Do you love pop? or soda? or coke? Do you want to make it yourself?
Well whatever you call it where you’re from (we call it “pop” in Ohio), fans of all types of sweet carbonated beverages can now make them at home in a fun and enjoyable way. One of the most interesting products that we saw at the 2009 Green Gear Expo in NYC was the SodaStream Home Soda Maker. With it, you can make pop, of all different types without using any batteries, power, or wasting thousands upon thousands of PET bottles.
The average American drinks 55 gallons of pop each year. If you don’t recycle the plastic bottles (and most don’t) you’re committing that bottle to a 700-year life in a landfill. 700 years! You think someone might want that landfill space at some point? Using the sodastream, the plastic bottles are reusable and manage to keep your soda carbonated well for up to a week.
How does this magical amazing product work? It’s very simple. The main device is essentially a CO2 container that forces the gas into the ready to use liter bottle. Simply press the top button until you hear 3 or 4 buzzes (meaning the pressure in the bottle is at the appropriate level). Then unscrew it and add one of many soda and flavored water concentrates. The best part about the Soda Stream is that the flavors taste very good. I tried diet ginger ale, “coke”, orange, diet cran-raspberry, energy (red bull type), and root beer. They all tasted great and the best part is that you can tailor the amount of sweetness that you want in your drink. Then just throw it in the fridge and use it like any other liter bottle. After you’re done, wash it out with soap and water and reuse.
The CO2 containers are legal, registered containers that you can exchange with SodaStream when you’re done. So there again, the by-products of this process are reused.
The actual machine itself has a list price of $79.99. You can buy a start up kit tailored to your tastes at their website, but assuming your main drink is pop and you buy all items (gas and concentrate) in bulk, your variable cost per liter is roughly $0.67. The cost of a 2-liter at the store is roughly $1.20 for a premium brand. It’s important to note that no matter how much you drink using the sodastream you’ll never recoup your initial investment.
But, that’s not what this is really about. Sodastream is about high quality, innovation, and the fun times had making your own pop. The initial side benefit of saving numerous plastic PET bottles is a wonderful added benefit. This product is not for everyone but is great for people who like to make their own stuff or impress friends.
Video Review and Photos below!
RATING: 2 out of 5 Gears for Variable Eco Benefit and Product Quality / Innovation
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, I am getting one. I looked at their page, but your demonstration and straight forward presentation made the same for them. Thanks.
I love my Soda Stream. I don’t drink a lot of fizzy drink so I found that when I bought bottles of fizzy, they went flat and I ended up drinking slightly weird-tasting sweet water or throwing them away, which was a horrible waste. Whenever you buy softdrinks at the supermarket you end up buying the huge size because it is better value or if you buy a small single-serving size it’s just a ripoff and you have even more PET bottles you are consuming. However, because Soda Stream makes a relatively small amount I can make it fresh just when I want some and it doesn’t go flat before I’ve finished it. It’s also good because we always have a large variety of mixers available for spirits and cocktails without having multiple huge bottles in the fridge. I bought extra Soda Stream bottles so that I can keep them filled with tap water in the fridge ready to be carbonated when needed.
I also like it because I don’t have to use their own brand of syrup. I drink it with Rooh Afza (a rose syrup) or Ribena (blackcurrant). I have also made my own syrups out of mint leaves and pandan leaves. It’s also nice as a plain fizzy water to drink on its own. For some reason fizzy water seems more thirst-quenching than still water. I also love it mixed half and half with fruit juice. It makes the juice more refreshing and makes it go further.
I’m thinking of getting one of these for my wife. The value proposition is probably the greatest downside – but I’m wondering if other Co2 containers can be used. I believe you can get pretty large tanks filled fairly cheaply. If we can side-step Soda Stream on Co2 delivery costs, do y’all have any idea what the variable per liter cost would be?
They sell proprietary C02 cartridges, which means they can only be refilled by SodaStream.
