Is a Soda Maker Worth It?

A common question that we’re asked is whether a soda maker is worth it. In reality, most of us agree it’s not just about cost – there’s also the impact of all those store-bought single use sparkling water or soda bottles that a soda maker can help avoid, but they can be easy on the wallet too!

Soda makers are one of those amazing examples of things you can do that can both save money AND the environment. Whether the savings are something worth writing home about does depend on your particular situation, but generally speaking the main factors that can help you decide whether a soda maker is worth the investment are:

1. How much sparkling water / soda your household typically consumes

If you’re sparkling water fiends like us, a soda maker is almost a no-brainer!

2. What your present cost of store-bought sparkling water is

Generally speaking, sparkling water is quite expensive here in the UAE, so your costs are quite high to start with. Most common soda makers produce 850ml per run, so when you compare apples with apples the equivalent cost of store-bought sparkling water can be quite high, especially when it comes to imported brands.

3. What type of soda maker you use and how strongly you like to carbonate your drinks

Something to keep in mind: Some soda makers consume more CO2 per bottle and yield less per cylinder. Anecdotally, in our experience soda makers that operate with a mechanism that requires a single long burst of CO2 tend to use more gas per bottle than ones that work via short bursts. Similarly, automatic machines also tend to use more CO2 because they pump a pre-programmed amount of gas and keep pumping CO2 into the bottle even after the release valve kicks in.

4. How long your soda maker lasts

You need a reliable machine with proper support and a viable warranty – it needs to last long enough for you to recoup your investment!

So – is it worth it??

We all have our own preferences when it comes to sparkling water, so it won’t come as a surprise that it’s difficult to offer a precise estimate – not everyone carbonates the same! If you can take the figures as a general indication of what to expect, we’ve developed a calculator that can help estimate your savings and how long it’d likely take for your soda maker or pack to pay itself off. Try it out and you might be surprised at the results!