Polar Products Active Ice 3.0 Cold Therapy Ice Machine System with Programmable Timer, Knee and Joint Compression Pad, Lightweight 9 Quart Cooler, Quiet Pump, Strong Cryotherapy Pain Relief Treatment

My husband is currently recovering from his second knee replacement. We used this Polar Active Ice machine for his first and loved it so much we reordered it for the second.It is, by far, the best of the best. We loved our first Polar Ice but lent it to a few friends and didn’t realize we had lost track of the cords. Fortunately, or so we thought, he had been given an ice therapy machine for this knee replacement through his insurance. If we had never used the Polar Active Ice, we might have been happy but having done so the “gift” was not even close to the quality and effectiveness that the Polar Ice is.That’s the thing that made the decision to reorder easy for us. Without good icing his swelling is out of control and his leg is very painful. With proper icing, the swelling stays down, the pain is easier to control and most importantly, he can do his rehab effectively.So why this particular product when there are so many others to choose from?It’s easy to use. The Velcro straps are attached to the pad itself which means no fumbling in the night after bathroom trips.Its portable and I can move it around the house to help keep him comfortable. His whole body is recovering because he was limping for so long. He also moves from chair to chair, bedroom to sunroom just trying to find the best spot in the moment and the ice machine can move with him.He’s a big guy, at roughly 6’4” the straps and pad still cover enough surface area on his leg to keep the swelling down.Most importantly though is that this is the most effective way to keep the swelling under control.We fill it with water and cold packs, set the timer and it ices his knee on command throughout the day and night.I’m convinced that this constant flow of cold therapy made all of the difference in the recovery process from the first knee replacement. His physical therapist were impressed, his surgeon was impressed and his primary care doctor was very pleased to see how quickly he recovered.Most importantly, as his caregiver I’m impressed. It will make this whole process better and has made my life so much easier. I know he’s receiving the very best therapy he can receive and in the least amount of pain possible. That gives me some peace of mind as he gets back on his feet. I HIGHLY recommend this product. It’s worth the extra money to have. Just don’t lend it to your friends;)

The idea works and the machine does what it says on the tin. It is cumbersome but there are very little alternatives in the market . The timer was faulty but the machine works without the timer if needed.However … the seller wasn’t great . The machine arrived with an international plug which doesn’t fit in the UK. Not a huge problem but annoying. I’m not sure I’d have chosen it knowing that. I mentioned this to the seller, they took a long time to respond and offered a small refund for me to buy an adapter . Again not a huge problem but a hassle.The refund didn’t arrive and then the timer stopped working . I emailed the seller and very politely they said … too bad .. not our issue … see you later. And that was that . Still no refund …and a faulty timer . Not the end of the world … but not great service.

Coming without knee pad 😱😱

Don't even think about a cheaper solution! I ordered a less expensive (different brand) ice therapy unit and the liner on it failed the first use. The Polar does not have a liner - it's a little mini cooler with a super quiet motor inside it. (Whatever you order, make sure to do it in advance and try it out ) I originally didn't know what features I REALLY needed/wanted in an ice machine. I am so lucky this Polar unit just happened to have 2 key features. First, it has a timer. Why is this important? You can set it and forget it. For example, I iced 30 min on, 30 min off. The first few weeks after surgery I dozed off a lot - so it was important that it just turned on and off for me and I didn't have to keep waking up. Second most important thing is that it has a quick disconnect - that's a BIG deal. Getting the pad all set up and velcro strapped on to your leg (or wherever) takes time. So when you have to make a bathroom run, it is a major pain to unhook everything and get out of the bed or recliner. With the disconnect feature, you just click the button and keep everything attached and then quick reconnect when you're back in bed. Other unit I tried didn't have this. The Polar is sturdy, compact, reliable and quiet. The company also happens to have a customer service team who answers the phone (!!!) and cares about the reputation of their product. I have had no issues with the unit, but I did call to ask about the cost of a longer hose for the unit if I needed. They were great! Getting a human to speak with is priceless. This unit has been a life saver. Instead of reaching for an ibuprofen, I just used the ice machine. And it's durable. I'm assuming at some point I will need to replace the pad/hose connection because I have abused it (ran over it with the wheelchair, twisted it and pulled on it when I was too tired to get up and see what the problem was, etc) but so far it runs like a top and NO LEAKS ANYWHERE. Once I get back in shape after this knee surgery I am sure I will use this for after sports icing - it works great to prevent/treat inflammation.

Updated 4/20/2020: I wanted to add to my original review. I've used a similar unit in the past. However, the deciding factor in purchasing this particular unit was the auto on/off cycle timer, which no other company offer's. You can set it for how long you want it run and how long you want it to shut off before it runs again.Recently I have been dealing with a lot of knee pain and stiffness while trying to sleep, it's been 3-1/2 months since my surgery. To the point I am back having to use crutch's when I first get out of bed, until I do an ice therapy session. So I decided to experiment and use the machine throughout the whole night while in bed.First couple of nights I tried different cycle times, 20 mins on/20 off. Then 30/20. Finally settled on 40 mins on/10 mins off. Now when I get up in the mornings I feel so much better. I'm not in nearly as much pain nor do I have as much stiffness! Also, I no long need the crutch's when I first wake up. Having the on/off cycle timer is such an added benefit!Due to being a multi sport athlete and years of injury and competition I just had my fourth knee surgery, I borrowed a similar unit on my last surgery that wasn't available to me this time. I thought I would just use ice this time. After two days of intense pain and swelling almost the same, I ordered this unit. I love it!The bladders have the wrap attached to it which makes it very convenient and easy to put on & off. This unit also has auto on/off timer that I love. You can set it to run from 10 minutes to 16-1/2 hours. You can also set it for how long you want it off before it kicks back on again. Which is nice because you can have it on a lot longer than ice and you can sleep with it on. Within 24 hours my swelling was reduced by more than half of what it was and so was the pain. Ice, if left on to long can be counter productive and can be messy.I did have a small issue when I first received it, not a real big deal. However, I called the manufacture, Polar Products and they were really nice and took care of it immediately. While talking to them, found out they were actually local to me (Stow, Ohio) and they invited me out. They are a small family owned company with great people and a great product and worth the extra money I paid. Don't be afraid to spend the extra money for this product, Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish.While I was at their facility I was asked if I would be interested in testing reusable Ice packs they are developing to reduce having to keep continuing emptying water and adding ice. I feel they are working very well, maintaining good temperature for 6-8 hours. Take them out, wipe them off and put them back in freezer and grab another set.This unit is something I would suggest having and wearing the moment you get home from surgery. This will help cut days even weeks off of dealing with pain and swelling. Also; I wear mine 30 minutes on/10 minutes off/30 minutes on, then i get up and walk as much as I can with or without crutches, then repeat. After four knee surgery's I have learned how important it is to get it moving as soon and as much as possible. However, getting the swelling down as soon as possible is a huge factor and this unit helps do that.As I am now in therapy, they will typically ice you at the end. I elect not to have them do this and I come home and put my knee bladder on. My opinion it much more effective and more comfortable. I don't understand why therapy does not use them. I know this was long but I hope my experience will help someone or many with a faster recovery, being on crutches and laid up is no fun!