A free-standing ice bath for a balcony, a terrace or the corner of a garden

Who this is for, and who should look at a pool instead

One household, one or two sessions a day, a balcony or terrace that can take the weight: that is the free-standing tub. A rental villa, a studio with a morning class or a clinic that books slots is a different animal, because the water has to recover between bodies and the hygiene routine has to match the traffic. For those, go to cold plunge pools. For a wooden look with a white liner, see the teak cold tub.

Choosing the volume

Bigger is not always better in a hot climate: every extra litre is another litre to pull down from tap temperature and to keep cold against the sun. Most solo users land on 420 litres; a couple who want to sit in together need the 800. The configurator picks the chiller from the litres you choose.

Balcony, terrace or garden: what each one asks

• Condo balcony. A full 420 L tub is about 420 kg of water plus the tub, so the slab, the balcony drain and the building rules all need an answer before a plinth is ordered. The outdoor chiller may need the juristic person's consent; the condo guide lists the questions.
• Covered terrace. The easy case: shade, a drain nearby and room to hide the chiller behind a louvre screen. A lid keeps rain and falling blossom out.
• Garden. Put the tub on a firm, level base away from tree litter and from the pump's drain line. Termites like timber plinths in contact with soil, so we use stone or a raised, ventilated teak base.

Keeping 4 °C when tap water arrives warm

Chilling water from a warm start takes hours, not minutes: 420 litres from 29 °C to 4 °C means removing about 12 kWh of heat, which a 2 HP unit does in an overnight run. So the chiller is on a timer, the lid stays shut, and the first session of the day is the cold one. Chillers for Thai heat explains why the same unit works harder in April than in December.

Water care without a lab

A filter, a UV or ozone stage and a lid let the water last far longer than a bath's would. The handover sheet gives you a plain routine: wipe the rim, check the display, replace a share of the water on a schedule that follows how often you use it. Rinse before you step in; sunscreen and body oils are what turn a clear tub cloudy first.

Measure the route before you pick the spot

A tub that suits the balcony still has to get there. Note the narrowest door or stair turn between the street and the spot, the size of the lift if there is one, and whether the balcony door opens fully. Send those three numbers with your photograph. A tub that cannot pass is better discovered with a tape measure than on delivery day, and with the numbers in hand we can say whether the volume you chose will go through or suggest a smaller one.