I have heard about the SodaStream home soda maker for years, but for some reason, I was hesitant about starting to make my family’s own soda. Then one day I discovered just how the new soda machine in my favorite restaurant worked, and it turned out to be very similar to SodaStream’s method. This new soda machine uses cartridges of soda flavor, which means that the customer can choose between hundreds of flavors, and all of a sudden the SodaStream had a new appeal to me. If the restaurant could do it so easily, and still make the soda taste great, why couldn’t I?
The SodaStream Genesis arrived at our home, and I will admit that I was still intimidated the entire idea about making soda water at home. So the SodaStream home soda maker stayed in the box until I gathered up the courage to finally give it a try. The SodaStream instructions were surprisingly simple with only seven easy and quick steps, and our SodaStream was set up in no time.
How To Use A SodaStream (SodaStream Genesis model)
- Remove the valve seal and cap from the carbonator bottle, and screw the bottle into the SodaStream.
- Place the SodaStream on top of the main SodaStream maker
- Fill the carbonating bottle with water (chill it, if you wish)
- Screw the carbonating bottle with water onto the SodaStream
- Press the carbonating button on top of the SodaStrea home soda maker. Keep giving short presses until you hear the buzzing sound, then wait for three buzzes.
- Unscrew the bottle and fill it with your favorite flavor.
- Gentle mix the SodaStream flavor with the carbonated water.
Check out the How To Use A SodaStream video:
Homemade Soda – The Taste Test:
The kids were amazed. I was amazed. But, but, but, while making carbonated water with the SodaStream was extremely easy, it had still not passed the flavor test. I’ll admit that I am a bit of a soda snob, when it comes to cola flavored soda, because no matter how frugal I am, not all cola flavored sodas taste the same, and not all soda flavored sodas passes my test. This is why I decided to try the cola flavored soda from SodaStream first, and let me tell you, it was a positive surprise.
Not only did the SodaSteam soda taste great, but the SodaStream Cola tastes just like my favorite cola brand. Watching my three-year-old give the SodaStream soda a try was priceless, as his expression was full of amazement. “We made soda”, he exclaimed in a way that only a three-year-old can.
When my oldest boys tried the homemade soda from SodaStream, they were both amazed at how great the soda tasted, and at how much it tasted like their regular favorites. The SodaStream tasting team has definitely hit the jackpot with the flavor combinations, and we have yet to try a flavor that we did not like. I love the SodaStream flavor samples, which came with our SodaStream kit, because this mean we can find out which flavors we like the best, before we have to stock up on new flavors.
The SodaStream Value:
Back-in-the 80s, home soda makers were popular in my community, but my family never gave it a try. The SodaStream is certainly a step up from the early soda makers, and I love how easy it is to buy new flavors, exchange carbonators and get accessories either online or locally. The convenience of using the SodaStream is making owning a home soda maker much more attractive, and while the start-up-cost is more than some families will spend, it certainly is a great alternative to buying, dragging home, storing and then discarding regular soda bottles and cans.
The SodaStream flavors usually cost around $4.99 – $6.99 for a 50 serving flavor bottle. A 12 pack of name brand soda usually cost around $4.99 here in South Florida, so once you take away the actual start-up cost, the home soda making solution with the SodaStream begins to become a value option as well as a green solution. While there are no SodaStream coupons currently available, you can use a $10 off $30 Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon from Recyclebank to lower your cost of SodaStream products and carbonator exchange at Bed, Bath & Beyond.
What I Love About the SodaStream:
- It is easy and quick to set up
- It is easy and simple to use
- It uses regular tap water or filtered water
- I no longer have to store big bulky soda bottles and soda packages.
- There are more than 50 SodaStream flavors
- I can purchase new flavors at several local stores including Walmart, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond
- I can exchange the carbonator at our local Bed Bath & Beyond
- It helps reduce my famiy’s amount of cans to recycle
- It helps reduce waste by eliminating the use of cans and soda bottles.
