Thinking about it?
Cold plunge pros and cons
The good bits, and honest answers to the worries that stop people buying.
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The good bits
Ready every morning
A holds the water at your set temperature, down to 2°C on the ones we list. No bags of ice, no waiting.
Cheap to start
A tub filled from the cold tap costs from £89. A tub with a starts at £758.
A two-minute habit
It fits before work in a way a gym trip never will, and you can see your progress in minutes and degrees.
Takes a corner, not a garden
The round tubs we list that publish a size are 85 to 95 cm across. A patio corner or the garage will do.
The other half of a sauna
Hot then cold is how saunas are done in Finland. A plunge by the sauna door completes the set.
The worries, answered
"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 →
"Won't the water go green?"
Not with a lid, a filter and a little care. Several bundles we list include a filter, and Monk uses . Our water care guide covers the routine. Keeping the water clean →
"What does it cost to keep cold?"
About £187 a year for a 650 W running 3 hours a day, by our sums. Plunging three times a week with four bags of ice at £2 would cost about £1,250. Compare with your numbers →
"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 →
"Is it safe?"
Cold water is a shock to the body. If you have a heart or blood-pressure condition, or are pregnant, ask your GP first. Never plunge alone, and keep the lid on when children are around. Safety and starting out →
We describe what you get for your money. We don't make health claims: if you have a medical condition, ask your GP.
