Best cold plunge without a chiller
Ice Barrel 300
Compact insulated 77-gallon ice tub, chiller-ready but sold without one
$1,149.99
US price, checked
Ice tub
Sharper Image Ice Bath Portable Cold Plunge
Foldable one-person ice tub sold at Target under the Sharper Image name, with no chiller
$43.99US price, checked
Check price at Target for Sharper Image Ice Bath Portable Cold Plunge Our reviews rest on published sources, not hands-on testing. Our method
Porsche also cofounded Superhuman Chambers, which sells hyperbaric chambers · About the author. This is general information, not medical advice, and no clinician has reviewed it.
The verdict
The Sharper Image Ice Bath Portable Cold Plunge is a foldable, insulated one-person tub that Target lists at $43.99. It's sold at Target under the Sharper Image name with no manufacturer named. It suits you if you want to try cold plunging with ice for about $44. The catch is that Sharper Image's own store doesn't list it, and an air pump is required but not included.
The trade-off
You get no chiller, no named manufacturer and a one-year warranty with no stated terms, and an air pump isn't included.
At a glanceIce tub
- Capacity
- 100 gallons
- Size and weight
- Tub 31.5 x 29 in
- Fit
- One adult, up to 6.5 ft and 250 lb
- Cooling
- No chiller or cooling system listed, so cool it with ice
Model reviewed: Black foldable tub, sold at Target (no chiller)
$43.99
Check price at Target US price, checked
No affiliate commission on this link. Check the exact variant before buying.
- Returns 30 days from the date of purchase, delivery or pickup. See conditions
- Warranty One year, listed as a limited warranty on Target's product page. See conditions
About this price
Price at Target on Oct 20, 2026, before tax. Target shows a New lower price label and $49.99 as the earlier price. It's Target's price. Sharper Image's own store doesn't list this tub. Target lists an air pump as required but not included and shows no price for one.
$50$500$5K
Related comparisons: Ice Barrel vs a chilled cold plunge
Running costs: How much does a cold plunge cost to buy and run?
A GOOD FIT FOR
You want a low-cost way to try an ice bath at home and are fine adding your own ice and pump.
- You want to try cold plunging with ice for about $44 before spending more
- A small indoor or outdoor spot with no spare outlet, since the tub itself has no powered parts
- You're up to 6.5 ft and 250 lb, the limits Target lists
THINK TWICE IF
- You want cold water on demand without buying and adding ice
- You want to know who makes it and who backs the warranty
- You're over 6.5 ft or 250 lb
- You want a chiller, a filter or an app
What still needs checking
- Whether Sharper Image still sells the tub on its own site, since a store search found none
- Who makes the tub and who handles warranty claims
- How much water it holds at a normal fill
- Whether the 5.31 x 28.35 x 13.28 in overall size is the folded size
- Whether a lid and an air pump come in the box
- How long the water stays cold on a fill of ice
- How to clean the tub and how often to change the water
- Whether it can stay outdoors in sun or freezing weather
- What the one-year warranty covers and excludes
- Return conditions and fees in Target's full return policy
How cold does the Sharper Image ice bath get?
Target doesn’t list a lowest temperature or any chiller, so the water temperature depends on the ice you add1. The listing gives no amount of ice per fill and no figure for how long the tub holds the cold1. A Target staff answer in the page’s Q&A suggests starting around 20 to 40 lb of ice, with water at about 50 to 59°F1.
The trials in a 2025 review used water from 7 to 15°C (about 45 to 59°F), so water at 50 to 59°F falls inside the range those trials studied2.
Does the Sharper Image ice bath need an outlet or circuit?
Target lists no electrical requirement and no powered parts for the tub1. It has a drain spigot and hose1.
The listing shows an air pump as required but not included, and doesn’t say whether it must be electric1.
How much does the Sharper Image ice bath cost to run?
The tub draws no power, so the running cost is ice. The listing gives no amount per fill, though Target staff suggest starting around 20 to 40 lb1. It also lists no filter, sanitizer or subscription1.
The required air pump is a one-time cost that the listing doesn’t price1.
The practical details.
| Exact variant | Black foldable tub, sold at Target (no chiller) |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 gallons. Water depth 1.45 ft |
| Size and weight | Tub 31.5 x 29 in. Overall 5.31 x 28.35 x 13.28 in (folded size not confirmed). 7.28 lb |
| Fit | One adult, up to 6.5 ft and 250 lb |
| Cooling | No chiller or cooling system listed, so cool it with ice. No lowest temperature stated |
| Construction | PVC frame, PVC and polyester liner, tri-layer insulated walls and eight supports |
| Drainage | Bottom spigot with a hose |
| Setup | Adult assembly required, no tools needed. Air pump required but not included |
| Dimensions | Target describes the tub as 31.5 in by 29 in with a water depth of 1.45 ft. Overall dimensions are 5.31 in high, 28.35 in wide and 13.28 in deep, and Target doesn't say whether that's the folded size. The listing gives a 100-gallon capacity and a 7.28 lb weight, and says the tub fits one adult up to 6.5 ft or 250 lb. It doesn't say how 100 gallons relates to the 1.45 ft depth, so the amount of water at a normal fill is unknown. |
| Materials | Target lists a PVC frame and a liner of PVC and polyester. It describes tri-layer insulated walls with eight supports for stability. Customer reviews and Target's review summary mention a lid, but the description and spec list don't say one is included. Target says the item is imported and doesn't name the maker. |
Before you buy
InstallationTarget lists no electrical or plumbing need for the tub
Target lists no electrical or plumbing need for the tub. It says adult assembly is required and no tools are needed, and the tub folds for storage. Its spec list shows an air pump as required but not included, and doesn't say whether the pump must be electric. A bottom spigot with a hose handles drainage. Target gives no setup time, no floor-load guidance and no outdoor-use rating.
