Rent a NICE1
Delivered to your door. Rent by the week.
You've already decided cold and compression therapy is part of your recovery plan. Now deciding whether you're deciding to rent Game Ready or NICE1. This guide gives you a clear-eyed comparison so you can make that call about a NICE1 or Game Ready rental with confidence.
NICE1 · 9 lbs · No ice
Iceless thermoelectric chiller. Add one cup of water. Run indefinitely.
Digital touchscreen holds temperature to ±1°C for the full session
9 lbs, 8-inch cube. Same weight full as empty. Built for home and travel.
Programmable compression cycles. Adjust on/off timing by the minute.
Game Ready GRPro 2.1 · 18–22 lbs filled
Requires 4–6 bags of ice per 24 hours (~$10–14/day in added cost)
Temperature drifts as ice melts; no digital control
18–22 lbs when filled; requires daily drain and dry-out
Three preset compression levels, no custom cycle timing
The NICE1 cold therapy machine and Game Ready ice machine are the two most recognized cold compression systems in orthopedic recovery. Both deliver therapeutic cold and compression. Both use anatomical wraps. Both are FDA Class II devices. The differences come down to how they perform when you actually need them most: at 3am after a knee replacement, in a hotel room before a competition, or through week six of a protocol that started on day one.
Cold and Compression Therapy: What the Research Says
The clinical case for combining cold with active compression — and why both elements matter.
The therapeutic case for combining cold with compression is well established. A 2023 randomized trial confirmed that adding compression to cryotherapy accelerated swelling reduction, improved knee flexion, and produced better functional outcomes versus cold alone. A separate 2024 crossover study of five devices found that sustained, stable skin cooling correlated with greater pain relief and patient comfort compared to inconsistent temperature delivery. These findings point to the same principle: the mechanism works, and what separates good outcomes from better ones is consistency.
Dynamic cold in the 50–60°F range slows nerve pain signaling and reduces metabolic activity in the injured tissue. Intermittent compression in the 13–39 mmHg range moves lymphatic fluid out of the surgical site. When both are delivered simultaneously and continuously, the physiological effect compounds. When the temperature drifts or the ice runs out, it doesn't.
Therapeutic Temperature Target
50–60°F
The skin-temperature zone where pain and swelling control is maximized without frostbite risk
NICE1 holds this range consistently using a closed-loop thermoelectric chiller. No ice needed. No drift. The same temperature at hour one as at hour four.
How Each Device Keeps You Cold
Thermoelectric chilling versus ice-water cooling — and what that means for your recovery at home.
The NICE1 uses a closed-loop thermoelectric chiller with a digital touchscreen that holds temperature to within 1°C of the set point. You add a cup of water at the start of a session. That's it. No ice, no refills, no timing your therapy around a grocery run. At 52°F, it delivers consistent skin cooling for as long as you run it, including overnight.
Game Ready's GRPro 2.1 uses an ice-water bath. Cold output is strong immediately after adding fresh ice, but water temperature rises steadily as the ice melts. In warm home environments, or with a patient generating significant body heat, that drift can pull the device outside the therapeutic range within 2–3 hours. Daily use requires draining the reservoir, towel-drying to prevent microbial growth, and budgeting for 4–6 bags of ice per 24 hours, roughly $10–14 per day in added costs.
Device Specifications
A direct comparison across the specs that matter for at-home post-surgical use.
| Feature | NICE1 | Game Ready GRPro 2.1 |
|---|---|---|
|
Cooling Source |
Closed-loop thermoelectric chiller. No ice, no water changes. |
Ice-water bath. Requires 4–6 bags of ice per 24 hours. |
|
Temperature Control |
Digital touchscreen, ±1°C precision. Holds set point for entire session. |
Dial-based. Temperature depends on ice quality and melt rate — drifts upward over time. |
|
Compression Range |
13–39 mmHg. Fully programmable on/off cycle timing by the minute. |
5–75 mmHg. Three preset levels. Automatic cycle. |
|
Weight (Ready to Use) |
9 lbs / 4.1 kg. Same weight full as empty. |
18–22 lbs when filled with ice and water. |
|
Footprint |
8 × 8 × 8 in (20 × 20 × 20 cm). Bedside, countertop, carry-on bag. |
16 × 7.5 × 7.75 in (41 × 19 × 20 cm). |
|
Overnight Use |
Designed for extended and overnight sessions. No refills required. |
Requires ice refill every 2–3 hours. Overnight use without interruption is not practical. |
|
Daily Maintenance |
Wipe-down after session. No internal buildup from ice or hard water. |
Drain reservoir, towel-dry, sanitize to prevent microbial growth. Daily ice procurement. |
|
Ongoing Costs |
Electricity only. No consumables. |
~$10–14/day in ice costs, plus occasional gasket replacement. |
|
Therapy Wraps |
Anatomical wraps for hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, wrist, lumbar, and more. |
Anatomical wraps for the same joints. |
|
Regulatory |
FDA Class II. . Built and designed in USA. |
FDA Class II. |
Delivered to Your Door
Rent the NICE1 by the week. An authorized distributor in your area will contact you within 3–5 business days to schedule delivery. Your unit arrives ready to use before day one of recovery.
