The 5 Best Soda Makers, According to Our Testers

The Bottom Line: The Best Soda Maker

If you’re on the hunt to up your at-home bubbly water game, then we have you covered. After extensive testing, we chose the Drinkmate OmniFizz Sparkling Water and Soda Maker (view at Amazon) as our first choice. The Drinkmate is designed to carbonate any beverage, and we found it simple to customize the amount of fizz. For a splurge, the Aarke Carbonator Pro (view at Williams Sonoma) boasts a simple one-handed approach, and its modern Swedish design makes it a conversation piece for your countertops. A slightly more affordable option is the Philips Sparkling Water Machine (view at Amazon), which is lightweight, simple to use and produces consistent bubbles. 

Choosing a Soda Maker

Look At the Design 

With a variety of sizes and styles of soda makers, there are many options depending on your needs and household. If you have a smaller kitchen, then choosing a slim and lightweight soda maker makes sense. On the other hand, if space constraints aren’t an issue and you plan on using your soda maker frequently, then you may wish to opt for a model with a larger footprint. 

Soda makers also vary in terms of energy. Some soda makers rely on electricity, so these soda makers will need to live near an electrical outlet. Other soda makers are manual, so you have more flexibility where they can live on your countertops—and they’ll also come in handy if your kitchen has limited outlets to work with. And if unsightly electrical cords make you go nuts, you may opt for a cordless manual soda maker. 

Note the Durability

Soda makers tend to be made of either stainless steel, plastic or a combination of both. Stainless steel is usually a bit more durable than plastic.

When it comes to durability, general wear and tear will eventually affect a soda maker’s life. For instance, most soda makers have some sort of mechanical element, whether it’s a button or lever to carbonate or a movable component to lock in and secure the soda water bottle in place. And don’t forget soda makers rely on CO2 cartridges that have to be inserted and removed, so there’s room for issues there. With any sort of appliance that has continual use, there is the possibility of breakage from use after time.

Is It Easy to Clean?

While it may be easy to fizz your water in seconds with a soda maker, there is always cleanup to think about. When selecting a soda maker, consider the various parts, such as the base, soda water bottles and any valves or water tanks that may need to be wiped down or cleaned. And if you have a soda water maker that can carbonate a variety of beverages, be sure to wipe down any sticky residue that may be left over. 

Is It a Good Overall Value?

The soda makers we reviewed range from $55 to $350, so the appliance can certainly be an investment. Even if you go the less expensive route, you should still budget for CO2 replacement cartridges or cylinders. However, many companies offer discounts for CO2 exchanges, so there may be some cost savings available. Plus, in many cases you’ll save money on your weekly seltzer and sparkling water grocery bill. 

Our Soda Maker Tests

We enlisted a product testing panel who researched and reviewed 11 soda makers to find the best. We carefully reviewed instruction manuals, assembled the appliance and utilized the various settings to make soda water. We tested every setting available, and we noted the carbonation levels of each one. We also noted the ease of usability and cleaning, performance and the quality of the soda maker, as well as the overall value and cost.

We Also Considered

CO-Z Sparkling Water Maker ($100 at Wayfair): We had a few qualms with this soda maker. First, we found it difficult to control the amount of carbonation, and we encountered various spills when testing the machine. Plus, it made a high-pitched sound during the carbonation process. We also noted that removing the back panel to install and remove the CO2 cartridges was awkward and the plastic components of the machine felt poorly made. 

Drinkpod Fizzpod ($75 at Amazon): We had some trouble finding consistency with the carbonation with this soda maker, and the instructions were a bit clunky. During our testing process, we had some spillage, and the tall soda water bottles were not dishwasher-safe and tricky to clean. 

SodaStream E-Terra ($160 at SodaStream): We were pleased with the included CO2 cartridge and liked how the appliance would light up when carbonating. But with its somewhat steep price point, we're not totally sure it’s worth the investment.

Common Questions

What is the best way to clean a soda maker?

Soda makers tend to be easy to clean. When it comes to the body of the machine, most can be cleaned and wiped down with a damp cloth. If there is a water tray or reservoir, make sure to frequently empty out the residual water and pat it dry to avoid mold or rust. Some soda makers have parts that need to be cleaned in warm, soapy water, especially if the soda maker can carbonate beverages other than water (think sweet and sticky juice). In terms of the soda water bottles, cleaning depends on the manufacturer. Some glass and plastic bottles are dishwasher safe (often on the top rack), while others need to be hand-washed. It’s a good idea to read the soda maker’s manual or FAQs to learn about proper cleaning. 

Are soda makers worth it? 

Soda makers can certainly be worth the investment if your household loves drinking soda water. Having an at-home soda maker means you can make bubbly water on the fly and even save time and money from schlepping to the grocery store to buy bottle after bottle. Not to mention, these machines often take up less space than bulky cases of carbonated drinks. 

Typically, soda makers can last for years. However, as with any appliance with various parts, there is natural wear and tear with continued use. For example, glass soda bottles may break, or you may eventually lose various pieces, such as bottle caps. Sometimes, parts of the machine, such as levers, buttons, or interior valves, may break or no longer work.

There is also the CO2 factor. Soda maker machines rely on CO2 cartridges, which have a limited lifespan based on usage and capacity. So, the more you use your soda maker, the quicker the CO2 will deplete and need to be replaced. These are all things to remember when determining whether a soda maker is worth the investment.

Is drinking soda water healthy?

Drinking soda water can have certain health benefits. However, there are a few caveats. Increasing your soda water intake can help you stay hydrated throughout the day and may help with digestion, especially when you add natural ingredients such as fresh ginger. But be mindful of sweeteners and other sugar additives that can cause bloat and weight gain. While you may be increasing your water intake, excessive soda water drinking may harm your tooth enamel and eventually lead to decay.

How do soda makers work?

Soda water is made by infusing CO2 gas into water. Most soda makers include a soda maker base, a CO2 tank, a soda water bottle and caps to seal the finished product. Soda makers feature replaceable CO2 tanks that force the CO2 gas into a bottle of water, creating carbonated water.

Typically, CO2 tanks are inserted or twisted into the machine, and a soda water bottle is filled with water and attached to the soda maker. Using a button, a lever or even a twisting method, CO2 gas is released into the soda water bottle, producing carbonation. Once the soda water has reached the desired carbonation level, the bottle is released, and you can drink it immediately or cap it and store it in the fridge for later. 

Are soda makers good for the environment? 

Soda makers can certainly help cut down on the environmental impact and single-use plastic. By investing and using an at-home soda maker, you’re most likely buying fewer bottled and canned sodas from the store. By having less household waste, you’re also most likely recycling fewer items each week. A “sparkling” win-win!

And let’s not forget about the metal CO2 cartridges. Thanks to many exchange plans, CO2 cartridges can often be returned and exchanged for new ones, which also cuts down on waste.

Our Trusted Expertise

Our writer Marisa Olsen has over 10 years of experience writing and reporting on food, lifestyle and product reviews. She has written for multiple publications, including Chowhound, EatingWell, Southern Living, The Spruce Eats, Food & Wine, Byrdie and Liquor.com. 

This article was edited by Kayleigh Drake, a former full-time baker and current EatingWell commerce editor and contributor to publications such as Food & Wine, The Spruce Eats and Simply Recipes. It was reviewed by Brierley Horton, M.S., RD, senior commerce editor, who has 15 years of experience reporting, writing and editing nutrition and health content.