Sodastream - "your home soda factory".  Yeah, it caught my eye the moment it came out of a TV commercial.  So finally, after months of literally "eyeing" this product - I finally bought it.  I couldn't wait to get my hands on the sodastream but of course, I let my husband do the demo for me.  The pack contains the following: 

1 SodaStream home soda maker
1 SodaStream reusable CO2 carbonator - UNDER LICENSE (included)
1 SodaStream reusable carbonating bottle
Taste Sampler Pack - 6 flavors (each makes 1 liter)
     - Rootbeer (serves 4, 35 calories per serving)
     - Orange (serves 4, 35 calories per serving)
     - Lemon-lime (serves 4, 35 calories per serving)
     - Diet Cola (serves 4, 0 calorie per serving)
     - Diet Pink Grapefruit (serves 4, 0 calorie per serving)
     - Energy (serves 4, 35 calories per serving)

The power of technology, the noise the SodaStream makes is out of a Science Fiction movie.  The hissing sound from the escaping gas, I mean.  Now comes the "tasting" part, Seltzer/Sparkling water is perfect - it's fizzy and convincing.  It does make you burp like a regular Seltzer or Soda.  And now, the attempt to make a flavored soda - taste test wise it failed on so many levels.  There is no way you can perfect the taste of a grocery store-bought soda.  I guess the best thing would be "flavor according to your taste." 


"Why I finally bought SodaStream."

Actually, my husband is akin to drinking Seltzer/Sparkling water and man, it can get very expensive.  A bottle of a sparkling water cost a little more than $1.50 at Walmart but in NY City it's $2.50.  Let's face it, it's always gonna be expensive in the City. So, I decided to get the Sodastream along with a couple of flavor mixes.  Flavor mixes comes in varieties and it's tricky to get the right "taste."  

"What I (and my husband) love about SodaStream."

The machine is non-electricity/non-battery operated and it does comes with a REUSABLE CO2 cylinder so it means;

- it's safe to use
- soda is ready in SECONDS and NO clean up
- comes with 6 flavor taste sampler
- over 50 variation in flavors (if you want the "flavored drinks")
- it saves money (1 CO2 cylinder can make literally 150 cans of soda)
- No lugging or storing soda from the grocery store
- Reduce, reuse recycle (GO GREEN!!!) - it means EARTH-FRIENDLY.

"What I hate about SodaStream."

Hate is a strong word, so I would refer to it as what I DO NOT LIKE about sodastream.

- some flavors are hard to "perfect" although it comes with a measuring cup.
- carbonating bottle is hard to clean - (could easily be solved by using baby bottle brush available in the baby section of your favorite mall/store). 



Model: Jet

Price: $79.00


****UPDATE 9/19/2012

 After a month of twice daily use to carbonate water, we finally ran out of CO2 but the spare we purchased was definitely a good idea.  I found out that I can conveniently exchange an empty CO2 carbonator at Wal-mart and other select stores.  It cost me $15.00 for an exchange (actually a new CO2 carbonator - they do NOT refill an empty tank) whereas a new CO2 carbonator can cost $19.99.

Recommended: Yes