Nifty Geek Gift Idea: Make Your Own Soda Machine

Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:19PM EST

See Comments (16)

It's hard to get through the day without a can of Coca-Cola (or Dr. Pepper, or my favorite, RC Cola), so when I got the opportunity to check out the Soda-Club Edition 1 home soda maker, I leaped at the chance. If you or someone you love is a fiend for carbonated beverages, you'll get a real kick out of it.

Essentially the Soda-Club is a CO2 dispenser in a handsome package. It's quite compact and takes up minimal space on the countertop, and it doesn't require any power, meaning you can put it just about anywhere. 

Setting up and using the product is a snap. Just insert the CO2 canister (good for 110 liters of soda) into the device, fill a liter bottle with water, and pulse it to the desired level of bubbliness. Then just pour in a capful of flavoring syrup (each bottle is good for 12 liters) 25 varieties are available, including many fruit flavors (with real fruit ingredients, at least in part), diet syrups (sweetened with Splenda), and an energy drink.

It takes some practice to figure out how much carbonation is appropriate, as does figuring out how slowly you should pour in the syrup. (Pour fast and it looks a little like this.) We're still cranking through the flavors, but so far grapefruit and lemon-lime are our favorites. Sadly, the cola flavor just doesn't measure up to real Coca-Cola.

The Edition 1 costs $90 with one CO2 canister and your choice of three soda mixe bottles. Individual flavor bottles are $3 to $5 and CO2 costs $19 for a refill canister. Altogether it's reasonably cost competitive with buying cans of soda buy the case (or two-liter bottles), but the Soda-Club machine is way more fun and at least twice as sticky.

Comments on Nifty Geek Gift Idea: Make Your Own Soda Machine

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  • 8 Posted by avariegirl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is quite the handy little gadget. But the most important question would be; where do you buy this device?

  • 9 Posted by optionstradermark on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    Another company offering such a machine is www.idrinksoda.com. The major difference is the ability to carbonate so that the drinks come out tasting exactly like the national brand drinks should. They have both Coke and Pepsi products available, the only machine on the market where the national brand products are available because they can maintain the qauality standards set out by Coke and Pepsi with their machine. They also sell many flavors of their own brand to people with Soda Club machines. They have over 30 flavors available that are sweetened with Splenda.

  • 11 Posted by redrenault on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    One thing that I'm not seeing mentioned is that the calorie count is significantly lower with Soda Club syrups than canned pop, which drew me to it. I've had the machine over a year now and have to say I haven't used it in a long time because I was very disappointed with almost every flavor. They're either too bitter, too 'flat', or too fakey. Love the idea, hope they improve the flavors.

  • 12 Posted by ross_doebel on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    My family bought a machine much like this one well over 10 years ago for long road trips. It bugs me that a machine as archaic as a water carbonator is now being hailed as a super tech wounder... amazing...

  • 13 Posted by cstrathern on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:31PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree. I was astounded when I saw the video and that's why I visited this site for the first time. We had a machine about 30 years ago - it was known as a soda stream. Back then the syrup was also too strong a flavour, so I used to mix the fizzy water with fresh juices. Still do it today by mixing bought bottles of sparkling water with juice. If you buy the 100% juice with no added sugar or added nasty corn syrup then it is far more beneficial for your body.

  • 14 Posted by pinkdaxund on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:12PM EDT Report Abuse

    Wow this is GREAT! It's like the perfect gift for a soda lover.I would love to have one. I'll try to look for it.

  • 15 Posted by vicentemoretti on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:34PM EDT Report Abuse

    Does anyone know if it also makes diet soda and in what flavors?

  • 16 Posted by optionstraderseattle on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    Be careful of the guy posting in #9 above. It sounds like he's a satisfied customer but he is actually the owner of the company tooting his own horn. Also check this out before you decide whether or not to contact him: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/379/RipOff0379789.htm

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