In some cases, purchasing a more expensive regulator can actually save you money, in the long term! A big factor in the total cost of ownership is maintenance. Purchasing a higher cost regulator can decrease maintenance costs and over the course of the regulator’s lifespan, the savings can be quite drastic. For example, when a regulator offers you a service interval of 3 years / 300 dives instead of another one that has a service interval of 1 year / 100 dives – whichever comes first. The table below lists the service interval requirements for some common regulator manufacturers (errors excepted).
Service interval | 1 year / 100 dives | 2 years / 200 dives | 3 years / 300 dives | Service required after 6 months of no use |
---|---|---|---|---|
Apeks | X | X | ||
Aqualung | X | X | ||
Atomic | 2 years / 300 dives | T3 only | ||
Cressi | X | X | ||
Halcyon | X | |||
Hollis | Annual | X | ||
Mares | X | |||
Poseidon | >50 dives per year | <50 dives per year | ||
Scubaforce | X | |||
Scubapro | X | X |
When purchasing a diving regulator, it is important to also consider how the material will age. For example, coated materials like chrome-plated brass, while cheaper initially, once scratched or chipped, the coating will begin to flake off.
This issue is exacerbated with the use of ultrasonic cleaners which are a part of regular maintenance. This issue cannot only lead to additional repair costs, but also shorten the lifespan of the regulator overall. As such, it may be worth purchasing a more expensive regulator to circumvent this issue all together. Diving regulators made of materials like stainless steel or titanium are considerably more expensive but do not require a coating and are much more corrosion resistant than chrome-plated brass. They are also lighter since the material itself is mechanically stronger.

The table below is intended to give you an idea of how much maintenance will cost. The prices depend on the manufacturer of your regulator and the going rates of the sercice center. The stated prices are current as of February 2024. The maintenance of a submersible pressure gauge will usually cost 5 EUR extra. Please only consider them as an indication and double check with the service center that you want to use.
Items to be maintained | Price low (EUR) | Price high (EUR) |
---|---|---|
First stage only | 49 | 79 |
First and second stage | 90 | 120 |
First stage, second stage, and safe second | 135 | 165 |
Two first and two second stages | 170 | 200 |
Once you have realistic prices for the purchase price and service costs, please use the calculator below to compare the total cost of ownership for the diving regulators that interest you.