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Soda maker reviews

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Last updated: 15 July 2024
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Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers, verifiers and subject experts. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE.

Give your water an extra sparkle at home with a soda maker. Our experts review soda makers from brands including SodaStream, Breville, Aarke and more to see how easy they are to operate and how well they work.

Our tests results show you which soda makers:

  • can carbonate the most water from a single canister of C02
  • are the easiest to use when installing and removing C02 canisters
  • are the easiest to operate during carbonation
  • have the least water spillage
  • have consistent carbonation controls

We also compare automatic and manual soda makers to note the pros and cons of each option. Weight, dimensions and other interesting features are recorded and published in our table.

We've partnered with Shop Ethical on this update to show the ratings the Ethical Consumer Group gives to each company.

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Brand

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List of brands we tested in this review.

    Price

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    Recommended retail price.

    enter value/s in increments of 1 between 64 and 499

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    Type

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    Manual machines don't usually need to be plugged in. Automatic machines are powered and typically have pre-set carbonation levels.

      Performance score

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      We test if machines can achieve a low, medium and high level of carbonation using the automatic or manual settings, as well as consistency of carbonation.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 60 and 81

      Ease of use score

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      Includes ease of installing/removing CO2 cylinder (20%) ease of installing/removing the drinking bottle (20%), ease of controls (20%), water spillage (20%), ease of cleaning (10%), assessment of the bottle shape and lid quality (5%) and the quality of the C02 canister return/replacement program (5%).

      enter value/s in increments of i between 61 and 88

      Calculated cost per litre

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      Based on a high carbonation setting (maximum for automatic machines, or 1–2 seconds three or four times on manual machines). Results will vary depending on carbonation level used.

      enter value/s in increments of i between 0.38 and 0.84

      Calculated litres per cylinder (L)

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      The amount of water that can be carbonated from a single C02 cylinder. Based on a high carbonation setting (either the maximum setting for automatic machines or carbonating for 1-2 seconds three or four times on manual machines). 

      enter value/s in increments of i between 22.6 and 52.5

      Shop Ethical rating

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      Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. The rating ranks from A (highest) to F (lowest); N/A means there is no rating for that company.

        Included in this review

        Members-only access
        • Recommended
        • Calculated cost per litre
        • CHOICE Expert Rating
        • Performance score
        • Ease of use score
        • Controls score
        • Carbonisation level control score
        • Installing CO2 canister score
        • Installing and removing bottle score
        • Water spillage score
        • Cleaning score
        • Bottle shape score
        • Canister replacement score
        • Calculated litres per cylinder
        • Good points
        • Bad points
        • Tester comments
        • Type
        • Carbonisation type
        • Price
        • Bottle capacity (litres)
        • Shop Ethical rating
        • Bottle type
        • Core material
        • Included bottle cylinder
        • Includes C02 cylinder
        • Pre-set carbonisation levels
        • Drip tray
        • Operating light
        • CO2 canister type
        • Weight excluding bottle (kg)
        • Dimensions (cm, W x H x D)
        • Warranty (years)
        • Country of origin

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