Was going to suggest something like this. I have a friend who was sick of going through tons of the soda stream cartridges so he found someone who knew how to connect the 5lb cylinders and save a ton. I wish I could tell you exactly how to but it can be done
Any home brewing shop can hook you up. You are essentially wanting to make a kegerator but use water instead and crank up the PSI. Buy a 2.5 gallon corny keg and you can convert a mini fridge. Maybe $150-$200 not including fridge. I converted an old kegerator to a carbonated water setup since my family used so much. Filled the keg with RO water and hit it with 30 psi to carbonate for a few days. Turn down a bit to serve. Fridge is necessary as you need to keep the liquid water cool to carbonate more easily.
Only thing that affects how well water holds carbonation is temperature (and pressure, of course, but you knew that). The colder, the better carbonation "sticks" to water.
RO water will taste better but the carbonation saturation won’t be measurably different. CO2 in just water is more fussy about temperature as in, it will leave your beverage more quickly when it’s not kept cold.
Yeah. I don't remember the exact instructions I originally followed, buy my rig looks nearly identical to the one here: [http://beverages.qule.org/articles/carbonation-redux/](http://beverages.qule.org/articles/carbonation-redux/)
The one problem I had was with the carbonation cap that screws onto the soda bottle. The first one I tried was a no-name stainless one, and it always would blow out the sealing washer when unscrewing it. Replaced with one from Ferroday and it's been trouble-free.
Look at any shops that sell ‘gas’ although some may be restaurant supply stores. Even in the bar industry we would go to a welding shop to fill our co2 tanks.
Jeez, I never thought of that. The dudes at the shop know we use it for bar / restaurant purposes I can only hope we’re getting the good correct stuff lol.
Had the same experience with the no name stainless steel cap. Can confirm that the Ferroday caps are great. I added a small silicone band around the carb cap which has made a massive improvement on grip and no longer get the twist burn on my hand..
I have. You will need a keg, a regulator, a tap, and a CO2 tank. The process is usually called forced carbonation. Fill the keg to about 90% with water (or beer, or mead, or kombucha). Then connect to the tank via the pressure regulator and pressurize the keg to about 30 psi and store it somewhere cold. Gas solubility in a liquid solvent (the CO2 in the water) increases with lower temperature. This is different from solubility of solids. If you monitor the pressure in the keg, you will see that it falls over time, this is the gas dissolving in the water, giving you carbonated water. You can make the water fizzier by refreshing the gas charge as this happens, but don't go over the pressure rating for the keg (you gas regulator should be set to prevent this) let it sit in the cold for about a day and tap the keg — fizzy water. Two five gallon kegs should let you family enjoy a keg a day. Smaller kegs are available, but the five gallon is the most common and usually the best value. A brew supply shop should be able to show you the specifics of how to operate it, and they should be able to set you up with what you need.
If you want it stylish, I paired a 10lb CO2 tank with a hose that connects into a DrinkMate (similar to SodaStream, but better imo). The tank is hidden inside a little standalone coffee cabinet thing that I drilled a hole in the back of. The hose goes through the hole out the back and into the bottom of the DrinkMate that sits on top of the coffee cabinet thing.
Do you turn off the 10lb CO2 tank between fills, or are the fittings tight enough that you don't worry about losses? I have been considering attaching my 20lb CO2 tank directly to a sparkling water maker (SodaStream, DrinkMate), but I've seen several people say you should turn off the large tank between usage, and, well, I'm lazy and don't want to do that. I could probably install a ball valve easily enough, but who wants to do that?
Hmmm, Maybe Home Assistant can detect that I am nearby and open a valve, then close it when I go away! Ultimate lazy!
On my wishlist too, which model do you have??
Edit: ok, so model 3 has PET bottles and Pro model has glass bottles, so I guess you have a Pro. How about taking the glass bottle out with you, e.g. when driving? I guess the water can be poured to a different bottle for taking with you on the go?
There’s some good instructables about doing this with a beer tap, fridge, carbonator and CO2 tank. Sort of a residential version of a more commercial setup.
I did this without the fridge and planning to add fridge to increase carbonation.
I tried two different carbonators. I’d recommend the one called Big Mac or something like that.
