Does SodaStream Actually Save You Money?
SodaStream offers consumers the opportunity to make their own sparkling sodas with their line of sparkling water machines and flavoring. Since 1903, the company has been bringing at-home carbonation techniques to life all while eliminating the need for single-use plastic bottles as a part of their environmental initiative. According to its website, the company strives “to help people drink more water and live healthier lives, all while protecting the environment from the harmful effects of single-use plastic.”
While this company strives to rethink the beverage industry with more environmentally-friendly initiatives, the cost of their products may make customers wary about switching to crafting their sodas at home. To gain some more insight into how their products work and their cost value versus generic soda, let’s take a deep dive into SodaStream to determine whether this beverage maker will actually save you money.
Here’s What Investing in a SodaStream Is Going To Cost You
If you’re like most people, you probably enjoy having a nice glass of soda or sparkling water on an occasion. Today there is a growing buzz for at-home machines like SodaStream that allow you to become the mixologist and curate your own fizzy drinks from your kitchen. This convenience comes at a cost, though.
The SodaStream sparkling water makers start at $99.99 for the Terra machine and up to $159.99 for the Aqua Fizz. In order to keep these machines producing sparkling water, users must also purchase CO2 gas cylinders regularly to continue creating custom sodas. Each sparkling water maker is compatible with one of the two cylinders the website offers, either the quick connect system ($29.99) or the classic screw-in system ($29.99), and each cylinder makes up to 15 gallons of sparkling water.
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After purchasing your first cylinder, you can then continue exchanging that cylinder for a full one for $14.99 each time, saving on the container cost. You can make exchanges in-store to avoid a shipping fee; however, if there is not a store near you, shipping will cost you an additional $14.99.
If you like your sparkling water plain, you will be all set with just those two purchases. However, if you are looking for flavored soda water, you can purchase popular soda flavorings such as Sierra Mist, Cherry Coke, Pepsi and other fruity extracts for your SodaStream for $5 to $7 per bottle. Each 40 milliliter bottle makes approximately 12 liters of bubbly sparkling water.
Will SodaStream Save You Money in the Long Run?
When comparing the price of store-bought soda to SodaStream, you can save up to 26 cents per liter using the at-home machine.
“It costs about $1.05 to buy a liter of generic soda at the store, and more than that for name brands if you’re particular,” said Melanie Hanson, editor in chief at EDI Refinance. “A liter of SodaStream soda, including the flavoring, costs around 79 cents. SodaStream machines, including bottles, go for about $135. Do all of this math, and you get a break-even point of 522 liters of soda. That’s a lot of soda — probably more than one person can drink in a year unless they have a very strong habit. That being said, it can make a lot of sense for those heavy soda drinkers or for multi-person households.”
While 26 cents might not seem like a big difference, if you are an avid soda drinker, that can really add up and lead to major savings in the long run. However, If you only see yourself using the SodaStream at parties or on a rare occasion, you might be better off just purchasing soda from the store whenever your carbonated beverage craving hits.
Does SodaStream Taste Better?
With the high price point of the soda machines, one can only hope the SodaStream beverages taste just as good — if not better — than the generic store soda options. However, depending on your taste buds, you might have other opinions.
“Many people argue that store-bought carbonated drinks simply taste better than those made at home with a SodaStream machine,” said Oberon Copeland, CEO of Very Informed. “And while it’s true that you can use SodaStream to carbonate fruit juices and other flavored drinks, the results are often unpredictable and not always satisfying. But if you’re simply looking for a convenient way to make your own sparkling water at home, then SodaStream might be worth the investment.”
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