The All In One Soda Maker Guide

Buy on Amazon

Soda water is also known as seltzer, club soda, sparkling water, and fizzy water. This popular drink made from a mixture of carbon dioxide in gas form and water, not only can quench your thirst, keep you hydrated without the extra calories, and be used to make some wonderfully delicious bubbly drinks but also has many other fantastic uses as well. Best of all, with a soda maker, it can be made right at home and for a fraction of the cost.

A Little Soda History

Joseph Priestley actually invented soda water way back in 1767. A philosopher, inventor, scientist, and brewer this English friend of Benjamin Franklin discovered this drink when he placed a bowl of water over a container of fermenting beer. Carbon dioxide from the fermentation process mixed with the water which carbonated it.

He quickly found out that his friends enjoyed the taste of this unique fizzy drink. While he did not go on to manufacture soda water, others like some very well-known companies did, and are still around today.

Sodas Makers Bring The Home Fun

Luckily today, this process can be done in a much simpler and faster way right on your countertop or even outdoors. Basically, home soda makers use pressurized CO2 cartridges to carbonate tap water. Being able to make your own soda at home not only is very convenient but has many other important benefits for the consumer. Such as:

Buy on Amazon

 

Saving Cash On Soda Water, Colas, And All Types Of Carbonated Drinks

Buying carbonated drinks of all types by the bottle on a regular basis, not just soda water, can really add up, particularly if you have a family. And while buying in bulk can save you some money, the real saving are in making your own at home.

By doing so you’ll pay less per serving than buying at your local corner shop, supermarket or buying in bulk. This can really add up over time, particularly if you love drinking soda, and the unit will easily pay for itself in these savings.

Flavors And Drinks For All

Most people don’t realize that soda makers can be used to make much more than soda water. Many soda maker brands offer some really tasty flavors that are actually healthier than standard options. Simply choose the fruit, cola, diet cola, or even energy drink syrup flavor you like and depending on the type of machine you have add it before or after the carbonation process to enjoy the drink you crave most.

And of course, soda water can be mixed with other options too besides flavored syrups such as juices and used to create your own cocktails, ice cream sodas, and any more bubbly and refreshing beverages.

Buy on Amazon

 

Control Over Ingredients

Having complete control over the purity of what is put in your body is always important. For this reason, soda maker bottles are BPA-free and do not contain any materials which could be potentially toxic, which is apparently not the case with all plastic bottles.

Salt and other ingredients are also often added to soda by manufacturers and of course, we all know the effects of consuming drinks that have too much sugar. Soda makers let you decide what ingredients you will consume.

Cutting Down On Sugary Drinks

Drinks that are very high in sugar, while they may taste very good, can be linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. For those who like beverages with carbonation and want to kick the sugar habit, switching to soda water is a much healthier alternative and one that can often be pretty easy since it has the same bubbly consistency.

Carbonate To Your Own Liking

One of the biggest complaints consumers have not only about store-bought soda water but with many other carbonated drinks is that they prefer less or sometimes even more carbonation. With a soda maker, you get to decide just how carbonated your drink is to meet your preference.

Decreasing Pollution

Since with a soda maker you won’t be buying plastic bottles or cans of soda, you’ll be helping the environment. In fact, Soda Stream, one of the leading brands, estimates that each one of their soda maker bottles saves the equivalent of 2,500 plastic bottles and cans from being used. Plus the CO2 cartridges used in all soda makers can be recycled and some re-used.

Sleek And Attractive

These accessories are not only about function but are made to also be both sleek and attractive. They also come in a variety of colors and styles to help match and even enhance the look of your kitchen and countertop.

Picking The Best Soda Maker

While picking the best soda maker for your needs isn’t very difficult, you do need to know the basics first in order to make a smart decision. There are actually two different types of soda makers: soda maker machines and soda siphons.

Both use pressurized CO2 cartridges to carbonate tap water equaling soda water, however, they do so in slightly different ways and that gives them each their own benefits. Here’s what you need to know:

Buy on Amazon

 

 

Soda Maker Machine Basics

What Are They And How Do They Work?

Home soda maker machines offer the simplest soda-making method generally just requiring the touch of a button after they are set up. While some models are a little more expensive than soda siphons, you are paying for convenience. Machines cut down on waste by using fewer CO2 cartridges, are fast, and are designed to sit neatly on your countertop while taking up very little space.

Some units are even handheld and can easily fit into a utensil drawer. These machines are very simple to use, they have a carbonating bottle that is filled up with tap water to a certain line or limits depending on the manufacturer and then screwed in. Pressing the button on top of the machine releases CO2 from the cartridge into the water of the carbonating bottle.

