My favorite copper bathtub:

Copper bathtubs tend to be extremely expensive and heavy.  In general, they are very durable.  Copper has proven antibacterial properties which makes the tub cleaner, although in general high-gloss acrylic tubs are easy to clean and don’t harvest much bacteria because their surfaces are smooth.  There are no mass-production copper bathtubs with modern tub features such as jets, in-line heaters or chromotherapy.  Most copper tubs are freestanding bathtubs.  In general, they are very large and require a huge bathroom. 

Copper bathtubs can be found from both Mexico and China.  In general, most of the companies who sell copper bathtubs are small, newish companies that aren’t as well known as the major bathtub manufacturers (Kohler, Wasauna, Whirlpool, Jacuzzi, etc).  This means that you must be careful with the tub – these small companies are generally more concerned with making an immediate sale and less concerned with producing a high quality product.

One thing to be careful of is that the copper is made from a pure material – if possible, the copper should be at least 99% copper.  You’ll want the copper to be at least 12 gauge, so that you don’t have to worry about the tub changing shape with age.  Cheap copper is more likely to have excess lead or to get dark spots with age.  Copper tubs are usually hand hammered into shape, so they almost always have a custom feel to them.