why am I just finding out about SodaStream?

[Codewiz]

http://www.cokepubandbar.co.uk/lic_equipment_dilution_01.html

It appears that Coke is a 5.4 to 1 ratio. So that would be 51 two liters of coke. Doesn't look like a good deal to me. Maybe the ratio above is wrong.

 

[Eli]

The bottles don't "seal" per se, the caps for the bottles have washers in them so when you screw on the top, the washer makes a good seal that doesn't leak like a normal 2 liter of soda does.

The threads aren't an industry standard. They are custom connectors on the machine. My local welding shop couldn't fit it. That is why I went with co2doctor. They seemed to be the only people making the connector for it. I could be wrong or my local shop just sucked.

And yes, I could rig something to weigh down the machine but I have just been lazy. My wife complains more than I do because I am pretty good at attaching the bottles without issue.

Ahh. Strange. Wonder what they're using. So it's like a completely proprietary, whacked out thread? lol. At least you can get an adapter or whatever though.

 

[DayLaPaul]

Aren't you the guy that spends $540 a year on bottled water? Why not invest in a RO filter to get that cost down first, then worry about saving money on soda later. The RO filter is a sure thing. This soda thingamajig -- not so much.

 

[Fritzo]

They advertise them all the time on the Bob and Tom show. I think it will be a novelty that you'll use until you have to buy refills, then put it away and never use it again.

Also, just read the flavorings use sucralose as a sweetener. That will leave an aftertaste (which a lot of people are complaining about).

 

[paperfist]

I have one too and love it. I'm in it mostly for the seltzer water because I can't stomach straight tap water for some reason.

I never really broke down the cost on the Sodastream but not having to carry 10 2L bottles a week to the grocery cart, up onto the counter, back into the cart, out into the car, out of the car and into the house where you have to store all that real estate alone is well worth the cost of this device. It has a pretty small foot print and doesn't take up much room.

I bought mine at Kohls for $75 (the Jet version) and get the gas canister at BB&B for $15. They have the flavors too for $5. One of those will last me a month. The flavors I use, Pete's choice is awesome, tastes just like Dr. Pepper; Orange tastes like orange and the root beer flavor is off a bit, tastes okay though. I don't dump a lot of syrup in though.

They advertise them all the time on the Bob and Tom show. I think it will be a novelty that you'll use until you have to buy refills, then put it away and never use it again.

Also, just read the flavorings use sucralose as a sweetener. That will leave an aftertaste (which a lot of people are complaining about).

I don't notice any aftertaste on the flavors I use, don't notice it in the drink mixes I use that have it either for Lemon Aid, Ice Tea, etc.

 

[foghorn67]

Diabetes---cha-cha-cha

j/k. I wish I had streaming soda in my place.

 

[Born2bwire]

Why would you get this over something like a soda siphon? I could see that this may be a slightly more convenient but then you're locked into a proprietary charger and it seems to be more inefficient.

But a soda siphon is probably more space efficient, easier to sell off, more future proof and you have far more options in buying chargers.

 

[QueBert]

Aren't you the guy that spends $540 a year on bottled water? Why not invest in a RO filter to get that cost down first, then worry about saving money on soda later. The RO filter is a sure thing. This soda thingamajig -- not so much.

I spend money on Fiji because there's no water that touches it, if I could buy something that would make my tap water taste like Fiji I'd buy it in a heart beat. If this thing can give me a Coke tasting product for cheaper I'm going to buy it.

 

[Locut0s]

We bought the Soda Club which is a similar competing product. Works great but it's really not worth it when you factor in things like the cost of the syrup, the CO2 canisters and what not. If you don't mind buying cheap no name brand coke/pop then it's cheaper to just stick with that

<---- I drink over a L of diet coke/pop a day.

 

[WelshBloke]

On a related note 50/50 soda water and fruit juice FTW.

 

[preCRT]

SodaStream, Isi siphons and the like make the most sense when you live in an area where lugging home bottles of water or soda are inconvenient, like a 6th floor walk up in NYC.

And (at least in California), it is a LOT better of a deal because you're not pissing away CRV money. CRV gets REALLY expensive, particularly on 12-packs and 24-packs.

No one is forcing your lazy ass to throw away CRV deposits, it isn't that difficult to turn in the empties to get back the deposits. Folks do it wherever there is a bottle bill.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

We've been considering one as we do drink a lot of soda. However, we don't drink the same sodas. (I can't stand diet drinks) The sodastream seems like a good deal, but you get what you pay for.

Personally, I'd rather get a system that I can go with the real stuff from Coke or Pepsi. Something like this: http://www.sodabarsystem.com/index_Soda_Dispensers.htm

Honestly, I remember seeing a smaller pushbutton dispenser type about the size of a microwave with about 6 different flavors. I can't find anything similar though.

