Sodastream Alternatives

Informational

[@radodrill]

A bit of FYI: SodaStream's regular and diet flavors are a 23:1 mix SodaStream's natural flavors are 7:1 Bag-in-Box (BIB) diet syrups are 5.5:1 BIB regular syrups are 5:1 BIB juices are 4:1 You can actually buy a BIB tap valve, which connects to the bag and allows you to dispense the syrup without having to dismantle the bag's connector. SodaStream's standard CO2 bottles are 14 oz (0.875 lb) at ~$15/refill, while a 20lb CO2 bottle can be filled for ~$20. I have seen kits to allow connecting a standard CO2 bottle to the SodaStream unit making it much more cost effective. The shelf life for the BIB diet syrups are ~3 months because the artificial sweetener (NutraSweet) degrades over time; regular BIB syrups (sugar or corn syrup based) can easily last past their 6 month shelf life because the sugars do not degrade. The reason for chilling the water is so that it better retains the CO2. At room temperature and atmospheric pressure the CO2 quickly escapes from the water; the ideal temperature fore CO2 retention is ~34F. Commercial carbonators do not use chilled water; they achieve the carbonation at high pressure (~100 psig) and subsequently the soda water is chilled before being dispensed, the cooling is achieved either by a cold plate at the bottom of the ice bin or with a water bath chiller. I have tried the SodaStream and found that it does carbonate nearly as well as a McCann's (or other commercial brand) carbonator. Also, I find their 23:1 syrups taste bad (haven't tried their 7:1). the name brand (e.g. Coca-Cola) and generic 5:1 soda syrups taste way better.

[@MrTvm2080]

thanks man... great info that I already knew... I've pretty much stopped using the SodaStream machine.. I loved it but Diet Coke in that quantity is just not good for us

[@customengravingsbyhuntersh657]

Tom Man Hey tom, great video loved it. I couldnt help but notice maybe instead of prying the adapter peice off have you thought of maybe using a valve on it that fits? i mean you pry the peice out when you first get it and then put the valve in and you can set it sideways on the counter top and dispense accurately into your bottle then no more mason jars :) just a suggestion i dont need to tell you how to do your soda but i thought it would be easier

[@greensourcegaming8001]

+radodrill someone did their resarch

[@FantasticMrsFox-hh3wl]

I never understood why to not recarbonate once there was flavor in it. Thank you. Also, this is a great ratio and I'm so glad I now have a better choice of flavors at a better price!

[@CrystalHeartsLOL]

Great video! Easy to follow and understand. Definitely taking notes!

[@kineticdyslexic3093]

You may carbonate small amounts of flavoring adding in prior, but you need to fill it below the fill line to not make a mess.

[@SuperN1ntendoChalmers]

I remember when I used to work at McD's years back I had to carry those syrup boxes multiple times for their soda fountain. Those things are pretty damn hefty.

[@gloriaforzaglia982]

Thank you, Tim. Very informative.

[@lovingorca]

you can also use lemon juice in a glass with the seltzer water. 4oz juice and the rest seltzer water over ice and you get a healthier drink

[@crazypete3]

There is a guy who owns a paintball company, that recreated the valve on the soda stream that fits onto normal CO2 tanks that will fit inside the soda stream. That sodamod valve costs 60 dollars, but in the future anytime you need a refill it's 3-5 dollars at a paintball shop or welder. This should help with your price of co2

[@MrTvm2080]

VERY VERY TRUE. but the initial cost is what would hurt. It would be around $150 to $200 for tank, adapters and hose if all bought new

[@stardreamwriter]

it's more restaurant quality because in the factory they add a higher quality CO2 (different method) because it has to stay carbonated for as long as the container is sealed. where as the restaurants have one canister of carbonated water and one can of syrup and they blend together as they come through the tap. which is why if you look closely at the tap you can see that it's not blended.

[@zekeontheradio976]

Awesome! Very helpful!! Thanks!!

[@Neceroe]

i relize this is old but one of those water cooler things you take camping or to family events and put it in that

[@JulieJSchmidt]

Thank you so much! I have been wondering how to have a taste test before purchasing the system. I am very attached to my Sprite and wonder how close SodaStream's product comes. Now I know I could make real Sprite in the house easily.

[@mikeinwtby]

Great video, all the info is spot on accurate.

[@LisbethJimenez]

Thanks for the video excellent suggestions

[@nwonomad]

It's the size of the bubbles..Fountain/sodastream have smaller bubbles than bottled soda (i think it must be the psi that they use..that's why i'm thinking of getting a tank and a regulator so i can experiment with bubble size...also the depth of the nozzle changes the size of the bubbles and the temperature...i have wondered if coke carbonate hot water and then cool it in a spherical chamber) also if you are friendly with your local 711 manager they will sell you the syrup at cost plus 10%

[@sonoffrog]

what a great review thanks, Im thinking about getting a sodastream, i live in the UK but work in the US quite a lot, i love mountain dew but its so expensive here, Might get me a bag in box from the US. I always wondered how fizzy it turns out though.