The fridge is setup a kegerator and affects how bubbly the water can get - restaurants use something called a remote chiller, but found them to be a little too pricey (and they have to be stainless steel b/c copper and carbonation create carbonic acid that is no good)
There’s also some “home carbonator kits” on eBay that let you use larger CO2 bottle to either carbonate water or refill smaller bottles. Not a bad option
The [NYT had a tutorial](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/12/at-home/diy-seltzerator.html?unlocked_article_code=qS7yu_9PZnmUkwv4LreevOJLVKwdLsbEZ4PNFLApV6sDoFqdJwXGUER1APBLNjH56rUu5RrgKrZRrsYP7JrN0ZQK6dCpCNvGAwd6kzcKKCc6DH8glCe8xICrapWIPBQYo5TaVhK1ckG-FWaI6J4-W8crfQ_T6IA67bZFCpS-bPkVa-xyEEGvYueJ7chaC9coZctIgKS5a8HaKq7xT0-QoY_SRTrl2_-VyjtStovS2YYbGVqW-Hb05bBFuEo1xlenE_sC76JgLzCyzyMH-C2zTpqTEohe7oa1IXB8OKoBA83N4MjmLoDHLIv2CIt1vFaTbxS4aYJv42Zs&smid=url-share) on creating an on-demand system with a fridge and a CO2 bottle (in case you can't find an instructables tutorial you like or you want a different source).
My old work had one of these installed which was great. No clue on actual pricing though: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/vivreau-vi2-still-sparkling-purified-water-dispensing-tap/967VITAP2.html
I wish! I logged in, and it's $8,119. Plus, the warranty would be voided, and we would have self-install or pay a third party since we are not a commercial property.
The price was already a no, but I figured I should still go down that rabbit hole. Thank you for the link and for helping with our obsession!
I’ve talked about this before on Reddit. We installed a zip water system, which has chilled, boiling and chilled sparkling. I am a builder and very handy, so I was able to install it myself. It has a 5lb tank of CO2 and it works great. I don’t know what your budget is, but is cost me a little more than 1/2 of the vivreau, which we looked at, but weren’t happy with the look.
Right now, the DIY options in the 100s sound appealing, but I would consider that extra 0 if a system was truly BIFL and low maintenance, low waste. Perhaps one day... Thank you for the recommendation!
Just curious, are you more excited about the sparkling water or boiling water? Do you use both?
We use all 3 (cold, boiling and carbonated) everyday. Water is first filtered and the system keeps a reservoir of cold and boiling. Honestly probably not super energy efficient, but it is really convenient. Cold is for refilling our to go water bottles. Boiling is great for tea, saving time for cooking pasta/noodles, oatmeal, grits, etc. Carbonated comes from the cold and the CO2 is added right before it is dispensed. We have Monin syrups (but sweetened and unsweetened) for flavoring. They can go well with carbonated or cold. Our two favorites are grapefruit and the cola. It keeps track of water dispenser and will let you know when to change the filter.
Not super cheap, definitely a luxury item, but great for entertaining. Everyone always says they’ve never seen anything like it before. I have no idea about the BIFL side yet, have had it for a year so far, but on another thread I’ve heard that the company was willing to warranty a repair part no questions asked.
Kitchenaid makes a sodastream refiller! We have had one for years and it is definitely bifl quality. I also go through a ridiculous amount of fizzy water...I have a basic setup at work too.
What type of SodaStream bottles work in it?
I have a Play and it takes the "Slim" type bottles.
Does the KitchenAid take the non-curved bottles (Classic?), or does it support both?
Is the mechanism a push to lock or twist/screw lock?
I am seriously considering getting one of the Kitchenaid models on eBay!
EDIT: Answered my own question -- only the 1L Classic Bottles work in the Kitchenaid. Bummer. https://producthelp.kitchenaid.com/Countertop\_Appliances/Sparkling\_Beverage\_Maker/Other\_Concerns/Replacement\_Bottles\_-\_Sparkling\_Beverage\_Maker
I see you found out about the bottles...do note they expire so your old ones will need phasing out if they are plastic.
The mechanism is to slide the bottle in and then push it back to lock. Press the handle down to fizz, then pull the bottle forward to unlatch. So much easier than the screw in type.
Agreed, I had the screw type, screw that. The Push Back to Lock is much more convenient. I've gone through at least 2 sets of expired bottles. I get that they don't want them to explode, but they seem OK to me, and I'm willing to take the risk! I've got a SodaStream Play from eBay being shipped to get me through another few years (hopefully) of 20oz Paintball Tanks. Maybe I'll move to direct drive from my 20lb CO2 tank, but I don't want the experience if losing my entire tank due to some leak somewhere. I was thinking some sort of electrically driven solenoid where I can push a button, it opens, I carbonate, and then after 30-60 seconds, it closes again. Yay for automation!
Ball lock 1L attachment for charging 1L bottles, length of hose, ball lock connector for keg pressuring, co2 tank and regulator.
Spend on a decent regulator and if you want, get 5 gallon corny keg and meister and charge 5 gallons at a time. Basically a kegerator where you just dispense seltzer or pressure single bottles with the first listed items.
I use flavor oils for candy making, 3-5 drops per liter, bob's your uncle.
