Buying a Sodastream? Do Not Purchase Until You Read These Tips!

SodaStream machines are great and can save you money, but a few simple hacks can save you even more. Here’s how you can really save money by making your own drinks with a SodaStream. So, you’re ready to purchase your first SodaStream? That’s great! I’m certainly not going to talk you out of it. SodaStream drinks taste better than canned soda, it saves you money, and it’s good for the environment. As a company, SodaStream has continued to grow since the beginning and as a result, were recently purchased by Pepsico for $3.2 billion! I’m guessing they saw SodaStream as a profitable company or maybe a threat? Either way, homemade soda is here to stay and is growing more and more popular every year.

So How Do You Save Me Money by Making Soda at Home?

Restaurants and gas stations offer customers free refills because it costs them pennies to do so. Commercial soda fountains use 5 pound bags of soda syrup with large Co2 tanks to make drinks. A soda that costs you $1-3 dollars actually has a huge markup!

With Just a Little Bit of Effort, You Can Set Up Your Sodastream Machine to Make Soda Like a Commercial Soda Fountain!

The SodaStream system consists of the machine, the Co2 tank, and the soda syrup. Mix the ingredients with water and you have soda. Most SodaStream machines use a small Co2 tank that costs around $15 to refill at certain locations. The containers of syrup are also sold in small packages with no way to buy in bulk.
Now, the SodaStream system is cheaper than buying cans but you’ll save much more if you buy soda concentrate or syrup in bulk. You can also purchase a large Co2 tank with converter hose to save yourself money on Co2. A large tank of Co2 also means fewer trips to the refill station!

Concentrate and Syrup

Soda concentrate is sold in small bottles of a few ounces and makes a gallon of syrup. The concentrate is mixed with sugar and water to produce soda syrup. Soda syrup is then used to mix with bubbly seltzer water. You can buy soda concentrate in small bottles or get gallons of syrup to save money. Concentrate is the cheapest way to go but if you don’t want to deal with mixing syrup then gallons of syrup may be the way to go. Here are some examples of soda syrup and concentrate you can use.

Co2

If you buy a SodaStream you will eventually have to refill the Co2 tank that puts bubbles in your soda. A standard SodaStream tank lasts normal users about a week or two. If you use the machine less it can last longer or vice versa. The standard size bottle works for some people and there’s even a double size bottle available for the xxxx model.
However, if you have a large family or drink lots of soda you should look into buying a 5-10lb Co2 tank to get filled at local air stations. You want to look for a restaurant equipment supply that fills Co2 tanks or an air/gas refill business that fills oxygen, welding tanks, etc. Pretty much every town should have a place like this.

Converter hose

In order to use a bigger Co2 tank, you’ll have to buy a converter hose that connects the tank to your SodaStream connection. Here’s what I’m talking about.
Food Grade vs Non-Food Grade Co2
Some people say that all tanks of Co2 are the same but there is, in fact, a difference between food grade Co2 and the Co2 used for paintball etc. You should buy a tank of food grade Co2 that ranges in size from 5-50 lbs. The bigger the tank the more you will save and the less you will have to go and refill it! Just make sure you have a place to store it at home. A tank of food grade Co2 is pretty cheap and definitely better than using Co2 that was meant for another purpose. You can buy tanks new, pay a deposit on one, or buy a used one. I’d recommend investing in a new 5lb tank like this.

Dry Ice

Another method for refilling your SodaStream tanks is to refill them yourself with dry ice. You simply unscrew the top of the canister and put a specified amount of dry ice into the canister using a funnel. You can refill a SodaStream canister for a couple dollars this way and it’s actually very easy. The only downside to this is that dry ice is tricky to work with, you cannot store it in a normal freezer, and it’s a little more work. It’s also challenging to find sometimes. Dry ice is often found at the same places that sell Co2 tanks.