FREE TOOL · KNOW YOUR RUNNING COSTS
A cheaper tub can mean a bigger ice bill. Compare bagged ice with chiller setup, electricity and upkeep using your own numbers.
Four plunges a week, two $5 bags per plunge: $2,080 a year in ice. A chiller using 3 kWh/day at $0.16/kWh, plus $8 monthly upkeep, costs $271.20 a year to run.
With an illustrative $1,200 setup, the chiller’s first-year total is $1,471.20: $608.80 less than ice at these inputs. Simple payback is about 8.0 months. These are examples, not a product price or performance claim.
| Plunges / week | Yearly ice | Chiller setup + year one | Lower total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $520.00 | $1,471.20 | Ice by $951.20 |
| 4 | $2,080.00 | $1,471.20 | Chiller by $608.80 |
| 7 | $3,640.00 | $1,471.20 | Chiller by $2,168.80 |
Two $5 bags/plunge; $1,200 setup; 3 kWh/day; $0.16/kWh; $8/month upkeep. Holding chiller energy fixed is an illustration, not a claim that every routine uses the same energy.
Annual ice = plunges/week × 52 × bags/plunge × bag price.
Annual chiller running cost = daily kWh × 365 × electricity price + monthly upkeep × 12.
Totals scale the annual costs to your chosen months, adding the chiller setup cost once.
Simple payback in months = setup cost ÷ [(annual ice cost − annual chiller running cost) ÷ 12].
If chiller operation costs as much as or more than ice, there is no operating-cost payback. An eventual payback does not mean the chiller is cheaper within your chosen period.
Assumes year-round use and constant inputs. Excludes common tub and water costs, financing, resale, repairs beyond entered upkeep, and the value of your time. If the routes need differently priced tubs or other extra equipment, include that difference in the setup amount.
Use the ice bath calculator for a fresh cooling cycle. An already-cold tub may need less on its next use. Daily chiller energy is best based on measured kWh over a representative day: rated watts alone do not capture cycling, pumps, climate or insulation.
A cost result is a planning aid, not a product recommendation. Check fit, capacity and package contents.