Ericka @Chef PickyKid and MeA friend of mine recently purchased a SodaStream Soda Maker, and when he told me about his purchase, I was skeptical. It seemed like a bit of a frivolous purchase; why would someone need a soda maker when soda can be conveniently purchased at just about any store? But then we went to my friend’s house for New Year’s Eve and I had a chance to see the soda maker in action. When my friend asked me what I wanted to drink, I asked for a Diet Coke. He advised me that he didn’t have Diet Coke, but he could make me a Diet Cola with his fancy soda machine. I agreed, thinking that it couldn’t possibly taste as good as “the real thing” anyway.
Well, I was wrong. The SodaStream version of Diet Cola was tasty and very similar to the commercial varietals. My friend also pointed out that a soda made with the Soda Stream is significantly lower in calories, sugar, and sodium than the soda you buy in a store. An eight ounce glass of soda made with the Soda Stream syrup has about 35 calories, 8 grams of sugar and 10 mg of soda, compared to 140 calories, 39 grams of sugar and 45 mg of sodium in a 12 ounce can of store bought soda. We don’t drink a lot of soda in our house, but this is a HUGE difference.
So, despite my initial opinion of the SodaStream, I decided to purchase one of my own. I was still a little concerned that this would be one of those novelty purchases that I would use a few times while it was fun and then let it collect dust once the excitement wore off. But I’ve had my Soda Stream for almost a month now, and I’m happy to say that I am still using it regularly. As a matter of fact, I love my SodaStream!
I purchased the [amazon_link id=”B001KYT6CS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]SodaStream Jet[/amazon_link], which is the least expensive model of the SodaStream at $79. There are several other models, including the Genesis (which is also very popular), the Deluxe, and the Fizz. I did research on the various models and the only real difference I could see what in the design. The Jet has worked great for me so far.
There are a variety of flavors of [amazon_link id=”B00457LHCY” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]syrup[/amazon_link] you can purchase for your SodaStream, or you can add your own flavors, like Crystal Light or Mio. If you want to be adventurous, you can even make your own syrups from scratch! The SodaStream is basically just a way to carbonate your own water, so the possibilities are virtually endless. I have tried quite a few of the syrups and so far I’ve liked just about all of them. My favorites so far would be the Cola, Diet Cola, Diet Pink Grapefruit, Cranberry Raspberry, and Root Beer. The Orange and Lemon Lime flavors were also good. The only flavor I’ve tried that I didn’t like was the Diet Dr. Pete, which is supposed to be the equivalent of Diet Dr. Pepper. I was disappointed that this one didn’t taste better as Diet Dr. Pepper is my soda of choice.
The SodaStream is also fairly environmentally friendly, and this is a big marketing feature of the product. It doesn’t plug in or use batteries, and the one liter bottles used with the SodaStream are reusable, so you don’t waste a bunch of cans and bottles. This is definitely a plus for those of us looking to reduce our carbon footprint.
Another selling point of the SodaStream is the cost saving factor. SodaStream claims that owners of this product will save money, as the cost of the syrup is far less than the cost of purchasing regular soda (one regular sized bottle of syrup makes about 50 liters of soda). I’m not sure about the cost saving factor on this. With the purchase price and cost of the CO2 can for carbonation (the SodaStream comes with one can, and replacements are $30, although many stores will take your empty can for a $15 trade in value), it would probably take awhile to make up the initial investment unless your household drinks a lot of soda.
Quite frankly, I don’t see this as something to purchase for cost saving factors; it’s really more about the fun and flexibility of making your own soda at home, as well as the fact that the sodas have much less sugar, sodium and calories. I would definitely recommend this product!
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