Portable and Packable: We Tested the Best Inflatable Cold Plunge Tubs of 2025

The inflatable cold plunge tub from Sun Home Saunas is our top pick for the best inflatable cold tub. It’s lightweight, durable, and it’s made from a high-quality, military-grade drop-stitch material. That means the tub will hold its shape and you can lean back into the side walls while you’re submersed in cold water. 

For this reason, the Sun Home Cold Plunge earns a 4-out-of-5-star rating for both construction and durability. “It doesn’t budge when you’re getting in and out of the tub either,” says Lindsay Scheele, CPT, CNC, and GGR expert tester. 

Lindsay also appreciates the roomy 76-inch-long tub and gave the Sun Home Cold Plunge a 5-star rating for ergonomics because she had plenty of room to stretch out. “The website says people up to 6 feet and 8 inches tall can fit in this tub, which I totally believe. This would be a great option for heavier people, too. And you may even be able to get two smaller people in there together,” says Lindsay.   

This cold plunge tub also earns a 5 out of 5 for its conveniences. You’ll have all the high-end amenities like Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless temperature control, advanced filtration and circulation, and an energy efficient chiller. Plus, the Sun Home Cold Plunge can cool and heat water, which means this doubles as a mini hot tub. Your cold plunge experience just got a lot better. 

For more details on Lindsay’s experience, check out our Sun Home Cold Plunge review.

We’ve also tested the Sun Home Cold Plunge Pro, which offers an ultra-luxe, spa-like experience for about double the price. 

You may be familiar with Plunge because it was one of the first companies to splash onto the cold plunge scene. Our Plunge review, featuring the OG acrylic tub, was one of the first cold plunges we tested and reviewed. The Plunge Air is ideal for outdoor use with its heavy-duty nylon and PVC fabric liner, insulated cover, and easy inflation process. 

The Plunge Air is a full-size tub that can hold 105 gallons of water and can get down to 39 degrees Fahrenheit. The footprint is also compact compared to typical cold plunge tubs, earning it a 5 out of 5 for its footprint and portability. It can fit on just about any outdoor patio, no matter the size. “It’s definitely compact,” adds GGR director of content Nicole Davis, CPT, PN1-NC, “But still a bit larger than other inflatable tubs.”

But here’s the part we really appreciate about this cold tub: There are three buying options, all with different price points. 

You can purchase Plunge Air without a chiller (which means you’ll use your own ice), with a chiller that only controls cold water, or a chiller that can create both hot and cold water temperatures. We tested the non-chiller option. The option for a Wi-Fi-controlled chiller earns the Plunge Air a 5 out of 5 for conveniences.

You’ll also get all the standard sanitation system equipment you get with The Plunge, which includes a 20-Micron Filter and ozone sanitation. 

Nicole says the Plunge Air is pretty durable, especially for an inflatable cold plunge. “I was able to lean on the sides getting in and out, but did notice some slight warping on the edge in the middle of the tub,” she adds. For this reason, she gives it 3.75 out of 5 stars to the durability and the construction of the Plunge Air. 

However, Nicole and our other experts note that even with slight warping, this tub doesn’t require periodical re-inflating like some of the other cold plunges we’ve tested. Our team also noticed during the initial assembly that the hoses, chiller, and other components were higher quality and more durable than other tubs.

Check out our Plunge Evolve Series review, where our team goes over the Plunge Air and other tubs from Plunge’s latest line of ice baths.

If you’re looking for a vertical cold plunge to sit in instead of leaning back, we recommend the Nordic Wave Gen 2, which accommodates people over 6 feet tall.

Whether you’re looking at inflatable ice baths or ceramic cold plunge tubs, these recovery products can get pricey. If you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck, look no further than the Nordik Recovery Ice Tub, which earns a 4.5 out of 5 for its value from GGR Everything Lead Reviewer Lindsay Scheele, CPT, CNC, who says, “The premium bundle comes in at about $2,750, which is actually cheaper than most other cold plunge options with chillers.”

The ice tub comes in three options: with just the tub, or with a one-horsepower standard or premium chiller. The standard chiller cools to 37 degrees Fahrenheit, while the premium chiller also heats to 104 degrees. Plus, the premium chiller comes with a three-step filtration system, including a 20-micron filter, a mesh filter, and an ozone generator. “The premium chiller is the big sell here,” says Lindsay, although all three options are priced competitively.

Like other inflatable cold plunges, the Nordik Recovery Ice Tub is portable, so it can be drained and deflated and packed into a bag for easy storage while traveling, earning it a 5 out of 5 for its footprint and portability. Lindsay notes that assembly is fairly easy, taking about 20 minutes; plus, it comes with everything you need, including an air pump.

It’s not a perfect cold plunge tub, however, as the inflatable bath has issues that many other inflatable tubs suffer from. For one, after a few days of testing, the Nordik Recovery got an air leak, which required the team to patch and refill the air in the tub every couple of days. Additionally, the tub loses its shape and bows over extended periods of time.

“The tub started to bow a bit after the two-week mark,” explains Lindsay. “It still works fine, but to maintain the integrity of the PVC tub, I’d recommend draining the tub at least once a week.” It earns a 3 out of 5 for its durability and construction.

The tub claims to fit people up to 6 feet and 7 inches tall. However, Lindsay, who is about a foot shorter, found herself having trouble getting fully submerged. “Either my shoulders were popping out of the water, or my knees were,” she says. “It just feels small.” Keep that in mind if you are a taller person, but if the tub can suit your frame, then it’s a high-value tub with a powerful chiller.

