Pool Heaters for in-ground pool with spa

Sep 24, 2014
5
Houston, TX
Hi Everyone, I hope you can help us.
We have a 36,000 gallon in ground pool with a hot tub/spa. Our heater just died and here it is September, the beginning of the pool heater season! We have a family friend who is certified to install a new gas heater but he won't recommend a specific brand (just in case it backfires on him I guess). We have been researching brands and now we are more confused then ever!

All recommendations and suggestions would be helpful

Specifics for the heater: Natural gas, 400,000 btu, digital (we must be able to switch pool, pool and spa, or just spa). Someday we would like to add the app that allows us to control it remotely from our phone, but not at this time.

We don't want the most expensive, nor the cheapest, and don't want a lot of bells and whistles and moving parts that will break; just a simple, efficient heater.
Pentair and Jandy are both good brands but they have too many choices! HELP!!! We need this now!