Soda Water Makers Compared: SodaStream, Drinkmate, and the Cheaper Alternatives

The home carbonation market splits into three tiers: the standard SodaStream-style machines that use proprietary cylinders, the premium designs (Aarke, KitchenAid) that use the same cylinders but with better build quality and looks, and the DIY commercial-CO2-tank setups that drop the cost per liter dramatically at the cost of more setup complexity. Each tier has a clear use case and a clear set of people it serves.

This is the practical breakdown of which system fits which household, what carbonation actually costs over the life of the machine, and where the marketing claims diverge from real performance.

How home carbonation works

Every home soda maker is basically the same machine: a chamber where a pressurized bottle of water gets injected with CO2 from a metal cylinder. The CO2 dissolves into the water under pressure, producing carbonic acid (the sour-tasting compound that makes seltzer feel “sharp”) and dissolved gas (the bubbles that release when the bottle is opened).

The CO2 cylinder, sometimes called a “carbonator,” is what differs across systems. The two main sizes:

• 60-liter SodaStream/Drinkmate cylinder. The standard home unit. Holds about 410 grams of CO2 and produces 60 liters of moderately carbonated water before needing exchange. Costs $15 to $25 to exchange at major retailers (Bed Bath, Target, Walmart, online via Amazon).
• 5-pound commercial cylinder. The size used by home brewers and small bars. Holds about 2.3 kg of CO2 and produces 425 liters of carbonated water. Costs $15 to $25 to refill at a welding supply or home brew store. Requires a hose adapter to connect to consumer soda makers.

The CO2 itself is identical food-grade gas across both systems. The price difference comes entirely from the convenience of swapping a small cylinder versus refilling a larger one.

SodaStream Terra: the default

The SodaStream Terra is the entry point for most households. It does one thing well: carbonates water with minimal effort. Pour cold water into the included bottle, screw it onto the machine, press the carbonation button two or three times, unscrew, drink.

Strengths:

• Cheapest entry point at $90 to $120 for the starter kit
• Easiest to find replacement cylinders (every major grocery and big-box store)
• Compact footprint, fits on a kitchen counter without dominating
• Plastic bottles are light and durable for daily use

Weaknesses:

• Plastic aesthetic feels cheap next to premium appliances
• Single-use carbonation: cannot do juice, iced tea, or wine
• The pressure release is loud (the hiss when you press the button is not subtle)
• Plastic bottles expire and need replacing every two to three years

For a household that drinks one to two liters of sparkling water per day and has no interest in carbonating anything else, the Terra is the right answer. About 70 percent of home soda maker buyers fit this profile.

Drinkmate: the only one that does juice

Drinkmate looks similar to SodaStream but adds a small but important feature: a release valve that vents excess CO2 from the bottle before you unscrew it. This sounds minor but it is the difference between a machine that can only handle water and one that can handle anything.

The reason matters: when you carbonate water with a SodaStream and unscrew the bottle, the dissolved gas releases gradually because pure water has nothing to nucleate violent foaming. When you carbonate juice or any liquid with sugar, pulp, or organic particles, the dissolved gas explodes out of solution when the pressure drops, producing a geyser. SodaStream prohibits anything but water for exactly this reason.

Drinkmate’s release valve solves this by letting you vent the dissolved CO2 in controlled bursts before opening the bottle. The result is that you can carbonate orange juice, iced coffee, wine, or even cocktails directly.

Strengths:

• Only consumer machine that can carbonate anything but water
• Uses the same 60-liter cylinders as SodaStream (interchangeable)
• Excellent for households that want sparkling juice, hard seltzer experiments, or unusual drinks

Weaknesses:

• More expensive than SodaStream ($110 to $150)
• Slightly more complex to use (the release valve adds a step)
• The bottle is less elegant than the Aarke premium options

For households that genuinely want to carbonate things other than water, Drinkmate is the only realistic choice. For households that only want sparkling water, the extra capability is wasted.

Aarke and the premium tier

Aarke makes stainless-steel-bodied carbonators in the $200 to $300 range. The machine accepts the same CO2 cylinders as SodaStream and does the same job mechanically. The premium comes from build quality and aesthetics.

The Aarke Carbonator 3 is a beautiful object. Heavy stainless steel construction, a single-lever operation that replaces SodaStream’s button presses, and a quiet pressure release that does not startle. It will sit on a counter for ten years without looking dated.

The objective performance differences are minor: slightly more controllable carbonation level, slightly quieter operation, and a more substantial feel during use. These are real improvements but they do not produce dramatically better water. A blind taste test of SodaStream-carbonated water vs Aarke-carbonated water (same cylinder, same water source) shows no consistent preference.

The premium is paying for design and durability. For a household that displays its kitchen appliances and replaces them every decade, Aarke makes sense. For a household that hides everything in a cabinet, the SodaStream is functionally identical at a third the cost.

The commercial-tank approach

The cheapest cost per liter comes from skipping consumer cylinders entirely and using a 5-pound CO2 tank from a welding supply or home brew store. The setup:

1. Buy a used 5-lb CO2 tank ($60 to $90) or new ($100 to $140)
2. Buy a regulator with a low-pressure output, around 30 to 60 PSI ($40 to $80)
3. Buy a hose and adapter that connects to a consumer SodaStream or Drinkmate machine ($25 to $40)
4. Find a local CO2 refill source (typically $15 to $25 for 5 pounds)

Total upfront cost: $200 to $350 for the equipment, then $15 to $25 per refill. A single refill produces 425 liters of sparkling water, which is the equivalent of seven SodaStream cylinder exchanges at $15 each.

The math: at typical usage (about 1 liter per day), a 5-lb tank lasts a year and produces sparkling water at 5 to 8 cents per liter, compared to 25 to 33 cents per liter from SodaStream exchanges. The equipment cost is recovered in about 18 months of regular use.

The downsides are real: the tank is large (about 18 inches tall), requires regulation, and needs a local refill source. Many cities have welding supplies or home brew stores that refill on the spot for under $20. Some areas do not, and shipping CO2 tanks is restricted and expensive.

For a household that drinks two or more liters of sparkling water daily, the tank approach pays for itself quickly and produces dramatically cheaper water. For lighter use, the convenience of a SodaStream cylinder outweighs the savings.

Which system fits which household

Quick decision matrix:

• One to two liters of water per day, water only: SodaStream Terra
• Want sparkling juice, cocktails, or experimental carbonation: Drinkmate
• Heavy daily use and want lowest cost per liter: Commercial 5-lb tank setup
• Premium kitchen aesthetic and willing to pay for it: Aarke Carbonator 3

The cylinder exchange logistics are the constraint people forget. SodaStream cylinders are easy to find at any major retailer in the US. Drinkmate uses the same cylinders. Commercial tanks need a local source that handles refills. If you live somewhere without a nearby home brew or welding supply, the consumer machines are the only realistic option even if you carbonate heavily.

Frequently asked questions