For a larger tub, we recommend the Desert Plunge Grizzly Wide 450, a durable 112.5-gallon tub that can fit multiple users.

The Hydragun Supertub is one of our favorite cold plunges because it’s lightweight, easy to use, and has a chiller that can both heat and cool. At 21 pounds, this is one of the lightest inflatable cold plunge pools we’ve tested. It comes with a carrying case and can easily be drained, deflated, and rolled into its bag for on-the-go muscle recovery, earning a 5-out-of-5 rating for its portability. 

The chiller weight will have some heft to it at either 68 pounds (for the 0.6-horsepower motor) or 82 pounds for the (0.8-horsepower motor). However, with either choice your chiller will come equipped with transport wheels. 

The brand offers two motor sizes to accommodate different uses and climates. If you use the Supertub indoors (or outdoors in a moderate climate) the smaller 0.6-horsepower chiller is all you need. However, the bigger motor may work better for more extreme climates or full-time outdoor use. 

GGR expert tester Lindsay Scheele suggests the Hydragun Supertub for outdoor use based on her experience with the noise of the chiller. “While this may be a minor detail, the chiller runs louder than most other tubs I’ve tested. If you’re sensitive to sound, it could be annoying to hear running inside your garage,” says Lindsay. She rates the conveniences at 4 out of 5. 

Noise aside, Lindsay thinks the Hydragun Supertub is durable and appreciates that she could put her weight on the edge without it bowing or moving. She gives the tub a 4.5-star rating for durability, saying, “This holds up much better than other inflatable tubs I’ve tried, even after moving, draining, and filling it multiple times.” It’s made from military-grade marine vinyl and has a 60-gallon water capacity. 

Lindsay shared more thoughts in our Hydragun Supertub Cold Plunge review. 

For a similarly-priced cold tub with a larger (but still compact) capacity, take a look at the Inergize Elite Plunge Tub, which can hold 80 gallons of water, compared to the Supertub’s maximum of 60 gallons.

If you have a small backyard or garage, we think you’ll appreciate the Inergize Elite Tub for small spaces. It’s certainly not as compact as a vertical plunge (like one we tested for the Ice Barrel 400 review), but it’s only 51 inches long and 28 inches wide. It’s also fairly tall at 30 inches, which means more of your body will be underwater. We rate the footprint and portability a perfect 5 out of 5.

GGR Everything’s Lindsay Scheele, CPT, CNC, says her 5-foot, 4-inch frame was comfortable with her legs bent, but recognizes it may not be the best option for tall or heavy individuals. “Even at my size, I couldn’t entirely straighten my legs,” she adds. For ergonomics, she scored the Inergize tub 3.5 out of 5 stars.

One of Lindsay’s favorite features was the temperature control. “You can control the temperature on the chiller itself or connect to your Wi-Fi network so you can control it remotely on the app,” says Lindsay, who rates the conveniences at 4.5 out of 5. 

This tub can chill water down to 37 degrees and heat it up to 105 degrees. This range offers a ton of versatility to your recovery routine. When going from cold to hot (or vice versa), you’ll need some patience. Lindsay noticed the temperature, on average, takes an hour to change about 10 degrees. 

We have more details about our experience (plus notes on cleaning, draining, and maintenance) in our Inergize Cold Plunge Tub review. 

If you’re not looking for a chiller, try out the Ice Barrel 400, which is a vertical tub that’s durable and competitively price, although you’ll need to bring your own ice.

If you’re looking for a portable ice bath, look no further. The Tru Grit Cold Tub is designed for maximum ease-of-use when transporting from one place to another. The kit comes with a carry bag, tub cover, air pump, and repair kit (for potential punctures). The entire kit weighs 38 pounds, earning it a 5-out-of-5 score for its portability.

It also comes with a Tru Grit Rubber Floor Mat (similar to some of the best home gym flooring) to help protect your floor and the integrity of the cold tub base.  

It’s also priced under $1,000 for the tub without a chiller, which means you’ll need your own ice.  With a chiller, it’s priced at $3,900. Without the chiller, it’s a much more portable tub, but keep in mind you won’t have temperature control or filtration. Foregoing filtration means you’ll need to drain and clean the tub every month. 

Frequent draining and cleaning may sound like a hassle, but we appreciate there are designated fill and drain ports. The drain port just has one little problem: It sits a few inches from the bottom of the tub. This is actually pretty typical of cold plunges, which leaves plungers having to tip over their tubs or use a wet vacuum to drain the remaining water. For cleaning and draining, this earns a 3.5-star rating. 

GGR Performance Editor, CPT, and CNC Anthony O’Reilly says, “I was comfortable in the 60-inch long tub, even at my height and build.” He scores the ergonomics category 4 out of 5 stars. For comparison, Anthony is 6 feet and 2 inches tall and about 220 pounds.

Anthony also thought the tub was durable and held its shape well. “It held its shape wonderfully as I got in and out of the tub, even when pressing my body weight into the sides and putting pressure on the edge from the top,” he adds. “We had multiple people try it out, and I didn’t notice any deformities after so much use.” He rates the durability and construction at 4 out of 5.

We have more details on Anthony’s experience in our Tru Grit Cold Tub review. 

Not sold on an inflatable cold plunge? Check out the original Plunge, made with durable acrylic and fiberglass and certain to hold its shape.