but it got expensive cause everytime us kids came over, we wanted to make our own pop.
He used it for a year or two, then went back to Squirt in a can to mix his drinks with. he said it was less hassle than driving an hour to buy the syrup mix.
now-a-days though you can make your own without HFCS. that might be worth it.

onehandle

(51,122 posts)

4. Totally worth it. No more lugging big bottles from the store, or recycling, and best of all...

Reply to Pryderi (Original post)

Wed Dec 12, 2012, 12:00 PM

Dec 2012

...you can have most flavors available at your fingertips at a moment's notice.

Also if you mix drinks at home, a Sodastream is fantastic for quick cocktails. Just the bubbly water is a great mixer, but they have a tonic syrup too.

Graybeard

(6,996 posts)

5. I use mine all the time.

Reply to Pryderi (Original post)

Wed Dec 12, 2012, 12:06 PM

Dec 2012

Easy to use. No batteries or plug-in. My only added expense are the CO2 tanks because I don't use any of the flavor syrups. I prefer just plain seltzer.

WilmywoodNCparalegal

(2,654 posts)

6. I've had one since they started selling them in the U.S.

Reply to Pryderi (Original post)

Wed Dec 12, 2012, 12:09 PM

Dec 2012

the company is Israeli. I am from Italy and I'm addicted to drinking carbonated water since childhood. When I was living in NC, it was almost impossible to find carbonated water except for Perrier (expensive) or San Pellegrino (not fizzy enough for my taste).

I can find carbonated water more commonly now and I love Topo Chico water from Mexico because it's fizzy enough for me, but Soda Stream is so much cheaper.

I have the newer model that plugs in and carbonates at the touch of a button. I have four bottles that I can go through in just a day, so I have to replace the carbonator every couple of weeks. I exchange it at Walmart and get the new one for $15. Still, a lot cheaper than buying bottles of water, not to mention that it means less trash and less waste, since I get to re-use the bottles.

I don't do sodas frequently, but all their syrups have to be Kosher, so there is no high fructose corn syrup. I have the Cola one and it's really good.

Major Nikon

(36,827 posts)

7. I do the same thing with a C02 bottle and regulator

Reply to Pryderi (Original post)

Wed Dec 12, 2012, 01:51 PM

Dec 2012

It cost me about $100 to set up. You can do it cheaper if you use a smaller bottle. In the long run it's a lot cheaper than sodastream. I think it costs me about $8 to refill my bottle, and refills last a very long time.

Sentath

(2,243 posts)

8. No personal knowledge, but these guys have one of the best FAQ's I've ever read.

Reply to Pryderi (Original post)

Wed Dec 12, 2012, 02:08 PM

Dec 2012

http://co2doctor.com/freedomvalvespec.htm

It's like a mini-workshop on high pressure liquefied gas handling and hardware.

Major Nikon

(36,827 posts)

9. They provide a solution for those who already own a sodastream

Reply to Sentath (Reply #8)

Wed Dec 12, 2012, 04:55 PM

Dec 2012

If you already own a sodastream, their solution might make sense, but if you're starting from scratch and want to keep your reoccurring costs low, I think you're better off just buying your own CO2 tank and regulator. It's very easy to do and you can get your tank refilled at a number of different places.

kiva

(4,373 posts)

10. If you're thinking about, I just got an excellent deal.

Reply to Pryderi (Original post)

Thu Dec 13, 2012, 02:40 AM

Dec 2012

I've been thinking about buying one, read this thread and MFMs, and went to Kohl's today...they have the basic version (the one that doesn't tell you how much gas is left) for $99. The upscale version is $129.

If you have a Kohl's Credit card you get a discount - I got one in the mail for 30% off. They are also doing the 'Kohl's Cash' thing where you get $10 to spend later in the store for every $50 you spend, so buy some candy and get $20 to spend later. Finally, there is a $10 rebate on the Soda Stream through the end of December...so if you have a Kohl's nearby or can order online, a pretty killer deal.

Oh yeah, as MFM said don't try to recarbonate after adding a flavor...roommate was mopping up soda for awhile.