Polar Active Ice 3.0 | 9 QT Cold Therapy Ice Machine | Programmable Timer | Full Circumference Knee Pad | Cryotherapy Pain Relief System | Ace Bandage Style Compression

Why did you pick this product vs others?: I chose the Polar Active Ice 3.0 because it offered a programmable timer and a knee pad with full coverage. Other systems I looked at didn’t seem as user-friendly or as well-reviewed for long sessions. I wanted something reliable for both post-gym recovery and joint pain management. This cryotherapy system has been a fantastic investment for managing post-workout soreness and joint pain. The setup was straightforward, and I really appreciate the programmable timer feature—it lets me set the perfect session length without worrying about overdoing it. The knee pad provides full coverage and stays secure, delivering consistent cold therapy exactly where I need it. The ice stays cold for hours, and the system is surprisingly quiet during operation. It’s well-built, with quality materials that feel like they’ll hold up for the long run. The only downside for us was that the wrap was too small to fully go around the knee/thigh area. This isn’t the fault of the company—just something to keep in mind if you need it for larger areas.

Buckle up! There's a lot to say. I'm comparing the Polar Care Active Ice machine to four other units I've used. I've had knee problems for over 20 years. My first knee surgery was in 2003 and they provided me with my first cryo cuff machine. Back at that time it was not electric, it was gravity driven, so it had to be elevated much higher than your knee. It provided ice cold water, And I thought the machin was a fantastic bonus! Fast forward to about 2012. I purchased a Breg Kodiak polar Care unit. I was confident that they're really good units and so I put it aside until I needed it. When I needed it, it worked ONE time, and then the pump died. It was terribly disappointing. I spent all that money, was out of the return window, and had a dead unit I couldn't use. Fast forward again to almost 4 months ago, when I had another knee surgery. My insurance would pay for a cryo machine, so I was psyched. The equipment company my doctor's office uses provided me with some crappy noisy unit that provided cool water, but not cold enough water. The indicator light on that machine died after the first week. I requested another machine and they brought me an Ossur Unit this time. The Ossur does the job, But again, the water isn't very cold. The other issue I have with the Ossur unit, is that the knee pad was too small. It basically laid on top of my knee and went down the sides a little bit. Ossur does not have a wraparound or a larger version of the knee pad than what I had. And NOW, to the pièce de résistance: The Polar Care Active Ice! Y'ALL! This machine makes me want to do a happy dance! Here's my take--in no particular order. 1) The 9 qt unit looks like a small cooler you'd take on an outing. It's larger than a personal cooler, to be sure. But it's def not a monster! 2) It's only about 5.5 lbs when it's empty. The tubing is actually fairly weighty, as is the wrap I purchased. And the tubing is fairly long, which is a welcome convenience. 3) Upon purchasing this Polar Care Unit, you can choose from a bunch of different wraps. I chose the large rectangular wraparound for my knee, so that I could get 360° coverage. I HIGHLY recommend doing that. I mean, WTH is the point of a pad that you just put on the front of your knee? The wraparound was the way to go for me! 4) Not only can you use frozen water bottles inside the unit, but the Polar Care folks even have a video showing you how to do it. It is SUPER convenient to be able to reuse the water bottles and not have to worry about ice cubes!! NOW, to the REALLY great stuff! 5) There is a wired remote control! This little gem is of huge significance to me. The remote gives you the ability to set the timer in 10 minute increments up to 990 minutes. The timer cycles the unit both on AND off. The most recent studies show that cryotherapy is most beneficial at increments of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. So that's how I set my machine. That means I could go to sleep and it just keeps cycling, I don't have to do anything. I don't even have to think about it! You can imagine what a tremendous bonus that is for post-op pain when you're in a drug induced stupor! Additionally, You can adjust the coldness of the water from numbers 1 to 4. I have no idea what the temperatures are, but 4 is the coldest. Just be sure NOT to place the wrap directly on your skin. You need a barrier to protect your skin. I use it with pajama pants or lounge pants. I feel like my jeans are too thick. 6) And speaking of water temps, this machine gets COLD, and I mean COLD!!! FINALLY! A cryo machine that actually provides really cold water. As mentioned, the water temp is adjustable. So YOU don't have to have the freezing cold water, and that's another HUGE bonus! 7) This unit is fairly quiet. The little humming that it does is not annoying to me at all, whereas the others grated my nerves. But I suppose that's different for everybody. Some reviewers have mentioned hearing the water trickle inside the unit. I hear that occasionally but it's really a non-issue for me. This Polar Care Active Ice Machine is, hands down, the all around BEST of the 5 cryo units I've used. If you haven't guessed by now, I HIGHLY recommend it.

