The 6 Best Cold Plunge Pools in 2024—I Spent Months Testing to Find the Best

There was a time when a relaxing, hot bubble bath was all I needed to unwind, but these days my ice bath has taken precedence. And trust me, nobody is more surprised about this than I am. Like countless wellness trends before it, cold-plunge pools, ice baths, and cold-water therapy have been fueled by social media and celebrities, with Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, and David Beckham all advocates.

Just as massage guns made the transition from elite recovery tools to workout essentials, cold-water therapy is no longer just for use by athletes looking to alleviate pain post-exercise, or as a torture device in luxury spas.

The idea of submerging myself in water below 60 degrees Fahrenheit seemed farcical, but my interest was piqued after a seemingly sensible friend told me she now skipped her morning coffee for an icy cold plunge, as it improves her “mental clarity.” Ice-cold water instead of coffee? Madness! Or so I thought.

If you’re wondering what the point of cold-water plunging is—I certainly was—some studies have shown it can relieve muscle soreness and even encourage weight loss. It has also been shown to improve mental health and increase alertness by increasing levels of noradrenaline by 530 percent and dopamine by 250 percent. Steven Dick from the Fitness Group explains further: “Exposure to cold water can also stimulate the release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers, and can trigger the activation of brown adipose tissue (brown fat), which burns calories to generate heat.” Keen to test these claims, and (hopefully) enjoy a dopamine hit, I called in the Myo Master MyoFreeze ice bath to try.

The ancient Greeks are said to have practised the art of “thermalism”—the exposure to cold and heat—to ease muscle fatigue and reduce disease. So when confronted by my first dip in the plunge pool, I imagined I was cooling off in Mykonos rather than in England, in February, in the rain. It didn’t work. Getting my toes, let alone my shoulders, under the icy water was horrific. If I wasn’t being paid, the pool would have been packed up and shipped out the very next day.

But I’m a professional, so I persevered with the pain, and I was surprised that by my third dip I was able to stay in for two minutes and even started to relax. Research from Susanna Søberg, author of Winter Swimming, suggests that 11 minutes per week of being fully submerged gives you the best health benefits. But this needs to be divided into different plunges across the week.

• The Best Value Plunge Pool: Lumi Recovery Pod Ice Bath
• A Premium Plunge Pool: Sun Home Cold Plunge
• Another Great Self-Chilling Plunge Pool: Hydragun Supertub
• The Best Mid-Priced Plunge Pool: MyoMaster MyoFreeze
• Great Value Big Capacity Plunge Pool: The Cold Pod XL
• Best Plunge Pool for Versatility: The Edge Tub Elite
• Other Cold-Plunge Pools
• Is An Ice Bath Worth It?
• How to Get Started
• Plunge Pool FAQ

Updated August 2024: We added new plunge pool reviews including the Supertub from Hydragun, the Cold Pod XL and the Sun Home Cold Plunge. We also added more information to the FAQ guide and updated links and pricing.

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Photograph: Lumi

Lumi Recovery Pod Ice Bath

$120 at Lumi

This petite plunge pod measures 31.4 by 29.5 inches but is suitable for anyone up to 6’7″. I think it’s a great shape for plunging inside—head in too—but not something you’d probably want to hang around in for too long, as you can’t stretch out your legs.

While it isn’t the most attractive or durable ice bath you can buy, it is conveniently shaped if you’re lacking in outside space. It can be packed up and stored away easily, but I found it nestled well in the corner of my back porch.

I found putting it together straightforward but not without problems. For starters, the pump supplied isn’t up to the job, and I had to use my own electric model. Unlike the MyoFreeze, there isn’t too much pumping needed, however, with just the lid and top needing air. Six support legs give the pod its shape, and there’s a tap at the bottom of the pod for drainage, although, as I discovered, don’t forget the washer or it will leak. It also comes with a thermometer.

There’s not much more to it, really, but it was easy to get into and out of and gave the rush of dopamine I craved.

