Americans are smitten with seltzer. A walk down any beverage aisle, where hundreds of bubbly water options await, is all the evidence you need. But to put it in numbers: By 2028, the global market is expected to more than double to nearly $80 billion, with North America accounting for the largest share at 35%. And that’s before you factor in our penchant for soft drinks. While it’s been declining since the early 2000s, the average American drinks 42.2 gallons of soda per year.
For seltzer enthusiasts, an at-home soda maker offers a convenient, cost-effective, and planet-friendly alternative to get a fizzed-up fix. These machines carbonate water with the push of a button, helping cut down on single-use plastic, glass, and aluminum. Their biggest eco flex, though, probably comes from slimming down transportation heft. A common CO2 canister weighs 5.7 pounds and makes up to 60 liters of bubbly water. In comparison, a 12-pack of seltzer weighs 9.8 pounds and only provides 4.2 liters.
A soda maker may also be easier on your bank account. If you drink more than 2 liters of fizzy water a week, a soda machine will pay for itself in about a year’s time. Plus, these machines allow for more than just seltzer: You can buy pre-made mixes to easily turn carbonated water into homemade sodas, and certain models even let you fizz up juice, wine, or cocktails, or add pep back to flat beer or soda.
To find the best soda maker to satisfy your fizzy cravings, we put four popular models to the test, assessing ease of use, carbonation, bubble longevity, and taste as well as the Earth-friendliness of the manufacturers and their business practices. Our winner gasses up tasty seltzer and comes from a company that does what it can to not let the planet go flat.
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one5c’s pick: MySoda Ruby 2 Sparkling Water Maker
An elegantly designed soda maker that consistently delivered great tasting, well-fizzed seltzer, the MySoda Ruby 2 Sparkling Water Maker ($145; mysoda.eu) bubbled up to our top spot. While other machines also gassed-up good results, the Ruby2’s intuitive operation and MySoda’s dedication to sustainability, including its ability to help owners fix their machines, helped it overtake the competition.
Why it’s good
During weeks of testing, the Ruby 2 consistently produced bottle after bottle of beautifully crisp seltzer with a pleasant mix of small and large bubbles and a sizzling effervescence. Even 24 hours after carbonation, the water remained fresh and bubbly, with no noticeable loss of fizz or flavor. In fact, all four machines we tested made very good seltzer, with the SodaStream Art ($130; sodastream.com) matching the Ruby 2 in consistency, flavor, and bubble retention.
What set Ruby 2 apart is its ease of use. It was the most intuitive soda maker to operate. Like other countertop models, its bubbles come via a 60-liter CO2 canister that twists into place inside the narrow body of the machine. To carbonate, simply fill the included bottle with water, thread it to the machine, and press a button to release a burst of CO2. MySoda recommends two to three one-second bursts for a 1-liter bottle, but you can fine-tune the amount of fizz to your liking.
Every step of this process was hassle-free. The Ruby 2’s canister threads into place with a couple of turns, and the included 1-liter bottle features a quick-lock connector that attaches easily to the machine. A satisfying click confirms the bottle is secure. (The bottles on the Drinkmate Omnifizz [$133; idrinkproducts.com], for comparison, weren’t intuitive to handle.) When it comes to bubbling up water, the Ruby 2 produces a visible burst of CO2 and is relatively quiet during operation.
Performance aside, we loved the Ruby 2’s sleek, seamless design. Its body—and the boot of its bottle—is made from scratch-resistant aluminum and feels sturdy and substantial. The machine is quite slim at 5½ inches wide and, since it’s about as tall as a single-serve coffee machine, neatly fits most kitchen spaces. This stands in stark contrast to the Ninja Thirsti ($150; ninjakitchen.com), which produces a lovely fizz but is more of a full-sized appliance and requires an outlet to work.
Nothing’s perfect: At $145, the Ruby 2 is on the upper end of the mid-tier price range. The machine is also the only one we tested that doesn’t come packaged with a CO2 canister. This adds about $30 to the initial price. The only workaday complaint we have is that the ribbed drip tray on the bottom of the device, while stylishly industrial, can’t pop out for cleaning.
Why it’s sustainable
MySoda clearly cares about keeping the Ruby 2 working for as long as possible. The company sends free spare parts upon request, and estimates that machines should last 15 years—that’s great ROI. The Ruby 2 is also the only soda maker we tested that’s made from aluminum, which is more durable than plastic (i.e., the material favored by most machines). Its design has also won the German Design Award and Good Design 2023 Award for its quality. And if you decide you’re done with the soda maker, MySoda will help you figure out how to recycle it locally—although they recommend you gift it to a friend rather than scrap it.
MySoda, which designs products in Finland but produces them in China, is also very transparent. It reports on its company-wide emissions, and it also breaks down how much carbon goes into making each of its various products, including the Ruby 2. Rather than offsetting emissions with carbon credits—which aren’t always as effective or accurate as the companies selling them claim they are—MySoda says it focuses on reducing its own footprint. For example, the company plans to bring down its emissions by replacing its regular CO2 refills with Bio-CO2, which is less resource-intensive.
Nothing’s perfect: While we dig their transparency, MySoda doesn’t currently have actionable targets for reducing their emissions. However, the company says it’s planning to join the Science Based Targets Initiative—an organization that helps outfits set aggressive climate goals—later on this year. MySoda’s aim will be to cut scope 1 and 2 emissions (its direct emissions and the energy it purchases and uses) by 95% within the next five to 10 years, and also reduce scope 3 emissions (which accounts for everything else like the footprint of people using the MySoda products in their homes) but it hasn’t specified an amount.