You just have to get them to sell you the syrup. A cowworker of mine built a soda machine because he loves coke and mountain dew. He says Coke won't sell him any syrup unless he does a huge order. Also before I started working on this team he passed out in the bathroom before a client meeting. He somehow formed kidney stones because of all the soda he drank. Not sure if that's true or not. He was 24/25 at the time.

 

[seepy83]

I saw this on Jim Cramer's Mad Money show a month or two ago. If all of their selling points are true, it seems like a great product. There are cost savings over buying pre-made Seltzer, Soda, Tonic, Energy Drinks, etc, and there's the "green" factor that a lot of people go for. Supposedly Sodastream's market penetration in Sweden is very impressive at 20&#37; (1 in 5 households owns and uses one).

I guess you need to get one and try it to really know, but their claims of 25 cents per litre of seltzer or 12 oz. of soda can't be beat by the pre-bottled/canned beverage companies. Obviously you need to use it for a long period of time to break-even on the initial investment.

 

[KeithP]

On a related note 50/50 soda water and fruit juice FTW.

That is what I have been doing.

I tried the sample packs included when I bought the soda stream and some of them were okay. By the way, their non-diet syrups use real sugar and Splenda. The calorie count is lower than regular store bought soda. Also, if you purchase a 2 liter bottle of Coke, or whatever, at the store and it goes flat, you can use the sodastream to carbonate it again (you will have to pour it into their bottles first).

In addition to the regular and diet syrups, they also offer those light "essence" type flavors that don't use any sweetener and give the water a slight hint of taste.

However, what I normally do is purchase, or make, fresh lemonade or get some not from concentrate grape juice. Then I mix it in about 2/3 water to 1/3 juice ratio (still experimenting) and carbonate that mixture.

The sodastream does a good job carbonating the beverages and I would recommend it but there are some downsides.

First, the 1 liter bottles aren't very big. 1 liter is maybe a little over two servings for me. If there are more than a couple of people in your house drinking the stuff you are going to need a bunch of bottles and/or you will be constantly making the stuff.

Also, there isn't a real good way to label the bottles, so you are on your own remembering what is in each one. Sure you can tell by color but if the colors are basically the same you are kinda screwed.

Overall I really like sodastream, but not as a cost saver. I like it because I can make carbonated beverages without a lot of crap in them that are too calorie heavy.

-KeithP

 

[zinfamous]

so...it's like 20-30 cents for a pack of yeast. that will get you many, many liters of carbonated soda beverage.

I don't understand why people want this up-front cost for a machine + maintenance, or pay for soda in a can, when making your own diabeetus drink in perpetuity is maybe 1/20th the cost.

:\

 

[Saint Nick]

How do you cats drink so much pop? I limit myself to a can or bottle per day and I think that is still too much

 

[evident]

soda is gross, can barely have half a can.

 

[shortylickens]

How do you cats drink so much pop? I limit myself to a can or bottle per day and I think that is still too much

You do not belong!

 

[Saint Nick]

Huh? Belong to what?

 

[fatpat268]

so...it's like 20-30 cents for a pack of yeast. that will get you many, many liters of carbonated soda beverage.

I don't understand why people want this up-front cost for a machine + maintenance, or pay for soda in a can, when making your own diabeetus drink in perpetuity is maybe 1/20th the cost.

:\

If you make ginger ale, yeast will work fine. Otherwise, blegh.

 

[WelshBloke]

If you make ginger ale, yeast will work fine. Otherwise, blegh.

Home made ginger beer is fantastic, its a real hassle though (compared to the alternatives).

 

[bfdd]

soda is regularly onsale for < $2.50/12 pack

144oz, 33.8oz per liter

12pack = 4 liters / 2.50 = .60/liter and INFINITELY better than buying 2L bottles.

Also, 2L in 1 day WTF

Food 4 Less had Pepsi 2l's for 78 cents last weekend.

I don't drink a lot of soda though, not any more at least. I'll have one can every few days(3 or 4 days) if that. I try to keep it below 2 cans a week. Makes me enjoy it so much more.

 

[SunnyD]

If you make ginger ale, yeast will work fine. Otherwise, blegh.

I was gonna say, brewers yeast in most sodas would taste DISGUSTING.

 

[drebo]

No one is forcing your lazy ass to throw away CRV deposits, it isn't that difficult to turn in the empties to get back the deposits. Folks do it wherever there is a bottle bill.

That'd be fine if you actually got the full amount back. You don't.

$0.10 CRV on a 2L bottle of soda gets you like $0.02 back on a good day. They don't count your bottles when you turn them in. They weigh them, and it's never, ever accurate.

 

[CPA]

My sister has one, she likes it. I thought it was cool, but the taste is okay. If you buy one, make sure to use a Bed Bath and Beyond 20% off coupon.