Gift Guide • Gifts for the Home • Giveaways and Reviews

SodaStream Holiday Giveaway

November 30, 2012
285 Comments

I have had my eye on SodaStream for awhile!  The idea of making fizzy drinks at home, in flavors I may not normally drink beyond my usual Coke Cola, was enticing.  I have a bit of a love affair with kitchen appliances yet no space on my counter to keep them.  This holiday season, I was given the opportunity to review a SodaStream so I had nothing to lose.  Well, maybe.  You see, I’ve been hesitant to actually believe SodaStream could actually replace my beloved Coke in 355ml cans.

Yes, I know there are ways to be more environmentally friendly and that’s the biggest selling feature of SodaStream – it’s what they base a large part of their marketing dollars on – how  SodaStream is earth friendly.  With reusable 1L bottles, there’s nothing to recycle (or worse yet throw away) so that’s definitely earth friendly.

The machine requires no electricity or batteries to use which is also pretty cool too.  In addition to being enviro-friendly in that regard, it also makes this machine super handy for taking to the cabin, tailgate party or even just another spot in the house aside from the kitchen (like the downstairs rec room for the big game!)

So beyond these features, why else should a person consider a SodaStream?

Why should I buy a home soda maker?
Coffee lovers enjoy fresh brewed coffee at home using their coffee makers. Now, soda and seltzer lovers can enjoy delicious, freshly made soda at home using a SodaStream home soda maker! People buy soda makers for many reasons. Some of the most popular benefits include:
* Quick, convenient and easy to use
* Fresh, delicious soda in seconds
* No more lugging heavy, bulky bottles and cans from the store
* No more storing cases of soda
* No more worries about running out of your favourite soft drinks
* Over 25 great-tasting flavours, including regular, diet and caffeine-free options
* Regular flavours have much less sugar, carbs and sodium than store-bought brands
* Diet flavours are sweetened with Sucralose and Acesulfame potassium and contain no aspartame
* Reusable BPA-free bottles and concentrated sodamix cut down on recyclables and disposables, making an environmentally-friendly alternative to store-bought drinks
* No batteries, electricity or plumbing
* Reliable and friendly service
* Money-back guarantee and two-year warranty

Two points stand out from the above list and made me want to learn more. The first is that the regular flavors of SodaStream contain “much less sugar, carbs and Acesulfame potassium than store-bought brands”.  I wanted to compare a SodaStream beverage to a regular can of Coca Cola, but they don’t make it very easy.  SodaStream’s nutrition facts on the back of the sodamix are listed as “per 250ml prepared” and a standard can of cola is 355ml prepared, so it’s not exactly comparing apples to apples (and I suck at math, so feel free to figure it out more accurately if you have more skill than me!)

So, just looking at the numbers above, SodaStream drinks have less calories, less sodium and less sugar/carbs than store-bought soda. AND, you also have less waste, less clutter with cans/bottles (which always seem to sit on my counter for 3 days before making it to the garage for recycling!) and – ok – the SodaStream is a lot more fun to play with when you can mix your own drinks  Based on the info above, I’m surprised SodaStream isn’t promoting this more – they seem very heavy on the environmental angle which is great but I think moms especially would be interested to know how SodaStream compares to soda in terms of ingredients.

Of the four Soda Mixes we’ve tried so far – Iced Tea Lemon (weird, iced tea shouldn’t be bubbly), Pomegranate, Orange-Mango and of course, Cola.  I did not expect to like the Cola but I was actually surprised by the taste.  Would it pass a blind taste test with me?  Not at home with an icy Coke but it is similar to fountain-coke at a restaurant.  I need to make a visit to Canadian Tire to pick up a Sodamix Taste Sampler so I can try other flavors before buying the full size ones.

I think this is a great machine for the whole family – whether it’s used as a novelty when guests are visiting or a counter-top kitchen appliance that fits in with your daily routine.  Sure, there’s a cost to the product (starter kits range from $99-$199 and there’s the 60L carbonator cartridge to buy every so often, but that cost comes with many appliances when you need additional ingredients or supplies (fancy coffee machines come to mind).  Would I suggest it to a friend to purchase?  For sure!  Will it put an end to me purchasing soda from the grocery store?  Probably not (if we’re traveling, going to the beach, etc., I can’t see myself taking this in my tent) but it’s still a useful household item (I don’t travel with my coffee machine either.)

One of my Canadian readers is going to win a Fizz SodaStream Starter Kit (ARV $200)!  To enter, just use the Rafflecopter form below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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