Patrick Gunther
My Personal Experience with the Pod Chiller
I recently was given the opportunity to review the Pod Chiller by The Pod Company. I tested the Standard version of the chiller that has a .33 HP rating. In fact, I received the whole “kit and kaboodle”, as they say, meaning the Hardcore Plunger + Chiller Bundle, but I wish to focus during this written review on the chiller itself, leaving more of the bundle review and everything that entails in the video below. Another reason for focusing on the Pod Chiller is because I had reviewed the Ice Pod Pro 2.0 separately in a post on my website. At that time, I was only regulating the water temperature with frozen water bottles.
It is Soooo Quiet
As water chillers go, I honestly have not experienced one so quiet as this one. That is what stood out the most to me. When I turned the unit on, I was perplexed, as I did not think that it was functioning properly because I didn’t hear a fan. Craning my neck and aiming my ear towards it, I was able to hear a slight humming noise, but not one that was very noticeable without straining. In fact, I turned it off, and turned it back on again to confirm that the fan had indeed kicked on and was working. As I watched closely, I also noted the fan beginning to spin, so I was assured the water chiller was performing as it should.
My Skepticism Over the Temps the Pod Chiller Could Reach
I will have to admit that initially I did not have a lot of faith in a .33 HP water chiller. Not that I was biased against The Pod Chiller itself; I was skeptical that any .33 HP water chiller could do the trick of lowering the temperature inside of the Ice Pod to a useable temperature for cold plunging in my locale. Because the days here have been reaching 90 to 95-degrees, I thought I had better test it out in my garage, since that would provide some shade. However, this was not a great plan, as the temperature outside was not much different, and my garage was essentially acting as a greenhouse.
After connecting the Pod Chiller to the Ice Pod, I basically had to hope for the best results. The temperature started at around 77-degrees from the hose water I filled up the Ice Pod with, and overnight it surprisingly got to a quite cold 45-degrees. I was quite impressed that it lowered the water by a full 32 degrees!
The Pod Water Chiller is Compact
As shown in the video, I measured the Pod Chiller to be about 11.5 inches x 11.5 inches, by 13 inches. This “little” unit packs quite a punch, though. And, it does it with the quietness of a refrigerator. Being so small is a great advantage because it takes up so little space, and can be used in tight quarters. Also, weighing only about 50 lbs makes it pretty mobile, so it can be moved if and when needed.
This Water Chiller Will Save You Money in the Long Run
It always comes down to the bottom line – is it a good investment? I’ll have to say with a resounding YES that it is! As I mention in the video, skipping the hassle of ice or frozen water bottles is a must for hardcore cold plungers like myself. If you are going to be using a cold plunge on a regular basis, you will absolutely want to invest in a water chiller because long-term you will save hundreds to thousands of dollars by not having to purchase ice.
Downsides?
Assembling the Chiller Bundle
If you are not very handy, it will definitely take some time to connect the chiller to the Ice Pod. However, it’s not brain surgery or rocket science – the instructions are straightforward, just give yourself time and don’t rush it.
Don’t Expect Temps in the 30s
The only downside I can think of with the Standard Pod Chiller is that I would not expect it to go much lower than 45-degrees in climates like mine; however, that is transparently stated on their website. In hot climates, please expect that you will need the .5 HP chiller to get the water consistently to around 40-degrees or slightly below. But, the good thing is, most people don’t even need or want their ice bath to be any lower than 50-55 degrees, and the Standard Pod Chiller can do better than that. I personally would run this chiller beginning before retiring to bed and night, getting up and doing my cold plunge first thing in the morning, and then turning it off. Rinse and repeat daily. This way, it doesn’t waste energy, and you are using it in the most efficient manner, extending its useful life.
More Goodies
You Get A LOT with the Bundle
I wanted to keep my comments in this written review based mostly upon the chiller, but I do want to say The Pod Company gives you a lot for your money in their bundles – check out in my video all the goodies that are included. They keep you stacked for quite a while!
It’s On Sale, Too
In the video, I stated the pricing as $1,497 for the .33 HP Ice Pod chiller bundle that I was testing and reviewing, and the .5 HP Pro chiller bundle as $1,997. Right now, you actually get better pricing than that! If you are going to pick one up, I recommend not waiting because I have never seen it at this price range before. Sometimes they run out of water chillers, too, so best be quick. Think about it: as it is so hot outside around the country, people are wanting to cool down, and it’s naturally a good time to get into the healthful practice of cold plunging. Get yours before the go “Out of Stock”!
For additional in-depth reviews, visit my ice bath tub reviews page for at-home cold plunges and venue experiences. For a discount on Ice Pod products by The Pod Company, visit my Ice Pod Discount Code page.
