Stiftung Warentest looked at tap water in Germany last year – the result was rather mild. More specifically, the quality was described as “harmless to health”. But what is even more important: During the series of tests, the consumer organization recommended that tap water would be better than bottled water, as bottled mineral water should contain fewer minerals and is often contaminated with germs. So far so good. However, two thirds of the population in this country prefer to drink carbonated water rather than still water. So what’s the best way to satisfy your craving for a sparkling drink with tap water? The answer is simple: with a soda maker. The device carbonates still water using a gas cylinder. The best known, but also by far the most expensive model is the Sodastream. But there are also cheaper alternatives – three of which are presented below.
1. Soda Trend Style
Stiftung Warentest also has a hand in this: a total of seven different soda makers were examined, but only three models – including the Sodastream – were really convincing. However, a cheaper alternative, the price-performance winner, secured first place: Soda Trend Style. According to the test result, the soda maker delivers the most sparkling water, and it is also significantly cheaper than the top dog: for just under 70 euros you get a set consisting of the soda maker system, a CO2 cylinder and a PET bottle (capacity approx. 850 ml). It’s very easy to use: you can carbonate the tap water with just the push of a button – you can decide for yourself how fizzy you want the drink to be.
2. My Sodapop
The Sodastream alternative MySodapop was also tested. According to Stiftung Warentest, the carbonating system does not carbonate tap water enough, but it must be said at this point that how fizzy a drink should be is also a question of taste. If you generally prefer to drink your water with little carbonation, My Sodapop is definitely a good choice. Especially if you are tired of the annoying lugging of boxes and want to save money: In contrast to the Sodastream, this model currently costs just under 70 euros – including a PET bottle and a CO2 cylinder that can carbonate up to 60 liters of water.
3. Levivo soda maker
In third place comes the soda maker from Levivo. Even if this Sodastream alternative doesn’t look as good as the other two models, the functionality is still the same: put in the bottle, press the button, enjoy sparkling water. Available in black and white, the scope of delivery includes – in addition to the soda maker – a glass bottle and an aluminum CO2 cylinder for approx. 60 liters of water. The set costs just under 90 euros and is therefore priced between the Soda Trend Style and MySodapop. The simple design fits into any kitchen and is therefore a good replacement for the top dog. The only downside are the bottles, which (like the price-performance winner) are made of PET and not glass.
Even though the Sodastream is significantly more expensive than the models mentioned, it is one of the best-selling carbonating systems. Even Stiftung Warentest found the classic to be good. However, with the caveat that the carbon dioxide would “only” be enough for medium-strength water. But where does the hype about the model actually come from? On the one hand, there are of course glass bottles, which are preferred by more and more water drinkers. Although there are now cheaper models like the MySodapop that do not use plastic bottles. However, Sodastream’s design has remained untouchable to date – from the system itself to the glass bottles. In the end, it’s just your wallet that decides which soda maker you want. For comparison: The Sodastream set costs just under 115 euros and includes a carbonating system, two glass carafes of 600 milliliters each and a CO2 cylinder.
This video explains in detail what makes the Sodastream so special.
Before using it for the first time, you must insert the glass or plastic bottle of your sparkling water maker into the designated device. Then insert the CO2 cartridge on the back of the Sodastream alternative into the appropriate container and close it again. Now you can pump carbon dioxide into the bottle filled with tap water at the push of a button – the more often and longer the button is pressed or held, the more fizzy the water becomes. This means you can determine for yourself how much carbon dioxide your tap water contains.
Regardless of whether you choose the original or a Sodastream alternative: the purchase always makes sense in any case. One of the biggest benefits you get from a soda maker is the cost savings. For comparison: a liter of tap water costs an average of around two cents in Germany. A liter of mineral water from the beverage market, on the other hand, costs between 19 and 50 cents on average. Added to this is the annoying lugging of boxes, which becomes real torture, especially in higher-story apartments without an elevator. It doesn’t matter whether you get water from glass or plastic bottles – both options are heavy to carry. Last but not least, the environment also benefits when you choose a soda maker, as you produce less waste that has to be disposed of or recycled.
Conclusion: Choosing a Sodastream alternative will have a positive impact on your account balance, your health and our environment.
This article contains so-called affiliate links. Further information are available here.
