Review and Giveaway: SodaStream CLOSED

Thank you to SodaStream for participating in the Goodie Goodie Gumdrops Earth Week Event!

My husband and I are moderate soda drinkers. We typically indulge in one or two glasses per day. As you can imagine, the two-liter bottles and cans add up over time, especially when we entertain guests. With every empty container I throw away, I wonder to myself how I can do better for our planet. Did you know that, according to the U.S. Recycling Institute, more than 80% of bottles in the U.S. do not get recycled and end up in landfills? Also, an estimated 4.7 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions were produced in the process of replacing the 134 billion bottles and cans not recycled in 2005. (The biggest culprit is bottled water, of which 206 million liters were consumed in 2008.)

Thankfully, one company is making a difference while filling a gap in the marketplace.

SodaStream offers stylish home soda makers that turn ordinary tap water into sparkling water or soft drinks in less than 30 seconds, using no electricity and no batteries with virtually no cleanup. Each machine features reusable, BPA-free liter bottles and a refillable CO2 carbonator that makes 60 or 110 liters of soda - equivalent to 170 or 310 aluminum cans! Do you find regular colas too sweet or too fizzy? No worries - you can now fizz and flavor your beverage to suit your taste! Just think: no more heavy bottles to carry, store and throw away. You'll be saving the environment - and your wallet - by rinsing and reusing.



SodaStream offers a HUGE selection of SodaMix flavors from fruits (orange mango, grape, lemonade) and teas (lemon, peach) to mixers (ginger ale, tonic) to the traditional (cola, lemon-lime) and classic (root beer, cream soda). They even have Energy drinks! Whether you prefer regular, diet or caffeine-free, you can create your favorite beverage quickly and easily with SodaStream.

SodaStream graciously sent me a Fountain Jet Soda Maker along with a vast variety of regular and diet flavors to review.



The machine was incredibly easy to assemble. I think it took my husband under a minute to install the CO2 carbonator. We loved that we could place the machine anywhere on our kitchen counter since we didn't have to consider outlet access. The instructions were as simple as three steps:

1. Fill bottle with chilled water to fill line. We used filtered water from our fridge since we have a well but you can also use tap water. You want to make sure the water is cold for the best results.



2. Tilt, screw bottle into the machine and press top button (until you hear buzzing) to carbonate the water to your liking. Three presses is standard but you could press less for a flatter soda or more for a fizzier drink. The bottles are designed to be high-pressure resistant so they can withstand the process no matter how much fizz you add.



3. Unscrew bottle from the machine, add a capful of the SodaMix of your choice, swirl and voila! One liter of soda just the way you like it.



Not only is SodaStream easy to operate and clean (with its removable catch tray), but the SodaMixes really are delicious! My husband and I have tried 6 of the 9 flavors sent to us and so far, my favorite is the Orange Mango. This exotic soda is perfect for warm weather. My husband loves him some Red Bull so he is partial to the Energy mix. But we honestly liked them all. The Diet Pink Grapefruit was a dead ringer for Fresca and the Lemonade tasted even better than the Minute Maid version. We were surprised that we could make such great-tasting soda from the comfort of our own home.

Because each liter bottle has a hermetic sealing cap, you never have to worry about your homemade soda going flat. I've found that my SodaStream sodas stay carbonated much longer than the store-bought counterparts. And because each bottle lasts for about 3 years, we not only know our sodas will always stay fresh but we feel good knowing we are doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint.

The value of a SodaStream machine can be significant. Say your family drinks 1 liter of soda a day. A typical 2-liter bottle of soda at my local grocery store is about $2. This would amount to about $30/month for store-bought soda. SodaStream SodaMixes start at $4.99 and each container makes 12 liters of soda. That's just $.83 per 2-liter! An exchanged 110-liter carbonator costs about $25 right now and would last for roughly 4 months at 1 liter/day. So, a month's cost of using SodaStream is roughly $20. That's a savings of at least $10/month! Not to mention your lessened environmental impact.

I also love that SodaStream SodaMixes are more nutritious, containing less calories, sugar and caffeine than the leading brands. One serving of Coca-Cola has 100 calories, 27g carbs, 27g sugar, 35mg sodium and 23mg caffeine. But one serving of SodaStream's Cola SodaMix has just 34 calories, 9g carbs, 9g sugar, 2mg sodium, and 15mg caffeine! SodaStream SodaMix has no high-fructose corn syrup and no aspartame. Diet flavors are sugar-free, sweetened with Splenda and regular flavors are made with a special blend of Splenda and sugar, so no matter your dietary needs, you can enjoy some homemade soda.

After we use up the rest of our mixes, we can't wait to try some Cream Soda and Lemon Iced Tea. SodaStream sodas are so fun to make and now that we're fans, I don't think I'll ever have to venture down the soda aisle again. I can just feel the sky smiling down at me.

Bottom line: If your family loves soda, you will adore SodaStream. It's is a cost-effective, convenient, eco-friendly, and healthy way to enjoy soda. What's not to love?!

BUY IT: You can purchase SodaStream products from select retailers as well as www.sodastreamusa.com.

DELCIOUS DISCOUNT: In honor of Earth Day, SodaStream is offering 40% off spare carbonators! But hurry - this offer is only good through Friday, April 23rd!

WIN IT: SodaStream is generously giving away a Fountain Jet Soda Starter Kit to one lucky reader! That's a $100 value!

MAIN COURSE (MANDATORY ENTRY): Go to SodaStream and tell me what flavor (diet or regular) you'd most like to try. Remember to please leave your email address in your comment if it isn't visible on your profile to prevent disqualification!

SUGAR ON TOP (BONUS ENTRIES): To maximize your chances of winning, you may do any or all of the following. Be sure to complete the above mandatory entry or your bonus entries will not count! Remember to leave one comment per entry.

1.) Follow my blog and/or subscribe via reader or email. If you already follow and/or subscribe, that counts! (1 entry each)

2.) Follow me and SodaStream on Twitter and tweet about this contest. You can do this daily! You may use the following tweet of come up with one of your own:

Enjoy soda and seltzer the green way with @SodaStreamUSA! Win a Fountain Jet Soda Starter Kit ($100 value) @kris10chumley http://bit.ly/bdtSpT

Just leave a comment with your tweet link. (1 entry per day max)

3.) Become a fan of SodaStream on Facebook. (1 entry)

4.) Add my regular blog button and/or event button to your site and leave a comment with the link to where I can find it. (1 entry/each)

Giveaway will end on May 10, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Open to U.S. only. Winners will be chosen via Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond to congratulatory email or prize will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: As mentioned above, I received a Fountain Jet Soda Maker and variety of SodaMixes from Rob at SodaStream. I was not compensated monetarily for this post. The thoughts and opinions expressed in my post are solely mine. Your experience may differ.