- SodaStream flavors taste just like our favorite name brand sodas
- There is no high-fructose corn syrup in regular flavors
- There is no aspartame in diet sodas
- The reusable carbonator bottle can fill up 60 liters of soda (15 gallon)
What I Don’t Love About the SodaStream:
- The start-up cost
- Not all SodaStream sellers exchange the carbonators
My family loves the SodaStream so much that I took advantage of a Target clearance sale the other day. I purchased 4 extra bottles of SodaStream flavors, and we now have plenty of SodaStream to last us for a long time.
Buy The SodaStream
You can buy the SodaStream online at the SodaStream website, or at many local stores including Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, Bed, Bath & Beyond and more. You can find a seller near you through the store locator at the SodaStream website.
The SodaStream flavors usually cost around $4.99 – $6.99 for a 50 serving flavor bottle.
Make your own SodaStream discount by using the $10/$30 Bed, Bath and Beyond coupon from Recyclebank (Look under discounts in the rewards section) to save money on your SodaStream purchase at Bed, Bath and Beyond.
SodaStream.com discounts: Right now you get free shipping on any SodaStream soda makers, and if you buy 10 SodaStream flavors you get 1 free.
Win The SodaStream
One of Frugality Is Free’s readers will win a SodaStream Fountain Jet Soda Lover’s Start-Up Kit (ARV $99.95) as a part of the Holiday Gift Guide.
The SodaStream Fountain Jet Soda Lover’s Start-Up Kit includes:
The SodaStream Home Soda Makers are a part of the Holiday Gift Guide here at Frugality Is Free, because it will make a great holiday gift for any soda lover in the family.
This giveaway will end Wednesday November 21st at midnight EST.
Rules addition: Giveaway is only open to US residents in the Continental US.
Disclaimer: The Frugality Is Free family received a complimentary SodaStream and flavors for the purpose of writing a review and hosting a giveaway, no monetary compensation was received. Any opinions expressed above are based solely on our family’s experience with the SodaStream home soda maker and soda flavors from SodaStream.
apple mango, mango energy mix, and root beer natural sparkling
would like to try Diet Cream Soda, Black Currant & Pear Sparkling Naturals, and Diet Pomegranate Peach Tea thank you!
apple mango, mango energy mix, and root beer natural sparkling
Dr. Pete
I’d love the Sparkling Naturals Cola, Root Beer, and Orange Pineapple
I’d love to try the Orange Mango.
I love the root beer, orange and would like to try the apple mango. Yum!
Cola would be favorite choice, as well as the Diet Cola for diabetic hubby, and the other HAS to be Root Beer. All root beers taste so differently – I once even went to a root beer tasting party and we voted for our favorite!
apple mango, mango energy mix, and root beer!
my favorite is root beer. I’d get root beer, cream and ginger ale.
Country Time Lemonade, Grape, and Lemon Iced Tea
I would choose orange, lemonade, and Cola.
cream soda,cola and orange
lemonade, cran raspberry and apple mango
Black currant and pear
The flavors I would pick are Country Time Lemonade, Diet Cream Soda and Crystal Light Fruit Punch
Green Tea, Black Current Pear, and Naturally Sweetened Cola would be my choices!
cola, energy, grape
Our family would chose Lemon Lime Grape and Orange !!
I ‘d choose diet root beer, diet cola, diet cream soda.
Lemon Lime, Dr. Pete and Orange would be the three flavors I would choose.
We like the carbonated water, so I’d choose the MyWater flavors Raspberry, Mint, and Orange.
I would try the cherry cola, the peach iced tea and orange mango
dr pete, diet cola and rootbeer debbie jackson
djackson1958 at hotmail dot com
diet lemon ice tea
diet cola
diet lemon lime
[...] SodaStream Review & Giveaway – 11/21 [...]
Diet Cola , Diet Dr. Pete and Lemon Iced Tea
I would choose lemon iced tea, regular cola, and cherry cola.
The diet cola, cream soda, and the diet energy drink
I would choose cherry cola, root beer and dr. pete.
Cherry cola, lemon lime, and cola.
