Who this suits

Water-first cordial families

Families who carbonate drinking water for breakfast, then add cordial to individual servings. Bottle capacity and a workable cylinder-refill routine matter when several people need a drink.

Table-serving households

Households that want a glass bottle for serving at the breakfast table while retaining a reusable plastic option for other occasions. Bottle approval depends on the particular machine.

Mixed-drink experimenters

Households that also want to carbonate drinks such as cold juice or tea. That requires a machine whose instructions permit those drinks, rather than a water-only routine with cordial added afterwards.

What matters when choosing

Settle whether you will carbonate water only, then plan the number of servings around the marked bottle fill line and check how you will replace the correct CO2 cylinder.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Water-first preparation Check that the model’s instructions call for carbonating plain water before adding cordial. SodaStream UK gives this sequence for its standard water makers. If I add cordial to taste at breakfast, I want to fizz the water first rather than put flavouring in the carbonation bottle. Around 36% of consumers put that water-first routine first.
Bottles and servings Check the usable fill line, included bottle count and approved bottle formats. SodaStream lists a 0.84L carbonation fill line for the 1L plastic bottles in the cited TERRA and DUO bundles. When several people want a drink together, I need to know how many servings each filled bottle will cover. For around 29% of consumers, bottle capacity and serving arrangements take priority.
Cylinder supply Match the machine’s cylinder connection to available refills, and read any exchange return conditions. SodaStream TERRA uses Quick Connect; Aarke specifies standard 400–425g/60L food-grade screw-in cylinders for Carbonator 3. I want to keep making breakfast drinks without finding that my spare cylinder has the wrong connection. Cylinder continuity is the main concern for around 21% of consumers.
Other drinks If you intend to carbonate drinks beyond water, check the model’s permitted drinks and cleaning instructions. SodaStream says MIX detachable parts should be cleaned after carbonating a sweetened drink. We sometimes want to fizz a cold drink itself, rather than add cordial to sparkling water. Around 14% of consumers put that wider drink capability first.

Buying pitfalls

  • Adding cordial before carbonating in a standard water maker

    SodaStream UK instructs users of its standard sparkling-water makers to carbonate plain, cold water and add flavour afterwards. An any-drink machine follows a different set of permitted-use instructions.

    For this breakfast routine, fizz the water first. If you want to carbonate a premixed drink, choose a model that explicitly permits it and follow its cleaning instructions.

  • Counting a labelled 1L bottle as a full litre per cycle

    The 1L plastic bottles in the cited SodaStream TERRA and DUO bundles have a 0.84L fill line for carbonation. That difference matters when preparing several servings in succession.

    Plan portions from the marked fill volume and check whether the bundle includes enough compatible bottles for your usual breakfast.

  • Assuming bottles and cylinders are interchangeable

    Connections and bottle systems differ between models: TERRA uses Quick Connect, while Aarke specifies screw-in cylinders for Carbonator 3. Aarke says its Glass Bottle Pro is exclusive to Carbonator Pro.

    Match every replacement bottle and cylinder to the exact machine model before ordering.

  • Overlooking cylinder-exchange return conditions

    An exchange arrangement may require empty cylinders to be returned under the supplier’s conditions. A refill route is less convenient if its return arrangements do not fit your routine.

    Read the current exchange terms, keep any packaging required for returns and note the applicable deadline.

Brands to consider

These brands illustrate different machine and bottle arrangements; check the specifications of the individual model rather than treating a feature as common to a whole range.

SodaStream

Its UK range includes the water-first TERRA, the glass-and-plastic DUO and the MIX for drinks beyond water.

  • SodaStream instructs TERRA users to carbonate water before adding flavour. It describes DUO as compatible with both glass and reusable plastic bottles.
  • The bottle and cylinder systems differ by model, so check compatibility and exchange terms for the machine you choose.

Drinkmate

OmniFizz is an any-drink option for households that want to carbonate more than water.

  • Drinkmate says OmniFizz can carbonate water and other drinks, including juice and iced tea or coffee.
  • That additional capability is unnecessary if you will always carbonate water before adding cordial; follow the model’s drink and cleaning instructions if you use it for other beverages.

Aarke

Its manual water carbonators include the PET-bottle Carbonator 3 and the protected-glass-bottle Carbonator Pro.

  • Aarke specifies standard 400–425g/60L food-grade screw-in cylinders for Carbonator 3 and a dishwasher-safe glass bottle for Carbonator Pro.
  • Aarke lists the Carbonator Pro base product without a CO2 cylinder and says its glass bottle is exclusive to that model.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Questions about use and compatibility

Should I add cordial before carbonating?

Not when using a standard SodaStream water maker: SodaStream UK says to carbonate plain, cold water and add flavour afterwards. To carbonate a premixed drink instead, choose a machine whose instructions explicitly allow that drink.

How much water can I carbonate in a 1L SodaStream bottle?

Use the bottle’s marked fill line rather than its nominal capacity. The 1L plastic bottles in the cited SodaStream TERRA and DUO bundles have a 0.84L carbonation fill line, so plan family servings around that volume.

Can I use any replacement glass bottle?

Use only a glass bottle approved for your specific machine. Aarke says its Glass Bottle Pro is exclusive to Carbonator Pro and must not be used with Carbonator 3, which lacks the protective glass-bottle chamber.

What should I check before choosing a CO2 refill arrangement?

Confirm the cylinder connection for your machine and read the supplier’s current exchange conditions. If you plan to exchange empties, check how and when they must be returned before relying on that arrangement for regular use.