If you’re addicted to sparkling water as much as we are, at one point or another, you probably considered purchasing a soda maker. Investing in one means you won’t have to lug home heavy cans or worry about recycling them (or empty plastic bottles) as frequently. Not only that, soda water is a healthier alternative to pop, and will help you step away from carbonated drinks mixed with dangerous, high-fructose corn syrups.
If you're in search of a way to create your own sparkling water at home, we've found the best soda makers and machines you can purchase today.
There are a few factors to consider before buying a soda maker. First, you need to decide on what you plan to carbonate. Most machines only let you carbonate water. However, some models allow you to carbonate fruit juice, mocktails, or alcoholic beverages, so pay attention to what you can or cannot carbonate with the machine if you want to add bubbles to something other than water. You should also pay attention to whether or not the machine comes with glass or plastic bottles. Some sparkling water fans swear that glass bottles give you a better tasting drink, but glass bottles are more expensive and break easily. On the plus side, they are dishwasher-safe!
Most soda makers use a cylinder filled with gas to inject the carbon dioxide straight into water, while others use sodium bicarbonate tablets — that way, you won’t have to fuss with inserting and refilling tanks. If you don't want to deal with the hassle of recycling and replacing gas cartridges, consider opting for a model that uses carbonation tablets instead.
How We Tested
After researching 25 different soda makers, we settled on six models to test. We narrowed down our results by finding soda makers that are compatible with a wide number of reusable bottles, so if the included bottle gets damaged, you can easily replace it. We also compared how they carbonate your beverages, the cost and availability of CO2 refills, and if the machines are powered by a battery or outlet.
Once we settled on the soda makers to test, we compared how easy they are to set up, operate, refill, and adjust fizziness levels. Then we conducted a blind taste test with the filtered sparkling water produced from each against a poured-out can of unflavored sparkling water. We also compared fizziness levels and taste after the bottles were left in our fridge overnight. Our top soda makers will turn your plain old boring water into a glass of fizzy, sparkling fun.
Included accessories: 60-liter Co2 cylinder, 1-liter reusable bottle
Bottle material: BPA-free plastic
The SodaStream One Touch is an easy-to-use sparkling water maker that won't leave you guessing about how much to carbonate the water. That's because it has three buttons at its top that allows you to customize how much carbonation the water gets (low, medium, or high).
The standard Fizzi has just a single button you can keep manually pressing to add some extra fizz, but this pick automates the sparkling water-making process.
We found that the Fizzi One Touch is easier to use and doesn't over carbonate as much as other soda makers. It makes a tasty and refreshing drink almost every time. Our biggest complaint is that it needs to be plugged in, but if you have plenty of outlets in your kitchen, the convenience is worth it.
This option, which is a Wirecutter top pick, is available in black or white and comes with a single 60-liter CO2 cylinder, plus a 1-liter BPA-free plastic bottle. Or you can opt for a bundle that includes two plastic bottles, two CO2 canisters, and some cherry and grapefruit flavor drops.
Included accessories: 60-liter Co2 cylinder, 1-liter reusable bottle
Bottle material: BPA-free plastic
The SodaStream Terra is the successor to our former best overall pick, the SodaStream Fizzi, and while it offers users a convenient, affordable, and easy way to get their sparkling-water fix, this option requires proprietary CO2 canisters to carbonate water. SodaStream calls the tech “Quick Connect.” The advantage of the new canisters is that you don’t have to screw them in, so in theory, you save some time and have a better user experience.
On the other hand, the sparking water maker's CO2 canister connector is proprietary, meaning the SodaStream Terra is only compatible with SodaStream-branded CO2 canisters. This is a disservice to consumers who prefer to purchase oftentimes cheaper Co2 dispensers from other sparkling water companies like Soda Sense and DrinkMate.
However, the Terra is still a solid machine. Its carbonation level is completely customizable with just the press of a button. If you want a light fizz, just press the button on the top three times — or go all out and press it a couple more times for an ultra bubbly drink. We also like that the machine doesn't need to be plugged into an outlet like the SodaStream Fizzi One Touch.
