Sodastream Fountain Jet Soda Maker Starter Kit
by SodaStream
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List Price: Our Price: $79.99 You Save: $19.96 (20%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Sodastream Fountain Jet Soda Maker Starter Kit
Customer Review: Skeptic proven VERY wrong...
Summary: 5 Stars
My wife wanted this for her Birthday about 6 months ago. I thought it would be a complete waste of money - something we'd add to the pile of rice steamers and veggie juicers in the basement. I purchased this for her and we now BOTH use it ALL THE TIME!
I was completely addicted to sodas from name brands and this product converted me 100% to a "soda-by-me" person. I make a couple liters every weekend and drink them throughout the week for a FRACTION of what I used to pay for store-bought sodas. It also gives me some bragging rights to say I am being green by not having those 400+ bottles/cans I went through every year.
She loves making soda and adding some real fruit juice for a light and refreshing drink that isn't filled with unnatural ingredients. This also makes a great substitute for sodas and fruit juices for our kids. They love making the drinks themselves.
The machine is idiot proof and very sturdy, the CO2 containers are easy to exchange through the company's website or in our local stores, and the flavors (which I was most critical of before purchasing) are all fantastic. I personally recommend the diet soda and diet root beer. I was extremely surprised at the sheer number of options the company offers for flavor choices and brand name substitutes. I also like that this company only sells products sweetened with Splenda - no aspartame!
Finally, I should mention something I consider most important: Everyone who is a guest in our home now gets to make their own soda when they come over (any flavor they like). It is a HUGE hit and a real conversation starter. After trying ours, at least 10 of our friends have purchased this in the last 3 months and all of them use the machines constantly.
I would highly recommend you try this product. This is something you'll enjoy regularly, you'll save money (especially if you drink any kind of soda or sparkling water more than once a week) and feel good knowing you are using one of the few green, sustainable products in the market (this product uses no power - cords or batteries!).
Customer Review: Easy to Use, Tastes Fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
A friend at work mentioned this product. My husband is a HUGE soda drinker so I got it for him for Christmas. It has far exceeded my(our) expectations.
We bought our kit directly from Soda Club. Only difference is that we got full bottles of the liquid mix plus the sampler kit. We ordered only the diet ones.
Observations:
1) The machine is so easy to use. Put it together, fill the 1 liter bottle provided with water, put it on the machine, press the button a few times to carbonate it, take the bottle off, add the syrup, put on the lid and shake. Then, let it settle for maybe 30 minutes.
2) The taste is amazing. I never knew soda could taste fresh. The diet sodas don't even taste diet. We've tried the lemon lime, rootbeer, and pink grapefruit so far. I've even given some to friends and they loved them (without knowing we made them). Comments were "refreshing" and "nice balance of carbonation and sugar" and "no aftertaste."
3) Unlike 2 liter bottles that potentially go flat (and it's hit and miss in our experience), this 1 liter bottle is perfect for us. We generally drink a single 1 liter bottle in a day, and make a new flavor each morning.
4) When it comes to price comparison, we're not sure yet as we haven't seen exactly how many liters we can get from one carbonation cyclinder. The syrup is $5 a bottle and makes 12 liters. That equals $.42 cents a bottle. My *guess* is that this will come out to be the same price as buying it from the store. HOWEVER, the convenience and taste make it a better value for our money.
We highly recommend this item - if you like soda and can live without a brand name product like Coke or Pepsi. Honestly, I love Coke and will still continue to drink that. But, when I want something different, and/or something diet, my SodaStream is where I'll go!
Customer Review: Definitely saves me money.
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this for one (dumb) reason, the energy drink. I wondered about people getting hooked on some of the various drinks and I guess I am too now. I tried Red Bull and thought it was no big deal, but then decided it was actually pretty refreshing. BUT, it was also pretty costly. Not anymore. Sodastream makes an identical flavor for much less.
One thing (pro) to be aware of, I learned you don't drink Red Bull before a doctor's appointment as it truly raises your blood pressure. Not the Sodastream one. It's not loaded with caffeine and, since I drink it for refreshment and taste, I don't need or miss the caffeine.
It's also convenient. Place it anywhere on your counter. It doesn't have to be near an outlet as there's no power required; it's completely manual. And it still looks decent on the counter.
I haven't tried most of the other flavors other than a few in the sample pack. I really can't give an honest opinion on them as I didn't make them right. I consider them my "practice" drinks. Some were too seltzery, some too sweet, but the lemon-lime wasn't too bad. Practice makes perfect and I think I'm there with the energy drink.
Did I say convenient? Thirsty? Pop a bottle in, press the button 3 or more times, add flavor and you're done. Always keep one of the Sodastream bottles with water in the fridge on standby.
A prior review said to add the flavoring, shake it up and let it set for 30 minutes. I don't shake it, I gently turn it upside down 3 or 4 times t blend it and there's no waiting. One caveat, add the flavoring a little at a time as it generates bubbling and do it over the sink. If you add it too fast, it will bubble over.
Now I just have to try the diet energy drink. Hope it's as good as the regular.
Customer Review: Excellent for Old-Skool Cocktails or New Age Tonics
Summary: 5 Stars
I've never been a drinker of colas, but have always had a nostalgic desire to own a 1930s style seltzer siphon, since I make and serve a lot of cocktails at home to guests. I've also always enjoyed nectar sodas, as we used to call them here in the South, straight from Mr. Schweikhardt's Pharmacy counter. I've looked at 3-5 seltzer makers in the past, but they've always been very expensive and very fragile, and so I've never bought them in the past.
I finally bought this product and after using it for some time, can unreservedly recommend it. If you are a mom who has to buy cases of cola, or an athlete who wants to make his own energy drinks, or (like me) a hedonist who wants the perfect gin fizz or a more elegant whisky-soda, or to experiment with other concoctions, this is an awesome money-saver that will handsomely pay off in the long term.
Even my 6- and 8-yo nephews and nieces are much happier to visit now that they know I will make them sugar-tasting fizz water, and my 8yo nephew has actually started puttering around the kitchen with me to try out his own new flavors. It's very much idiot proof (I'm the perfect candidate) and so I can say if you drink a lot of soda or a lot of carbonated water, you'll find this a fantastic alternative to provide you with all the base you want for your colas, sodas, or sparkling waters. Since you're making it yourself, you can also adjust the sugar content so that it's not horrid for your teeth and blood sugar level. All-around a big hit in our household.
Customer Review: Need to follow directions and improvise a little
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this product and was excited to try it out so I just filled the jug with cold tap water and tried making a litre of soda twice. I couldn't get hardly any carbonation in either of the first 2 tries. I was really disappointed and was ready to take the product back when I re-read the instructions and the reviews on here that stated "you have to chill the bottle and water in the fridge first". I did that overnight tries it again the next day. This time I pressed the button 5 times... each until I heard the distict sounds similar to someone passing gas very loudly! I added the sample pack energy drink mix and it was ok but I thought it was a little weak. Lucky for me I purchsed the additional refill of the energy drink mix so I added a little more and it fizzed over the bottle when I added it (think there was a little too much carbonation) but it tasted a lot better.
Bottom line...you have to "CHILL" the water (colder water absorbs more carbonation according to the reviews I've read) and you may have to add extra syrup/sweetener to get it to your specific taste but once you do the product is great. I didn't care much for the Diet Cola but it people really want to make Cola's with this machine, I heard you can buy Coke and Pepsi syrups at Sam's Club. There are also other syrups you can buy at Walmart and other stores I've hear. Just experiment a little with the carbonation/syrups/sweeteners and I think you're going to really be happy with this. I am! Please add any other tips you might have.