Cold Plunge Product FAQs

The main difference between an ice bath and a cold plunge is the method of cooling the water.

Ice baths require either frequent trips to the store to buy bags and bags of ice to get the water cold enough to achieve sufficient results, or an industrial ice maker at home.

Cold plunges, like our 1/4 horsepower cold plunge, use an electric chiller to keep the water cooled to an optimal 39 degrees.

When you water is electrically cooled, your cold plunge tub is ready any time for a dip, no trips to the store or ice hauling needed.

Cold plunges offer a range of health benefits to some people, including reduction of swelling and inflammation, aiding post-workout recovery, relieving sore muscles, reducing the perception of pain from chronic conditions, increasing immunity, and boosting mental health. Read more about the health benefits of cold plunging.

Cold plunge tubs cycle water through a chiller to create a very cold water bath (the best get down to 39 degrees). Submerging in very cold water or ice baths has been shown to have a wide range of health benefits for some people; people have been using cold water exposure for thousands of years to increase health and healing. See our cold plunges for health page to see the medical studies behind cold plunge benefits.

Desert Plunge Cold Plunges were created when our founder couldn’t find a decent combination of value, performance and reliability in a cold plunge – so he created his own!

Our plunges offer a number of benefits over others on the market: they are child-safe (just close the top and lock!), crafted particularly for very hot climates as well as cooler ones, are hand-crafted, affordable, and come with a one year warranty.

The chiller is the implement attached to the tub that cools the water. A pump pulls the water from the tub into the chiller, circulating it through the chillers cooling system, then out of the chiller back into the tub. You can set the chiller to your desired temperature, as low as 39 or 37 degrees, based on the model you choose. The chiller will run until it reaches your set temperature then shut off. It will stay off until the water warms back up 2 degrees and then turn back on to begin cooling to your desired temperature again.

The kind of chiller you need for your cold plunge depends on a several factors: how cold you want your plunge to get, whether you set it up indoors or outdoors, how hot a climate you live in, how often your plunge will be used, and how many people will be using it regularly.

Our ¼ horsepower tub cools to 39 degrees in optimal conditions(indoors, or outdoors if stored under cover, protected from the elements, and kept away from direct sunlight), has a cooling speed of 1-4 degrees per hour, and can accommodate 3-4 people per day.

Chances are, yes! Desert Plunge cold plunge tubs are 24.5” wide and 24” deep. We have a customer who is 6’7” and plunges in the Grizzly and is able to get fully submerged.

In optimal conditions (stored inside under climate control, or outside out of direct sunlight and kept under cover) both our Original and Wide plunges get down to 39 degrees. See our plunges

You will need a standard 100V outlet to plug your cold plunge into; it draws 6.5 amps while chiller is running.

If your cold plunge tub is kept at 45 degrees during an Arizona summer, it will cost you roughly $25/month depending the price you pay per kWh with your local utility company.

You can find water treatment options and replacement o-rings for your cold plunge here. We’ve also put together some additional links for filters, etc. here. If you make a purchase through the additional links above, Desert Plunge may receive a small commission on the sale.

To care for your cold plunge, you will want to 

• Change filter cartridge – depending on use, every week or two, or once a month. You know your filter needs to be changed if the water flow coming into your plunge slows down or stops, and/or your pump sounds louder than normal (making a loud humming noise.) See more details on filter care here. 
• 1/4HP – Clean chiller screens monthly if your plunge is outside. If your plunge is indoors, you should do this every 1-2 months. 
• Change your water every 3 months. If you are clean when getting in, and using the Sirona sanitation protocol we recommend or ozone sanitation, your water can stay clean for 3 months. See more tips on keeping the water clean below. 
• Clean and inspect your pump – check your pump for build up, hair and debris 1-2 times per year. View the instructions here.
• If your cold plunge is kept outside, Keep it covered and out of direct afternoon sunlight in hot climates. If keeping your chiller outside during the winter, please refer to our care instructions for freezing temperatures. 

See our longer care and maintenance page for more care details.