Post TKR and pain relief best to worst; 1. Narcotics AND this Polar Active Cold Therapy System 2. Polar Active Cold Therapy System 3. NDAIDs and Polar Active Cold Therapy System 4. Acetaminophen and Polar Active Cold Therapy System One of the strongest pain sensations post-op is burning. This system is perfect for that as well as helping to decrease swelling. It feels great. It’s very simple to set up and use, and it’s quiet. Highly recommend using frozen water bottlers (remove some water first). It can hold 6 half liter bottles or 10-12 8oz bottles. Once you fill the cooler with water and frozen water bottles, the pump will circulate ice cold water for about 5-6 hours. Highly recommend having two sets of frozen water bottles so you can switch out with minimal down time. It will then automatically circulate cold water for the set time and then stop circulation for the set time. The timer will reset every time the unit is unplugged, but it’s super simple to change. Usual directions are 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. I purchased the rectangular full coverage knee pad. The Velcro straps are wide and strong, and very secure. Keep in mind that if it fits well before surgery, it may have a small gap post op from the swelling. Not sure about durability as I’ve only been using it for 3 days. The information included about the company looks like they stand behind their product and that you could get replacement parts if needed. If you begin to hear water trickling you need to check the water level and add some. Very happy with purchase. By using the frozen water bottles, you won't use up all your ice. and it makes it super simple to refill. You don't have to carry the cooler and pad to the ice. Just bring the frozen bottles to the cooler.

I had ACL and meniscus surgery. I am so happy I bought this in advance. It has been fantastic for pain relief and reducing swelling. It’s a great product. Very easy to setup and use. I love that you can use frozen water bottles and not just ice. They last at least 24 hours in the unit. 2 months post op and still using it daily. Definitely get the model with a timer remote control.

If this had been the first icing unit I bought instead of the third, I wouldn’t have wasted my money and time with the others. This is a quiet workhorse that reliably provides a strong flow of chilled water and greatly reduces my pain from hip replacement surgery, which affects a large area of the upper leg with swelling and pain. I chose the large pad, which covers most of my hip and thigh and does a fantastic job of treating both simultaneously. The included timer unit is simple to program and takes care of the on / off cycling my doctor advised to avoid over icing. Based on a disaster with a different brand unit, I wanted to make sure spare parts were available, the pump was easy to access for cleaning, and the unit was easy to maintain. So before ordering the unit I called the Polar Products Company and was impressed with the person's patience while answering my questions. In my opinion Customer Service is as important as the quality of the product, and my experience with their Customer Service was excellent. There's a 6 month warranty on the unit and the company offers a range of replacement parts, so you don’t have to buy a whole new unit if something should wear out. As you can see in the photo the pump is easily accessible. Heck they even included two spare O rings for the male couplings with the unit. Not many companies bother with stuff like that anymore. I’ve been using the frozen 16.9 oz water bottles instead of ice and they lasted for most of the day, reducing greatly the number of times needed to change out the ice. I placed the unit on the night stand next to the bed and my recliner, just a couple of feet from my head. It runs quiet enough that I don't need to blast the TV volume, and I find the faint sound of the pump and water tend to send me off to dreamland, which is fine by me. All in all I couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of this purchase, and the fact that it is made in the USA is an added bonus. I’m happy to support my fellow Americans producing a superior product and offering great customer support.

This ice machine works very well…especially since it has a timer which makes it very easy to control 20 mins. on and 20 mins. off. With water and about 3 ice paks, you get about 4 hours of cooling. The loss of 1 star is due to its design….specifically you have to completely remove the cooling pad if you have to get up during your ice treatment. Otherwise, you are dragging these water tubes behind you, and then you need to re-apply the pad and the liner.

I purchased this item as when prepping for knee surgery I learned that the biggest mistake was not getting an ice machine. I get it! The machine is a true life saver. It wraps easily around my not-so-narrow leg and the two secure straps are Velcro on both ends so maximum adjustability. I just pop a couple of frozen water bottles in and they last a few hours in the water, then repeat. Oh and the cord is really long which means I can stretch it to the couch or bed with ease. My favorite features is not only can I schedule the amount of time it runs on but I can schedule for how long between icings. This way when I got to bed it can turn on for 30 minutes and then in 3 hrs turn back on again—I get three icings in from when I got to bed and get up. Worth the money especially if you value quality, ease of use, and convenience.

Hospital wanted $500/month to rent a sophisticated ice therapy machine. I choose this "gadget" that looks like someone took a beach cooler and made a home made knee icer, but this cheap alternative to the expensive machine is well made, keeps your knee icy cold and the controls allow you to set on and off times as well as regulating temperature by pumping the icy water faster or slower through the tubing and pad. Use frozen water bottles instead of loose ice and it’s never messy. I had it going for many hours a day and recovered fast from a knee replacement. 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Product should be rated 10 stars, 5 for performance as advertised, and 5 for value.