KitchenAid brings a whole new look to the SodaStream Sparkling Beverage Maker

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Julie reviewed the SodaStream a few years ago and determined it was an economical way to make your own sodas at home.  It gives you the option to make regular, diet, and caffeine-free sodas and flavored waters, but it did look a bit utilitarian.  Big deal, you might say, but there are some people out there (like me) who like a coordinated look in the kitchen.  If you do, and you are a fan of those gorgeous KitchenAid stand mixers, these new SodaStream machines are for you.  The new KitchenAid Sparkling Beverage Maker Powered by SodaStream has an all-metal design, just like their stand mixers.  It measures 13.7″ D x 12.6″ W x 21.4″ H and weighs 20 pounds, so it won’t get tipped over by accident.  It uses SodaStream’s technology, canisters, and syrups to make sodas, and it comes with a 60L CO2 tank, 1L BPA-free reusable bottle, and a SodaStream 3-flavor starter pack.  Its built-in CO2 pressure gauge ensures precise beverage carbonation; it uses 3 AAA batteries, and your first set is included.  It’s available in a range of colors to match your KitchenAid appliances:  Onyx Black, Green Apple, Tangerine, Aqua Sky, Empire Red, White, Contour Silver, and Cobalt Blue.  The KitchenAid Sparkling Beverage Maker Powered by SodaStream is $199.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond.

32 thoughts on “KitchenAid brings a whole new look to the SodaStream Sparkling Beverage Maker”




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  2. We saw this yesterday at Bed Bath and Beyond. My husband wanted it, but I said “let me go home and see what the review sites say, since they helped me decide to buy the Genesis” in 2012. Well, none of the unbiased sites seem to have it. This site is the first one that mentions this machine needing 3 AAA batteries. What does it need batteries for?! The only benefit to this version seems to be the weight and that you can snap in the bottles instead of screwing them on. But $200 (or $160 with my 20% off BBB coupons, don’t shop without them!) seems a bit much to pay for this when the machine we have works perfectly fine.

    BTW, there is no mention of this KitchenAid branded SodaStream on the KitchenAid website. I wanted to look at the product manual to find out why it needed batteries. It isn’t listed anywhere, nor is there any PR articles about it. Doesn’t sound like KA is really standing behind this product to me.

  3. @Rachel I just bought one of these today at my local Bed Bath & Beyond (also using my 20% off coupon). It’s expensive, but it is all metal and doesn’t budge on the countertop when you’re using it. Some of the other SodaStream machines apparently cost close to $200 too, but they are made of plastic. At least one of the other SodaStream machines uses AC power, while the KitchenAid uses AAA batteries. I think in both cases the power is needed to operate the carbonation gauge. On the KitchenAid, it’s just an analog dial, but it works nicely to let you see when the water is carbonated.

    The bottle just snaps in, so you don’t have to screw it into the machine. The lever works really well to pump in the carbonation, and the gauge shows you when to stop, then the bottle lifts out easily without unscrewing. It doesn’t do anything the cheaper machines don’t do; it just makes it easier to tell when you have enough carbonation. Part of the cost is for the metal materials, part is for the gauge, and part is a premium you pay for the KitchenAid name and that iconic KitchenAid mixer shape.

    KitchenAid does mention it on their website in a news release: http://news.kitchenaid.com/kitchenaid-introduces-sparkling-beverage-maker-powered-by-sodastream/ So does SodaStream: http://sodastream.investorroom.com/2013-06-17-KitchenAid-Enters-Home-Soda-Category-in-Collaboration-with-SodaStream Neither show the actual product on their websites, apparently because it is available exclusively through Bed Bath & Beyond.

    1. @Janet does BB&B also sell or refill the gas canisters? I need to dig out my Sodastream and start using it again. We keep buying liter bottles of seltzer to make drinks. That’s fine since they are less than $1 each, but we don’t have a good place to store them so we usually have 4-6 bottles stuck in the corner of kitchen floor.

      1. I get my CO2 refilled by my local paintball shop. They charge $4 per tank. Some places have the adapter to do this, while others will require you to bring your own adapter. The CO2 is exactly the same– There’s no difference, despite some people who say there’s “food grade” CO2. There’s not. I’ve been doing this for a couple years now with no negatives.

  4. @Julie Yes, our local BB&B sells new canisters (so you can have a spare) and the refilled canisters that require you to bring in the empty one to swap. There are a lot of stores in your area (according to the SodaStream where to buy page), like Walmart, Target, and Kohls, that also sell them.

    Did you know that SodaStream now sells the flavor syrups with Stevia? They only have four flavors right now, and none of them are cola, but maybe they’ll expand the line. You may have to order them directly from SodaStream.

  5. @Janet Does it say anywhere on it or the packaging where it was made? My mom wants a Sodastream – but can’t condone them being made in illegal settlements. If this is made someplace else, that might be enough for her to sooth her conscience.

