‘Ever’? I cannot attest one way or the other. In modern times there is no trace of any.
Personally I could not imagine how any could be reasonably tested in a meaningful objective manner. Leaks and so on depend on the installation being done properly and the user religiously following directions. In addition to leaks and drips the acrylic or material each is made with, as with a spa tub, may crack prematurely or develop other imperfections over time, and just setting one up in a lab environment seems a challenging effort.
There is a topic on the Community about ‘free standing vs drop-in baths’ but sans ‘reviews’.
This is a new category for me and perhaps for others so here is a random Australian merchant’s web page.
https://dellarte.com.au/product-category/bathroom/baths/walkin-bath-tubs/
I suspect the market for them is fairly small and niche, and thus falls outside the ranges Choice tests that focus on mainstream (eg volume) products. From my observations looking at more recent downsize options our local trend seems to be removing baths in favour of showers regardless that the walk-in seems to have some good points, especially as we age.
