Cold showers are a great entry point, but if you want to reap the full benefits of daily cold exposure, you will probably want to invest in your own dedicated cold plunge. Ideally, one that does not require ice and can stay at your preferred temperature each day.
While there are now more options than ever, the two most popular choices are The Plunge and Ice Barrel. In this article, we will break down the pros and cons of each choice to help you decide which cold plunge is best.
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The Plunge vs Ice Barrel: price options
In order to fairly compare The Plunge and Ice Barrel, we need to compare each company’s entire lineup of cold plunges. For the sake of comparison, we are only looking at options that include chillers (so ice is not needed).
The Plunge offers:
- The Plunge Pop-up (starting at $2,499)
- The Plunge Air (starting at $3,490)
- The Plunge (starting at $5,990)
- The Plunge All-In (starting at $8,990)
Ice Barrel offers:
- Ice Barrel 300 + Ice Barrel Chiller (starting at $4,298)
- Ice Barrel 500 + Ice Barrel Chiller (starting at $4,598)
The Plunge certainly offers a wider range of price options compared to Ice Barrel, but the starting prices can be a bit misleading. The starting price for the Plunge Pop-up, Plunge Air, and Plunge includes the Evolve Standard Chiller, which is a 1/2 HP cooling system capable of dropping the temperature down to 39°F (4°C).
The more premium Evolve Pro Chiller, which is a 1HP cooling system capable of dropping the temperature down to 37°F/3°C quickly (and more quietly), adds an additional $1,650 to the cost:
- The Plunge Pop-up + Evolve Pro Chiller (starting at $4,149)
- The Plunge Air + Evolve Pro Chiller (starting at $4,990)
- The Plunge + Evolve Pro Chiller (starting at $7,490)
Ice Barrel only offers one chiller option, which is more powerful than even the Evolve Pro Chiller, with a 1.5 HP cooling system capable of dropping the temperature down to 37°F/3°C.
If you don’t care about having the more premium chiller, then The Plunge does offer some lower-cost options. However, when comparing cold plunges with advanced chillers, the Ice Barrel 300 and 500 are more closely priced with the Plunge Pop-up and Plunge Air.
The Plunge vs Ice Barrel: design
Outside of price, the most important difference between The Plunge and Ice Barrel, is each’s specific design.
The Plunge’s two lower-cost models (the Pop-up and Plunge Air) are both made from inflatable plastic. While this means they are more portable than other options, they don’t look great when compared to the other options.
The Plunge’s two higher cost models (The Plunge and Plunge All-in), as well as Ice Barrel’s two options are not as easy to transport, but look much better for home use.
The other big difference is that The Plunge is designed as a cold bath that you lie down in (the Pop-up being an exception), whereas the Ice Barrel is designed for you to sit upright. As someone who has both, I have to admit that sitting upright is a much more comfortable and welcoming option than lying down. It’s not a dealbreaker for The Plunge, but if you plan on using this daily, the position you will be in is something worth considering.
The Plunge vs Ice Barrel: warranty
In terms of a warranty, the Ice Barrel includes a limited lifetime warranty for its cold plunge and a one-year warranty for its chiller. The Plunge includes a one-year warranty for both its cold plunge and its chiller.
Both Ice Barrel and The Plunge offer extended warranty options for the chiller:
| The Plunge | Ice Barrel | |
| 3 Year Extended Warranty | $338.99 | $235.99 |
| 5 Year Extended Warranty | $679.99 | $393.99 |
These chillers can have issues and breakdown overtime, so getting an extended warranty is may be a good idea. So if you want an extended warranty, you should also consider each option as a potential additional cost.
The Plunge vs Ice Barrel: discounts
Both The Plunge and Ice Barrel offer discount codes that can be used by readers of Connect The Watts.
The Plunge – use code “CTW” for $150 off your order
Ice Barrel – use code “connectthewatts” for 10% off your order
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