Soda stream machine?

Love SodaStream, use daily over 2 years. Less to haul in when I grocery shop. With the reusable bottles, we don't contribute endless bottles and cans to the trash anymore. We use with Dole orange/peach/mango juice for a refreshing light beverage.Also makes a great sparkling lemonade drink. I like that you control the amount of fizz, like mine extra fizzy.

Target and Staples have been consistent for exchanging canisters in MD. Flavors can be found at Target, Walmart, Staples, Bed-Bath-Beyond and they can be ordered online. Website shows many tasty sounding drinks---I keep it simple.

We take our Soda Stream with us. I love it for the soda water. I very seldom put a flavored syrup in, instead just add a little lemon or lime juice with no sweeteners. I find it very refreshing. You can get the CO2 refills in Walmart, Target, Kohl's, Bed Bath Beyond and almost any large department store. A cartridge lasts me a couple of months and I carry a spare one and exchange the empty when I am close to a store.

Before leaving the house, I charge 3 reusable bottles of plain fizzy water and sometimes just take the syrups with me. We can decide the flavor on the fly.

Although I have a variety of the flavored syrups, I primarily like the plain 'ol fizzy water with a slice of some fruit in it. It's an acquired taste for sure, but I find this to be the best way of getting my daily water intake.

Love the SodaStream!

I must be Old. because I don't wanna make my own soda,

just pop a top.. and drink it down.

we drink only diet and one can per day.. next y'all growning your own chicken.

Well, I'll add my 2 cents worth of comments.

First, NO MORE flat sodas!
Second, no more lugging around all that volume of water.

No more having to use up the space to store and dispose of the containers in an RV.

I don't mind the "iffy" flavors. But, what I really like is to add a little more Orange to the Orange, add a little Orange to the Mt Dew knockoff, and add a little bit of real sugar to the Root Beer.

And, every flavor can have the carbonation level you prefer. Have a regular powered lemon aid or something like Crystal Light? Well, it can be lightly carbonated easily (Do experiment in the sink the first time ... some mixes become super fizzy right quickly).

If all one considers is the $$$ then I don't think the math works out over store sales of regular sodas. If one considers all the weight they are lugging around in the regular sodas, all the space that is taken up, and all the waste that has to be lugged back, well that math is a little different and can be in favor for the Soda Stream.

I gave up on store bought flavoured sodas as a regular part of my life a good 20+ years ago but if your concern is that the purchased syrups aren't available or taste iffy just make your own. It's really not hard. Make a simple syrup and add the flav of your choice. I make my own ginger ale and control not only the amt of ginger used (I like a lil throat burn) but sugar amt. I don't have a soda machine just buy seltzer or club soda and add the flavour of choice.

Here's a site that can get you started:

http://imbibemagazine.com/How-to-Make-Simple-Syrups

but simply googling flavoured sugar syrup will get you a ton of sites.

Been able to "brainwash" my DGD and at least one of my sons into into thinking soda is a treat as opposed to a G-d given right which is pretty much the way I was brought up. The other son thinks he was deprived by not having Coke and Count Chocula as a child but the last time he told me that I responded he was old enough to pay for his own psychiatrist's couch.....:W

HTH!

kcmoedoe wrote:
I like mine, but they seem to be passed their peak of popularity, and it is getting a bit harder to find syrups and CO2 cartridge replacements. Also, they really need a deal with a major syrup manufacturer (coke or pepsi) because their generic syrups aren't for everyone. Some are good, some are OK and some are kind of bad.

Our neighbor echoes your statement. He found it's cheaper to buy club soda and add fruit juice. He drinks coffee when he needs caffeine. In essence he said it's another kitchen gadget that will go to the thrift shop appliance graveyard once the canisters are no longer available.

I like mine and Walmart and Kmart and even Home depot/lowes carry the supplies. Plus sam's or BJ's.

The math didn't work out for me either - as well as the "iffy" tasting syrups.

Really, the best beverage appliance I have is an Iced Tea brew pot from Mr. Coffee - that and the awesome teas from Cafe Moto and I've pretty much weened myself off of soda completely.

Cheaper and MUCH easier to just buy sodas.
It's an expensive gadget.
Crunch the #'s you have to buy a whale full of sodas before you saved any money and mix the stuff to boot.
JMHO,your mileage may vary.