Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub vs Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle
$2,700 against $5,750. Here is where the $3,050 difference actually goes.
Independent and reader-supported. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Rankings are never sold, and every figure says where it came from. Prices verified September 2026.Full disclosure
Higher lab score
Redwood Outdoors
Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub
$2,700
8.7 / 10
Cold-climate buyers and anyone pairing a plunge with a Redwood sauna
Ice Barrel
Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle
$5,750
8.4 / 10
Tall users, and buyers looking into HSA/FSA payment
One of these on its own, in full: Redwood Outdoors Alaskan cold plunge tub review: two tubs, not one with a chiller
Specifications side by side
| Spec | Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub | Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,700 | $5,750 |
| Lab score | 8.7 | 8.4 |
| Capacity | 130 gallons | — |
| Exterior | 37" diameter x 40.5" tall | — |
| Dry weight | 250 lb | — |
| Material | Canadian thermowood, hard plastic liner | — |
| Chiller | None (ice only) | — |
| Included | Tub, wooden lid, wooden steps | — |
| Warranty | 1 year | Limited lifetime |
| Dimensions | — | 57.6" L x 30.7" W x 42.1" H |
| Empty weight | — | 106 lb |
| Filled weight | — | 900 lb |
| Fits | — | Users to 6'9" |
| Made in | — | USA |
The verdict
Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub takes the higher score here. A 130-gallon thermowood barrel that needs no outlet. It is an ice tub: Redwood sells no chiller for it, so buy it for the ice route, not as the first half of a chilled one.
It is also the cheaper of the two by $3,050, which makes this an unusually easy call. The case for the Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle rests on what it does differently, not on value: The horizontal answer to Ice Barrel's own vertical design. Fits users up to 6'9", made in the USA, and carries a limited lifetime warranty no competitor here matches.
Put plainly — unless one of the Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle's specific strengths below is the thing you are buying for, take the Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub and put the $3,050 toward installation, which is the line item most first-time buyers underestimate.
What each one is good at
Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub
Strengths
- No electricity required — put it anywhere on the property
- Canadian thermowood exterior matches the sauna line visually
- Wooden lid and steps included, not upsold
Compromises
- Ice only: Redwood sells no chiller for it and lists no chiller ports
- 250 lb dry, 1,300+ lb filled — placement is permanent
- 1-year warranty is short for the money
Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle
Strengths
- Limited lifetime warranty — unmatched in this roundup
- Fits users up to 6'9" lying back, not crouching
- Ice Barrel states HSA/FSA eligibility — qualifying usually needs a Letter of Medical Necessity
Compromises
- 900 lb filled — floor loading matters indoors
- Bundle price is close to premium all-in-one territory
- Horizontal footprint is large for a garage bay
Read the full ranking
Both products are placed in context, against the whole field and with the installed cost worked out, in these guides:
More head-to-heads
- Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub vs Plunge All-In Gen 2
- Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub vs Redwood Outdoors Alaskan All-In-One Cold Plunge
- Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Tub vs Ice Barrel 300
- Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle vs Plunge All-In Gen 2
- Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle vs Redwood Outdoors Alaskan All-In-One Cold Plunge
- Ice Barrel 500 + Chiller Bundle vs Ice Barrel 300
Prices captured September 2026 from manufacturer and retailer pages and subject to frequent promotion. Confirm before buying. See our testing method for how lab scores are assigned.