What is an ice bath with a chiller?

A tub for cold plunging with a cooling unit that holds the water at the temperature you set, so you need no ice. The chiller is either a separate unit connected by hoses or built in, as in the Helsi™ Ice Plunge.

Do I still need ice with a chiller?

No. The chiller keeps the water cold. At low settings the Helsi™ Ice Plunge even makes its own ice.

Can I put an ice bath on a balcony?

Only if the balcony can carry the weight. Water weighs 1 kg per litre. The Helsi™ Ice Plunge weighs 765 kg filled on about 1.5 m² and only belongs on a balcony with a structural engineer’s sign-off.

Which socket does an ice bath with a chiller need?

That depends on the chiller. The Helsi™ Ice Plunge runs on a standard 10 A socket on an RCD-protected circuit.

Do I need a water connection?

No. You fill the tub once, for example with a garden hose. Ozone, filter and UV keep the water in the Helsi™ Ice Plunge clean.

How much electricity does an ice bath with a chiller use?

Power times running time times your electricity price. The Helsi™ Ice Plunge is rated at 1,400 W, so one hour at full load uses 1.4 kWh. How long the chiller runs per day depends on the outdoor temperature, the target temperature, sun and the lid.

How deep should an ice bath be?

Deep enough to sit and go under up to your shoulders. The Helsi™ Ice Plunge is 85 cm deep inside; the tub measures 144.5 × 65 × 85 cm.

How loud is an ice bath with a chiller?

That depends on the chiller. The Helsi™ Ice Plunge stays below 70 dB.

Buying guide

Ice bath with chiller: a buying guide for home

Updated 17 October 2026

An ice bath with a chiller keeps the water cold without buying or freezing ice. Before you buy one, four things matter: the type, the weight when filled, the power supply and water care. This page goes through them one by one, using the figures of the Helsi™ Ice Plunge as an example.

In short

An ice bath with a chiller has a cooling unit that holds the water at the temperature you set, and a filter that keeps it clean. There are three types: a tub filled with ice, a tub with an external chiller, and an ice bath with a built-in chiller. What decides is floor space, filled weight, the socket and water care. The Helsi™ Ice Plunge weighs 765 kg filled, runs on a standard 10 A socket and makes its own ice.

Types: 3
Helsi™ filled: 765 kg
Power: 1,400 W
Temperature: 0–42 °C

The three types compared

Behind the words ice bath tub sit three very different setups. The simplest is an insulated tub that you fill with water and ice. The second is a tub connected by hoses to a separate chiller. The third is an ice bath with the chiller, pump and filter built in.

	Tub with ice	Tub with external chiller	Built-in chiller
Cold	Buy or freeze ice, the water warms up again	The chiller holds the set temperature	The chiller holds the temperature, the Helsi™ Ice Plunge 0–42 °C
Water care	Change the water often	A filter in the loop, depending on the model	Helsi™: ozone, 20-micron filter and UV
Setup	Put it down and fill it	Connect tub, chiller and hoses	One unit: fill it and plug it in
Power	None	A socket for the chiller	Helsi™: 10 A socket, 1,400 W
Suits	Trying it out, cold months outdoors	Anyone who already has a tub	Regular use without the ice runs

How the chiller works

A chiller works like a fridge: a compressor draws heat out of the water through a coolant, and a pump runs the water through the chiller and filter back into the tub. Compressor power is usually given in HP. Once the water reaches the target temperature, the chiller switches off, and it starts again when the water warms up.

The Helsi™ Ice Plunge has a 1.5 HP compressor with R290 coolant. The water circulates at 1.5 m³/h, the temperature is adjustable from 0 to 42 °C, and at low settings the plunge makes its own ice.

An ice bath on the balcony: weight decides

Water weighs about 1 kg per litre. Even a 300-litre tub puts around 300 kg on the floor when filled, plus the tub, the technology and the person sitting in it.