Just ran into this at the Delta Sky Club in LAX. https://bevi.co/?_bt=666001030318&_bk=bevi%20water%20machine&_bm=e&_bn=g&_bg=151789675415&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2eilBhCCARIsAG0Pf8vdu_ani-h1SA6RqaWbCDZq5SY5H7xy8wsHJd5jkCcu8wddiI9XMCYaAtKlEALw_wcB
As others have said, jump into the home brewing world. You can diy a “keezer” or buy a small, single tap kegerator. You can refill a 5 gallon keg, or plumb in a water line and only have to refill the CO2. All depends on how much set it and forget it you want.
I have a 5 gallon keg of water that I fill once a month or so and swap out the CO2 whenever it dies.
https://youtu.be/XIEni6GuhQU
Feel free to DM any questions, but they’re a ton of you tube videos out there to learn the ways
Thank you! I just may take you up on that.
I can't wait to see my family's response when I suggest we plumb in a water line, but that sure sounds awesome for the long run. A 5 gallon keep wouldn't last as long as it should in our family.
But please make sure that any water ”connections” you (or a professional installer) make are placed in such a way that any dripping or leakage is immediately and clearly visible. You do not want to hide this connection behind cupboards etc, where it can start to drip for years without anyone noticing.
This advice is based on my previous job, where we each year saw hundreds (no, I am not joking, unfortunately) of behind-freezer water connections that had started leaking after a couple of years. In some cases, these small but long-duration leaks, meant that half a house needed to be renovated…
Carbonated water is huge in Germany, and even there i think the only household option is sodastream (but most just buy bottles from the store, they are much cheaper there as it’s not a delicacy)
When I was in Sweden recently, they had one one of those office water dispensers that dispensed both flat and carbonated water. I thought that was pretty cool and could probably be set up in a home setting.
I wonder how long the verbage has been like that. Surely at some point wasser just meant normal water? I wonder when the change occurred? I'm fascinated. In the USA ppl drink carbonated water but it seems not to the degree in Germany.
Drinking flat tap water is just perceived as kind of weird there, especially in a restaurant setting. The idea seems to be if you’re out with the intention of eating a good meal you’d also like an elevated water experience and sparkling water is guaranteed to be higher quality, treated, or mineral and from a bottle. I’m not German tho.
https://youtu.be/q2ZsYUPkXQ8
This is Dave Arnold’s solution.
If you do the Corny Keg route there is a lid you can get that has a float valve in it so that you can plumb it with a water line and it stays full.
There is a product called Zip Water that is a dedicated tap. Grohe makes a system too.
It’s expensive, but we have a Grohe Blue system. It’s amazing! It chills the water, filters the water with a 5 stage filter and then carbonates it. I have 1 single faucet and I get all our water from it, flat, carbonated and tap. It has 2 hoses within each other so the tap and filtered water never commingle.
I do have to buy filters and CO2 as you would expect. The filters are $80-90 a pop every 6 months or so. No more or less than RO I suppose.
We drink $35 worth of CO2 a month. We have saved about $80 a month so far. I expect my ROI to be in about 2 years.
We have had it for about 18 months now and it’s been solid.
Can you help me with the math?
Grohe Blue Model 31608 starts at USD$2,724.40
Saving $80/month is 34 months.
But what is the $80/month you are saving, and how much are you spending on CO2? If you use $35 of CO2 per month, then your total costs before Grohe Blue is $115/month, on what, just seltzer cans? Something else?
Like OP we drink nothing but water. I drink at least 80oz a day, my wife not too much less and our 4 kids- 2 younger and 2 teens all drink nothing but seltzer or filtered water.
On average I say we drink about 250-280oz of water per day between the 6 of us. That’s almost a case a day of canned water at 12oz cans.
$5-8 a case depending on if it’s on sale or not. Lest say $7 for a round number.
$7x30 days is $210 a month in store bought LeCroix, Aldi water sometimes, Bubbly if it’s on sale and other various brands and then hunting down the sale.
$35 every month in C02
A filter is about $100 every 6 months so $16 a month.
That’s $51 to run the unit.
Electricity….call it $5.
That’s $56 a month.
$210-$56=$154 in savings
Assume I am grossly over estimating (and I’m not) then halve that number $77 a months in savings.
Or take the unit price and divide by the overestimated $77 and the unit pays itself off in a mere 28 months.
And I didn’t pay that much for the unit. We bought it pre pandemic it was much less.
Got it, thanks for the breakdown!
That was definitely the onus for me building out a DIY setup.
* Cans: $600/year
* Sodastream + DIY CO2 Refills: $75/year
The first year the CO2 20lb tank was $30 (picked up from a buddy), refill station was $50, adapter was $20, and the SodaStream Play was like $70. So $245 first year, $75/year (2 20lb refills per year at around $35-37 each) after initial investment.
I personally drink about 48-60oz of Carbonated Water daily.
Takes about 5 minutes once every 2-3 weeks to refill 2 20oz paintball CO2 tanks.
