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NBC News
28-02-2025
- General
- NBC News
These 7 staff-favorite soda makers are easy to set up and use
I'll admit it: I am absolutely a seltzer water devotee. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if a doctor told me I was part CO2 at this point. But I wasn't always like this — I switched from soft drinks to sparkling water to reduce my sugar intake years ago. And while I love an ice-cold can of LeCroix or Bubly, I had to start trying out at-home soda makers to help give my recycling bin a break and be more mindful of my wallet. My soda maker, which is from the brand Sodasense has lasted me years, but it was time to try something new. To find the best soda makers on the market, my fellow NBC Select staffers and I tested the top soda makers from brands like Sodastream, Aarke, Drinkmate and more. I also spoke with experts from soda maker brands for their guidance. How I picked the best at-home soda makers There are few important aspects to consider when choosing a good at-home soda maker. Here's everything our experts recommended I keep in mind when making this list: Functionality: In looking for a good at-home soda maker, I prioritized machines that are easy to operate, including installing the CO2 cylinder. I also looked for ones that are suitable for both water and other types of beverages like juice. All of the soda makers below are meant for carbonating water but only a few are good for both water and juice. Brands like SodaStream and Aarke are only for water, while Breville's InFizz and Drinkmate's soda maker can carbonate juice in addition to water. OEM bottles: It's also best to only use soda makers that come with their own OEM-style plastic bottles (original equipment manufacturer), according to Bill Turnau, a digital marketing specialist for Drinkmate. 'Since these bottles are designed to withstand high pressure, using knock-off bottles or bottles not designed for this purpose is extremely dangerous,' he says. All of the soda makers on this list come with bottles designed for their machines. Any mention of Drinkmate in this article was made independently of Turnau. We did not ask him for product recommendations — we only asked him for guidance. Locking system: Another important factor I considered is whether or not the soda maker comes with a traditional safety locking system or some other way to release pressure from inside the bottle. When you carbonate drinks in the machine's bottles, there's a lot of excess carbonation that has to be released to safely remove the cap. Many soda makers, such as Breville, have this locking component for releasing pressure from the bottle before opening it. Other brands like Aarke have the machine release the pressure on its own. Carbon dioxide cylinder: Every soda maker on this list comes with its own compatible carbon dioxide cylinder, also called CO2. It's important to note that at-home soda makers come with either a screw-in (also called threaded) cylinder or a snap-in cylinder brands like Sodastream call a 'Quick Connect.' This means that many CO2 cylinders from different brands are compatible with one another, while the ones from SodaStream for example, are only compatible with their machines. The majority of soda makers on this list have a screw-in-style CO2 cylinder and a few others have a snap-in-style design. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. The best at-home soda makers, tested & reviewed All of the soda makers on this list are ones that NBC Select staffers or I tested out and/or are highly rated on Amazon. Sodastream, Aarke, Breville and Drinkmate sent us samples of soda makers to try out, though I selected models independently of their input and guidance. I also didn't ask any of the brands to recommend products for this story. Editor's pick: Breville InFizz Fusion I tried out the Breville InFizz Fusion soda maker and immediately loved how easy it was to set up. While my previous experience using soda makers helped with the process, knowing how to screw in the CO2 cylinder, press the lever at the top to carbonate and then slowly releasing the locking system on top of the bottle was extremely straightforward. The locking system has a red panel that I could push to the side to release the excess pressure from inside the bottle before opening it. Plus, the plastic bottle that it comes with is extremely durable, so I didn't worry about it getting dented, scratched or warped over time. The brush also made it easy to wash by hand and get non-water residue out of the bottom and sides. My favorite part, though, was that I could carbonate juice in addition to water, so I loved making sparkling apple juice and could see many people (especially kids) getting creative with making their own soda. I also tried out the Aarke Carbonator 3, which was one of the most well designed at-home soda makers on this list. This soda maker was incredibly easy to set up, since it only required screwing in the CO2 cylinder into the bottom of the base. I could also tell when the bottle was finished carbonating when the machine made a distinct sound. Similar to many of the other bottles on this list, the Aarke OEM bottle has a mark on the side telling you how much water