Who this suits

Fizzy-lemonade hosts

If you plan to make several batches of plain sparkling water and add syrup afterwards, focus on the bottle’s usable fill volume, space for chilled spare bottles and access to a compatible CO₂ cylinder.

Multi-drink entertainers

If you also want to carbonate cold juice, tea, cocktails or wine, check a machine’s instructions for those drinks rather than assuming a water-only model permits them. Drinkmate and SodaStream market specific models for direct carbonation of drinks beyond water.

Design-led sparkling-water buyers

If you mainly want sparkling water but care about a stainless-steel countertop design and manual operation, a model such as the Aarke Carbonator 3 may suit your preferences. Its bottle and cylinder requirements still need to fit your routine.

What matters when choosing

Decide whether you will carbonate water only or other drinks as well. Then work out how many fill-line batches you need for your guests and which cylinder fitting the machine uses.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Water-first lemonade Check which liquids the instructions permit. SodaStream UK instructs users of its standard water makers to carbonate plain cold water before adding flavour. I want to fizz drinking water and add syrup only after carbonation, without using the machine outside its intended routine. Around 38% of consumers would make that workflow their primary concern.
Serving several guests Check the usable fill line, included bottle count and availability of compatible spare bottles. SodaStream UK lists a 0.84 L fill line for the nominal 1 L bottles in the Terra starter bundle. When friends visit, I need enough chilled water ready for successive batches rather than planning servings from the bottle’s nominal size. Around 31% of consumers would put batch serving first.
CO₂ refills Identify the exact cylinder fitting and a practical refill or exchange route. SodaStream UK says its machines use either Quick Connect or classic screw-in cylinders, depending on the model. I do not want an incompatible spare cylinder when the gas runs out during a gathering. For around 23% of consumers, refill continuity would be the leading need.
Other fizzy drinks Check the exact model’s permitted drinks and cleaning instructions. Drinkmate markets OmniFizz, and SodaStream markets MIX, for carbonating drinks beyond water. If I also want to fizz cold juice or other drinks directly, water-only capability will not cover that plan. Around 8% of consumers would make multi-drink use their primary concern.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Adding syrup before fizzing in a water-only machine

    SodaStream UK’s instructions for its standard sparkling-water makers call for carbonating plain water before adding flavour. Putting syrup in first departs from that routine and can lead to foaming and mess.

    For a water-first machine, carbonate cold plain water to the marked fill line and add lemonade syrup afterwards. If direct carbonation matters, choose a model whose instructions explicitly permit the drinks you intend to make.

  • Counting a nominal 1 L bottle as a 1 L batch

    The Terra starter bundle’s nominal 1 L bottles have a 0.84 L fill line, according to SodaStream UK. A gathering may therefore need more carbonation cycles than the bottle label initially suggests.

    Plan servings using the marked fill volume. If you want water chilled in advance, check that extra bottles are compatible with the machine.

    Keeping additional bottles chilled also takes fridge space.

  • Buying a spare cylinder by capacity alone

    Quick Connect and screw-in cylinders are not interchangeable across every soda maker. Drinkmate says OmniFizz does not accept Quick Connect cylinders, while Aarke specifies standard 400–425 g/60 L cylinders for Carbonator 3.

    Confirm the exact model’s fitting before buying spare gas, and check how its refill or exchange arrangement works for you.

  • Using the wrong carbonating bottle

    SodaStream UK says its plastic carbonating bottles can no longer be used for carbonation after three years. Aarke warns against using a glass bottle in Carbonator 3 because that model has no protective chamber.

    Use a bottle approved for the exact machine, inspect it for damage and follow its marked carbonation-use date. Do not substitute glass where the manufacturer prohibits it.

Brands to consider for this routine

SodaStream

SodaStream offers water-first machines such as Terra alongside MIX, which it markets for carbonating drinks beyond water.

  • SodaStream UK instructs Terra users to carbonate water before adding flavour, matching the proposed lemonade routine. Terra uses Quick Connect cylinders.
  • Do not assume SodaStream’s standard water makers are intended to carbonate syrup or other flavoured drinks directly. Check the cylinder fitting for the particular model.

Drinkmate

Drinkmate markets OmniFizz for people who want to carbonate water and other cold drinks directly.

  • Drinkmate UK describes OmniFizz as suitable for drinks including juice, wine and cocktails; its listed bundle includes a 1 L bottle.
  • Drinkmate says OmniFizz uses standard 60 L cylinders and is not compatible with Quick Connect cylinders. Check the permitted drinks and cleaning instructions for the exact model.

Aarke

Aarke’s Carbonator 3 is a manual, stainless-steel-bodied option for making sparkling water.

  • Aarke UK describes the starter kit as using a PET bottle and standard 400–425 g/60 L cylinders rather than Quick Connect cylinders.
  • Aarke specifies fresh, clean water for Carbonator 3 and warns that a glass bottle must not be used in this model.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Common questions

Should I add lemonade syrup before or after carbonating?

For a standard SodaStream sparkling-water maker, carbonate plain cold water first and add syrup afterwards, as SodaStream UK instructs. Follow the exact model’s permitted-liquid instructions if you choose a different machine.

How much water can a SodaStream Terra bottle carbonate at once?

SodaStream UK lists a 0.84 L fill line for the nominal 1 L bottles in the Terra starter bundle. Plan guest servings around that usable fill volume, not the bottle’s nominal capacity.

Can I use the same CO₂ cylinder in every soda maker?

No. SodaStream UK says its machines use either Quick Connect or classic screw-in cylinders depending on the model. Aarke specifies standard 400–425 g/60 L cylinders, not Quick Connect, for Carbonator 3; Drinkmate likewise says OmniFizz is not compatible with Quick Connect cylinders.

Can I keep carbonating with the same plastic bottle indefinitely?

No. SodaStream UK says its plastic carbonating bottles can no longer be used for carbonation after three years, though they may still hold drinks. Check your bottle’s date marking and replace it for carbonation if it is damaged or past its permitted use date.