I am in love with my SodaStream, and from other reviews I’ve read, mine seems to be a common response.  If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of using one, I’m excited to be able to offer every one of you a chance to win your very own!

The SodaStream is an at-home soda maker (or pop maker if you’re from that part of the country).  The benefits of carbonating water and making soda at home are enormous.  First of all, and most importantly to me, it saves a ton of money.  I have never been one to drink a lot of soda at home, mainly because of the cost.  With the SodaStream, the only costs beyond the machine itself are flavor and carbonator refills.  Using tap water doesn’t cost anything!

The SodaStream is extremely environmentally friendly.  Not only does it hugely minimize the manufacture, waste, and transportation of soda bottles, but it doesn’t use any electricity or batteries, either.  The reusable bottles are great.

Another benefit is that the SodaStream is a healthier option than brand name soda.  None of the flavors I have include corn syrup, using only real sugar (or substitutes for diet).  There are flavors that are completely sugar-free and all natural for making sparkling water drinks, and you can even experiment with your own flavors, like fruit or vegetable juices.  What a great way to sneak in a serving of fruits and veggies to kids!

When I received my SodaStream, I was amazed at the simplicity of it.  Setting it up was quick and easy, and making soda is even quicker and easier.  All I do is fill the reusable bottle with water, screw it into the machine, and press the button a few times; voila! Instant carbonated water, which I can then choose from my collection of flavorings to add to it.

As you can see below, I received quite a variety of flavors.  I needed to experiment a little bit at first to find my desired carbonation/flavor levels, but I’m starting to know what I like.  Of the flavors I have tasted so far, Cola, Lemon Lime, Root Beer, Green Tea Pomegranate Peach, Cranberry Raspberry, Black Currant Pear, Orange, and Energy, there were only two that I didn’t like.  Root Beer, because I’m picky about Root Beer anyway, and Energy, because I don’t like energy drinks.  I didn’t expect to like the Cola, as I don’t usually like generic ones, but I enjoyed it just as much as Coke or Pepsi.  I’m excited to try some of their other 100 flavors, and to try making some new flavors by mixing them.

I expect to use my SodaStream for a long time, and I’m confident that it will last.  It seems to be very well-made and reliable.  Getting replacements for the carbonator may seem like a hassle, but each one lasts through 60 Liters of soda.  That means I only have to replace it once every 60 bottles of soda I make, which is a lot of soda for me.  Considering replacements are about $5 with a trade-in, it really isn’t bad.  Flavor bottles are also cheap and last a long time; I haven’t even come close to running out of any of them.

I honestly love everything about my SodaStream.  The only negative I can come up with is the noise it makes when you push the carbonating button, almost like a buzzing.  This wouldn’t be a problem for me, but it terrifies my one-year-old son.  When I want to make soda, I just have Daddy bring him into another room first.  He’s always a little wary when he sees it, but I’m sure he’ll get used to it in time.

With the way people are addicted to soda these days, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the SodaStream become a permanent fixture in the average American kitchen.  The benefits are just too great to ignore, and who doesn’t love saving money?

The SodaStream is available at SodaStream.com and over 50,000 retailers in 42 countries.  A few common stores it can be found at are Kohl’s, Target, and Costco.  The prices for the machines range from $80 to $200, depending on the model.  For the latest news about the SodaStream company, you can visit them on Facebook or on Twitter as well as SodaStream.com.

Fountain Jet Soda Lover’s Start-Up Kit

 Giveaway:  The people at SodaStream have generously offered one lucky Hardly a Housewife reader a Fountain Jet Soda Lover’s Start-Up Kit ($99.95).   This includes:

-              Fountain Jet – winner’s choice of color (black/silver, red/silver or white)
-              1 carbonating bottle, reusable for up to 3 years
-              Reusable carbonator to fizz up to 60L of soda
-              Variety 6-pack of popular sample-size flavors
-              3 full-sized flavors of the winner’s choice

How to enter:  Entering my giveaway is super easy using Rafflecopter, the form below.  Sign in with your name and email or your Facebook login, and follow the instructions.  There is one mandatory entry, which is to visit SodaStream and leave me a comment, and the rest are completely optional.  Remember to come back daily for extra entries!  Open to anyone 18+ in the continental US.  This giveaway runs from the evening of Monday, February 20th through Thursday, March 1st at 11:59 pm EST.  Winner selected randomly and will be emailed. Winner must respond to email within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway