Use it:

• If you like your water source and like soda water it is a no-brainer. 
• Save money and reduce the need to recycle
• Fun for kids
• No need to buy extra… make it as you need it

Lose it:

• There are many places to recharge the CO2 but I found I stopped using it for quite  a while as I kept forgetting to get a refill
• If you are not a big soda water drinker it will just take up counter space

 Mom’s take:

They’re good.  They save a lot of bottles.  Much less recycling.  You can make what you need.  And, if I liked it, it would probably taste good.  But I do not like it.

Overview:

Ahhh the SodaStream.  The SodaStream is a modern take on the old soda water dispenser.  I first saw one at my friend Tim’s and I remember his enthusiasm.  My first thought was how the SodaStream might be good for both night cocktails and morning fizzy fruit juices at our lake house.  

The reason the lake house popped into my mind is that my family loves soda water and we get to the house by boat.   The soda water cases are heavy to lug in, and the cans are cumbersome to lug out.  It is worth the effort to live in primitive luxury but at the same, let’s be clear, I am a little lazy.  I would like to get to the fun sooner and have less to carry.  On to the details.

Rather than the old style CO2 cartridge the size of your thumb and good for a single go, the SodaStream has a cartridge as big as your calf that is good for a hundred liters.  The system does not take up too much space and does not need electricity to work.  You get two (liter) bottles with a standard system.   These bottles are required since they screw into the SodaStream for a tight fit when pressurizing.  The caps on the bottles fit well and they are quite sturdy,  I would recommend getting a couple of extra ones if you like to take a bottle or two on the go.

To regulate the amount of fizz, you press the charge button a little more or a little less.  My nephews prefer doing more as they enjoy watching the bubble stream as it goes into the water and then hearing the whoosh as the bottle is removed.

One last thing to note (though I do not use them) is that there are flavored syrups you can get with the system.  These allow you to make regular or diet soda.  I would rather just fizz up some fruit juice but for those who like soda it is an option and cheaper and more convenient than the store.