Rent a NICE1Where the Difference Shows Up
Three situations where temperature consistency and maintenance freedom change actual recovery outcomes.
Overnight Recovery
The acute phase of orthopedic recovery, typically days one through seven, is when swelling and pain are most significant and when tissue is most responsive to consistent thermal management. Post-surgical patients who can sleep through the night without waking to refill ice report better rest and lower reported pain levels the following morning. The NICE1 runs through the night without interruption. An ice-water system typically needs a refill within two to three hours, which means either waking up, asking a caregiver to wake up, or letting the therapy lapse during the hours when uninterrupted cooling matters most.
Extended Rehab Protocols
ACL reconstruction, Tommy John surgery, and shoulder procedures involve months of physical therapy with periodic loading and recovery cycles. A device that requires daily maintenance creates friction that accumulates over a long program. Athletes who travel for competitions or training camps cannot reasonably carry 20-plus pounds of ice-filled equipment. NICE1 users consistently cite the ability to set it and move on as the reason they use it more consistently, and compliance with a recovery protocol is directly tied to outcomes.
Post-Session Recovery Between PT Appointments
Physical therapy sessions create controlled inflammation as part of the progressive loading process. Managing that inflammation between appointments is the patient's responsibility at home. Sessions longer than 30 minutes benefit from stable thermoelectric cooling because ice-water temperature drift in a warm room or against a warm post-exercise joint can pull the device above the therapeutic threshold before the session ends.
"For post-surgery recovery, I can't recommend NICE enough."
Dr. Tom Hackett, Orthopedic Surgeon and Partner, The Steadman Clinic
What the NICE1 Delivers
Trusted across more than 250,000 procedures. Recommended by orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine teams. Used by professional sports organizations.
Precision Temperature Control
Digital touchscreen. ±1°C accuracy. Consistent from session start to finish.
The NICE1 holds its set temperature for the duration of any session, including overnight. No ice, no drift, no refills. The same therapeutic environment at hour one as at hour six. For phase-sensitive recovery, cooler in the acute phase (days 0–7) and moderate in later phases, programmable temperature control is the mechanism that makes that precision possible.
Anatomically Designed Wraps
Joint-specific wraps for knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, ankle, wrist, lumbar, spine, and more.
Therapeutic contact requires anatomical fit. A wrap that doesn't conform to the joint leaves gaps in both cold delivery and compression distribution. NICE1 wraps are engineered for each joint's geometry, ensuring consistent surface contact throughout a session regardless of position.
Programmable Compression Cycles
13–39 mmHg. Customizable on/off timing by the minute. Cold and compression delivered simultaneously.
Cold and compression work through different physiological mechanisms, and delivering them together amplifies the effect of each. NICE1 allows compression cycle timing to be adjusted for the tissue's sensitivity at each phase of recovery. Sensitive post-operative tissue in week one requires different compression intervals than tissue in month three of a throwing program.
Designed for Extended and Overnight Use
Compact, lightweight, and built to run through the night without caregiver intervention.
At 9 lbs and 8 inches cubed, the NICE1 fits on a nightstand. It requires no tending once it's running. Patients and their caregivers report uninterrupted sleep as one of the primary quality-of-life advantages in the first two weeks of recovery, particularly after knee replacement, shoulder surgery, and ACL reconstruction.
Validated Across 250,000+ Procedures
Used by professional sports organizations and recommended by orthopedic surgeons.
The NICE1 is trusted by professional teams across the NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, and international soccer, including the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Steelers, Colorado Avalanche, Manchester United, and Atlanta Hawks. Orthopedic surgeons at institutions like The Steadman Clinic specify NICE1 for their post-surgical patients as the standard of care for home cold compression therapy.