How much a balcony can carry depends on how and when it was built, and a tub concentrates its weight on a small area.

The Helsi™ Ice Plunge weighs 765 kg filled on a footprint of 199.5 × 75 cm, about 1.5 m². That is just over 500 kg per square metre. It only belongs on a balcony with a structural engineer’s sign-off. A patio, garden, garage or basement with a load-bearing floor suits it well.

Water: 1 kg per litre; Rule of thumb for any tub
Helsi™ empty: 210 kg
Helsi™ filled: 765 kg; On about 1.5 m² of floor

Whether a balcony can take the load depends on how it was built and its condition. Only a structural engineer can judge that; in an apartment, also ask your landlord or strata.

In the garden, on the patio or in the basement

Outdoors, the tub needs level, solid ground such as a concrete slab or paving, an outdoor socket with a residual current device, and somewhere to drain the water. Shade and a lid keep the water cold for longer.

The Helsi™ Ice Plunge is rated IPX5, and an insulated lid and a weatherproof cover are included. Straps that hold the lid in wind are available as an accessory. It is delivered on a pallet of 215 × 87 × 120 cm and 280 kg: check beforehand that paths, gates and doors are wide enough.

In a basement or garage, what counts is a load-bearing floor, some space from the wall for air around the chiller, and a floor drain or a hose route outside.

What does the electricity cost?

Running cost is power times running time times your electricity price. The chiller does not run all the time, only when the water is warmer than the setting. How many hours that is per day depends on the outdoor temperature, the target temperature, sun and the lid.

The Helsi™ Ice Plunge is rated at 1,400 W. One hour at full load uses 1.4 kWh, which at 35c per kWh is about 49c.

Power: 1,400 W; Helsi™ Ice Plunge
1 hour at full load: 1.4 kWh; About 49c at 35c per kWh
Noise: Below 70 dB

Keep the lid on: it keeps heat and dirt out and the chiller running less.
Shade, not sun: direct sun warms the water and the tub.
No colder than you need: every degree lower keeps the chiller running longer.

Water care: keeping the water clean

Without a filter and disinfection, the water in a tub has to be changed often. With a chiller, filter and disinfection it stays usable for much longer, as long as you shower first and close the lid after every session.

The Helsi™ Ice Plunge keeps the water clean in three stages: an ozone generator, a 20-micron particle filter and UV disinfection. Rinse the filter weekly and replace it every 1–3 months, and the UV bulb about every 12 months. Both are available as spare parts.

Checklist before you buy

Space: how much room do you have, and can the delivery get there?
Load: can the floor carry the filled weight?
Power: is there a suitable socket with a residual current device nearby?
Water: how will you fill the tub, and where will you drain it?
Depth: can you sit and go under up to your shoulders? The Helsi™ Ice Plunge is 85 cm deep inside.
Temperature: does the chiller hold the temperature you want, in summer too?
Care: are filters and spare parts available from the maker?
Noise: will the chiller bother you or your neighbours?

Safety

Do not get into cold water alone the first few times. If you have a cardiovascular condition or high blood pressure, or are pregnant, check with a doctor before using cold. More in the cold therapy guide.

The Helsi™ Ice Plunge

An ice bath with a built-in chiller in cedar and stainless steel: fill it once, plug it in, and it holds 0 to 42 °C.

Ice plunge accessories

Helsi™ Ice Plunge$11,999.20~~$14,999~~5.0 - 4 reviews
The Ice Plunge: 0–42 °C, 85 cm deep, no water connection needed.
Helsi™ Ice Plunge Filters$69
Replacement filters, pack of three.
Helsi™ Ice Plunge UV Bulb$35
Replacement UV bulb for disinfection.
Helsi™ Ice Plunge Tie-Down Fasteners$99
Tie-down straps for the lid.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

Helsi™ products are not designed to diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All content on this page is for general information only and does not replace medical advice.