Guide
Ice baths and cold plunge tubs: what to buy in the UK
Inflatable ice baths, rigid tubs, barrels and chillers: what each costs, how much room and water they take, and what to check.
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An ice bath and a cold plunge are the same thing: a tub of cold water big enough to sit in. You can buy a folding tub and add ice, or a tub with a that keeps the water cold for you.
The four types
| Type | Listed | Prices | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inflatable or folding tub | 8 | £89 to £595 | Packs away. Fill from the tap and add ice. |
| Rigid tub | 16 | £299 to £5,495 | Insulated walls; many come with a . |
| Barrel tub | 4 | £2,250 to £3,999 | Wooden or wood-look; often matches a barrel sauna. |
| Chiller on its own | 3 | £699 to £2,800 | Cools and filters a tub you already have. |
From every cold plunge we list.
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Room, water and weight
Water weighs about 1 kg a litre, so a 400-litre tub weighs over 400 kg once filled, before anyone gets in. Stand it on level paving, a slab or a ground floor, never on a balcony or upstairs decking unless a builder says it can take the load. Check the tub's outside size on its product page and leave room to step in and out.
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Power
A tub on its own needs no power. plug into a 13 A socket. If the tub is outside and you have no outdoor socket, ask a registered electrician to fit one rather than running an extension lead across the garden.
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Chiller or ice?
Ice is cheapest to start but adds up if you plunge most days. A costs more up front, holds a set temperature and usually filters the water. Chiller or ice: the sums.
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What to check on a listing
- Lowest temperature the reaches, and whether that is with a cover on.
- Litres, and the inside depth: deep enough to sit with water at your shoulders?
- How it keeps the water clean (a filter, or UV light) and how often the maker says to change the water.
- Insulation and a lid, which keep the chiller from running all day.
- Warranty on the tub, and separately on the chiller.
If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or are pregnant, ask your GP before using a cold plunge. We don't give health advice.
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Common worries
"Isn't it just a cold bath?"
It can be, and that is the cheapest way to start: tubs from £89, filled from the tap, with ice if you want it colder. A turns it into something you use every day: cold on demand, filtered, from £758. Chiller or ice? →
"I'll never get in."
Nobody starts at 3°C. let you pick the temperature, so you can start at 12 or 15°C, keep it short and go colder when you want to. Never plunge alone. Starting out →
"Where would I put it?"
On a patio, decking that can take the weight, or a garage floor. Water weighs 1 kg a litre, so a 400-litre tub is about 400 kg. A runs from a normal socket. Outdoors, use one with an safety switch. Where to put it →
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