[@0150r]

At some point, you're probably just better off getting a used soda fountain machine...

[@MrTvm2080]

True

[@tarstarkusz]

You can take the lid off of that CO2 bottle, put the right mass of broken up dry ice in it, reseal it and the cost of the CO2 would be about $1 for a total refill. Dry ice is pure frozen CO2. Just bash it up into little pieces and put in the bottle than close it up and as the dry ice melts, it expands into a gas and gives you the pressure you need. You just have to be careful not to over-fill it.

[@MrTvm2080]

VERY BAD IDEA... you need regulation. a teaspoon too much could harm you, yes dry ice is frozen CO2 but you have to understand that it is a compressed form of the gas that has gone from a gas state to a liquid state then frozen, its not like water, in each state CO2 can shrink or expand hundreds of times its original volume depending upon temperature... one day X amount of dry ice is ok... the next day your pulling aluminum out of your neck... good luck.

[@tarstarkusz]

Tom Man Why would it be a problem assuming you are putting the proper weight of CO2 into the bottle? The weight of the CO2 doesn't change, the volume does. If there is 18oz of CO2 in a filled bottle, putting 17oz (for added safety) of CO2 isn't going to increase in volume compared to filling it with 17oz fo liquid CO2 from a larger filling station. 17oz is 17oz regardless of the source. Another way is to simply buy a 15lb bottle and buy the right fittings (and a pressure regulator) and run the line in through the back and up into the housing. In any event, almost all of the reviews I've seen of this thing are bad, that the soda tastes nothing like the name brand sodas. In one video I watched, the guy bought actual Diet Coke syrup from BJs or something, but he said because he isn't a restaurant (and isn't paying restaurant prices), it ended up costing him more money, but he said it tasted better and was fresher than buying it in bottles. Overall, I think it's just a dumb fad that will disappear because the soda sucks.

[@joemama114]

Tom Man Find the molar mass of CO as a solid, use science, get numbers, not to fucking hard here. I do agree tho that the one thing you would need to do is suck all the air out if you open it somehow and then and just the CO and nothing else. Compressed air heats up and mixing heated gasses with compressed containers is bad news.

[@tarstarkusz]

joemama114 My computer has been down for a couple weeks. I should have watched the video, because it turns out you were the guy who didn't like the shitty soda. As to using dry ice, I have seen people use it the way I said. I'm quite sure that for safety reasons the container is certified much higher than to hold 18oz. Nevertheless, I would probably agree that saving a few bucks isn't worth the possibility of a grenade going off in your house (you know, shards of that steel container from an explosion caused by too high a pressure). Thanks for the feedback.

[@w0nd3rb0y]

co2 bottles all have standard regulation threads. So instead of buying new bottles, take your old one to a paintball shop, sporting goods store, etc and they might fill it for you. In my area, a tank that size would run about 5-7 dollars. That might save some money. I don't own a Soadstream, but this idea just occurred to me. Hope that helps anyone.

[@LatitudeSky]

SodaStream uses a proprietary thread. Many paintball or welding shops will not want to touch it.

[@MrTvm2080]

LeinaStol unfortunately correct..

[@chrilla1980]

Thanks for the video mate.....i am about to buy a Sodastream Cool i think and this tip is great.Now i just have to get to know someone in the restaurant company to get some cheap syrup hahaha This video is def worth to thumb up many times. Cheers and take care

[@kendal9416]

Thx for the video!!! :)

[@dannytorres801]

Awesome video

[@soodamncolddisabled]

Diet coke ? Talk about cancer in a box..

[@MrTvm2080]

vinak963 VERY TRUE... she might have grow up next to a coal pitch tar drive way and never knew it...

[@joemama114]

vinak963 Hurrm, apples nope, bananas nope, nearly all processed foods... yep.

[@jordancasey9225]

joemama114 hmmm apples yes, bananas yes, everything you buy at the store.... yep. its all GMO food the only way to get non gmo food is to get your own seeds from an unfunded source outside the country that hasnt used 50 generations of gmo seeds. otherwise even most organic stuff still gets sprayed with pesticides and are owned buy larger shit companies

[@joemama114]

jordan casey Using Pesticides dosen't make something genetically modified. Also we'er talking about foods that contain carcinogens in them, and most produce don't.