Country Time Lemonade is my pick.
i would love cream soda
diet cola would be my favorite
I would choose Cranberry Raspberry, Cream Soda and Green Tea Citrus.
Cola, Dr. Pete and Lemon iced tea!
sparking natural pink grapefruit, ginger ale, and orange pineapple
Cranberry-Raspberry, Raspberry MyWater, & CountryTime Lemonade
cola, cream soda, ginger ale
peach iced tea, ginger ale, cream soda
I’d choose Diet Cola, Diet Root Beer, and Diet Pink Grapefruit.
I’d pick the Cola Free, Crystal Light Lemonade and the Diet Lemon Iced Tea
I would get diet cola, diet cream soda and diet green tea citrus.
id love to try the cola, cherry cola and the orange!! heard this machine is awesome!!
THANKS! 
would love to check out the gingerale, root beer and apple mango
root beer, lemon iced tea, cherry cola.
cola, gingerale, lemon lime
Ginger Ale, Lemon Lime and Orange
Kims2312@verizon.net
Grape, apple, cola
Dr. Pete, Cream Soda, Cherry Cola
cranberry raspberry, ginger ale, and cream soda
Definitely would try to my water raspberry. Even the sparkling water sounds like a good deal. As for flavors of soda the black currant and pear sounded interesting.
Diet cola for my wife’s rum and cokes
I would choose Cream Soda, Cherry Cola & Dr. Pete.
Cherry Cola, Lemonade and diet root beer
Cola, Root Beer, and Orange Pineapple
apple mango
I would choose the Energy Drink, Diet Energy Drink, & Cranberry Energy Drink flavor if I won this giveaway (:
Moniquebbon at gmail dot com
root beer natural sparkling
I love cola, cream, and root beer. thank you
Rootbeer
Dr Pete, Cola, Orange
ROOT BEER!
First, I’d get Black Cherry! Then ginger ale.. then, of course………….cola, the good old favorite with pizza.
I would pick Root Beer, Diet Cola, & Diet Energy Drink
Energy Drink,Cream Soda and Cola!
I want to try cola, dr pete and cherry cola.
I like grape
I would pick Cherry cola, cola, and root beer.
Lemon Lime for sure.
I’m a sucker for anything grape!
dr pete,root beer & cream soda
I would like to try the orange and root beer flavors and my husband is interested in the tonic flavor
I’d choose Cranberry Raspberry, Cream Soda and Fountain Mist.
root beer, cream soda and diet soda
Grape, Apple Mango, Cherry Cola
diet cola, dr. pete, root beer
the regular flavors and crystal light sound tasty thank you for the chance to win
Gingerale, Rootbeer, Crystal Light Fruit Punch
cream soda, rootbeer, and dr. pete
Dr. Pete
Ginger Ale, Country Time Lemonade and the Strawberry Kiwi Tea
Diet DR. Pete, Diet, Diet Fountain Mist, Crystal Light
dr pete, root beer, mango energy
Cola, cherry cola and energy
root beer, dr pete, and diet peach tea
cream soda, root beer, cherry cola
apple mango, black currant pear, and cola
I would get the mywater fruit essences…orange, rasberry, and mint
Dr Pete, Cherry Cola, and Root Beer
I’d pick orange, grape and cherry cola
I would like the lime, mint and raspberry water flavors
I would choose Cherry Cola, cola, and Cream Soda
I would pick Cherry Cola, Cream Soda and Dr. Pete.
melodyj(at)gmail(dot)com
I would choose Cola, Cherry Cola and Orange.
I’d choose Diet Cola, Diet Root Beer, and Diet Dr. Pete.
Lemon lime, apple mango and cola. Any flavor would be great. I miss those old soda shops, I went to one when I visited my grandma. Aww, soda.
Fountain Mist, Energy Drink, and Peach Iced Tea! Thanks for the chance. bekki1820cb at gmail dot com
I’d choose grape, cream soda and root beer!
MY CHOICES WOULD BE GINGER ALE, HALF AND HALF AND ROOT BEER.