WarrantyOne year, listed as a limited warranty on Target's product page
One year, listed as a limited warranty on Target's product page. Target says to call its Guest Services for a copy of the manufacturer's or supplier's warranty before you buy. The page doesn't say what the year covers, what's excluded or who handles claims.
Returns30 days from the date of purchase, delivery or pickup, per Target's product page
30 days from the date of purchase, delivery or pickup, per Target's product page. You can return it to any Target store or to Target.com. The page points to Target's return policy, and fees and conditions aren't stated on the product page.
More about this assessment
The Sharper Image Ice Bath Portable Cold Plunge is a foldable one-person tub with insulated walls and eight supports. Target lists it at $43.99, down from $49.99. It holds 100 gallons, weighs 7.28 lb and fits adults up to 6.5 ft and 250 lb. There's no chiller, so you cool it with ice, and an air pump is required but not included. The catch is that Target sells it under the Sharper Image name, but Sharper Image's own store doesn't list it and no manufacturer is named.
Strengths on paper
- $43.99 at Target, with a 30-day return window
- 7.28 lb and foldable
- Tri-layer insulated walls with eight supports
- Bottom spigot and hose for draining
- Target lists no outlet or plumbing need for the tub itself
Limitations
- No chiller, so cold water depends on ice
- Target sells it under the Sharper Image name, but Sharper Image's store search found no listing and no manufacturer is named
- An air pump is listed as required but not included
- One adult only, up to 6.5 ft and 250 lb
- The listed 100 gallons and 1.45 ft water depth don't make the real fill clear
- A one-year limited warranty with no terms on the page
- The recovery and mood benefits Target lists are marketing claims, not findings about this tub
Running costs.
PLAN YOUR OWNERSHIP COSTS
What will it cost to own?
Change the assumptions to fit your use. Leave an unknown cost blank. Add water, subscriptions, cleaning, shipping and taxes if they apply. Use average operating power, not the maximum rating.
3-year known subtotal
$43.99Incomplete: installation, annual consumables. This is not the full ownership cost.
Energy component: $0.00
Purchase + installation + years × (annual consumables + annual other) + watts/1000 × hours/day × 365 × years × $/kWh. Annualized allowances, not an exact replacement schedule. Excludes taxes, shipping, finance and resale unless entered.Replacement parts & cost assumptions
Recorded recurring parts and refills:
- Ice: price not stated. The tub has no cooling of its own. Target's listing gives no amount of ice per fill and no figure for how long the water stays cold, so ice isn't priced. Target staff suggest starting around 20 to 40 lb of ice.
- Purchase is Target's $43.99 price on Oct 20, 2026. It leaves out tax and shipping, and Target shows $49.99 as the earlier price.
- Installation is unknown. Target lists an air pump as required but not included and shows no price for one, so the all-in cost is higher by an unknown amount.
- Watts and hours are 0 because the tub itself has no powered parts. The pump you need to buy separately isn't counted.
- Annual consumables are unknown. Ice is the running cost. Target's listing gives no quantity, and Target staff suggest starting around 20 to 40 lb.
- Other yearly costs are $0. Target's page lists no subscription or membership for the tub.
Evidence & sources.
Do cold plunges work? Our evidence review grades the research as Mixed. That grade is about the claim, not about this product.
- Retailer listingThe price, capacity, size, weight, fit limit, materials, warranty and 30-day return window come from Target's product page for the tub in black.1 This is a retailer's listing, not independent testing of insulation, temperature holding or durability. Sharper Image's store search showed no page for this tub.
- Retailer listingTarget's listing says regular use reduces muscle soreness, speeds up recovery, and lifts mood and energy and lowers stress.1 These are marketing claims about cold immersion in general, not evidence about this tub. The page cites no studies.
- Retailer listingSharper Image's own store shows no portable ice bath.3 A search of Sharper Image's store on Oct 20, 2026 found no portable ice bath or cold plunge tub, so we can't confirm it still sells this one.
- Published studyA 2025 review pooled 11 randomized trials of 3,177 healthy adults in total. The trials used water from 7 to 15°C (about 45 to 59°F) for 30 seconds to 2 hours.2 The review wasn't about this product. One cold-shower trial supplied 3,018 of the 3,177 people and was the only one that included women. Six of the 11 were crossover designs, and people with chronic illness were excluded. It says nothing about how cold an ice-cooled tub gets or about long-term home use.
Sources (3)
- Sharper Image Ice Bath Portable Cold Plunge Revitalizing Ice Therapy Workout Recovery - Black Target · retailer · checked Oct 20, 2026
- Effects of cold-water immersion on health and wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis PLOS ONE · study · checked Oct 20, 2026
- Sharper Image store search results for ice bath Sharper Image · retailer · data file · checked Oct 20, 2026
Other options.
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About this review. The facts on this page come from published studies and retailer listings, checked Oct 20, 2026. The sources are listed above.
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