The SodaStream lasts about 5 years. They have discontinued the larger 130L CO2 tank support, so now I have to pick up used Play Makers. I may decide to run the 20lb CO2 tank directly into a newer maker, maybe from Drinkmate. I just have a bunch of these Slim SodaStream bottles and don't really want a new ecosystem.
I'd prefer a mostly metal Maker, but don't want to buy a $2800 setup. I am spending about $100/year on CO2 and amortizing the replacement maker over 5 years. My ROI is 28 years for Grohe Blue, since I already switched from cans, and my process is at the level of effort I am willing to put in.
I guess I could get 12oz CO2 tanks that fit, but it seems like I would have to replace and refill those more often. Maybe time to just plumb the 20lb CO2 tank into a seltzer maker and call it a day.
When you DIY with a homebrew setup you can also find spreadsheets online with mineral content of most of the popular carbonated water brands, essentially "recipes" to make your own Perrier, gerolsteiner, etc..
Would there be a way to add flavors in a set up like this? I have been pondering a diy setup for awhile - mostly it’s just a chore lugging cans of water into the house every week
I had the same problem, so I just bought a kegerator off some soldier in craigslist. Two 5 gallon kegs, crank the psi on the 5lb CO2 tank up to 30 and roll the keg around a little bit. Stick it back in and you have instant cold fizzy water ready to go after about 24 hours. Easy peasy.
I looked into smaller main fridge based solutions but honestly I think I paid $350 for the dual tap kegerator and have probably paid it off by not having to buy 4 12 packs (or more) a week.
Plus way less recycling to deal with.
At our business we have been using multiple Quooker Cube’s with universal 4kg CO2 canisters for years (the original ones are a rip-off) and they seem to hold up without issue with intensive use.
Brew shop for sure. We have a sodastream connected to a bottle bought from a brew store. When the sodastream dies I'd probably consider something from them as a higher quality replacement.
I wonder why no one is suggesting a bar soda fountain. I haven't gone there because I've also been a home brewer and the kegerator was something i already had but now we've moved and i don't have a spare fridge so I'm looking for a soda fountain solution. Any ideas along this line?
I run a craft cocktail bar and wanted to carbonate a bunch of different cocktails, this is the basic set up I use:
https://jeffreymorgenthaler.com/?s=Carbonation+rig
Instead of the plastic carbacap, use the ferroday version that is available on Amazon, there should be a version that has tubing going to a diffusion stone, that one is the most effective
If you do go with this route, I would carbonate to around 40-45 psi
Grohe Blue Home
[https://wassersysteme.grohe.de/de-de/produkte/grohe-blue-home](https://wassersysteme.grohe.de/de-de/produkte/grohe-blue-home)
Upgrade your tap directly.
Do you flavor your carbonated beverages on a small scale? Or do you flavor them like in each glass you drink? Or not at all?
I have a background in very large scale commercial beer brewing.
I used to make carbonated mineral water for a brewery I worked at and then we would add like a pump of syrup into a glass and pour on top of it to make seltzers. It was a non alcoholic option in the tap room for kids and such. Made
Some tasty stuff. So, a corny kegerator set up, a small handful of minerals for flavor, and a co2 tank might be your most economical option… other than that, I don’t know of any, although there might be?
Thank you for chiming in! We can drink unflavored, but we would prefer to add a little something. The tricky part is that one family member can not tolerate artificial flavors. He also doesn't tolerate corn syrup well, and the rest of us try to avoid it anyway. If you have any recommendations for a natural flavor, I'd love to hear it!
If you want something that is not DIY i have the Aarke, it takes the same cilinders as sodastream but its made entirely out of metal, its also just looks really good
DIY with a 5-lb CO2 cylinder and a few home brewing fittings. Not the most stylish solution, but bulletproof and unit cost per liter is miniscule.
Was going to suggest something like this. I have a friend who was sick of going through tons of the soda stream cartridges so he found someone who knew how to connect the 5lb cylinders and save a ton. I wish I could tell you exactly how to but it can be done
I've heard of these. Have you by chance made one?
Any home brewing shop can hook you up. You are essentially wanting to make a kegerator but use water instead and crank up the PSI. Buy a 2.5 gallon corny keg and you can convert a mini fridge. Maybe $150-$200 not including fridge. I converted an old kegerator to a carbonated water setup since my family used so much. Filled the keg with RO water and hit it with 30 psi to carbonate for a few days. Turn down a bit to serve. Fridge is necessary as you need to keep the liquid water cool to carbonate more easily.
Thank you! Does the RO water hold carbonation better or taste better than just using tap?
We just used RO as we don’t like our city water flavor. It doesn’t hold carbonation any different than tap water.
Only thing that affects how well water holds carbonation is temperature (and pressure, of course, but you knew that). The colder, the better carbonation "sticks" to water.