Love to try lemon lime
1.Cherry Cola 2.Green Tea Pomegranate Peach 3.Lemon Lime Thanks.
sweet_soul_sistermi@yahoo.com
Cola, diet cola, and country time lemonade
cream soda, orange mango and root beer!
cranberryraspberry, lemonlime, energy
i would choose country time lemonade, root beer and cherry cola
Root beer, Diet Cola and Lemon Lime
Cola, Dr. Pete, and Root Beer!
I would like to try Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade, Orange Mango and Apple Mango.
cherry cola, peach tea, and country time half and half
Cream soda, cola, & grape!
I would want the Apple Mango, Ginger Ale, and Root Beer Naturals!
I would want to try the cherry cola, orange, and diet cola.
Cherry cola, root beer and grape
Orange Mango, Mango Energy Drink & Cherry Cola
The three flavors that I would most like to try are:
Raspberry, Mango Energy and Orange Mango
I would love to try Dr. Pete, lemon lime and Root Beer!
I would pick the peach iced tea, pink grapefruit sparkling naturals, and orange mango.
I like cHerry cola and cream soda. Didn’t know they had cream soda as a flavor.
I would like to try rootbeer
I would get the root beer for my husband and Dt root beer and the naturals green tea for both of us. Yum!
I read quite a bit of frugalitys free and found that there was a lot of things to write about. With Hurricane Sandy I found that it reminded me to get our first aid kit updated.
Black Currant and Pear, Cranberry Raspberry and Orange Mango
root beer – ginger ale – cherry cola!
Cherry Cola, Orange, and Mixed Berry Tea for mommy!
Apple Mango, Rootbeer or Cream Soda, I want one soooo bad!!
I would like to try the diet cream soda, diet cola and lime water flavors.
I’d like to try the Cranberry Raspberry, Cream Soda and the Ginger Ale flavors
My three picks are the sparkling natural Orange Pineapple, diet Cola and the Diet Green Tea Pomegranate Peach
Sparkling Black Current/Pear, Diet Cranberry Raspberry, Diet Fountain Mist
Coke, Ginger Ale, Pink Grapefruit
Orange!
I would choose cream soda, grape and root beer.
The Cherry cola,Dr.pete,Fountain mist
Would like cola, root beet and ginger ale.
Crystal Light Fruit Punch, Diet Cream Soda and Diet Green Tea Mixed Berry
I like cola,grape and Dr. Pete
ginger ale, cream, grape
diet orange, diet dr. Pete, diet ginger ale
I would pick the diet cola, energy drink and country time lemonade.
Cherry Cola
Cherry Cola, Ginger Ale, and Orange -sorry about the first comment, i just saw i was supposed to chose three!
Apple Mango, Cherry Cola, Cream Soda!
[...] SodaStream Review & Giveaway – 11/21 [...]
Dr. Pete, Lemon Lime, and Pink Grapefruit
orange pineapple, ginger ale, root beer!
I would get the root beer, ginger ale, and cola
I would like to try the MyWater Flavor Essence Raspberry, Apple Mango, and Black Currant Pear.
Diet Pink Grapefruit, Diet Ginger Ale, and Diet Cranberry Raspberry
Cole, Cherry cole, Ginger Ale
Strawberry kiwi sparkling tea, country time half and half and crystal light peach iced tea
Diet Root Beer, Diet Dr Pete, Diet Ginger Ale
Cola, sparkling ice tea, cherry cola
country time, fountain mist and green tea!
Cherry Cola, Crystal Light Wild Strawberry, and the Naturally Sweetened Cola
Thanks for this awesome giveaway!
Cream Soda, Root Beer, and Cherry Cola
I would choose cream soda, Countrytime lemonade, and Dr. Pete. Great selection of flavors! Thanks!
Dr pete, cola and diet cola
I would like the Diet Fountain Mist, Fountain Mist, and Cream Soda
I’d like to try ginger ale, cream, and root beer!
orange, cola, grape.
