ksmith: (celebrate)
ksmith ([personal profile] ksmith) wrote2011-10-14 11:00 pm
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Home carbonation systems

Anyone out there use one? Are they worth it?

[identity profile] dremiel.livejournal.com 2011-10-15 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
We have a soda stream and I LOVE it. Originally had one for our rather remote beach house as it is a pain to cart sodas around. Not sure it saved any money but it made life easier. Have one at home now, too and use it all the time. We rarely use the soda stream syrups but do like adding Monin syrup, or just lime, or Mio, or fruit juice (a splash of mango nectar and a squeeze of lime to a liter bottle is wonderful). If you use it a lot the co2 canisters will add up to about what you'd spend on soda but it does make it easy to keep the teens happy.

I am acquiring the ingredients to make/brew my own tonic water syrup from an online mixologist 's recipe. Hope to produce it this weekend and then we shall have tonic all the time!!

Also, it makes a ridiculous blurting sound that we quite adore. We are weird.

[identity profile] kristine-smith.livejournal.com 2011-10-15 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
I would like the option of creating my own sodas. I rarely drink them, but mango-lime sounds about my speed.

I mostly just add a squirt of lime or lemon, but at .99 to 1.29 a 2-liter bottle, the cost of club soda/fizzy water adds up. I hate drinking plain water, so I need to have something in it.

[identity profile] dremiel.livejournal.com 2011-10-15 04:11 pm (UTC)(link)
TBH we use more seltzer now since it's easy and fun so we are not saving money per se but we are avoiding tons of plastic bottles. Do like that we control how carbonated we want the water.

If you go with soda stream Bed Bath & Beyond (along with many other stores) exchanges empty cartridges for refilled ones at 1/2 the cost of new ($15 instead of $30) and they DO accept their ubiquitous $5 off $15 coupons on the exchanges - so sign up for online coupons. FWIW a cartridge lasts 3-4 weeks for us but we are three thirsty folk here in drought & heat country (central Texas) and the teen often has guests.

[identity profile] barbarienne.livejournal.com 2011-10-16 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
[livejournal.com profile] swimtech has the Williams-Sonoma seltzer-making thingy and she loves it. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you email her to ask about it.

Hers, too, makes a hilarious fart noise that she likes to do while on the phone with me.

[identity profile] kristine-smith.livejournal.com 2011-10-16 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks for the info.

I wonder if the fart noise would alarm les chiens.

[identity profile] silvergryphyn.livejournal.com 2011-10-17 06:16 pm (UTC)(link)
I also have a Soda Stream and love it. My dad and I have tried all sorts of flavor essences. Who would have thought that almond extract would be so refreshing? My fav though is just a squirt of lime juice.