Also be aware that the cartridges and refills a.) are not always in stock at retail outlets listed on the SodaStream site b.) cost $24 per cartridge refill (as compared to $3 for a ’standard’ CO2 cartridge) c.) the size of the cartridge when available at a retail store “may not” match yours
The customer service on getting exchange CO2 cartridges is *horrible* – every order that I have placed has had some problem. Beware especially if you live in an area where they use an independent courier, rather than UPS. (seriously… call them up and check before ordering) In this case, they don’t send shipping confirmations or tracking by e-mail, and several times I have waited for bottles only to find that they have not yet shipped (in one case, for weeks).
RIP-OFF ALERT! I bought one of these a few weeks ago. It is a cheap piece of plastic made to break. First they shipped the wrong (cheaper) version. Then they sent the replacement 2 weeks later with no way to ship the old one back. The product does not work! The drinks are fizzy and great for the first 10 minutes and then the C02 is gone and the drinks are flat. I shipped it back at my expense in perfect condition and they are shady and keep telling me the check is in the mail…for 4 weeks! These guys are crooks. Don’t fall for it!
Funny how every review I’ve visited so far has the same reply as chris 01.21.10, with minor changes and different names…
Got one!
Before ordering Soda Stream’s Fountain Jet, if I wanted a low-carb soda sweetened with Splenda instead of Aspartame, I had to travel past my nearby Walgreen’s and Safeway over to Lucky and pray they had Pepsi One or Diet Zero in stock. Cola. That’s all. Everything else has Aspartame (which for me is Headache City, population OHGODMAKEITSTOP).
Now? Variety! Splenda-sweetened diet variants of Coke, Dr. Pepper, Fresca, Sprite, Crush, A&W, lemonade, and so much more. No wasted time, no lugging 2-liters, far less plastic waste, I control the amount of carbonation and flavor. Easy to set up and use, quick delivery. The unit is not bulletproof but is quite hardy, and the fizz stays for at least 48 hours (more than sufficient time for me to down a single liter), so I have to assume that Chris above is trolling.
If I find any drawbacks, it’s the “loud buzz” that signals adequate carbonation; it’s not so much a “buzz” as the sound of flatulence. (Hope the neighbors don’t hear!) And I hope they come up with a diet version of their cherry cola soon!
I hope you like it happenstance. They’re pretty fun products. I’m sure if you wanted you could find a good recipe and make your own splenda based diet black cherry soda!
I had one while I was stationed in Germany they were fairly new there at that time in 2000 and not all the syrups tasted quite right i stuck to the cola the orange had a funny taste to it i may try getting one now that they’re available here in the US perhaps they’ve improved the flavoring
I first saw the SodaStream Fountain Jet on a local tv stations “Does It Work Wednesday”. They had a bunch if middle school girls test it. It took them a bottle or two to get the carbonation right. After that, they were soda making fools!
Being disabled, it’s tough for me to lug bottles and 12pks & sometimes 24pks into the house. My Fountain Jet has become my most used kitchen appliance after the microwave. I am diabetic and have found that even the regular soda mixes don’t really mess withmy blood sugar as long as I’m not drinking huge amounts. I do wish there was a black cherry or a peach soda mix. I have found that if I want a vanilla drink, I add some diet cream soda to whatever I am mixing up. It goes great with Pete’s Choice or Orange-Mango.
Keep up the wonderful job that you are doing!
I agree with most of the reviews I have read. The Soda Maker is a great idea but the savings is not even close to what they say it is.
1. Their CO2 bottles are exclusive to them which means you can only get them refilled through them which takes weeks and is VERY expensive.
2. While you are waiting for your new CO2 bottle, you are forced to go back to buying soda in either 2 liter bottles or cans. Where is the savings again??
3. All of the regular flavors taste like diet because just like the diet they too are made with splenda products.
On a scale of 1-10 I would have to give the Soda Maker a 2 0r 3, but that is only because of the good idea. Green? In some ways but because of the problems listed above, it takes away the “GREEN” factor.
I think if they would offer a HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) version along with the version they have now this product would really take off. I know HFCS may not be good for you but let the consumer make that choice for themselves. Well, and fix the problems with the CO2 bottles.
Please check out a new green product for making soda that is way ahead in the green department than sodastream.