Cherry Coke, Green Tea, Ginger Ale
Cream Soda, Dr Pete and Root Beer
Cherry cola, Country Time Lemonade, and Dr. Pete
cola, fountain mist, green tea citrus
Never tried it yet but really want to try the green tea.
cherry cola, peach iced tea, and my all-time favorite: cream soda!!
cola, country time half & half and orange soda
i’d love to try the Orange Mango.
mango energy drink, diet lemon iced tea, diet cream soda
[...] SodaStream Review & Giveaway – 11/21 [...]
I would like to try the country time lemonade, cola and orange.
cream soda, lemonade, and diet soda
I would choose the cola, lemon lime, and lemonade.
Rootbeer for my guy and the Cranberry raspberry for me
Root beer and cream soda are my favorite
I tried the energy flavor the other day at Costco and it tasted like the other guys, I think we could save a lot of money with that.
I want to try the Cherry Cola, Orange, and Lemon Lime
Cola , mountain mist, lemon lime
Cola, country time lemonade, ginger ale
if i won i would choose the cream soda, the diet cola and the regular cola
rypm25@aol.com
I would choose the diet, regular and cream sodas
I would pick Cola Free, Grape, and Ginger Ale
Apple Mango, Peach Iced Tea, and Ginger Ale
Cream soda, root beer and Dr. Pete
Crystal Light Iced tea, My Water Mint Flavor Essence, and Diet Cola.
wolverina401 at gmail dot com
I would choose Diet Cola, Country Time Half & Half, and Cream Soda.
Root beer, Cream Soda, and Country Time Natural Sweetened Lemonade.
cola energy and orange
I’d pick: Naturally Sweetened Cola, Cherry Cola, Sparkling Naturals Ginger Ale.
I would try the cola..the cream soda..and the cherry cola
I would try the Black Currant Pear, cola, and lemon lime from the Sparkling Naturals line.
I would love to try the cola, root beer, and orange mango flavors.
i would choose Sparkling Naturals Orange Pineapple, Diet Orange and Diet Lemonade
I want to try Diet Dr Pete
cream soday
Cola, Ginger Ale, Lemonade
I like the sound of orange mango, tonic, and lemon iced tea flavors.
rootbeer, Sparkling Naturals Orange Pineapple and lemonade
vmkids3 at msn dot com
diet cola for me, cola for my daughter, and apple mango for a hot summer day!
Cola, orange and root beer
apple mango, cola, and ginger ale
I would like to try the Cranberry Raspberry, Grape, and Pink Grapefruit. Thank you!
Root beer, cream, cola
I would pick Cream Soda, Pete’s Choice and Root Beer.
cola, cherry cola, rootbeer
cream soda, orange, grape
I would like to try the Cherry Cola, Mixed Berry Sparkling Tea, Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade.
apple mango,Cranberry Raspberry,and orange mango
tanyajoshanti81(at)gmail(dot)com
Ginger Ale, Cream Soda, and Root Beer! Yummy!
Lemonade is great
Rootbeer, orange, and the water flavors….sounds so tasty
Diet cola, lemon lime, and orange.
I would choose: Diet Fountain Mist, Diet Cola and Diet Energy Drink.
I would first try Diet Cream soda and Diet Cola, but then I would try them all!
Regular cola, root beer and diet cola
Diet Cream Soda, Diet Cola and Country Time Lemonade
If I won, I would get the country time lemonade, cranberry raspberry and naturally flavored cola!!!
Diet Dr. Pete, Cola Free, and Diet Lemonade.
I would pick Diet Cola, Diet Rootbeer and the Black Currant & Pear Sparkling Naturals.
Root Beer, Diet cola and Cherry cola
Diet green tea mixed berry, diet cranberry raspberry, diet energy drink
Lemon lime, ginger ale, and grape.
cream soda
diet cola
root beer
cream soda
I would choose ginger ale, orange and root beer. Thanks for this contest!
I would chose cream soda, Grape and Orange
Ginger Ale, cola and lemon lime.
[...] winner of the SodaStream Giveaway is Mya [...]