Clawfoot Tub Buying Guide: Acrylic vs. Copper, What the Price Actually Buys You

Search "clawfoot tub" and you'll find prices anywhere from $974 to $3,995 — a 4x spread that looks confusing until you realize it's not really about size or brand prestige. It's about what the tub is actually made of.

Acrylic Clawfoot Tubs: $974

Anzzi's Clawfoot Series is marine-grade acrylic with polished chrome feet — 67" x 30", white finish, center drain. Acrylic is lightweight (easier install, less structural reinforcement needed under the floor), non-porous, and far more budget-friendly. It's the practical choice if you want the classic clawfoot silhouette without the cost or weight of metal.

Copper Clawfoot Tubs: $2,395–$3,995

Magnus's clawfoot line is hand-hammered or smooth copper, in single-slipper, double-slipper, and double roll-top styles, 48"–73" long. The interior is typically nickel-plated or polished copper. Real price drivers within the copper line itself:

• Size — a 48" model (Alsta, $2,495) costs meaningfully less than a 72"+ extra-wide model (Forhaster Extra Wide, $3,995)
• Hammered vs. smooth finish — hammered-texture copper (Joyce, Kenlee, Fairfield) generally runs close to or above smooth-finish copper at the same size, since the hand-hammering is more labor-intensive
• Single vs. double slipper — double-slipper (raised backrest at both ends) tubs are built for two-person soaking and cost more than single-slipper at a comparable length

There's also a genuine outlier worth knowing about: the Wexford Baby (32", $599) is a real hammered-copper clawfoot tub at a fraction of the price of every other copper model — because it's a compact/accent-size tub, not a full soaking tub. Don't assume it's a mispriced version of the bigger tubs; it's a legitimately smaller product.

Stainless Steel: The Middle Ground

Magnus also offers two extra-wide (72" x 40") clawfoot tubs in stainless steel ($2,795–$2,995) — smooth polished or matte finish. Stainless splits the difference: lighter than copper, more durable and higher-end looking than acrylic, priced close to the smaller copper models.

Browse the full lineup in our Clawfoot Tubs collection, or see all acrylic freestanding tubs if budget is the priority.

Weighing a clawfoot tub against other freestanding styles? See our acrylic vs. stone resin vs. clawfoot comparison, or browse the full Magnus copper pedestal tub lineup if you want more hammered-copper options.