Mira’s Take#
The Bubble Mate is the foot spa you buy when you want to sit on the couch after a long shift and soak your feet in bubbling water without spending much. It is a plastic tub with a toe-touch power button, raised massage nodes, a splash guard and a removable pumice stone. It is also the listing’s #1 Best Seller in Foot Baths and Spas, with close to 40,000 ratings.
The thing to know before buying: despite “with Heat” in Homedics’ product name, it does not heat cold water. You fill it with warm water, and the heat feature, as owners describe it, only helps keep that water warm for a while. Owners are happy with it when they know that going in.
How this page was put together: specs come from the Homedics FB-55 manual and product page and the Amazon listing, checked on October 7, 2026, when the listing showed 4.3 out of 5 from 39,993 ratings. Owner reports come from the written US reviews visible on the listing that day, plus one independent blog review. I flag what recurs and what comes from one owner.
Specs at a Glance#
- Model: FB-55
- Power: 120 V household outlet
- Size and weight: 15.38 x 14 x 6.85 in, 3.7 lb (Amazon listing)
- Material: plastic
- Controls: one power button, pressed with a toe, turns on bubbles and heat together
- Extras: raised massage nodes, splash guard, removable pumice stone
- Water capacity: not published; the tub has a fill line
- Warranty: two-year limited per the manual, one year per the Amazon listing
What “Heat” Means Here#
Two lines in the manual have to be read together. Step 4 says to press the power button once to turn on “bubbles and heat.” A note above it says the footbath “will not heat cold water” and tells you to fill it with warm water. Homedics doesn’t give a figure for how much the heat works or for how long.
The independent blogger I found says it has no heating element. That is their statement, not a teardown, and the manual only establishes that cold water won’t be heated. In practice, treat it as a bubbling tub that slows cooling at best.
What Owners Report#
Warmth (the biggest split). Owners differ on how long the water stays warm:
- One filling with warm, nearly hot water says it stays warm 10 to 15 minutes.
- Another, who pours in boiled water plus cold, says it holds heat for almost the whole 30-minute soak.
- A third says 20 to 30 minutes.
- One owner who started with very hot sink water timed it and says it was cold within 15 minutes.
- An independent blogger who says they bought it and used it several times puts warmth at 15 to 20 minutes.
Their water temperatures differ, so I wouldn’t read these as contradictions: warmth fades within a soak. Homedics’ manual says to fill it with warm water, so start with warm water and expect it to cool.
Noise (recurring). Three owners mention it, in the words “a tad noisy,” “pretty noisy” and “a little loud when trying to watch TV.” One treated it as white noise, and another found a rug or towel underneath helped.
Bubbles and massage (mixed). One owner called the bubbles exceptional, another said they could hear them but not feel them against their feet. The nodes get a lukewarm response too: one owner called the nubs “basically useless,” and another said the massage is gentle rather than intense.
Easy to use (isolated). An owner who likes the toe-touch control says it means not bending down to turn it on, and that the spa is light enough to move and store.
Fit for big feet (isolated). One owner says it fit their father’s size 13 D foot with no trouble, and the blogger says a size 11 fits with room to spare.
Mess (isolated). One owner says water can spill over the thin lip at the back while rubbing feet on the nodes, and recommends a water-resistant rug. Another says covering the bubble holes makes a mess, and that adding soap reduced the bubbles and meant extra cleaning.
Who It’s For#
- Anyone who wants a cheap, simple evening soak after a day on their feet.
- People happy to fill it with warm water themselves.
- Anyone with larger feet, since several owners say it fits.
Who Should Skip It#
- Anyone who wants a spa that heats water to a set temperature. This one doesn’t.
- Anyone sharing a small space who is sensitive to noise.
- Anyone who wants strong jets or a rolling massage. Owners describe gentle bubbles and plain nodes.
Vs a Plain Basin#
If all you need is a tub for warm water, the AWA Extra Large Foot Bath Basin does that with no plug and no noise, though it has no bubbles at all. Pair either with insoles like the CRUVHEAL Work Orthotic for the working day itself.
Mira’s Verdict#
The Bubble Mate does a modest job well: it gives you bubbling warm water for a short soak at a low price. It won’t heat the water, the warmth fades in about 10 to 30 minutes by owners’ accounts, and it’s not quiet. If you go in knowing that, most owners seem pleased. If you want true heating or strong massage, this is the wrong tub.
// Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Homedics Bubble Mate heat the water?
Not from cold. The manual says the footbath will not heat cold water and tells you to fill it with warm water, even though the same page says the power button turns on bubbles and heat. Owners describe it as keeping warm water warm for a short while.
How long does the Homedics Bubble Mate keep water warm?
Owner reports range from about 10 to 15 minutes up to 20 to 30 minutes, and one owner who timed it says very hot water was cold in 15 minutes. These are owners' impressions, not a temperature test.
Is the Homedics Bubble Mate loud?
Owners call it noisy, from a tad to pretty noisy. One said a towel or rug under it muffled the sound.
What is the warranty on the Homedics Bubble Mate?
The FB-55 manual says two-year limited, while the Amazon listing says one year. I could not reconcile the two, so check with Homedics if it matters.
Related Reviews
- AWA Extra Large Foot Bath Basin Review: A Plain Soaking Tub for Big Feet
A big, plain plastic tub with 7-inch walls and a dotted base. No motor, no heat and no bubbles; Amazon owners praise the room for large feet, the sturdy build and easy cleaning. The evidence is thin, with only eight written reviews, all positive.
- CRUVHEAL Work Orthotic Insoles Review: Medium-Arch Work Insoles, What Owners Report
A medium-arch, trim-to-fit work insole with a deep heel cup. Owners on hard floors and in boots mostly call it comfortable; the complaints are a noticeable seam, a replacement interval of a few months, and a break-in week.
- Ergodriven Topo Standing Desk Mat Review
The Ergodriven Topo is not a soft kitchen mat rebranded for desks. It is a contoured terrain mat that makes you move without thinking about it — and buyer feedback after 5,900+ reviews says it works.
