Chest Freezer or Chiller – What Makes the Best Cold Plunge?
There is much conversation about which type of DIY cold plunge is best – a chest freezer or chiller.
After being in the DIY space since 2017 I can say with 100% certainty:
The best DIY cold plunge is the one you can get up and running and will use regularly.
I know that’s not exactly the answer you’re looking for, so let’s explore this in more detail.
Chest freezers and chillers both have their advantages and disadvantages. Which one is best for any individual ultimately depends on your goals, budget, personal preferences, and details about the space.
If you decide that you want a chest freezer, consider reading my ebook:
If you want to skip the book or have me help you via Zoom or phone call with either your chiller or chest freezer setup, you can hire me for a consultation where we will discuss your options, budget, and come up with a materials list and plan for your build and maintenance.
https://chestfreezercoldplunge.com/product/consult/
Here are a several things to consider:
Space Requirements
A chest freezer set up typically takes a little less space than a chiller setup. If you have limited space, a chiller with a rain barrel set up (like The Ice Barrel) will take up the least amount of space.
For either one, measure your available space and make sure you have enough room.
Most chest freezers and chillers are not designed to be outdoors, however, with some modifications, either one will work outside.
Cost to Set Up
Pricing for used equipment can vary greatly, so let’s talk about all new equipment. A basic chest freezer cold plunge can be set up for less than $400 – $500. That includes a chest freezer used to make ice, and a small tank to put the ice and. A well-equipped chest freezer cold plunge can be set up for around $900 – $1,500.
New chillers that can work inside a climate -controlled environment can be found starting around $600. Good quality chillers that are powerful enough to work outdoors or in hot, humid climates can range from around $900 – $3,000. After you add the pump, filter, tank, a well equipped chiller-based cold plunge can run between $2,000 to $4,000.
Cost to Run
A typical chest freezer cold plunge will cost $10 – $20 per month to operate.
Atypical chiller-based cold plunge can run between $30 – $100 per month to operate.
Water Temperature
If you want the coldest water temperature, and are operating within the budgets listed above, a chest freezer wins this one hands-down. Some people prefer the chest freezer because it can bring your water to freezing or within 1 to 2 degrees of freezing with no problems.
Most chillers on the market have a rated temperature range of 39°F to 55°F. Some chillers, like the Penguins, can get your water is cold is 36° – 39°F, with ideal conditions.
Tub / Tank
Chest freezers are typically not as wide as a stock tank, but are usually a little deeper. With most chest freezer setups you are limited by the size of the chest freezer. You can set up a chiller with nearly any size of tank or tub, which gives you nearly unlimited options for size and creativity/aesthetics. Most people opt for plastic or metal stock tanks.
Insulation
Every chest freezer has somewhere between 2 to 3 1/2 inches of insulation built into the walls, floor, and lid. This high-quality insulation is designed to keep sub-zero temperatures to prevent food from spoiling, so it is very efficient at keeping your water within your desired temperature range.
Most tubs (ex. stock tanks, bathtubs) used for chiller based systems are not insulated. You can buy insulated shipping containers or large 100 liter (400 gallon) coolers that are insulated. Drilling holes in the walls of these containers can be tricky, and unless you know what you are doing you can end up with leaks.
Most of the easily available insulation (foam boards and spray cans) at local hardware stores is not going to solve the problem of condensation (see the section “Condensation” below). The only way to prevent condensation is to use a 2-part, closed cell, high-density spray foam, which has as built-in moisture barrier. The kits will cost around $500- $600 and require a haz-mat suit and respirator to be applied safely.
Chilling Power / Speed
How fast your water can be chilled will depend on your volume of water, starting water temperature, and desired water temperature.
Correctly sized chillers are always faster than a chest freezer compressor at getting your water down to your desired temperature. A typical chest freezer can take anywhere from 2 to 5 days to chill the water down, which is why we recommend adding ice in the beginning. See the Ice Bath Calculator on my website to find out how much.
www.ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/icebathcalc
While they do use more power, a correctly sized chiller can lower your water temperature within hours, or at least overnight.
Keeping Your Water Clean
If you want to keep your water clean for a long period of time, three things are needed for either system:
- A pump to circulate the water
- A filter to catch sediment and debris, and
- Some form of sanitaiton to kill microbes
Pumps & Filters
A chest freezer set up can use a submersible aquarium pump with a built-in filter (polishing filters work far better than bio-filters). Replacement filters can go out of stock however and be difficult to find. A DIY pump and filter can be set up with a submersible pond pump and a home sediment filter- the kind of going to your kitchen sink. I have plans here for reference:
A chiller requires a pump in order to chill the water. It is usually best to have this pump outside of the water. You can use either a pond pump with a sediment filter, like in the chest freezer set up, or you can use a pool or hot tub pump and filter. Inexpensive pump/filtes can be found but are usually not high quality.
Pumps and filters meant for small above ground pools for hot tubs can be used, but you need to be careful that the pressure is not too much or it might damage the chiller.
Sanitation
Both a chest freezer cold plunge and a chiller-based cold plunge can use the same sanitation methods- chlorine, bromine, H2O2, ozone, or UV light.
