Do Not Make a Cold Plunge – 7 Reasons to avoid DIY
Since 2017, after creating my own DIY chest freezer cold plunge, and helping thousands of people in more than 90 countries across the globe do the same thing, you might seem surprised to hear me say there are some people for whom the DIY route is not a great choice.
In fact, not only should some people not try to make a DIY cold plunge, there are some who might benefit from moving in another direction from the very beginning. The great news is that if making a DIY cold plunge is not a good fit for you, there is a solution, which is to buy a professionally made cold plunge from a reputable company.
Which path is best for you?
Let’s start with an overview of the seven reasons why taking on a DIY cold plunge might not be a good fit for you. Read all seven and if any resonate, you can skip ahead for details. If you know right away that taking on a DIY cold plunge is not a great fit for you, then jump to the end for my recommendation.
Don’t start a DIY cold plunge if you…
1. Don’t enjoy DIY projects
2. Are busy
3. Have a tendency to start but not complete projects
4. Want immediate results
5. Are worried about or don’t handle things well when something goes wrong
6. Like the certainty and peace of mind of having a warranty
7. Have a certain aesthetic preference
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
You don’t enjoy DIY projects
Some people love to tinker, fix and take things apart, and build things.
I have a friend who always has some new project on his workbench. He started fixing broken electronics for neighbors and friends when he was ten, has built countless robots for fun, and writes his own code for home automation projects. He even turned the first floor of his home into a haunted house one year, complete with automated sound and light effects and a bunch of animatronic characters.
Do you love the thought of working with tools or putting together various materials and equipment that were never intended to work together? No?
Is there something else that lights you up that you would rather be doing? Maybe it’s hiking or spending time in nature, playing a sport, painting, or spending time with your children. If yes, then a DIY cold plunge might not be a good fit for you.
Buying a ready-made cold plunge from a reputable company can be as simple as connecting two hoses – with no tools or skills needed. Simple, huh?
One great thing about buying a commercially made cold plunge from a company that’s been around is that you have a team of people who love to design, tinker, build, improve, and innovate, and they have already figured out how to avoid the common mistakes that can plague DIYers doing something for the first time.
You are busy
Most people these days seem to have pretty full lives. How much downtime do you have between your career, social life, recreation, family time, and other things that are important to you? If your schedule is packed, then you might not have the 8 – 15+ hours over 2 to 7 days that it can take to complete a DIY cold plunge.
This doesn’t include the time it takes if something does not go according to plan. Troubleshooting and fixing problems can add hours or days to your project.
A commercially made cold plunge with white-glove delivery shows up at your house and is carried and placed where you want it. You might need to make a few connections and fill the tub with water, but you’ll be done in less than 30 minutes.
You have a tendency to start but not complete projects
Are you really great at starting projects, but not so great at finishing them? Do you have boxes, closets, a garage, or an attic full of books, kits, crafts, or other projects that you bought with great excitement, but somewhere between buying them and getting them done all the sizzle seemed to fizzle?
Do you have a collection of small appliances, electronics, furniture, toys, or other items that need to be fixed, and they’ve been sitting there for more than a few months?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, an un-started or partly finished DIY cold plunge sitting around taking up space will not add joy to your life. In fact, you might find the additional clutter to be stressful.
With a done-for-you cold plunge, there is nothing to figure out. All the hard work has been done. You don’t have to worry about figuring out options, what equipment to buy, drilling holes, or waterproofing a major appliance that isn’t designed to hold water. A professionally made cold plunge is plug-and-play. Does that appeal to you?
You want immediate results
DIY projects can and do work the first time when done correctly with the right planning. However, I regularly hear stories from people who have problems with rust, leaks, dirty water, or dead chest freezers because, in their hurry to finish the project, they did not take the time to properly plan, do their research, have the right equipment, learn the right skills to use that equipment, or rushed to finish and skipped or missed important steps.
Many DIY projects require troubleshooting and several iterations before the problem is resolved and figured out. Sometimes those problems are immediately obvious. Sometimes it works initially, but something small was missed and is only discovered weeks or months later when something starts to go wrong. At that point, you have to drain your cold plunge and start troubleshooting. The worst part is that during the downtime, you are missing the cold water immersion practice that you’ve come to enjoy.
When you buy a commercially made cold plunge from a company that has been in business for a while, you’ve got a better than 99% chance of it working right out of the box, and being able to enjoy a worry-free cold water immersion practice for many years to come.
You’re worried about something going wrong
The work required to turn a chest freezer into a smoothly running cold plunge involves adding waterproofing materials, drilling a hole in the lid, and most importantly- filling it with water. In case you didn’t know, chest freezers are not designed to hold water. Filling a major electrical appliance with water is inherently risky. Since the very beginning, there has been one important safety message, which is to unplug all of the equipment (including and especially the chest freezer) before you get into the water. However, some people are afraid that if they forget to unplug it before they get in, the consequences could be pretty bad.
When not set up correctly, a DIY chest freezer cold plunge can rust, leak, or simply stop working.
After you do get it up and working, you might have problems keeping the water clean.
One person in my Facebook group posted that after reading about all the “horror stories” of things that go wrong, she decided to buy a ready-made cold plunge. I totally get it. A bunch of things went wrong with my initial project, and it in some cases I felt overwhelmed, stressed out, and frustrated.
If you are worried about something going wrong, that you may not have the ability or interest to troubleshoot and fix problems, a DIY chest freezer cold plunge is not to be a good idea to take on.
Sure, things can go wrong with commercially made cold plunges, but the vast majority of the time, they work right out of the box with no issues.