to fill up, including a maximum and minimum amount. NBC Select associate reporter Ashley Morris tested out the Sodastream Terra, which is one of the brand's most affordable soda makers, after the SodaStream Gaia. The soda maker comes with a dishwasher-safe bottle and panel on top that you push to carbonate water once the bottle locks into place. The Sodastream Terra doesn't have the locking system lid, which eliminates one step from releasing the pressure, similar to the Aarke Carbonator. However, the Sodastream Terra has a removable back so you can easily install the CO2 cylinder without having to push and screw it into the bottom, which can be a bit awkward manually. With that said, the Terra, like with many of Sodastream's makers, is only compatible with the snap-in CO2 cylinder, meaning you can only use it with Sodastream's cylinders. Jordan Bowman, a commerce editor at NBC Select, tried out the Sodastream Art Sparkling Water Maker, which is somewhat more expensive than the Terra. Similar to Aarke's model, the Art soda maker has a lever on the side that you pull down rather than a button on the top that you press to carbonate water. Bowman was a fan of how easy it was to customize how bubbly you can make your water. 'After quickly scanning the instruction booklet I added my canister and was immediately ready to make some seltzer,' he says. 'You can quickly make about three or four glasses of seltzer water. I tend to use three pumps which creates a more gentle fizz but if you go as high as five it has a more dynamic bubbly effect.' The Art has a removable panel to install the snap-in cylinder and also doesn't require a locking system on top of the bottle to more safely release the pressure, though this does make the process of carbonating slightly faster. NBC Select social commerce editor Sadhana Daruvuri tested out the Drinkmate OmniFizz and loved how easily it fit in the kitchen of her studio apartment. that the maker came with multiple bottles of different sizes. 'The coolest thing about this soda maker is that it can carbonate drinks other than water,' she says. 'I especially enjoyed using it on fruit juices and reviving flat soda.' Daruvuri also liked that the Omnifizz has a luxe look and didn't feel the need to put it away when she wasn't using it. On the other hand, she found that it took a little bit of time to fully understand how to use the machine, particularly the bottle which didn't always screw in completely. Cylinder type: screw-in | Compatible with: water, juice and flat soda | Dimensions: 5 x 8 x 16 in. | Dishwasher-safe bottle: no The Ninja Thirsti Drink System Soda Maker is the only automatic plug-in style soda maker on this list and it came with several flavored syrups for making your own unique carbonated drinks. NBC Select editorial operations associate Jem Alabi tested this soda maker and says that the directions and overall setup process was very easy to follow and that the flavors have a pleasant taste that are great for anyone who enjoys low- or no-calorie flavored sparkling beverages. What's most unique about the Ninja Thirsti Drink System is that it has a compartment on the top that houses the flavored syrups which connect to where the water flows into the bottle, so you don't have to squeeze them yourself. Plus, the machine lets you customize how fizzy your drink is and which size you want (6, 12, 18 or 24 ounces). Instead of a bottle, this machine uses a built-in water canister that dispenses into your own cup or bottle. Cylinder type: screw-in | Compatible with: water and flavored syrup | Dimensions: 8.7 x 13.9 x 16 in. | Dishwasher-safe bottle: n/a The Aerflo Aer System is different from all of the soda makers on this list because it is technically a water bottle with a lid that has a built-in CO2 compartment, allowing you to carbonate water wherever you are. I was skeptical at first and curious as to how exactly the carbonation process worked, but I quickly became pleasantly surprised after using it. The bottle comes with small blue exchangeable CO2 capsules that's around the size of an Amazon Fire Stick. The cap has a compartment that I screwed the capsule into; then I placed the cap on the bottle and pressed the middle of it, which injects the carbonation into the water. I took it with me to work and kept it in the drink holder on my backpack and it didn't spill at all. The only drawback is that I wish the capsules lasted longer, especially as someone who enjoys a really bubbly drink. Cylinder type: capsule | Compatible with: water only | Capacity: 21 oz. | Dishwasher-safe bottle: n/a How to shop for an at-home soda maker Some aspects to consider before getting an at-home soda maker include your beverage preferences, kitchen space and more. Here's what our experts recommend keeping in mind: Consider your drink preferences'Consumers should look for functionality that's important to them,' says Turnau. 