What does an ice bath cost to run?
Honest UK numbers, in pounds, on your own tariff. Slide to your routine and compare bagging ice against running a chiller.
Bagged ice / month
£—
Chiller / month
£—
A chiller would save you
£— /month
Assumes a chiller uses around 1.2 kWh a day plus £8 a month in filters. Ice cost is your figure times your sessions. Estimates only: real use varies with ambient temperature and insulation.
Do you even need a chiller?
It depends on when you plunge. UK tap water is naturally cold in winter and warm in summer, so a chiller earns its keep most from late spring onward.
Winter only (October to March)
UK tap water sits around 8 to 12 degrees. An insulated tub with the odd bag of ice may be all you need. A chiller is a nice-to-have, not essential.
Year-round or summer (April to September)
Tap water climbs to 15 to 20 degrees and ice gets expensive fast. A chiller is the only practical way to hold a low temperature, and it pays for itself quickly.
Our honest take
Plunge three or more times a week, or want it all year? Get a chiller. Winter-only and watching the budget? Start with an insulated tub and add a chiller later.