I was so proud of myself. About six years ago, I cut soda out of my diet completely. I am such a sugar addict as it is, so I was looking to cut it wherever possible. Then the Soda Stream entered my life and blew that plan to bits. The Soda Stream allows you to make your own soda at home. With reuseable bottles, inexpensive refills, control over flavors and carbonation level, and less sugar, it seems silly not to own one.

The small, sleek appliance fits easily on the kitchen counter, and looks stylish. Simply fill the one liter bottle with cold water, hit the button a couple of times to activate the CO2 tank and carbonate your water, and add your desired syrup. No batteries or electricity required. No mess – just rinse out the bottle before making another batch. Fresh soda in seconds, less money, less waste, more deliciousness.

I just love this machine. So does Mr. Spork – he hardly lets me zap it with carbonation. He loves that he can over-carbonate his soda. I love that I can under-flavor mine (the syrups are a little too sweet, so I usually use a little less than half the recommended amount per liter). It’s quick, easy, and fun. Plus, when you release the carafe from the machine, it make a cool sci-fi vacuum sound. With over 25 different flavors of regular, diet, and caffeine-free sodas, energy drinks, and flavor essences, there aren’t many flavors you can’t get.

Save the Earth
• Carbonator cans are reused – send them back to the company, they will sanitize them, refill them, and send them back out.
• Carafes are reuseable and BPA-free.
• No excessive packaging to worry about.

Save Your Health
• Regular soda mix flavors contain less sugar, sodium, and carbs than leading national brands.
• Diet flavors are all made with Splenda – no aspertame anywhere.
• No lugging cases of soda.

Save Your Pennies
• Depending on the model you choose, the cost averages out to as little as $0.20 per liter of seltzer water and $0.57 per liter of flavored soda.
• Smaller bottles mean you don’t have to stock up on soda, only to realize it has gone flat. Mr. Spork and I will usually make a bottle and split it over a meal.
• Exchanged CO2 cans are nearly half the price.

Is there anything I am leaving out? I don’t think so: healthier for you, healthier for your wallet, healthier for the planet… so why haven’t you bought your own yet?