SodaStream also sells a bundle that includes two CO2 canisters, two bottles with some lime, and blackberry flavor drops.
Included CO2 cartridge has a small capacity of just 3 ounces
Key Specs
Included accessories: 10-liter Co2 cylinder, 2 1-liter reusable bottles
Bottle material: BPA-free plastic
What makes the Drinkmate stand out from other soda makers is the fact that not only does it gives your H2O bubbles, but also does the same to literally any drink you can think of. You'll be able to easily control the release of CO2 and adjust fizziness levels based on personal preference. The appliance is even compatible with SodaStream's CO2 cylinders.
Having the freedom of not being limited to only carbonating water and being able to add some fizz to lemonade, cider, tea, cocktails, wine, and even beer is super convenient and fun. During our tests, the Drinkmate was able to bring our mimosa game to the next level.
Although the Drinkmate is slightly harder to use than SodaStream’s offerings, it won’t hold you back from breathing life into boring flat drinks. The machine comes in blue, black, red, and white, and includes one bottle and carbonator, so you can immediately start bubbling beverages!
Included accessories: 60-liter Co2 cylinder, 2 615-milliliter reusable bottles, two flavoring bottles
Bottle material: Dishwasher-safe glass
Rather than the somewhat cheap-looking plastic bottles included with most other soda makers, the SodaStream Aqua Fizz comes with two glass carafes. They’re a lot more luxe-looking and completely dishwasher-safe, making the Aqua Fizz a great option for those who love to host dinner parties.
This option will take up more space on your countertop, though. The SodaStream Fizzi and Aqua Fizz’s bases are both 16 inches tall, but the Aqua Fizz model expands and opens up an additional 5 inches, so you can insert its glass carafe. Therefore, it may not be the best option for those with low kitchen cabinets.
Operating the Aqua Fizz is just as intuitive and seamless as the Terra. After removing its back cover and installing the included carbonator, all you have to do is fill the glass bottle with water up to the line, twist a lever to open the soda maker, insert the bottle, push it closed, lock it, and press the button on the top. Like the Terra, you can press the button either once or several times, depending on how much carbonation you want.
Despite its higher price point, we didn’t feel as though the Aqua Fizz produced better-tasting soda water. So, only splurge for it if you want the glass bottles.
Included accessories: 10 carbonation packets, 750-milliliter reusable bottle
Bottle material: Dishwasher-safe plastic
The Spärkel sparkling-water maker is the best option for those who don’t want to deal with the fuss of returning, rebuying, or refilling CO2 tanks. Rather than using a tank, this option produces and extracts CO2, thanks to carbonating packets made of citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.
You use a single packet each time you make 750 milliliters of sparkling water with the included bottle. In the box, you get 10 packets, which will produce 7.5 liters of your favorite fizzy drink. You can buy a 90-pack of carbonators for around $40. (That equates to around $0.45 per liter, which is nearly twice as expensive as a SodaStream.)
Like the SodaStream Fizzi One Touch, this option has five buttons on its frontside for customizing carbonation levels.
The coolest part about the soda maker is that you can carbonate more than just water. Whether you want to carbonate wine or orange juice, or even infuse the water in your bottle with fruit slices, the Spärkel makes it easy to get crafty and make refreshing cocktails.
This model comes in six bright color configurations, and it needs to be powered via an outlet.
Although we didn't test the Aarke, we love how sleek this soda maker is, with its industrial aesthetic and stainless steel construction. It almost looks like modern functional art for the kitchen. Because of its smaller footprint, it's the perfect size for any countertop.
The sleek device carbonates water via a simple lever mechanism. All you need to do is fill the included bottle with cold water, screw it into the machine, push down the lever, and release.
Our biggest complaint about the Aarke carbonator is its expensive price. With a price that's three times as expensive as other models, we would have liked to have seen glass bottles instead of plastic, and were disappointed to see that a Co2 cartridge isn't even included. It sure is pretty, though!
Brandon CarteSenior Electronics EditorBrandon Carte has been the technology editor at BestProducts.com since 2017, where he's been covering the latest gadgets and scouring the internet for the greatest deals; His tech reporting has been featured on TopTenReviews.com and USA Today.
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