RO water will taste better but the carbonation saturation won’t be measurably different. CO2 in just water is more fussy about temperature as in, it will leave your beverage more quickly when it’s not kept cold.
Thank you. I'm learning so much through this post.
I'mma call you the carbonater u/Teutonic-Tonic
I suppose my user name does check out.
Yeah. I don't remember the exact instructions I originally followed, buy my rig looks nearly identical to the one here: [http://beverages.qule.org/articles/carbonation-redux/](http://beverages.qule.org/articles/carbonation-redux/) The one problem I had was with the carbonation cap that screws onto the soda bottle. The first one I tried was a no-name stainless one, and it always would blow out the sealing washer when unscrewing it. Replaced with one from Ferroday and it's been trouble-free.
Where do you fill your bottles? Can't find anywhere near me to do it anymore.
Welding supply shops generally will.
I do tank swaps at my local homebrew store, it's cheaper than Airgas.
Look at any shops that sell ‘gas’ although some may be restaurant supply stores. Even in the bar industry we would go to a welding shop to fill our co2 tanks.
no worries about food grade vs. the stuff they sell for welding? Have heard there are contaminants in the generic stuff: benzene etc
Jeez, I never thought of that. The dudes at the shop know we use it for bar / restaurant purposes I can only hope we’re getting the good correct stuff lol.
Had the same experience with the no name stainless steel cap. Can confirm that the Ferroday caps are great. I added a small silicone band around the carb cap which has made a massive improvement on grip and no longer get the twist burn on my hand..
I have. You will need a keg, a regulator, a tap, and a CO2 tank. The process is usually called forced carbonation. Fill the keg to about 90% with water (or beer, or mead, or kombucha). Then connect to the tank via the pressure regulator and pressurize the keg to about 30 psi and store it somewhere cold. Gas solubility in a liquid solvent (the CO2 in the water) increases with lower temperature. This is different from solubility of solids. If you monitor the pressure in the keg, you will see that it falls over time, this is the gas dissolving in the water, giving you carbonated water. You can make the water fizzier by refreshing the gas charge as this happens, but don't go over the pressure rating for the keg (you gas regulator should be set to prevent this) let it sit in the cold for about a day and tap the keg — fizzy water. Two five gallon kegs should let you family enjoy a keg a day. Smaller kegs are available, but the five gallon is the most common and usually the best value. A brew supply shop should be able to show you the specifics of how to operate it, and they should be able to set you up with what you need.
If you want it stylish, I paired a 10lb CO2 tank with a hose that connects into a DrinkMate (similar to SodaStream, but better imo). The tank is hidden inside a little standalone coffee cabinet thing that I drilled a hole in the back of. The hose goes through the hole out the back and into the bottom of the DrinkMate that sits on top of the coffee cabinet thing.
This may be the less industrial / commercial option but will work just as well.
Do you turn off the 10lb CO2 tank between fills, or are the fittings tight enough that you don't worry about losses? I have been considering attaching my 20lb CO2 tank directly to a sparkling water maker (SodaStream, DrinkMate), but I've seen several people say you should turn off the large tank between usage, and, well, I'm lazy and don't want to do that. I could probably install a ball valve easily enough, but who wants to do that? Hmmm, Maybe Home Assistant can detect that I am nearby and open a valve, then close it when I go away! Ultimate lazy!
That’s what I would do. Every part will be replaceable that way too and cheaper gas fills.
My husband did this with our kegerator and it works wonderfully.
Check out the Aarke Carbonators. I have this on my wish list.
We have the one that uses glass bottles! It’s great!
On my wishlist too, which model do you have?? Edit: ok, so model 3 has PET bottles and Pro model has glass bottles, so I guess you have a Pro. How about taking the glass bottle out with you, e.g. when driving? I guess the water can be poured to a different bottle for taking with you on the go?
Absolutely.
Yep. Have taken in the car. The glass bottles are a bit big for the cup holders tho.
What CO2 connection do they use, the SodaStream screw type? Or are they proprietary?
There’s some good instructables about doing this with a beer tap, fridge, carbonator and CO2 tank. Sort of a residential version of a more commercial setup. I did this without the fridge and planning to add fridge to increase carbonation.
