Plunge Chill Premium Round Tub + Chiller Review | At-Home Ice Bath Recovery

Cold plunging seems to be everywhere these days. From professional athletes to everyday runners, more and more people are willingly jumping into freezing cold water as part of their recovery routines.

As someone who tends to run hot all the time and actually loves the cold (yes, even those freezing Colorado winter days), I was pretty excited to try the Plunge Chill Premium Tub. 

But I have to admit, there’s a big difference between enjoying cold weather and willingly sitting in a tub filled with 42-degree water.

I’ve been testing the Plunge Chill Premium Tub at home, usually after a run. While there were a few setup bumps, I’ve really enjoyed adding it to my routine.

Let’s dive into what you should know before investing in one.

Cold plunging isn’t for everyone, particularly those with certain heart or circulatory conditions. If you have any concerns, check with your doctor before you try it.

What Are the Benefits of Cold Plunging?

One potential benefit of cold plunging for runners is reduced muscle soreness. Research suggests that cold water immersion, or cold plunging, may reduce soreness after challenging workouts, which is one reason you see it everywhere in the fitness community.

Some research also suggests cold plunging may help with stress and sleep, but it’s still too limited to say whether it makes a difference or not. But if you think it helps, you do you!

One thing to keep in mind: more isn’t always better!

Regularly jumping into cold water immediately after strength training, especially heavy lifting, may interfere with muscle growth. So it’s worth thinking about when you’re adding it to your routine.

Cold plunging definitely isn’t a magic recovery fix, and it’s not for everyone.

If you enjoy it, it can be a nice addition to your routine. But never feel like you have to cold plunge because it feels like everyone else is.

Plunge Chill Premium Round Tub + Chiller Overview

One thing that sets the Plunge Chill Premium Tub apart from some other cold plunge options is its inflatable design.

The included pump is similar to a bicycle tire pump and takes a bit of effort to inflate everything. Between the tub and the steps, expect your upper body to get a bit of a workout before you even get into the water!

The tub holds up to 120 gallons of water and has insulated walls to help maintain the temperature. It also includes a cover, a built-in filtration system, and inflatable steps.

One of the biggest benefits is that you don’t need bags of ice. With the chiller, you can set your preferred temperature and let it do the work.

The inflatable design is also nice if you don’t want a permanent cold plunge setup. Just keep in mind that once it’s filled with water, you won’t be moving it around.

Setting up the Plunge Chill Premium

Getting the Plunge Chill Premium Tub set up wasn’t as simple as I expected, and it definitely took longer than five minutes.

Mine didn’t come with any instructions, but thankfully, I’m married to an engineer who helped me figure everything out.

Between inflating the tub, connecting the hoses, and hooking everything up to the chiller, the entire process took about an hour (not including filling it with water).

We also ended up with a handful of extra pieces that we couldn’t figure out what to do with. So for now, they’re sitting in the box. The tub comes with a small repair kit, which we actually needed right away.

Once we filled the tub, we noticed air bubbles coming from a few spots. Thankfully, the included patches took care of the small air leaks.

While I’m glad we had them, I wasn’t expecting to need the repair kit before even using the tub!

How Well Does the Plunge Chill Chiller Work?

One of the biggest benefits of the Plunge Chill is that you won’t need to run to the grocery store to get bags of ice. The chiller takes care of cooling the water for you.

The chiller brings the water down to 42°F, but don’t expect to fill it up the tub and jump right in.

It took about 24 hours for our water to reach the temperature we wanted.

We have ours set up outside here in Colorado, and I noticed the water temperature would creep up a little when the afternoon sun hit the tub directly. After adjusting the chiller, it seemed to bring the temperature back down.

One thing that really surprised me is how quiet the chiller is.

Seriously, it’s SUPER quiet. Think of it like your refrigerator running in the background. Even when we were sitting outside, we never noticed it running.

My one complaint is that I wish we could turn it off between sessions. Since it takes so long to cool the water, we’ve been leaving it running to maintain the temperature and keep the water circulating through the filter.

My Experience Using the Plunge Chill Premium Tub

As someone who loves the cold, I thought getting into the Plunge Chill tub wouldn’t be that bad.

Well, I was wrong!

That first time getting into the water was a total shock to the system. It doesn’t matter how much you love winter weather. Sitting in freezing-cold water is a completely different experience.

I’ve been using the Plunge Chill Premium Tub after my treadmill runs, and it’s becoming something I actually look forward to.

I started with just 30 seconds, which honestly felt like plenty at the time. But the more I used it, the more I felt like my body was getting used to the cold. I’ve slowly worked my way up to three minutes, and that’s where I plan to stop. It’s important to find a temperature and time that work for you.

One thing I really want to point out: be very careful getting in and out of the tub. 

The Plunge Chill Premium Tub is pretty deep, which is great for fully submerging your body, but getting in and out takes a little extra attention.

The included inflatable steps are helpful, but you still need to stand up and step over the side of the tub. I actually think having something sturdy nearby to hold onto would make a big difference, especially after sitting in cold water for a few minutes.

It’s worth thinking about where you’ll set up the tub so you have plenty of room to get in and out safely.

It’s been fun working my way up from those first 30-second sessions to three minutes. Now, I look forward to cooling off in the cold plunge after a run.

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