Bootz

Bootz alcove bathtubs in white, 58" to 62" left to right.

Bootz builds porcelain-enameled steel tubs — a formed steel shell with fired porcelain over it. That puts them between acrylic and cast iron: harder and more scratch-resistant than acrylic, and a fraction of the weight of cast iron, which is why they are the standard choice in rental, multifamily and renovation work where one person has to carry the tub up a stairwell.

Drain hand is the specification to get right and the one that cannot be changed later. Stand at the open side of the alcove: a right-hand drain tub has the drain at your right. Order the wrong hand and the rough-in plumbing is on the wrong wall.

Steel conducts heat, so an enameled steel tub loses bath temperature faster than acrylic or cast iron. Under-tub insulation is worth specifying where that matters.

The finish is porcelain, so it chips rather than scratches — protect the surface during construction, since a chip exposes steel and rusts.