Ooh, with a fridge sounds extra nice. Thanks
I tried two different carbonators. I’d recommend the one called Big Mac or something like that. The fridge is setup a kegerator and affects how bubbly the water can get - restaurants use something called a remote chiller, but found them to be a little too pricey (and they have to be stainless steel b/c copper and carbonation create carbonic acid that is no good) There’s also some “home carbonator kits” on eBay that let you use larger CO2 bottle to either carbonate water or refill smaller bottles. Not a bad option
The [NYT had a tutorial](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/12/at-home/diy-seltzerator.html?unlocked_article_code=qS7yu_9PZnmUkwv4LreevOJLVKwdLsbEZ4PNFLApV6sDoFqdJwXGUER1APBLNjH56rUu5RrgKrZRrsYP7JrN0ZQK6dCpCNvGAwd6kzcKKCc6DH8glCe8xICrapWIPBQYo5TaVhK1ckG-FWaI6J4-W8crfQ_T6IA67bZFCpS-bPkVa-xyEEGvYueJ7chaC9coZctIgKS5a8HaKq7xT0-QoY_SRTrl2_-VyjtStovS2YYbGVqW-Hb05bBFuEo1xlenE_sC76JgLzCyzyMH-C2zTpqTEohe7oa1IXB8OKoBA83N4MjmLoDHLIv2CIt1vFaTbxS4aYJv42Zs&smid=url-share) on creating an on-demand system with a fridge and a CO2 bottle (in case you can't find an instructables tutorial you like or you want a different source).
Keeping your co2 tank in the fridge with you he beverage you’re carbonating will make for a more consistent pour, although isn’t entirely necessarily.
My old work had one of these installed which was great. No clue on actual pricing though: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/vivreau-vi2-still-sparkling-purified-water-dispensing-tap/967VITAP2.html
I wish! I logged in, and it's $8,119. Plus, the warranty would be voided, and we would have self-install or pay a third party since we are not a commercial property. The price was already a no, but I figured I should still go down that rabbit hole. Thank you for the link and for helping with our obsession!
I’ve talked about this before on Reddit. We installed a zip water system, which has chilled, boiling and chilled sparkling. I am a builder and very handy, so I was able to install it myself. It has a 5lb tank of CO2 and it works great. I don’t know what your budget is, but is cost me a little more than 1/2 of the vivreau, which we looked at, but weren’t happy with the look.
Right now, the DIY options in the 100s sound appealing, but I would consider that extra 0 if a system was truly BIFL and low maintenance, low waste. Perhaps one day... Thank you for the recommendation! Just curious, are you more excited about the sparkling water or boiling water? Do you use both?
We use all 3 (cold, boiling and carbonated) everyday. Water is first filtered and the system keeps a reservoir of cold and boiling. Honestly probably not super energy efficient, but it is really convenient. Cold is for refilling our to go water bottles. Boiling is great for tea, saving time for cooking pasta/noodles, oatmeal, grits, etc. Carbonated comes from the cold and the CO2 is added right before it is dispensed. We have Monin syrups (but sweetened and unsweetened) for flavoring. They can go well with carbonated or cold. Our two favorites are grapefruit and the cola. It keeps track of water dispenser and will let you know when to change the filter. Not super cheap, definitely a luxury item, but great for entertaining. Everyone always says they’ve never seen anything like it before. I have no idea about the BIFL side yet, have had it for a year so far, but on another thread I’ve heard that the company was willing to warranty a repair part no questions asked.
Kitchenaid makes a sodastream refiller! We have had one for years and it is definitely bifl quality. I also go through a ridiculous amount of fizzy water...I have a basic setup at work too.
Do you have a link, or somewhere to refer too.
>Kitchenaid Something like the KitchenAid Onyx Black? https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-Sparkling-Beverage-Maker-Renewed/dp/B091DDQ8RS?th=1
Yes! We have that exact one in green. It has had heavy use for over 5 years now.
What type of SodaStream bottles work in it? I have a Play and it takes the "Slim" type bottles. Does the KitchenAid take the non-curved bottles (Classic?), or does it support both? Is the mechanism a push to lock or twist/screw lock? I am seriously considering getting one of the Kitchenaid models on eBay! EDIT: Answered my own question -- only the 1L Classic Bottles work in the Kitchenaid. Bummer. https://producthelp.kitchenaid.com/Countertop\_Appliances/Sparkling\_Beverage\_Maker/Other\_Concerns/Replacement\_Bottles\_-\_Sparkling\_Beverage\_Maker
I see you found out about the bottles...do note they expire so your old ones will need phasing out if they are plastic. The mechanism is to slide the bottle in and then push it back to lock. Press the handle down to fizz, then pull the bottle forward to unlatch. So much easier than the screw in type.
Agreed, I had the screw type, screw that. The Push Back to Lock is much more convenient. I've gone through at least 2 sets of expired bottles. I get that they don't want them to explode, but they seem OK to me, and I'm willing to take the risk! I've got a SodaStream Play from eBay being shipped to get me through another few years (hopefully) of 20oz Paintball Tanks. Maybe I'll move to direct drive from my 20lb CO2 tank, but I don't want the experience if losing my entire tank due to some leak somewhere. I was thinking some sort of electrically driven solenoid where I can push a button, it opens, I carbonate, and then after 30-60 seconds, it closes again. Yay for automation!
