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Sodastream is a money making scheme. Canisters are super expensive. After years of paying $30 per exchange, I decided to switch to an Spärkel Carbonator machin
by miki_tyler 4y ago
Sodastream is a money making scheme. Canisters are super expensive.
After years of paying $30 per exchange, I decided to switch to an Spärkel Carbonator machine, which just takes a tablespoon of citric acid powder ($5/lb) and a tablespoon of baking soda ($1/lb) per bottle. So much cheaper.
- squarefoot 4y agoWhat is the purpose of the carbonator machine? I recall making sparkling water as a kid by mixing the right amount of sodium bicarbonate and tartaric acid (very similar to citric acid) and no hardware was needed: one just had to put them in water, shake until they went into solution and drink.
- miki_tyler 4y agoJust making sparkling water. You don't drink the water that reacts with the soda/acid though. The CO2 produced is pressure injected into a separate bottle.
- ValentineC 4y agoHow long have you had your Sparkel machine and used generics? I'm very tempted to order the system and use it in a 220V country with a stepdown transformer. The specs on the website say that it's 110V only — I assume that's true for the actual product?
- miki_tyler 4y agoWe had it for almost 3 years and have been using generics since we bought it. The label on it says 120V 60Hz, but I am positive that they sell it in Europe, see https://www.amazon.sg/Sp%C3%A4rkel-Beverage-System-Metallic-Red/dp/B07YNTZCNW?th=1 https://www.amazon.sg/Sp%C3%A4rkel-Beverage-System-Metallic-...
- ValentineC 4y agoThe one review from Singapore on the 3rd party listing says that it comes with a stepdown transformer. I guess I'll just order direct, get it forwarded, and do the same! :) Thanks!
- leobg 4y agoOn the website, they explicitly warn against using generics. I guess that is to be expected. But they specifically say that using generics can clog the device or cause other problems because they are not in the right ratio or of the wrong grain size. Did you ever have any problems in that regard?
- miki_tyler 4y agoNo issues at all.
- mdaniel 4y agoI'll put in another vote for just using the 10ml (2 tsp) baking soda and 10ml citric acid (I actually bought dedicated measuring spoons after weighing the two different sachets they sell to see how much was in each: https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Measuring-Ingredients-Metering-Cooking/dp/B08RHL8H9Z https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Measuring-Ingredients-Mete... ) If one wishes to set aside Sparkel saying "don't use generic" out of their financial interests, the counterargument I can see is that if one just uses a careless method for loading the baking soda and citric acid into the chute it actually is pretty easy to have it crystalize in the actual latch, or gunk up the rubber seal on the top-latch. I found that the $0.99 funnel from Ikea is the correct length to fit into their chute but under the top latch: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/uppfylld-funnel-bright-yellow-80521930/ https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/uppfylld-funnel-bright-yellow-8... I'm, of course, positive there are hundreds of other funnels, but if you're already in Ikea, can't beat it. As a frame of reference, I was in the kickstarter for the Sparkel, and thus this is the 3rd or 4th year of making my own charges with no ill effects. I've even recently upgraded to storing them in some of those lidded sampling cups so I can mix up 30 charges at a time versus having to get out the spoons for each bottle