Most units will make a series of sounds to let you know the level of carbonation, allowing you to stop when at the desired amount. But you can also see with your eyes just how bubbly it is getting since the carbonating bottles are clear. The entire process only takes a few seconds at most.

CO2 Cartridges

Home soda maker machines do not need any batteries or electricity instead they use a CO2 cartridge that fits inside the unit itself. Unlike soda siphons, each CO2 cartridge can be used many times before having to change it. These cartridges can range in size and the amount of soda they can make before needing to be replaced.

CO2 cartridges for countertop models are made by the manufacturers of the machines and can be purchased either online or from a local store that has them in stock. For most brands when the cartridge is empty you do not purchase another one, you simply bring it to one of the many stores that have an exchange program with the particular brand of your machine for an exchange.

This means you give the store your empty cartridge and they give you a full one for just the price of the CO2 gas itself. They can also be recycled which is always a good thing for the environment.  Handheld units may use smaller CO2 cartridges which are normally good for 1 bottle of soda per use.

Bottles

The majority of units use plastic bottles which will need to eventually be replaced after around two to three years of use or so (each brand has its own recommendations on how long to use their bottles) and can be recycled. Keep in mind however that plastic bottles are not usually dishwasher safe and must but hand washed.

To do this just add a drop of dishwashing liquid inside and fill it halfway up with water, put the cap on, shake it up, and rinse it out. Some manufacturers may offer glass bottles that can be washed in the dishwasher or special plastic ones that are dishwasher safe.

Buy on Amazon

 

Adding Flavors

Soda maker machines don’t just make soda water but a wide variety of fizzy drinks for your pleasure.  Flavors can be purchased and simply added to your drink after you have finished the carbonating process. Some brands like Soda Stream for example, have an enormous selection of flavors to choose from.

You can use your unit as your very own soda pop maker by using a cola or diet cola flavor. Of course, you can make drinks using fruit juice and even wine. However with machines, almost all brands will tell you to only use water in the carbonating bottle, you must add your ingredients or flavors to the water after it has been carbonated not before.

Top Soda Maker Brands

With these machines, it is very important to choose only the top brands not only because you want the best soda maker possible but because will also need to exchange your CO2 cartridges at retailers who supply their products. Here are our top picks:  

Soda Stream

Without a doubt, this is the most famous brand and most widely purchased of all. Soda Stream soda makers are available in more than ten different models ranging from basic to hi-tech options with different levels of carbonation available at the push of a button. The best-selling Soda Stream Fountain Jet home soda maker is a consumer favorite.

This brand offers a huge array of drink flavors to choose from. Each individual bottle of flavor mix can make between twenty-five and fifty servings depending on the individual flavor. They sell everything from pink lemonade to fountain-style colas, diet colas, and even energy drinks all of which are actually healthier and contain less sugar than the store-bought variety.

Because they taste so good and can be used with any soda water these are very popular with all soda maker owners regardless of whether they own a Soda Stream maker or not. Soda Stream also has an excellent CO2 cartridge exchange system. In the United States and Canada you can do so at your local: Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Williams-Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond, and many more participating retailers which is very convenient.

KitchenAid

KitchenAid offers a superb machine with classic charm. Made from metal it weighs seventeen pounds so you know it is sturdy. It costs more than ones made by other brands but it is of the highest quality, from one of the most trusted companies in the kitchen business, and probably the best-looking soda machine on the market.

The KitchenAid Sparkling Beverage Maker has some of the best soda maker reviews and it’s not hard to see why. KitchenAid made their unit to be used with all SodaStream accessories since they have such an excellent system in place already for CO2 cartridge exchange and flavors. That is why you will see it advertised it as “powered by SodaStream.”

Hamilton Beach

As one of the United States’ largest distributors of small kitchen appliances Hamilton Beach has some very high-quality products. Their Fizzini handheld soda maker is making a splash in kitchens around the world. It is smaller than other machines taking up even less counter space and can easily be stored away in a kitchen drawer and can make an ideal travel option too.

Many people will purchase a Soda Stream machine for their countertop at home and use one of these as a portable soda maker for when they are on the road. For the function, they provide they are very reasonably priced. The Fizzini uses smaller eight-gram CO2 cartridges which can make one bottle of soda water each and then need to be replaced. Since they can use generic brand cartridges these can be bought cheaply and in bulk.

Buy on Amazon

 

 

Soda Siphons: The Other Soda Maker Option

What Are They And How Do They Work?