Reserve Before Your Surgery Date
The rental process takes three steps: fill out the form, schedule with your local distributor, and receive delivery. Your unit arrives ready to use.
Rent a NICE1Who Rents the NICE1
Post-surgical patients, athletes, and anyone who wants consistent cold compression without the maintenance work.
Post-surgical patients recovering at home account for the largest share of NICE1 rentals. Knee replacement, hip replacement, ACL reconstruction, shoulder surgery, and Tommy John patients all benefit from a device that runs overnight without requiring a caregiver to refill ice at 2am. The clinical argument for NICE1 in these cases centers on compliance: a device that's harder to maintain is a device that gets used less, and therapy that gets skipped is therapy that isn't working.
Athletes managing return-to-sport timelines use NICE1 for post-session recovery between training and PT appointments, particularly during extended protocols like ACL rehab or a Tommy John throwing program. The portability advantage is significant for athletes who travel. Olympic ski teams and competitive athletes report that maintaining a consistent recovery protocol while traveling is straightforward with NICE1 in a way that isn't practical with a 20-pound ice-filled unit.
Caregivers managing a family member's recovery also represent a meaningful share of NICE1 renters. Removing the daily ice procurement and maintenance routine from a caregiver's responsibilities has a direct effect on the sustainability of the recovery protocol at home, especially over a four-to-six-week acute recovery period.
Questions to Ask Your Surgeon
Before scheduling your rental, bring these questions to your pre-operative appointment.
Ask your surgical team whether NICE1 is appropriate for your specific procedure and whether you should begin use before your surgery date to reduce pre-operative inflammation. Ask about the recommended temperature range and session duration for your acute phase. Ask whether your post-op protocol calls for overnight use. Specific settings and protocol recommendations should always come from your care team — they know your surgical approach, your tissue condition, and your recovery targets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about NICE1 rental, use, and how it compares to ice-based systems.
How does an iceless device stay cold for hours?
The NICE1 uses a thermoelectric core, the same technology class used in precision lab cooling equipment. It actively removes heat from the water circulating through the wrap rather than relying on a melting ice supply. As long as the unit is plugged in and running, the temperature holds. Sessions running four, six, or eight hours maintain the same skin-surface temperature throughout.
Can I use the NICE1 overnight?
Yes. The NICE1 is specifically designed for extended and overnight sessions. There is no refill required and no monitoring needed during use. Whether overnight therapy is appropriate for your situation and how it should be configured depends on your procedure and your care team's protocol. Ask your surgeon.
Which joint wraps are available with a rental?
NICE1 offers anatomical wraps for the knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, ankle, wrist, hand, spine, lumbar, and amputee applications. Your rental includes the wrap appropriate for your procedure. Contact the NICE1 team to confirm wrap availability for your specific joint.
How far in advance do I need to schedule my rental?
The process moves quickly: fill out the rental form, and an authorized distributor in your area will contact you within 3–5 business days to finalize delivery details.
Is the NICE1 safer than ice for post-surgical use?
When skin temperature drops below 50°F, blood vessel constriction can reduce oxygen delivery to healing tissue and, around sensitive nerves like the peroneal at the knee or the ulnar at the elbow, create a risk of cold-induced neuropraxia. NICE1's therapeutic range of 45–55°F is designed to stay within the zone where inflammation reduction occurs without restricting the circulation that healing tissue requires. Your care team will provide specific protocol guidance for your procedure.
What does renting cost compared to owning?
Rental pricing is set by authorized distributors and varies by region and rental duration. For most post-surgical patients whose primary need is concentrated in the first four to eight weeks of recovery, renting is the more cost-effective option. Request to rent a NICE1 at getnice.com and your local distributor will contact you with their current pricing.
Clinical References
Peer-reviewed research supporting the use of combined cold and compression therapy in orthopedic recovery.
1. Randomized controlled trial of compressive cryotherapy versus standard cryotherapy after total knee arthroplasty: pain, swelling, range of motion and functional recovery. PMC10900683
2. A randomized crossover trial of five cryocompression devices' ability to reduce skin temperature of the knee. PMC10790989
3. Washington L&I Technology Assessment. Game Ready Injury Treatment System Review. 2020.
Rent a NICE1
Trusted across more than 250,000 procedures. Recommended by orthopedic surgeons. Delivered to your door, ready for day one.
Rent a NICE1This guide is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Recovery timelines and protocols vary by procedure type, surgical approach, and individual patient factors. Always follow the specific post-operative instructions provided by your surgical care team.