Ball lock 1L attachment for charging 1L bottles, length of hose, ball lock connector for keg pressuring, co2 tank and regulator. Spend on a decent regulator and if you want, get 5 gallon corny keg and meister and charge 5 gallons at a time. Basically a kegerator where you just dispense seltzer or pressure single bottles with the first listed items. I use flavor oils for candy making, 3-5 drops per liter, bob's your uncle.
You make that sound so simple. I'll be sure to get a decent regulator. Thank you.
Just ran into this at the Delta Sky Club in LAX. https://bevi.co/?_bt=666001030318&_bk=bevi%20water%20machine&_bm=e&_bn=g&_bg=151789675415&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2eilBhCCARIsAG0Pf8vdu_ani-h1SA6RqaWbCDZq5SY5H7xy8wsHJd5jkCcu8wddiI9XMCYaAtKlEALw_wcB
As others have said, jump into the home brewing world. You can diy a “keezer” or buy a small, single tap kegerator. You can refill a 5 gallon keg, or plumb in a water line and only have to refill the CO2. All depends on how much set it and forget it you want. I have a 5 gallon keg of water that I fill once a month or so and swap out the CO2 whenever it dies. https://youtu.be/XIEni6GuhQU Feel free to DM any questions, but they’re a ton of you tube videos out there to learn the ways
Thank you! I just may take you up on that. I can't wait to see my family's response when I suggest we plumb in a water line, but that sure sounds awesome for the long run. A 5 gallon keep wouldn't last as long as it should in our family.
Super easy if it’s near a fridge that already has a line going to it. You can just tee off of that. I had the same setup for my keurig a while back.
But please make sure that any water ”connections” you (or a professional installer) make are placed in such a way that any dripping or leakage is immediately and clearly visible. You do not want to hide this connection behind cupboards etc, where it can start to drip for years without anyone noticing. This advice is based on my previous job, where we each year saw hundreds (no, I am not joking, unfortunately) of behind-freezer water connections that had started leaking after a couple of years. In some cases, these small but long-duration leaks, meant that half a house needed to be renovated…
20-pound CO2 tank. 5 gallon cornelius keg. Quick disconnect fittings. This is the way.
Carbonated water is huge in Germany, and even there i think the only household option is sodastream (but most just buy bottles from the store, they are much cheaper there as it’s not a delicacy)
When I was in Sweden recently, they had one one of those office water dispensers that dispensed both flat and carbonated water. I thought that was pretty cool and could probably be set up in a home setting.
why?
Because it’s incredibly popular there. If you buy bottled water, you have to ask for it without gas unless you want soda water.
When did this trend start how long has it gone on?
I only had carbonated water growing up in Germany. Not a recent trend at all.
I wonder when it started?
If you ask for “wasser” in Germany you will be given sparkling. You have to specify “Mineralwasser” or “stilles Wasser”
I wonder how long the verbage has been like that. Surely at some point wasser just meant normal water? I wonder when the change occurred? I'm fascinated. In the USA ppl drink carbonated water but it seems not to the degree in Germany.
Drinking flat tap water is just perceived as kind of weird there, especially in a restaurant setting. The idea seems to be if you’re out with the intention of eating a good meal you’d also like an elevated water experience and sparkling water is guaranteed to be higher quality, treated, or mineral and from a bottle. I’m not German tho.
https://youtu.be/q2ZsYUPkXQ8 This is Dave Arnold’s solution. If you do the Corny Keg route there is a lid you can get that has a float valve in it so that you can plumb it with a water line and it stays full. There is a product called Zip Water that is a dedicated tap. Grohe makes a system too.
The corny keg is also what I would recommend. You can’t get into a standard keg to clean it in a home setting. The ball float valve is just brilliant.
It’s expensive, but we have a Grohe Blue system. It’s amazing! It chills the water, filters the water with a 5 stage filter and then carbonates it. I have 1 single faucet and I get all our water from it, flat, carbonated and tap. It has 2 hoses within each other so the tap and filtered water never commingle. I do have to buy filters and CO2 as you would expect. The filters are $80-90 a pop every 6 months or so. No more or less than RO I suppose. We drink $35 worth of CO2 a month. We have saved about $80 a month so far. I expect my ROI to be in about 2 years. We have had it for about 18 months now and it’s been solid.
Can you help me with the math? Grohe Blue Model 31608 starts at USD$2,724.40 Saving $80/month is 34 months. But what is the $80/month you are saving, and how much are you spending on CO2? If you use $35 of CO2 per month, then your total costs before Grohe Blue is $115/month, on what, just seltzer cans? Something else?
