensions
How it scored
- Effort saved
- 7.5
- Clearance required
- 7.0
- Build quality
- 5.5
- Installation
- 6.5
- Value
- 9.0
Skip this one if: your cover is already waterlogged and heavy. Budget brackets and straps are the first things to give under real weight.
Questions people actually ask
Frequently asked questions
How much clearance does a hot tub cover lifter need?
It varies by design, which is why you measure first. Standard bar-style lifters need the most room behind the tub; low-clearance models exist specifically for installations that do not have it. Check the manufacturer's stated clearance for the exact model against your own measurements.
Are hot tub cover lifters worth it?
For most owners, yes. A wet foam cover is heavy and awkward, and a lifter turns a two-person job into a one-person one. It also stops the cover being dragged across the ground and propped against a fence, which is how covers get scuffed and torn.
Can you install a cover lifter yourself?
Usually yes. Most bracket to the cabinet with a drilling template. Read the instructions before drilling: bracket height determines whether the cover clears the rim on its way over, and getting it wrong means a second set of holes.
Do I need a hydraulic cover lifter?
Only if the cover is heavy. And a cover heavy enough to need hydraulic assistance is often a cover approaching replacement, because foam gains weight as it takes on water. Check whether you have a lifter problem or a cover problem before spending on the more expensive option.
Where the numbers come from
Sources
Read next
Related on Float & Filter
- Replace or repair a waterlogged cover
Check whether the weight is the real problem first.
- The best cover conditioners and cleaners
A lifter folds the cover at the same line every time. Condition it.
- The best hot tub covers
Including where a real replacement is actually sold.
- The hot tub maintenance schedule
Where cover conditioning sits in the quarterly routine.