The other bummer is that, although MySoda sells CO2 cylinders, it doesn’t have a refill or exchange program. Fortunately, the Ruby 2 is compatible with any cylinder that uses the category’s near-standard screw-in mechanism, so you can opt for any other brand with its own return system such as Simpli Soda or SodaStream. MySoda also doesn’t publicly report on its water use and pollution. The Ruby 2’s packaging also includes some plastic baggies that we’d love to see them ditch.
The runner up
The SodaStream Art ($130; sodastream.com) earned first place in our performance tests, but faltered on a couple key sustainability measures. It’s good looking and smartly designed, with a large silver carbonation lever on the side that’s reminiscent of old-school soda fountains. If you have dexterity issues, the lever requires less effort to operate than the top-mounted buttons most other models favor. During testing, the Art produced seltzer that was on par with what you’d buy at the store; both the canister and bottle lock in without any threading or twisting required. Its body, while plastic, is on the thicker side and matte-finished with chrome accents, which are nice touches. It’s also $15 less than the Ruby 2 and, again, comes with a CO2 cylinder.
Sustainability-wise, SodaStream didn’t bubble to the top. It earned high marks for its cylinder exchange program, which has an online and in-store option available at locations like Target and Walmart. The company also takes back and recycles old models, although it encourages regifting your machine rather than sending it back. However, SodaStream has been owned by PepsiCo, a top-five plastic polluter, since 2018, and has been long criticized (even boycotted) for human rights issues at its former main factory—factors that ultimately affected its score for planet-friendliness.
What soda makers we tested
We focused on mid-priced soda makers from reputable brands, known for performance and ease of use. The models selected have strong reviews and are widely available: the Drinkmate Omnifizz, MySoda Ruby 2 Sparkling Water Maker, Ninja Thirsti, and SodaStream Art. The Ruby 2 and Art carbonate only water, the Omnifizz carbonates a variety of drinks, and the Thirsti is electric, acting more as a restaurant-style beverage dispenser system. All models use 60-liter CO2 canisters, and all save for the Ninja Thirsti include a durable plastic bottle with a fill indicator; the Thirsti dispenses directly into a glass or other container.
How we picked the best soda maker
Our recommendations are based on two parallel assessment tracks: one for performance and one for sustainability. These ratings combine to land on our final winner, which represents the ideal blend of a product that’s good for the Earth and for your life. Read more about our assessment process here.
How we tested soda maker performance
As we unboxed each unit, we paid attention to the packaging and the number of parts. We read the directions and noted how intuitive the machines were. We made notes about the CO2 canisters and bottles and how they attached and detached from the machines. In addition to using the machines over the course of two weeks, we ran the following tests:
1. Initial taste test: We filled each bottle or reservoir with 44-degree F cold tap water, loaded it into place, and then added the maximum number of CO2 pulses each machine’s instructions allowed. Then, we sipped 8 ounces of seltzer from each, noting the flavor, texture, and bubble quantity (no we didn’t count) and variation.
2. 24-hour taste test: After capping each bottle, we stored them in the refrigerator for 24 hours. We then re-tasted the seltzer and noted any changes in carbonation or flavor.
3. Bubble longevity: We filled the bottles as we did with the initial taste test and weighed each to determine the water and CO2 content. After 24 hours in the refrigerator, each was weighed again to see if any gas had escaped.
How we scored sustainability
Our sustainability ratings take into account three factors: a product’s environmental impact at its production, what happens at its end-of-life, and the manufacturer’s environmental behavior. Production factors in where, how, and with what a product is made—as well as how it’s transported through the supply chain. We also assess end-of-life variables like toxicity and biodegradability of product and packaging, as well as actions the company takes outside the life of a product to minimize its footprint or benefit the environment. We award bonus points for transparency, as well. These scores are informed inferences based on available information, not full-blown life-cycle analyses.
FAQs
Where does the CO2 in soda maker canisters come from?
The bubbles in your seltzer are the result of some complex processes. The carbon dioxide home systems rely on comes primarily from two sources: It’s either a byproduct of the industrial production of ammonia or ethanol, or it’s extracted from natural in-ground reservoirs. Once captured, it’s purified to meet food-grade standards, and then compressed into canisters.
How do I exchange my empty CO2 canister?
When your CO2 canister runs out of gas, there are a few simple ways to swap it for a new one. Many stores, including Target, Walmart, and Best Buy participate in canister exchange programs. The process is simple: Go to the appropriate store kiosk, drop off your empty canister, and receive a new one. The exchange saves you $10–$12, so your new canister will cost about half the price of a new one.
You can also participate in a mail-in exchange program, which SodaStream and other major soda makers like Simpli Soda and Soda Sense offer. Even if your soda maker’s manufacturer doesn’t offer one, you can take part in a different company’s program because, with the exception of SodaStream’s proprietary Quick Connect system, the canisters are universal. For instance, with SodaStream, you can sign up for their CO2 exchange or subscription program. The company sends a full canister with a prepaid shipping label; all you do is mail back an empty one. These services are usually more expensive than store returns, as they’re more convenient.
Can you recycle old canisters?
The buttoned-up circularity of the CO2 canister industry is in part a result of canisters being tricky to recycle. While most are made from aluminum, their pressurization means you can’t safely toss them in the ol’ blue bin or bring them to a recycling center. It’s a protective measure: If a canister ruptures, there’s a chance it could explode and harm workers or damage equipment. That’s why participating in a drop-off or mail-in program is your best option.
Sal Vaglica is a writer focused on DIY projects and construction. He’s been a staffer at This Old House magazine, Serious Eats, and Men’s Journal, and has bylines at places ranging from Saveur to Fine Homebuilding and Popular Science.
Tyler Santora is a freelance science journalist, editor, and fact-checker. He’s written for publications such as Undark, Scientific American, and Popular Science.
one5c does not earn a commission on any product purchased through our reviews.