This product was given to me for review

When I was a child, I had a friend with a Sodastream machine. I’m not sure if she was cool despite the Sodastream, or because of it, but I used to love going to her house for green or red fizzy goodness whenever I could.

Last week, my unfulfilled childhood dream of having a Sodastream was met when I was sent one to try out. I was at the launch of the new model a few weeks ago, and was blown away by this smooth operator.

Back then, it looked like this….

 

Now it looks like this….

Sodastream has technically been around since 1903 as a way to make carbonated beverages in the comfort of your own home. You can easily carbonate water and then add a concentrated syrup to create a tasty drink with a wide range of flavours. The drink is healthier than your normal shop bought cola with less sugar,  plus it’s cheaper in the long run if you want to make sparkling water to enjoy on its own, or mix with lime, or cola tonic.

I tried out the Sodastream Source (R1 595 from Yuppiechef –  there are cheaper models that start at R899), which is for starters a beautiful kitchen device.

The elegantly redesigned carbonating bottle easily locks into place with a single-push motion. Powered by a CO2 canister, the refined mechanics of SodaStream Source make the entire top surface responsive to touch, and the strength of carbonation is visible through an LED display, providing instant, visual feedback. What makes the machine particularly cool is the lack of need for electricity; there’s no need to plug in the Source.

Flavours such as Cola and Lemon Lime (Sprite) have a quarter of the calories, carbs, sugar and caffeine compared to their pre-bottled competitors. Other flavours include Cream Sode, Grape, Lemonade, Raspberry, Kiwi-Pear, Mango-Apple and the delicious Peach Ice Tea.

By using a Sodastream Source as an at-home alternative to store-bought bottled sodas and water, the average family could avoid the disposal of 550 plastic bottles over one year and approximately 1650 bottles over three years.

SodaStream’s long-life reusable bottles are specially designed, have a high pressure-resistance, a lifespan of three years and the hermetically sealed cap keeps drinks fresh and fizzy longer than store-bought carbonated beverages. The bottles are also BPA-free and do not use any polycarbonate materials or materials that produce phthalates or PCBs, ensuring an environmentally friendly product.

Your kids will be able to use the Source with ease and can enjoy healthy fizzy drinks that aren’t laced with sugar. It’s a win win for everyone.