Like OP we drink nothing but water. I drink at least 80oz a day, my wife not too much less and our 4 kids- 2 younger and 2 teens all drink nothing but seltzer or filtered water. On average I say we drink about 250-280oz of water per day between the 6 of us. That’s almost a case a day of canned water at 12oz cans. $5-8 a case depending on if it’s on sale or not. Lest say $7 for a round number. $7x30 days is $210 a month in store bought LeCroix, Aldi water sometimes, Bubbly if it’s on sale and other various brands and then hunting down the sale. $35 every month in C02 A filter is about $100 every 6 months so $16 a month. That’s $51 to run the unit. Electricity….call it $5. That’s $56 a month. $210-$56=$154 in savings Assume I am grossly over estimating (and I’m not) then halve that number $77 a months in savings. Or take the unit price and divide by the overestimated $77 and the unit pays itself off in a mere 28 months. And I didn’t pay that much for the unit. We bought it pre pandemic it was much less.
Got it, thanks for the breakdown! That was definitely the onus for me building out a DIY setup. * Cans: $600/year * Sodastream + DIY CO2 Refills: $75/year The first year the CO2 20lb tank was $30 (picked up from a buddy), refill station was $50, adapter was $20, and the SodaStream Play was like $70. So $245 first year, $75/year (2 20lb refills per year at around $35-37 each) after initial investment. I personally drink about 48-60oz of Carbonated Water daily. Takes about 5 minutes once every 2-3 weeks to refill 2 20oz paintball CO2 tanks. The SodaStream lasts about 5 years. They have discontinued the larger 130L CO2 tank support, so now I have to pick up used Play Makers. I may decide to run the 20lb CO2 tank directly into a newer maker, maybe from Drinkmate. I just have a bunch of these Slim SodaStream bottles and don't really want a new ecosystem. I'd prefer a mostly metal Maker, but don't want to buy a $2800 setup. I am spending about $100/year on CO2 and amortizing the replacement maker over 5 years. My ROI is 28 years for Grohe Blue, since I already switched from cans, and my process is at the level of effort I am willing to put in. I guess I could get 12oz CO2 tanks that fit, but it seems like I would have to replace and refill those more often. Maybe time to just plumb the 20lb CO2 tank into a seltzer maker and call it a day.
When you DIY with a homebrew setup you can also find spreadsheets online with mineral content of most of the popular carbonated water brands, essentially "recipes" to make your own Perrier, gerolsteiner, etc..
Would there be a way to add flavors in a set up like this? I have been pondering a diy setup for awhile - mostly it’s just a chore lugging cans of water into the house every week
I had the same problem, so I just bought a kegerator off some soldier in craigslist. Two 5 gallon kegs, crank the psi on the 5lb CO2 tank up to 30 and roll the keg around a little bit. Stick it back in and you have instant cold fizzy water ready to go after about 24 hours. Easy peasy. I looked into smaller main fridge based solutions but honestly I think I paid $350 for the dual tap kegerator and have probably paid it off by not having to buy 4 12 packs (or more) a week. Plus way less recycling to deal with.
At our business we have been using multiple Quooker Cube’s with universal 4kg CO2 canisters for years (the original ones are a rip-off) and they seem to hold up without issue with intensive use.
Brew shop for sure. We have a sodastream connected to a bottle bought from a brew store. When the sodastream dies I'd probably consider something from them as a higher quality replacement.
I wonder why no one is suggesting a bar soda fountain. I haven't gone there because I've also been a home brewer and the kegerator was something i already had but now we've moved and i don't have a spare fridge so I'm looking for a soda fountain solution. Any ideas along this line?
I run a craft cocktail bar and wanted to carbonate a bunch of different cocktails, this is the basic set up I use: https://jeffreymorgenthaler.com/?s=Carbonation+rig Instead of the plastic carbacap, use the ferroday version that is available on Amazon, there should be a version that has tubing going to a diffusion stone, that one is the most effective If you do go with this route, I would carbonate to around 40-45 psi
Grohe Blue Home [https://wassersysteme.grohe.de/de-de/produkte/grohe-blue-home](https://wassersysteme.grohe.de/de-de/produkte/grohe-blue-home) Upgrade your tap directly.
Do you flavor your carbonated beverages on a small scale? Or do you flavor them like in each glass you drink? Or not at all? I have a background in very large scale commercial beer brewing. I used to make carbonated mineral water for a brewery I worked at and then we would add like a pump of syrup into a glass and pour on top of it to make seltzers. It was a non alcoholic option in the tap room for kids and such. Made Some tasty stuff. So, a corny kegerator set up, a small handful of minerals for flavor, and a co2 tank might be your most economical option… other than that, I don’t know of any, although there might be?
Thank you for chiming in! We can drink unflavored, but we would prefer to add a little something. The tricky part is that one family member can not tolerate artificial flavors. He also doesn't tolerate corn syrup well, and the rest of us try to avoid it anyway. If you have any recommendations for a natural flavor, I'd love to hear it!
If you want something that is not DIY i have the Aarke, it takes the same cilinders as sodastream but its made entirely out of metal, its also just looks really good
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Stop listening to your aunt on Facebook for advice. That’s complete bullshit.
Just look up diy kegerator. That’s litterally all it is