What an ice bath chiller costs to run a day, a month and a year at the Ofgem price cap, from the power draws chiller retailers state.
Short answer: a chiller’s running cost is its power draw multiplied by the hours it runs. At the Ofgem price cap of 26.32p per kWh, a chiller drawing 445 W that runs 6 hours a day costs about £0.70 a day, or £257 a year. How many hours it runs depends on the weather, the tub and how cold you set it, so try a few figures.
Cost = power (kW) × hours running a day × price per kWh. Default price: the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 (Direct Debit, average; yours may differ). The hours are your estimate: we don't have measured run times, so try a few. Standing charges aren't included.
Calculator by outdoorsauna.uk, using UK prices checked 30 September 2026. A guide only, not professional advice: important information.
How the calculator works
A chiller is a small refrigeration unit. It switches on when the water warms above the temperature you set, cools it, then switches off. The energy it uses is its power draw in kilowatts multiplied by the hours it actually runs, and the cost is that energy multiplied by your electricity price.
- Pick a chiller, or type the power draw from your chiller’s spec plate or listing. Use watts drawn from the socket, not the horsepower (HP) rating, which describes its cooling size.
- Set the hours a day it runs. This is the number nobody can give you in advance. It goes up in warm weather, with a lower set temperature, a bigger tub, a tub in the sun or without its cover, and every time someone gets in. We start at 6 hours as an example. If your chiller has an app or a plug-in energy monitor, use its real figure.
- Check the price. The default is the Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026: 26.32p per kWh for Direct Debit customers, on average. Your tariff may be different.
What chillers draw
These are the power draws UK retailers state for chillers in our data. Many listings don’t give one; for those, ask the retailer or check the manual.
| Chiller | Rating | Power draw | Coldest stated | Largest tub | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Pod Chiller - Water Chiller for Ice BathThe Pod Company (UK) | 0.3 HP | 280 W | 5°C | Not recorded | £499 |
| Polar Recovery Cube™ Mini ChillerPolar Recovery | 0.3 HP | 280 W | 3°C | Not recorded | £549.99 |
| Core 0.5HP Ice Bath ChillerThe Cold Plunge Store | 0.5 HP | 695 W | 3°C | 300 L | £645 |
| SOMA Chill - Ice Bath Chiller (0.3 HP Ice Bath Chiller)Soma Recovery | 0.3 HP | Not recorded | 7°C | 800 L | £649 |
| Mini Chiller 2LUMI Therapy | Not recorded | 445 W | 2°C | Not recorded | £699 |
| SOMA Chill - Ice Bath Chiller (0.5 HP Ice Bath Chiller)Soma Recovery | 0.5 HP | Not recorded | 4°C | 800 L | £699 |
| Polar Recovery Cube™ Mini Chiller (Polar Recovery Cube Pro™)Polar Recovery | Not recorded | Not recorded | 3°C | Not recorded | £699.99 |
| Chill Tubs Essential Mini ChillerBalance Recovery | Not recorded | Not recorded | 3°C | Not recorded | £799 |
| Polar Recovery Ultra Mini ChillerPolar Recovery | Not recorded | 280 W | 1°C | Not recorded | £799.99 |
| Ice Bath Chiller – Cold Plunge Cooling SystemCeltic Timber | Not recorded | Not recorded | 3°C | Not recorded | £885 |
| ICE Bath Chiller 1HP (Professional Grade)J Mccourt Furniture | 1 HP | Not recorded | Not recorded | 800 L | £950 |
| Chill Tubs Mini ChillerChill Tubs | Not recorded | Not recorded | 3°C | Not recorded | £1,020 |
| Pro Ice Bath Chiller 0.8HPThe Cold Plunge Store | 0.8 HP | 1,050 W | 3°C | 400 L | £1,185 |
| Poolex Ice Spa 5kW Inverter Heat Pump for Spas and Hot TubsBalance Recovery | Not recorded | 2,100 W max | 5°C | Not recorded | £1,442 |
| Elite Ice Bath Chiller 1.0HPThe Cold Plunge Store | 1 HP | Not recorded | 3°C | Not recorded | £1,499 |
| Poolex Ice Spa 7kW Inverter Heat Pump for Spas and Hot Tubs PC-ICESPABalance Recovery | Not recorded | 1,700 W max | 4°C | Not recorded | £1,545 |
| Ice Bath Chiller & Filter Unit with Wi-Fi ConnectionBaltoscandia | 1 HP | 780 W | 3°C | Not recorded | £1,695 |
| KeiCo PRO Ice Bath Chiller & Filter - 1HP with Wi-Fi & HeatingThe KeiCo | 1 HP | 850 W | 3°C | 1,000 L | £1,950 |
| Polar Recovery Pro ChillerPolar Recovery | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | £2,799.99 |
| Commercial Grade Ice Bath Chiller with Wi-FiBaltoscandia | Not recorded | 710 W | 3°C | Not recorded | £3,995 |
As each retailer states it. “Power draw” is the electrical input where the retailer gives one; a chiller's horsepower (HP) rating is not its power draw. Some units also heat.
Running costs at a glance
What a chiller costs a day at different power draws and running hours:
| Power draw | 3 h a day | 6 h a day | 12 h a day | 24 h a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 280 W chiller | £0.22 a day£81 a year | £0.44 a day£161 a year | £0.88 a day£323 a year | £1.77 a day£646 a year |
| 445 W chiller | £0.35 a day£128 a year | £0.70 a day£257 a year | £1.41 a day£513 a year | £2.81 a day£1,026 a year |
| 695 W chiller | £0.55 a day£200 a year | £1.10 a day£401 a year | £2.20 a day£801 a year | £4.39 a day£1,602 a year |
| 850 W chiller | £0.67 a day£245 a year | £1.34 a day£490 a year | £2.68 a day£980 a year | £5.37 a day£1,960 a year |
| 1,050 W chiller | £0.83 a day£303 a year | £1.66 a day£605 a year | £3.32 a day£1,210 a year | £6.63 a day£2,421 a year |
At 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Power draws are ones UK retailers state for chillers in our data.
Running a 1,050 W chiller around the clock would cost about £6.63 a day. In practice a chiller cycles on and off, so the real figure depends on how long it runs. A well-insulated tub with its cover on, out of direct sun, needs the chiller less.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Keep the cover on whenever you’re not using the tub.
- Put it in the shade, and out of the wind if the chiller also heats.
- Don’t set it colder than you’ll use.
- Choose an insulated tub. Many rigid tubs and some inflatables state insulation; check the listing.
- Use a cheaper tariff if you have one: an off-peak rate only helps if the chiller runs during those hours.
Without a chiller
A tub without a chiller costs nothing to run, but you’ll cool it with ice, and change the water more often because there’s no filter. It’s the cheapest way to try cold plunging. The median inflatable tub without a chiller costs £299; compare every model on cold plunge tubs.
A sauna and a cold plunge together
If you have a garden sauna as well, add its cost per session. At the same price cap, a session in a 6 kW electric sauna costs about £1.97, on the assumptions in our sauna running cost calculator. A 445 W chiller running 6 hours a day adds about £0.70 a day, whether or not you use it. Setting up both is covered in sauna and cold plunge at home.
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