Soda Stream

[rudeguy]

Anyone have one?

 

[Rakehellion]

Yes. Millions of people have them.

 

[Markbnj]

My daughter got one for Christmas last year. I think they used it once.

 

[cubby1223]

Friend does, and it works well! Although the cost savings are debatable with everything you have to purchase. The value is getting the syrups with real sugar versus the syrups with artificial sweeteners, or the commercial pop with corn syrup.

I don't know, don't have any intentions of buying one myself.

 

[SandEagle]

been wanting to pick one up since they use real sugar and not that HFCS crap.

 

[mmntech]

Stewart Ashen reviews the SodaStream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgbra3RTex0

 

[Imported]

One here at work. I've never seen anyone use it..

 

[fjmeat]

I got one for Christmas. I moved it to the garage yesterday. Still unopened in box.

 

[slag]

Tons of threads about this posted in the past couple years. I have one. Its awesome. The diet orange is out of this world and worth the cost of the unit alone. We go through 2-3 bottles of c02 a year. Um.. it just plain works.

 

[Fritzo]

I got one for Christmas. I moved it to the garage yesterday. Still unopened in box.

That's kind of a jerky thing to do with a gift. That was pretty expensive and someone took the trouble to go out and buy they for you. Either try it out or ask the person for a gift receipt so you can get something you do like!

 

[rudeguy]

I got one for Christmas. I moved it to the garage yesterday. Still unopened in box.

I'll give ya $25 for it.

 

[Arcadio]

I got one for Christmas. I moved it to the garage yesterday. Still unopened in box.

I got one on Christmas as well. I tried it once and liked it. I'll be using it more often from now on.

 

[cubby1223]

I think the bottom line is it's too labor intensive to be worthwhile.

It's similar to why we buy pop in 24-packs instead of buying a few 2-liter bottles even though the 2-liter bottles are cheaper per fluid ounce. You cannot prepare large quantities from the soda stream because they go flat quickly. You have to make the soda on the spot and consume it that day.

You must have a bottle of water already cold in the fridge, pull in out and connect it to the soda stream, pump in the CO2, pull out the syrup bottle, measure the correct amount, mix them together in another bottle. Then refill the original bottle with more water to cool in the fridge, and clean the measuring cap & second bottle after use. For all this work you get like two, maybe 3 glasses depending on the size.

Or just buy a 24-pack of cans and have immediate access when thirsty.

 

[imagoon]

They use a nonstandard CO2 connector (ie non food grade CO2) that is designed to self destruct if you try to refill it. They do it purely for the profit on the CO2. That alone is reason not buy one.

They charge $15 for trades (recharging) and $30 for straight purchase of the tank and gas. The soda stream's tank capacity is 10oz. To put this to scale, it doesn't cost $30 to fill a 35lb CO2 cylinder with food grade gas. You can get the cylinder new for $220.

One sodastream canister is supposed to be around 33 cans worth or 3.3 cans / oz. Obviously you can get a smaller tank but after 15 or so soda stream refills making 495 cans, you could have bought enough gas to make 1848 cans.

 

[Schmide]

Use mine all the time.


(click for video)

 

[artvscommerce]

They use a nonstandard CO2 connector (ie non food grade CO2) that is designed to self destruct if you try to refill it. They do it purely for the profit on the CO2. That alone is reason not buy one.

They charge $15 for trades (recharging) and $30 for straight purchase of the tank and gas. The soda stream's tank capacity is 10oz. To put this to scale, it doesn't cost $30 to fill a 35lb CO2 cylinder with food grade gas. You can get the cylinder new for $220.

One sodastream canister is supposed to be around 33 cans worth or 3.3 cans / oz. Obviously you can get a smaller tank but after 15 or so soda stream refills making 495 cans, you could have bought enough gas to make 1848 cans.

I have a sodastream and I love it. The sodastream syrup is good but you can also just buy coke brand syrup if you want the real thing. (it's cheaper too since you buy it in bulk)

My favorite method is to use frozen 100% juice concentrates in place of syrup. I used to pay quite a lot for sparkling apple or sparkling orange juice (orangina or Izze for example) but with this method it's as cheap as it gets.

The co2 prices are definitely the catch. So I got one of these adapters that I use to connect my machine to a 10lb food grade co2 tank I picked up at Airgas.

http://palmer-pursuit.com/cart/sodastream-maker-to-bulk-co2-cga-320-hose-assembly-p-1276.html


It true that if you use all soda-stream branded syrup and co2 you are not going to save much money. But with a bulk co2 tank and diy or bulk syrup, it can actually save quite a lot of money over time.

