Price Watch: $99.99 – Sodastream Fountain Jet Starter Kit from Amazon.com
As healthy as I try to be by eating well and staying active, I can’t help but have a sweet spot for soda pop and energy drinks. Unfortunately, besides their high calorie count, these drinks are often made with the highly controversial high fructose corn syrup and additives and preservatives that help them last on the shelves for months. Not to mention, they aren’t cheap – especially the energy drinks at nearly $3 per can.
Attempting to revolutionize the soda industry while addressing each of these issues is a company called Sodastream. With a Sodastream Fountain Jet device in your kitchen, you can make your own pop and energy drinks 1-Liter at a time in no time.
Setup is a Snap
After un-boxing your Sodastream Fountain Jet, it takes just a minute to make your first liter of soda. First, fill one of your bottles up the clearly marked line with regular tap water. After screwing it into the Sodastream you press the pump a bunch of times until you hear 3 distinct popping noises. Unscrew your bottle and pour in a capful of your desired flavor. Give the bottle a gentle shake and that’s it.
Now after making my first bottle I was skeptical about the quality of the drink and the carbonation but I was very impressed when I poured it into a glass. I got the signature brown fizz that I am used to and the flavor was very good. I instantly filled up another bottle and repeated the steps to make a batch of Orange pop – and it was fantastic. At this point I was getting very excited and had to jump online to see what other flavors I could order and I was shocked at the amount of choices available.
Healthy…For A Soda
Sodastream makes it clear on their flavor bottles that their mixes do not contain high fructose corn syrup and their diet mixes do not use Aspartame. This is in great contrast to some of the big players in the soda market. Also, the price per serving is remarkably low at around 15 cents per 8 oz. Each flavor bottle makes the equivalent of 33 12-oz cans and costs between $5-7. If that’s not cost-efficient I don’t know what is.
Conclusion
This has got to be one of the best kitchen gadgets I have reviewed in some time. With the expansive flavor selection and ease-of-use, it is difficult not to enjoy making your own soda on-demand. If you enjoy carbonated drinks but don’t enjoy the prices and chemicals, I strongly recommending trying the Sodastream Fountain Jet.