The JED 303 ozone generator is the gold standard for chest freezer setups because it has a built in air pump and does not require any special set up in order to work correctly. I am an authorized reseller for Jed engineering, and you can find the ozone generators on my website at this link:
The JED 303 can also be used for chiller-based cold plunges if you are okay with having the ozone tube in the tank in the air stone sitting on the floor. Some people prefer to use a standard hot tub ozone generator connected to a venturi injector, which is a device that mixes gas and water. These devices require a difference in pressure going in and out in order to create suction to mix the ozone with your water. Setting this up correctly requires a bypass assembly and valves to ensure proper water flow. It can be a little tricky to set up, but it keeps all tubes, wires, and plumbing outside of the tank.
Ease of Setup
The most time-consuming part of a chest freezer set up is sealing the seams and installing some kind of liner. Chest freezers are not waterproof in the seams must be sealed. Chest freezers with both bare metal walls and walls that are lined with a white enamel coating are not meant for long-term submersion and should be lined.
Read this article for information about sealing your chest freezer:
https://ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/sealing
Read this article for information about the four recommended liner options:
https://chestfreezercoldplunge.com/4-liners/
However, there are options that can make this easy. A custom liner, or profesionally done spray liner (like Line-X or Rhino) will greatly reduce the amount of work that you need to do.
Not counting building an enclosure, the most time-consuming part of a chiller-based set up is getting the insulation done correctly and all of the plumbing connected correctly. Most people use foam-board insulation, which is fairly simple, but can result in problems down the line with condensation.
Applying spray foam insulation correctly can be tricky, expensive, and hazardous to your health. Plumbing is not overly complicated, but care must be taken to sure that all best practices are followed.
Enclosure
Chest freezers, if installed on a covered patio or garage do not need to be covered- and in fact should not be covered. If they are outside, an enclosure should be built. The heat removed from the water by your chest freezer is dissipated through the external walls, so you’ll need to allow enough space around the outside walls to allow for ventilation.
When done correctly there is more flexibility with the style of enclosure for a chiller-based system. See the below section about condensation.
Condensation Issues
When best practices are followed, a chest freezer set up will have zero condensation.
Almost every chiller-based cold plunge that I have seen has some condensation. Some more than others, and it depends largely upon the ambient temperature, humidity, type of tub, amount of insulation, and your desired water temperature.
Many people are focused on the enclosure for their chiller based systems to make it look good. However most of the plans and builds that I have seen are not taking condensation into account and will result in mold, deterioration, or wood rot.
It only takes a small variance of temperature between the air and the water inside of your plumbing to create condensation. Condensation can form on the plumbing, tubes, pump, filter, and outside of the tub.
The bottom of the enclosure must either be left open or have a drain pan under the equipment and tub to prevent these problems.
Power Requirements
Most chest freezer and chiller-based cold plunges can be installed with a standard power outlet on a 15 or 20-amp circuit.
Any chest freezer meant for residential use typically does not have any problems.
Smaller (1/4, 1/2, or 3/4 HP) chiller-based systems can also usually without any issues.
1 HP chillers usually have a much larger power draw. If you have other devices plugged into the same circuit, the circuit breaker can shut off when they are turned on the same time. For example, if I have my 1 HP chiller running and turn on the vacuum cleaner, the circuit breaker will shut off. Some older homes may not be wired very well, and might require a visit and work from an electrician to ensure that the chiller runs well and safely.
Most Common Problems
The most common problems with a DIY chest freezer are rust, corrosion, leaking, a dead chest freezer due to not sealing the seams or installing a liner, or not doing the work correctly.
If you would like to know all of the best practices to find your Best chest freezer set up, pick up a copy of my book “The Ultimate Chest Freezer Cold Plunge DIY Guide” here:
Common problems with DIY chiller-based cold plunges are undersized chillers (which are expensive to run, won’t get your water cold enough, and will have a shorter lifespan than expected), condensation issues, and incorrect plumbing design.
If you are in the market for a new chiller, I am an authorized reseller for Penguin chillers, and will be happy to advise you in your setup. I can also send you a copy of my PDF “Quick Setup Guide” for chiller-based cold plunges.
You can find out more information about Penguin chillers here:
https://ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/chillers
If you buy a Penguin chiller from my website you get the same price, warranty, and service as you would directly from Penguin however your patronage helps me support our global cold plunge community- and my family- and is appreciated.
Neither One – Buy a Ready-Made Cold Plunge!
If you do not have time, inclination, or personality for DIY, you might consider buying a ready-made cold plunge that is plug-and-play.
Many companies are entering the market, but are using low-quality equipment, poor business models, and are likely to be out of business sooner than later. I recommend buying a cold plunge from a solid company run by people who can be trusted. I am an affiliate for a few companies that I have looked into and tested their products, and feel good about recommending.
Which model is best for you depends on your budget and aesthetics.
$2,500 – $3,500
Penguin chillers has some done for you cold plunges. See this link on my website:
https://ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/chillers
$4,995 – $7,500
If you want a permanent cold plunge at your home, plunge makes several excellent cold plunges for home and commercial use.
Use the discount code: Richter
Here is a link to their website:
https://plunge.pxf.io/MXjMRJ
$4,995+
Edge Theory Labs makes a portable cold plunge
Discount Code: JOHNR
www.edgetheorylabs.com