  6. Israel, as part of what’s essentially a low-level war over the West Bank and Gaza, encourages people and companies to settle in Palestinian areas. SodaStream is based in one of these settlements, which are illegal under international law. (But no one has the ability to stop, short of going to war with Israel.)

    Wikipedia has an overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SodaStream#Controversy

  7. I know – it’s up to her whether this is enough for her to break down or not; I’m just getting info. 😉 That said, I can find alternate sources/replacements for the carbonators and syrups, so there are options.

    Which syrups are bottled in the US, if I may ask?

  8. I don’t know about all of them, of course. The sampler pack that came with the machine, the box of Caps (with enough syrup in them to flavor one liter each), and the bottle of Diet Cola flavoring were all made in Israel. The Diet Orange, regular Orange, and the Diet Lemon Lime all say “bottled in the USA”.

  9. I just got this about a week ago – and I can’t seem to figure it out. Any tips would be appreciated. How does the carbonation gauge work? I haven’t been able to figure out how many pumps to do…I’m pumping the lever, and the arrow is moving up and down…but I have no idea where to stop. Tips?

    1. First, don’t pump the lever! Hold it down gently until the machine makes a loud squeal noise, then let up (don’t go ALL the way up, but just let up to the neutral position). Then pull the lever again until you get the next squeal. And so on. You don’t need to pump– It’s not a well!

      The gauge is a general guide. The “buzzes” (or squeals) the machine makes are also useful to tell how fizzy the water is. It comes down to preference. I usually go until the gauge is on the last section, almost all the way to the right. That’s usually four or five “buzzes”.

  10. I don’t know what you mean by “the arrow is moving up and down.” Make sure you have the bottle seated in the holder properly, make sure you use cold water, and make sure the level isn’t above the fill line. You pull the lever down for a short burst, then lift it, but don’t push it to the maximum height, because that releases the bottle.

    The screeching noise is from the pressure of the gas being pumped into the water. The dots on the gauge indicate the amount of pressure. I consider my bottles finished when I get to the last dot, and I don’t go past that point. It’s carbonated, but not bubbling like mad.

  11. Thank you so much for the response Janet! Maybe I’m giving too much time between my short bursts and that’s why the little arrow arrow is going down. I also haven’t been going to the last dot because of the screeching sound (I thought that’s when it was done). I’ll try again with your tips tonight and hopefully find success! Thank you so much for your time!

  12. FYI…….If any of you would Google ” soda-stream adapter ” & buy it, you would save a ton of money on the cylinders. I bought the adapter online & 2 24oz cylinders at Academy Sports (or any place that sells paint guns) & get them filled for about $9 for both. They last about 2 1/2 – 3 months of carbonation filling up everyday. You make up your money up real quick. & very simple to use.

      1. The refills are only $14.00 and Bed Bath Beyond if you have a coupon. (I signed up to get a text coupon once a month, so I always have one.) I’m not sure that refilling the bottles myself would be worth the hassle.

    1. Not true. I’ve been getting mine refilled this way for a couple years now. There’s no difference whatsoever. The same truck that fills the paintball shop’s CO2 tanks also fills the convenience store’s CO2 tanks. There’s no real “food grade” CO2. There are “food grade” tanks, but that’s a matter of cleanliness, not the content of the tanks.

      It’s perfectly safe if you go to a reputable dealer. Don’t let the SodaStream literature fool you.

  13. While food grade co2 isn’t exactly a myth, its not exactly a standard. There is medical grade and everything else. Food grade Co2 is just measured a bit differently. While there is a slight difference, there’s still no way of telling if the supplier enforces the standards set for food grade. Aluminum is used in all tanks certified as food grade because it will not rust lowering the chances of contaminated co2. In all reality, you could get an adapter for the tank and fine a reputable dealer who can refill it or a larger tank with an adapter and good line to connect it. There is a warning about refilling the sodastream tanks but I feel its more of a liability waiver.

  14. Hello, some of the soda streams will take two different sized co2 bottles ( 14.5 oz./60L and 33 oz./130L carbonators). Do you know if this KitchenAid model can use both?
    thanks!
    Bryan

  15. Can anyone tell me if this model makes the loud buzz or whistle/screech during carbonation like all the other SodaStream models? I know there’s always going to be the “whoosh” while the bottle is carbonated & “Psshh!” from the pressure when the bottle is released. I was hoping that with the gauge & metal build that might be finally eliminated with this model.

    1. The “buzz” (or in this case, squeal) is there by design. It’s required to prevent the bottle from exploding (pressure release) and to indicate to you how carbonated your soda is. SodaStream has always used the “buzzes” to indicate the level of carbonation, and in the case of this unit, it’s no different.

      Even the Revolution will do this when it gets through each carbonation cycle of its automatic sequence. It’s just the way this tech works.

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