Photograph: Martin Cizmar

Sun Home Cold Plunge

Cold Plunge

$4,499 at Sun Home Saunas

I was a reluctant convert to cold plunging—I regret to inform you that it cleared my head and provided a day of mild euphoria and eased my muscle aches—but it didn’t take long to feel like I was chasing the dragon. Experienced plungers will tell you they have to go longer and colder to get the same effects they got after a minute in the mid-40s range to start.

The Sun Home Cold Plunge makes submersing your body in unpleasantly cold water about as easy as it can thanks to a sturdy construction, simple controls, and multiple filtering stages. It also has the ability to reset the temperature remotely via app, and a powerful chiller that cools water in a hurry. It also provides as much runway as possible when chasing that high, since it’s the only portable cold-plunge tub that’s capable of getting all the way down to 33 degrees. I’m not there yet (thankfully), but in two months of testing I have dropped 6 degrees and added three minutes. Happily, and surprisingly, I did this while spending a maximum of $1.50 a day on electricity, even while running it all day and cooling the water to 38 degrees in an air temperature that rose to the mid-90s. —Martin Cizmar

Photograph: Emily Peck

Hydragun Supertub

$2,599 at Hydragun

For cold plunging in hot climates, an ice bath with chiller is a must. Disillusioned with hauling buckets of ice to my tub every morning, the Supertub by Hydragun came as a welcome treat. The triple-layer Permafrost chilling system keeps water clean and filtered and as low as 37.4 degrees F (3 degrees C), with a commercial-grade ozone generator to disinfect the water. Like the Edge it can also heat up the water to hot-tub temperatures, but it’s considerably cheaper in price.

Supertub has two chiller options, depending on the temperature of the area you live in, with either a 0.6 or 0.8 horsepower cooling capacity. For peace of mind—and wallet—an energy-efficient power-saving mode kicks in automatically. While set up was straightforward, the chiller is heavy, and despite having wheels, lifting it out of the box was a workout in itself. That said, Supertub makes assembly easy with a QR code for online setup instructions. The supplied electric air pump meant tub inflation took under five minutes.

The Supertub ice bath looks like the MyoMaster tub and has the same inlet/outlet set up. But the Supertub has an impressive double-walled military-grade marine vinyl finish—the same material used to make military life rafts. It’s surprisingly lightweight yet durable, so I wasn’t worried about punctures. The chiller unit has a 6-inch touchscreen and uses the Tuya Smart app for adjusting temperature settings. The tub is comfortable to lie in, with plenty of room to stretch out your legs. There’s even an iPhone stand that sits on the side of the bath—a neat extra if you want to access the app, time your ice baths, or take selfies for socials.

Photograph: Emily Peck

MyoMaster MyoFreeze

$783 at MyoMaster

At 29.5 inches high, 67 inches wide, and 37 inches deep, this is a full-size professional ice bath, but it is also light and easily portable when empty. It has enough room to stretch out your legs and benefit from being fully immersed in the water, and it can fit two (relatively compact) people inside. Quite why you’d want to share an ice bath with someone else beats me, however.

It comes with a pump, and I was able to have it inflated in under 10 minutes. I added Epsom bath salts to the water to stop it from going green and keep it usable for up to three weeks. If you don’t have a cold-water filtration system to add to your bath, this is a must.

The design is made from puncture-resistant, durable fiberglass and is lined with skin-safe PVC. While this gave the structure a solid feel, it also felt gentle against my skin. I was never worried about it puncturing, but a puncture kit is included. There’s also a lid that securely clips into place and helps to protect the water from any curious outdoor wildlife and insects when it’s not in use.

There’s a branded mat to wipe your feet and a thermometer attached to the bath for checking whether the temperature is painful enough. I like that it can be connected to a hose pipe, which makes filling easy, while a quick-release opening takes care of the opposite. For an extra £599, you can also buy the MyoChill electric filtration system, which is designed to keep the water cold and clean. This is something I’d be keen to try out in the summer months to bring it down to temperature without having to haul in buckets of ice.