'If you want to be able to carbonate drinks beyond water, for example, you will want to look at Drinkmate machines as other soda makers are only capable of carbonating water.' In other words, if you want to carbonate more than water, such as juice, wine or flat soda, make sure you choose a model that states that it's compatible with these drinks, rather than trying it on one that says it's for water only. This is important since if you do try to carbonate a non-compatible beverage with machines that are water-only, it can void your warranty if it breaks. Take into account replacing CO2 cylindersWhile an at-home soda maker helps reduce your consumption of single-use plastics or aluminum, they require you to constantly replace the CO2 tanks, which could be relatively often if you make sparkling water often. Depending on your situation, this can become costly, though brands allow you to return the empty cylinders to them and subscribe to receive refilled cylinders in exchange. Maintain the bottles over timeAnother important aspect to consider before getting a soda maker is that you'll have to take care of the bottle, especially after multiple uses. Many of the bottles for the machines listed above are not dishwasher safe, so you'll have to make sure you clean them thoroughly by hand and 'avoid exposing it to scratches, extreme heat or freezing temperatures,' says Jonas Groth, the co-founder and chief-designer at safetyWhile all of the at-home soda makers above are easy to use, especially with the help of directions, it's possible to have a mishap or two when using the machine. This is why having a soda maker with some sort of safety system in place such as self-releasing pressure valves is important, according to Groth. All of the soda makers below have either a locking or self-releasing system to let you know when the water is sufficiently carbonated. Meet our experts At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. Any mention of Drinkmate, Aarke and Sodastream in this article was made independently of Turnau, Groth and Schilowitz, respectively. We did not ask them for product recommendations — we only asked them for guidance. Why trust NBC Select? I'm a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I write about home and kitchen appliances, including reviews and roundups. My colleagues and I all tested every soda maker on this list. I spoke with experts from soda maker brands for their guidance for this story.
WIRED
19-02-2025
- WIRED
The Aarke Coffee System Offers Promising Innovation With Some Fiddling
A coffee maker's purpose is not to be beautiful. I have to tell myself this when looking at Aarke's new drip coffee maker, because the Aarke Coffee System is beautiful. This fact could serve to distract me from other important things. The Aarke is Swedish, designed by Swedes in the Swedish modernist design tradition. But it also looks a little like a full Turkish tea service has been reimagined as a shiny new gasworks. It fills me with longing for a life I don't lead: functional, clean, freed from the messiness of a world marked by trivial disappointments. Including a flat-burr grinder, the entire system costs north of $700, which is perhaps the price of such a life. The Aarke is part of a quiet renaissance among drip brewers, which had long been sidelined in the luxury world by espresso and pour-over. But a new generation of machines aims to elevate the home drip coffee game to the stuff of true connoisseurship, bringing out the most delicate flavors from premium beans at minimal effort on your part. Photograph: Matthew Korfhage The Aarke is among just a couple dozen brewers now certified by the international Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) as being capable of maintaining enormous precision in every particular: temperature, brewing time, coffee extraction, and probably also the purity of heart. The number of certified makers has doubled in the past half-decade. But the Aarke, with its shiny stainless steel exterior and modern industrial minimalism, just might be the fanciest-looking of the bunch. Beneath its flashy reflective exterior, there some quite interesting engineering going on. The Aarke also offers a capability unlike any drip coffee setup I've tested: It promises to grind the exact right amount of fresh coffee beans for each batch of drip, using a sensor that measures whatever random amount of water you've freehanded into it. Wild stuff! More on that later. So Shiny, So Chrome At the most basic level, the Aarke is a thoughtfully designed coffee maker, much like the carbonation system the company is best known for. Whatever its sophisticated sensors, it requires little effort to learn. It feels old-school. At 15 inches high it's not small by any stretch, but its heft could also be described as sturdiness. The Aarke also has what phone people like to call 'haptics.' The brew basket slides in with a satisfying mechanical clunk, and even the device's sole button offers pleasing resistance. When you pour water in, the tank glows a subtle blue in response. This is the discreet way the Aarke says hello each morning. There are no beeps anywhere, no noises that aren't grinding or brewing. To start a brew, just add the appropriate amount of ground coffee to a standard No. 4 conical filter in the basket. Then, press the button. Press that button quickly, it'll brew like a standard drip coffee maker. Press it for three seconds until the little light turns on, and it'll first bloom the coffee by wetting it down and waiting for trapped carbon dioxide to escape from the fresh-ground beans.
