Cold Tubs & Cold Plunge Baths
Cold exposure is simple in theory and annoying in practice — unless you have the right setup. The Steam & Oak cold tub range is built for consistent use at home, from low-cost portable plunges to powered chillers that hold a precise temperature all year. From £395.
The range
The Halla range — thermowood, chiller or self-fill
Our own cold plunge range, built in Estonia in thermowood with timber steps included. Each model comes two ways, as separate products rather than a dropdown, because they suit genuinely different buyers:
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Cold plunge tub — self-fill. You add ice. Nothing to run, nothing to plug in, and the tub is built to accept a chiller later if you change your mind.
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Ice bath with chiller — holds your set temperature year-round without ice, with a filter that keeps the water clean enough for daily use.
Which way round? If you plunge more than once or twice a week, take the chiller — buying ice gets old quickly in summer. If you are trying it out, start self-fill and retrofit later.
How to choose
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Consistency beats intensity — the best plunge is the one you'll actually use weekly. A portable plunge gets you started for under £600.
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Want a set temperature on demand? Choose a powered chiller — they hold the cold down to about 3°C without you hauling ice.
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Water care — filtration and sanitation on the powered tubs cut the maintenance right down.
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Space & access — measure where it will live and how it'll get there before ordering.
Cold plunge FAQs
Do I need a chiller, or will ice do?
Ice works and costs nothing to run, but in a British summer you will be buying it regularly and the water will not hold temperature for long. A chiller holds your set temperature year-round and includes a filter, which is what makes daily use practical. Our Halla tubs are sold both ways and a chiller can be retrofitted later.
What's the difference between a portable plunge and a powered chiller?
A portable plunge (like the PortaPlunge range) is an insulated tub you fill with cold water and ice — lowest cost, easy to store, but the temperature drifts as the ice melts. A powered chiller has a refrigeration unit that holds a precise temperature — typically down to around 3°C — so every session is consistent with no ice needed.
How cold do they get?
The powered chillers hold temperatures down to about 3°C and let you set anything above that; the InvigorIce Storm also heats for contrast therapy. Portable plunges get as cold as the water and ice you add.
Do cold plunge tubs need plumbing?
No. They're self-contained — you fill them with a hose and empty them when you change the water. The powered chillers plug into a standard 13A socket; the portable plunges need no power at all.
How much does a cold plunge cost?
From £395 for a portable PortaPlunge up to £6,790 for a premium rock-effect ice bath. The powered chillers start at £2,965.
Indoor or outdoor?
Both work. Powered chillers are popular outdoors (garden, patio) and indoors (garage, utility) as long as there's a socket and drainage nearby. Portable plunges suit gardens and can be packed away.
