Free tool
Ice or chiller: which costs less?
Enter how often you plunge and what you pay for ice, then see when a chiller catches up, or whether it ever does.
A chiller pays for itself in
1.4 years
≈ 72 weeks of plunging at 4 per week
Ice per plunge
$16.00
4 bags
Ice per year
$3,328
Chiller running / year
$420
Chiller, first year
$4,420
price + running
Running costs break even at about 0.5 plunges per week. Below that, ice is cheaper to operate; above it, a chiller is.
How this is calculated
Ice cost per plunge = (ice pounds ÷ bag size) × price per bag. Chiller running cost = (electricity + water care) × 12 ÷ 52 per week.
Break-even weeks = chiller price ÷ (weekly ice cost − weekly chiller running cost). If that difference is zero or negative, the chiller never pays back on cost.
We don't publish default prices for ice, electricity or chillers because they vary too much. The defaults are examples; replace them. This ignores the cost of the tub, delivery and installation, and it doesn't value convenience, which is the main reason people buy a chiller.
Cold water immersion isn't risk-free. Talk to a doctor before starting, never plunge alone, and avoid alcohol. This is general information, not medical advice.
Read next
- Best Cold Plunge TubsPlunge, Ice Barrel and budget options compared — what a cold plunge costs, what you need to run one, and safety basics before you start.
- Cold Plunge vs. Ice BathCold plunge vs. ice bath: how a chilled tub differs from a tub of ice, what each costs to set up and run, and the safety basics to know first.
- Plunge vs. Ice BarrelPlunge vs. Ice Barrel compared: built-in chiller vs. an insulated barrel you can add a chiller to, size, weight, warranty and who each suits.