Guide to Being a Cheapskate Sodastream User

This post is about my experiences with Sodastream and how you too can be a stingy person with a few useful tips.

I originally bought this version of the Sodastream (compatible with the 130L canister) for $54.61. It came with a 6L canister that you can exchange free for a 60L canister at places that promotes it (I chose Bed Bath & Beyond).  I asked them if I can exchange the 6L canister for 130L instead of 60L that cost me an extra $20, which takes us to the first money saving tip.

Buy the 130L canister instead of the 60L
The 130L canister lasts me around 1/3 of the year, so I only need to exchange it about 3 times per year (and I'm a heavy sparkling water drinker).  I never tried the 60L canister but I assume it lasts less than half as much, so you might have to exchange it twice as often.  You also end up saving money because while the 130L costs twice as much, it has an extra 10L of carbonation, so it'll last you a bit longer and save you money.  Keep in mind you save gas/time on trips as well.

• New 60L - $30.00
• 60L  refills - $15.00
• New 130L - $50.00
• 130L  refills - $30.00

Get the 20% off coupons
This might not be obvious to everyone - you can use their discount coupons not only to buy new canisters, but also to exchange your empty canisters.  Here are the costs if you do so.

• New 60L w/ discount - $24.00
• 60L refill with discount - $12.00
• New 130L w/ discount - $40.00
• 130L refill with discount - $24.00

Is it worth it?
Here I will do some calculations/estimations on what it might cost to buy bottles of sparkling water or making your own for a year.

Cost to exchange the 130L canister 4 times for 1 year with the coupons is $72, or $90 without coupons.

I used to buy 2L bottles of sparkling water for $1 each, which I drink 5 times a week.  The best case scenario is spending about $60 per year

It seems as though it's more cost effective to skip the Sodastream and opt to just buy bottles. Consider the following.

• Pricey Bottles - You are not guaranteed to pay only $1 for a bottle all the time, and taxes can add up, so you might spend up to $100 per year, even if you're being careful.
• Gas/Time - Trips to the market and lugging around bottles of water is both time consuming and expensive if you're driving.
• Convenience - You always have a steady supply of sparkling water and don't have to make a rush to a market to get your fix in.
• Waste - There won't be piles of plastic bottles littering your place, or being choked on by a fish in the Pacific.

What about flavors?
I tried buying their soda flavors, but they were all kind of mediocre and expensive, so I decided against them.  I buy 2L sodas on the rare occasions I want them.  If you want a Sodastream to replace your soda needs, this might not be the best option for you.  Buying syrup from other places also doesn't really save much money, from what I can tell.

What I do with my drinks
Just because the soda flavors are out of question, doesn't mean you can't enjoy other things with your Sodastream.  Here is what I use it for -

• Sparkling water - can't beat simple sometimes.  Plain water is boring.
• Fruits - I buy a bunch of different frozen fruits from costco which I put in my drinks sometimes.
• Juice concentrates - you can get several varieties of juices at the frozen section.
• Vodka/Gin tonic - just add a squeeze of lemon and you have a decently low calorie adult beverage.

Is the adapter worth it?

I've considered this thing many times before and after buying my Sodastream.  I've looked online about health hazards, and I'm still very skeptical that this is safe to use (something about harmful oils or chemicals in the canisters they use to fill up your smaller canister).  It's a free country, so you can do what you want to your body, but is saving an extra $20-$40 worth risking your health?

Others also do something with dry ice, but I'm no scientist so I have no idea how that all works.  Also getting those things stuck on your skin looks very painful, I don't want to risk that either.

In conclusion...

I think it's pretty worth it to get a Sodastream, but only if you can get the best offers during sales and with coupons (which isn't that hard).  If you like sodas, I don't think this is that great of a product to replace the brand names like Dr Pepper or Coke.  But you should consider the other pros of getting this thing and see if that pushes you to buying it.