 

[Imported]

I think the bottom line is it's too labor intensive to be worthwhile.

It's similar to why we buy pop in 24-packs instead of buying a few 2-liter bottles even though the 2-liter bottles are cheaper per fluid ounce. You cannot prepare large quantities from the soda stream because they go flat quickly. You have to make the soda on the spot and consume it that day.

You must have a bottle of water already cold in the fridge, pull in out and connect it to the soda stream, pump in the CO2, pull out the syrup bottle, measure the correct amount, mix them together in another bottle. Then refill the original bottle with more water to cool in the fridge, and clean the measuring cap & second bottle after use. For all this work you get like two, maybe 3 glasses depending on the size.

Or just buy a 24-pack of cans and have immediate access when thirsty.

Believe that is why I've never seen anyone use it at work. Right next to it is a fridge stocked with 10 different kinds of soda.

 

[HumblePie]

I have one. Used it a lot. The problem is refilling the CO2. Bit of a pain in the ass. Any paintball shop can do it for you, but they charge more for it than other places IF you can find one.

It does make my dogs bark crazy though when I fizz up the drink. Also, you really need to have cold water ready before you start adding the CO2. Otherwise you might get a bit of an explosion going when you try to unscrew the bottle and/or when you add the syrup.

Another thing is don't use crappy tap water. Makes it taste even worse. Use good filtered water if you are going to make your own stuff.

Half the time though I'm lazy and don't care about adding CO2. I don't mind flat drinks. I just buy what is on sale that I know tastes good. Speaking of which, some of the flavors taste like utter shit. I mean they are gag-o-rific. Some are very tasty though. Some are a bit weird in which you may or may not like. Geogia Peach tea one fits that. I sort of like it, but I can see where many would not. The rootbeer I literally threw up the moment I drank it. Fucking most disgusting think I've put in my mouth.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

we use it nonstop, but not for soda, just carbonated water

id like to look for bulk CO2 replacement solutions but have been too lazy to do all the research

 

[Rakehellion]

been wanting to pick one up since they use real sugar and not that HFCS crap.

They use sucralose.

 

[Rakehellion]

I bought one for a friend who mainly uses plain seltzer or fancy syrups, so it's worth the expenditure. The problem is traveling a mile to a shop to get the cylinders replaced.

 

[Kaido]

I have one. It works fine. We rarely use it.

You can buy soda, or you can buy syrup. You still need to have either in your pantry to drink soda. Most of the soda's aren't quite as good as their bottled counterparts, save for a couple flavors.

You can only carbonate water - you can't carbonate juices or other non-water mixes (don't ask me how I know that...all I'll say is that my countertop is STILL stained slightly purple from the grape juice lol). But you can just buy carbonated water and mix in your own SodaStream syrup that way. All the SodaStream does is carbonate water, that's it - you pour in the syrup after you carbonate it on the appliance, which you can do with store-bought fizzy water.

Plus you'll eventually have to buy another CO2 cartridge. Cool idea, just haven't turned out to have much use for it.

 

[mikeford]

Big Lots had them pre Xmas for less than $20, may still. Its a nice idea that has failed in the marketplace many times.

 

[MovingTarget]

I have a sodastream and I love it. The sodastream syrup is good but you can also just buy coke brand syrup if you want the real thing. (it's cheaper too since you buy it in bulk)

My favorite method is to use frozen 100% juice concentrates in place of syrup. I used to pay quite a lot for sparkling apple or sparkling orange juice (orangina or Izze for example) but with this method it's as cheap as it gets.

The co2 prices are definitely the catch. So I got one of these adapters that I use to connect my machine to a 10lb food grade co2 tank I picked up at Airgas.

http://palmer-pursuit.com/cart/sodastream-maker-to-bulk-co2-cga-320-hose-assembly-p-1276.html


It true that if you use all soda-stream branded syrup and co2 you are not going to save much money. But with a bulk co2 tank and diy or bulk syrup, it can actually save quite a lot of money over time.

That's what we experienced. Overall we are happy with it. People don't give home carbonators enough credit. There is such a huge variety of drinks you can make with one. Look at what the old soda jerks used to do. Some of their concoctions have no modern equivalent.

 

[rsutoratosu]

anyone have pic of this co2 thing ? i work at a paintball field, i would buy this if i can refill my own co2.. though i never done it because everything is like nitro now

the only thing i like is club soda aka seltzer.. is there a mix for that or its just water + bubbles