Guide

Hiring vs Buying a Sunbed: Which Is Cheaper?

Thinking about buying a home sunbed? Before you spend £1,500–£4,000+ on one, it's worth doing the maths. For most people who tan a few months a year — weddings, holidays, summer top-ups — hiring works out cheaper, easier and far more flexible than buying. Here's the honest comparison.

The quick answer

Buy only if you'll use a sunbed consistently year-round for 3+ years and have a permanent space for it. Hire if you want a tan for a specific event, a few months a year, or want to try it before committing. Most people are better off hiring.

The real cost of buying a sunbed

The price tag isn't the whole story. A home sunbed has ongoing costs that catch people out:

• Tubes wear out. UV tubes need replacing every 500–800 hours of use. A full set is £100–£800 depending on the bed.
• Repairs add up. Starters, capacitors, acrylics and timers all fail eventually — usually out of warranty.
• It takes up a room. A lie-down is 7ft × 4ft. Once it's in, the room is the sunbed room.
• Resale is painful. Used sunbeds sell for a fraction of cost — and you have to find a buyer and arrange collection.
• Compliance. Beds sold privately aren't always 0.3 EU-compliant, which matters for your skin and any insurance.

Why hiring usually wins

• No upfront hit. A 4-week lie-down hire is £175 vs £1,500+ to buy.
• Everything's included — delivery, install, fresh tubes, and collection.
• Always a good bed. We service and re-tube every hire so the bed you get performs like new.
• 0.3 EU-compliant commercial-grade beds — the safe legal standard.
• Flexible. Hire for a wedding, holiday or summer block — then get your room back.
• Try before you buy. If you're seriously considering buying, hire first to see how often you'd actually use one.

When buying does make sense

Buying can stack up if you tan year-round, have a dedicated room, and plan to keep the bed for 3+ years. Even then, factor in tube replacements every 12–18 months and the time you'll spend sorting repairs. For occasional or seasonal tanners — which is most people — the maths almost always favours hiring.

A simple worked example

Say you want a tan ready for a holiday in 6 weeks. Buying: ~£1,800 for a decent home lie-down + £150 delivery + your time finding and re-selling it after. Hiring: £260 for 6 weeks, delivered and installed, collected when you're done. Same tan, £1,650+ saved.

Our recommendation

For 9 out of 10 people, hire wins. You get the same salon-quality tan without the upfront cost, maintenance or commitment. If after a couple of hires you genuinely want one permanently, you'll know exactly what to buy. Give us a ring on 07940 988851 and we'll help you pick the right bed for your space.