You like the certainty and peace of mind from having a warranty
The moment you start tinkering with a chest freezer to turn it into a cold plunge, you void the warranty. Sealing it, applying liners, drilling holes, installing pumps and filters, climbing in and out of it, and, most importantly, filling it with water- are not things that the manufacturer would be keen to find out about. If something goes wrong and the chest freezer dies, you might not be able to get it replaced under warranty.
Does hearing that make you nervous? What is your risk tolerance?
A professionally made cold plunge from a reputable company will come with at least a one-year warranty. Some companies offer the option to buy longer warranties so that if anything major breaks down you’ll be completely covered. If having a company stand behind their product can help you sleep better at night, it’s definitely worth it to consider.
You have a certain aesthetic preference
I’ve seen DIY cold plunges that are quite beautiful, including one that was incorporated into a high-end spa set up at a private retreat facility. It had a gorgeous wood deck built around it, with steps, and a matching wood sauna. Some people in my community who are carpenters or artists have turned their chest freezer cold plunges into beautiful works of art.
On the other end of the spectrum, some chest freezer cold plunges look pretty rough, with wires, cables, or liners sticking out from under the lid and random equipment and parts are on the floor or attached to the wall nearby. Some look like science experiments.
A professionally made cold plunge that is designed and built to work specifically for that purpose can enhance the aesthetic of your home or backyard. Michael Garrett, who designed “The Plunge” said one of his intentions from the beginning was to create a product that would pass “The Wife Test.”
The Solution? Buy a professionally made cold plunge
If any of the seven above criteria have you thinking that you don’t want to take on a DIY cold plunge, the great news is that there are many commercially available options out there for you. Professionally built cold plunges built by a reputable company can run anywhere from $5,000 upwards to $24,000.
Some of the commercially made models, however, are out of reach because of their $10,000+ price tag. However, there is one company that decided to do something about that.
I’ve spent quite a bit of time learning about not just their products, but the two men behind the company, as well as their team. I’ve been consistently impressed with what they are doing and feel confident recommending them. That company is The Plunge.
How did I hear about The Plunge?
I heard about The Plunge originally when someone in my DIY community posted about their product back in early 2021. Needless to say, at that point after four years of seeing all of the things that could go wrong with chest freezer and other DIY cold plunges, I had a lot of questions.
Based on things I’d seen go wrong in the DIY space, I knew that if that they did not consider those issues, they were going to have serious problems, a lot of unhappy customers, and not stay in business for long.
So I called the company and ended up talking with Michael Garrett, one of the two founders. To my delight, he answered all my questions to my satisfaction- and then some. We both enjoyed the conversation and we agreed to have another conversation and put the video on YouTube.
You can watch that conversation on my YouTube channel here:
I became an affiliate with The Plunge and based on the number of customers that I sent them, Michael asked me if I would like to formally review one of their cold plunges. I gave him an enthusiastic “Yes!” and he sent me a Plunge Pro free of charge in May 2021. I hosted it at a friend’s house and made it available for free community cold plunges. After using it for a couple of months I posted a review which you can watch here:
Innovations and Customer Service
One thing that impresses me the most with The Plunge is that they have continued to innovate their product and their offerings. What they have improved over just the last 15+ months is a topic for a separate post/video. However, here’s one example.
One minor detail that I mentioned that I did not like about the Plunge Pro I received in 2021 is that condensation formed on the inside cover of the light. What did they do? They went out and found a light fixture that was completely self-contained, which prevented any condensation from building up.
There are literally 10 things I can think of off the top my head that they have improved with their plunges in the year since then.
They really listen to their customers and are quick to make changes and improvements. On top of that, Michael LOVES to tinker and has some awesome plans for future products. You’ll have to stay tuned to find out the details. 🙂
Visiting their facility
In August of 2022 I had the chance to visit their facility near Sacramento, CA. We are working on a video of that tour, but I can say that it was great to not only meet Michael and his business partner Ryan in person but the entire team working at The Plunge to make sure their customers have a great experience starting and building a regular cold water immersion practice.
Having a great product is important, and having a dedicated team behind it to support their customers every step of the way takes it to an entirely new level.
I’ve seen The Plunge team go above and beyond to take care of their customers if something is not 100% right, which is one key reason why they get my vote of confidence.
Plunge Options
As of September 2022, they have models that range from $4,990 to $7,490. If that is not in your budget, you might consider one of their finance plans that start at $174 per month. They also offer a 3-year and 5-year extended warranty on all models.
I’m happy to answer any questions you have about The Plunge or which model is the best fit for you. And if you want to try one out and are in Central Texas near Austin, let me know- we can set up a time for you to come by and take a “test drive.”
If you have any questions you can reach me via the contact form on my website. Just click the contact link above on the main menu bar.
If you already know that you want to buy a plunge, you can use this discount code: Richter
Here’s a link to their website to find out more about the available models:
When you use this link and the discount code, I earn a small commission which helps me support our global cold plunge community- as well as my family- and your patronage is greatly appreciated.
To DIY or not to DIY- that is the question
If you have read through this post and the DIY route just doesn’t seem to be a good fit for you, that’s OK. I give an enthusiastic two thumbs up to The Plunge.
If you love DIY or just don’t have the budget to buy a commercially made cold plunge, I can help you avoid all of the common DIY mistakes. Then it’s just up to you to make it happen. Click the products link on my website to find a copy of my book “The Ultimate Chest Freezer Cold Plunge DIY Guide” or hire me for a consultation. At least then you can significantly stack the odds in your favor of getting it right the first time.
I’m an advocate for all forms of cold water immersion practice. Whether you choose a commercially made cold plunge or go the DIY route, I support you for making that choice for your health.
Happy cold plunging!