[@wildwest1832]

joemama114 But they are not carcinogenic in the amounts found in say pop. Your giving an uneducated and random guess on what you think so pure opinion. There is no evidence that anything in pop causes cancer if you drink say one serving in a day. The amounts of say aspartame in that is minuscule which is why its approved for human consumption.

[@AlexTubed]

Hey man, have you checked out your Costco? I know around here the 5 gal diet coke is $65

[@dinosaursneverexisted8985]

Have you considered the soda mod rather than the overpriced co2 canisters sodastream sells? u can save even more money

[@MrTvm2080]

The fizz is a little different than canned or bottled soda... its more like what you would get at a restaurant or fountain drinks. but I'm ok with it...I can't tell you why but it is a little different.

[@carnivalcadaver69]

get a beverage grade c02 tank and an adaptor. 30ish bucks and 2 a refill

[@creditrepairwizards]

buy bottles of cheap $1 carbonated water at the store , grab a funnel , pour some syrup in the bottle

[@spacetrucker2952]

I saw some jackass carbonating wine. I don't think I have to tell you it went all over the damn place.

[@JesusGarcia-cj3bn]

seriously dude thats a fucking pain in the ass

[@fred96002001]

word of advice you can save more money on co2 by refilling that co2 bottle your self for $1 i do it all the time. i fill it with dry ice.

[@wh0m33]

Lots of hoops to jump tough just to drink a soda.

[@47ravenlord]

Sodastream machines only bring 2 benefits to the table,lower cost and it is slightly better for you than store options.You manage to crush both of these benefits by using regular syrup.Then you use twice the syrup on top of everything to make this process probably more expensive than the norm.....Logic.....yours is so damn broken.

[@readingswithjenna9714]

Yeah, but I'll bet his unhealthy, expensive, syrupy diet coke tastes way better than yours!

[@RNdavey]

Smart man

[@Blueside999]

Wow I can't believe that 33.863 people watched this video on how to open a diet Coke syrup box and mix the syrup with water...

[@TheSmokingGentleman]

Not trying to be a health nut but I'd buy ol fashioned medical cola syrup rather than anything with aspartame. Gmo bacteria-poop sweetener is no good.

[@MichaelNetwork]

Had to pretty much give up pop... you'll feel better if you drink water and maybe just have a pop every once in a while.

[@vekcorpestsolutions853]

Wow did not know that thank you doctor

[@MichaelNetwork]

Don't remember saying I was a Doc but thanks for the unwarranted sarcasm.

[@wildwest1832]

Vintage Michael I feel pretty good drinking some pop. Everyone is different so thanks for sharing.

[@MichaelNetwork]

Wild West I started to gain a lot of weight and decided to only have one every now and then. Wish everyone the best.

[@grahambate3384]

co2 refill urself for a few dollars, cheers gr8 video, Graham

[@easy08154711]

Anyway, who wants to carry water.

[@whatever10902]

YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA...try gourmet sodas to make your decision "careful er."

[@whatever10902]

"enhance." your diet favorite with this amazing sugar... authoritynutrition.com/does-yacon-syrup-work/

[@whatever10902]

Crashaholics Worded ebay is also "cheaper." based on "shipping." i will keep you "postedd."

[@whatever10902]

Crashaholics Worded i like 5 gallon bucket with a pump on it...for storage... makes the thing last a little longer... www.akitchen.com/store/pump.html?gdftrk=gdfV2202_a_7c243_a_7c585_a_7cCARL_d_38X&gclid=CK73uNX5-sACFYdlfgodf0EAeA

[@jimmythecow9248]

its not rocket science its math duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......................

[@larjerr]

Man, those diet sodas aren't helping your diet at all...there's been some studies.....

[@MrTvm2080]

I don't drink diet sodas anymore

[@dancersiss]

Where can I buy dry ice

[@sandkeyfred]

There is a store located in St Petersberg, Fl www.sendingtlc.com/ that carries dry ice in various forms. I've found that the pellet form is the easiest to deal with when recharging your Soda Stream carbonator. There is a nice gentleman there named David who will be happy to supply you with dry ice. If you're not in the Tampa Bay area in Florida I'm fairly certain that it can be shipped to you in an insulated cooler. Good luck!

[@MrTvm2080]

Fred Martinez DON"T DO THIS... one of you is going to get killed!!!! this is a BAD IDEA... yes it functional works but you need weighing equipment that can deal with extreme temp changes. even if you weigh it, dry ice just like everything else varies from manufacturer to manufacturer some of it is -120 some is -145 ect. you have to do so much math and testing before you seal that bottle. It is just not safe for the average person! Even some of the above "averages" DON'T DO THIS!!!!

[@jakelinked7632]

a grocery store

[@PM_Anthony_Albanese]

Looks like a long process to make something so unhealthy.

[@inoiputmymindsumware]

7.34! LIKE