Photograph: Emily Peck

The Cold Pod XL

$160 at Amazon

The Cold Pod XL is a breeze to set up, and I managed to get it fully formed and filling with water within five minutes of taking it out of its box. Just like the Lumi Recovery Pod Ice Bath, it comes with support legs that need to be inserted into the frame. It doesn’t have a thermometer or insulated lid to seal the chill like the Lumi does, but there is a cover to protect the water from bugs and stop the birds from using it as a bath. It also has the drain-down tap already in place. This meant that I didn’t need to fiddle with washers, which felt like a small but significant win.

The pod is made up of four layers with a PVC inner, nylon outer, and middle pearl foam layer that together forms a waterproof and tear-resistant structure. It’s supplied with a puncture repair kit for mishaps and a pump to blow up the “comfort ring” at the top of the pod, which took about 10 seconds. While the pod is flimsy without water, once filled, it becomes surprisingly robust. With a diameter of 35 inches, it’s generous in size too, and 5 inches larger than the standard version.

116 gallons of water can fit in the XL, which works well for anyone up to 6’7″. My petite frame had more than enough space to swish from side to side and breathe through the cold, while relaxing my neck on the comfort ring. I also asked my extremely tall friend Harry to give the plunge pod a try. He’s tried a smaller plunge pod in the past, and he appreciated the extra leg room the XL design gave him—so much so that he managed three minutes without a single complaint.

Photograph: Chris Smith

Edge Theory Labs The Edge Tub Elite

Tested by Chris Smith

$4,990 at Edge Theory Labs

It’s expensive, but for serious cold plungers the Edge Labs Elite tub and 1HP no-ice chiller is nigh-on perfect, with the ideal combination of functionality, portability, ease of use, and water maintenance. There’s no carrying ice from the freezer here, because the chiller unit does it for you, dropping the water temperature to as low as 37 degrees F (3 degrees C) in under three hours. It can also be warmed up to a hot-tub-adjacent 105 F (40 C) within the same timeframe.

Setup took about 30 minutes, and the dual water-filtration system meant maintenance was limited to a weekly check of pH levels and some slight chemical adjustments, if necessary. Keep up with the levels and the water can be used for up to three months.

The inflatable tub is sturdy and comfortable, meaning you can keep it in situ in the garage/porch or outdoors. The entire setup is easily broken down for transport or storage, and the tub fits in an included backpack. The chiller weighs 78 pounds but does thankfully have wheels.

During testing I noticed the display on the chiller was highly reflective and difficult to read, and the touch controls weren’t that responsive. The chiller could also be more weatherproof: While it can handle splashes, the brand suggests keeping it out of the rain and direct sun.

With Wi-Fi connectivity, the Edge app offers remote control, so you can set the temperature ahead of time. It also helps make sense of why you’re sitting in ice-cold water, with a series of guided sessions that really helped me center my breath and prepare myself for the cold. The sessions aren’t free, though, costing $70 a year.

It’s not an investment to make unless you’re dedicated to cold-water immersion. If you are, you’ll do well to find better for less. One final tip: If you have the space, opt for the XL tub (130 gallons instead of 80), as it doesn’t cost any extra.

Tested by Chris Smith

These alternative ice baths have also caught our eye for all the right reasons, but we have not tested them yet.

Photograph: Monk

Monk Smart Ice Bath

$8,495 at Monk

The world’s first smart ice bath is available for preorder. It comes with a companion app for remote control to change temperatures and set schedules and light modes, plus it integrates with fitness wearables such as Whoop and Oura for a more detailed approach.

Photograph: Odin Ice Baths

Odin Ice Bath

$6,900 at Odin

A thing of beauty, this ice bath is handcrafted from clear western red cedar and marine-grade 316 stainless steel. It can reach freezing temperatures of 32 degrees F and can create its own ice.

Photograph: Floe Fitness

Floe Pod Pro

A budget-friendly pod-style option for UK readers featuring a durable fiberglass-reinforced PVC build. Measuring a generous 35 inches in diameter, it comes with an insulating thermos lid and has a 118-gallon capacity. It is suitable for anyone up to 6’7″.

Photograph: Urban Ice Tribe

Urban Ice Tribe Steel Stock Tank

For something a little different, and those wanting a little Wild West on their porch, this eye-catching oblong ice bath is manufactured from robust steel stock tanks in Nebraska, and you can buy a stylish hardwood cover.