Soda siphons look and work a little differently than machines. They take up even less space than machines because they consist of only a bottle and two caps which helps if you have a cluttered counter but means they are perfect for travel. One cap is used to close the top of the bottle and the other to house the CO2 cartridge. Soda is made in the siphon, usually stored inside of it, and served from it.

For this reason, some models may come with a third cap that seals your bottle so that it can be laid down flat in the refrigerator. The soda-making process is a little more involved than pushing a button but still very simple. Cold tap water is used to fill the bottle and the cap for the bottle is screwed tightly in place.

Then, the CO2 cartridge is placed in its housing cap which is screwed onto the cap of the bottle, as it tightens the bottom of the cartridge will be pierced releasing the gas into the water below. Most models require you to shake the bottle which increases flavor and carbonation. The more you shake the more both increase. After that, you let the bottle rest for a few minutes and then release extra gas using a button on top. Last and most important: serve and enjoy.

CO2 Cartridges

Another difference between soda machines and this type of soda maker is the CO2 cartridges. Similar to handheld units, the cartridges used for these can only be used to make one bottle of soda. But, they are also much cheaper and can be bought in bulk.

Most of the time this also means that you can use generic cartridges of the same size which can be purchased virtually anywhere that sells CO2 such as a restaurant supply shop. This can really come in handy if you will be traveling since you can find CO2 that fits just about anywhere in the world. Purchasing cartridges from online stores like Amazon is of course the easiest way to go.

Bottles

Unlike the carbonating bottles of soda maker machines, with siphons the bottle, sometimes referred to as a carafe, is made from either stainless steel or aluminum. Not only are they good-looking but durable, so you can bring your soda maker with you wherever you go both indoors and out.

Not having to worry about it becoming damaged is a big advantage and makes them ideal for anyone taking a road trip, traveling, game, picnic, portable, or who just wants to have a fizzy drink at the office. Soda siphon bottles are also dishwasher safe which is another plus.

Adding Flavors

The process of adding flavors to your soda is also different from machines. That’s because with most soda siphons, not all, you do not have to wait until the water is already carbonated to mix your drink. Juice, adult beverages, flavors, and even edible solids like fruit pulp or smaller fruits like strawberries or blueberries can be added directly to the soda maker bottle before you carbonate which is not possible with machines.

And while you don’t have many soda siphon manufacturers making their own flavors, it doesn’t matter since you can purchase any brand of flavor and simply add it right in or make your own mixtures, it’s your choice. Soda siphons can also be used to re-carbonate beverages which have already gone flat which can always save a few extra bucks and cut down on waste.

Top Brands

When it comes to quality a few brands stand out, our top three picks are:

Mastrad

The French company Mastrad is well-known for its top-notch culinary accessories which are all convenient to use and very aesthetically pleasing. Their Mastrad Purefizz soda maker is no exception. With a simple design yet very high-quality parts and a stainless steel bottle, it is designed to last for a long time and for that reason is slightly more expensive than other brands.

The Purefizz soda maker does use eight-ounce generic CO2 canisters which are easy to find and cheap too. It is also known for being able to keep a drink nice and bubbly for four to five days and Mastrad has excellent customer service should you have any questions or concerns or need a part or unit to be replaced usually free of charge.

Soda Plus

Soda Plus is another smart brand to buy and even offers a slightly larger bottle than others to let you make a little more in terms of quantity. With a stainless steel bottle, these can make for an eye-catching addition to your countertop or dinner table when having company. Soda plus soda makers can also use generic eight-ounce CO2 cartridges. While they look similar in design to ones made by Mastrad they are less expensive in price.

iSi

The iSi Soda Maker is a top-quality siphon manufactured in Austria and is a modern and sleek-looking take on classic soda sprayers. iSi has been making great products since the 1960s and really knows their stuff. While made from stainless steel bottles are available in red, black, or brushed aluminum finishes and also feature a non-slip silicone grip.

Different from Soda Plus and Mastrad options you can only put water in the bottle no juices or other liquids making it a true club soda maker. But, of course, you can always use your soda water to mix with other ingredients later. The best part of these are you get to spray your soda out, no more pouring. With so many benefits, once you start making your own fizzy drinks there’s no way you’ll go back to buying from the store.

Buy on Amazon

 

Both soda maker machines and siphons are great choices, which type you choose simply depends on your needs and preference. Whether you use yours just as a soda water maker or to make any of the bubbly beverages from cola to sparkling apple cider to your own champagne, knowing you’re saving money each time you make one will make your refreshments even more delicious!