The Best Soda Makers and Sparkling Water Machines
If you drink sparkling water every day, you already know the routine: hauling cases home, stacking cans in the garage, hauling the empties back out. A countertop soda maker ends that cycle. You fill a bottle, snap it in, press or pull, and you've got fizzy water in under a minute. The machines themselves are simple — a CO2 cylinder, a nozzle, a bottle — and the good ones stay simple for years. What separates them is how much fuss they ask of you and what you're allowed to put in the bottle.
Here's the part nobody advertises. Home-carbonated water goes flat faster than the canned stuff, and it's fizziest in the first few minutes after you make it. Owners of nearly every machine here mention it. You'll also be on the hook for cylinder swaps forever, which means a trip to a store or a mail-back envelope every few weeks. And none of these machines connect to an app or reorder CO2 for you. That's still a gap in the whole category.
Most of the differences come down to control and bottles. Manual machines let you build fizz by feel; electric ones do it for you at the touch of a button. Some bottles go in the dishwasher, most don't, and only one machine here takes glass. We think that the SodaStream Terra is the best soda maker for most people, and that the Drinkmate OmniFizz is the one to buy if you want to carbonate juice, cocktails or anything else that isn't water.
Everything we recommend
Simple, compact, and cheap to keep running
Better bottles, better build, and a lever you'll enjoy
Push a button, walk away, get the same fizz every time
The one that takes a glass bottle, if you have the room
Fizz your juice, your lemonade, or your leftover wine
At a glance
| Product | CO2 Cylinder Size | Carbonates Any Beverage | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SodaStream - Terra Soda Streaming Machine -Top pick | — | — | $72 |
| SodaStream - ART Sparkling Water MakerUpgrade pick | 16 gallons/cylinder | — | $125.99On sale |
| SodaStream - E-TERRA Soda MakerAlso great | 16 gallons/cylinder | — | $131.23On sale |
| SodaStream E-Duo Sparkling Water MakerRunner-up | 60L | — | $119.99On sale |
| Drinkmate OmniFizz Sparkling Water and Soda MakerAlso great | 60L | Yes | $179.99 |
How we picked
Carbonation control. We compared how each machine lets you set fizz level — button counting, lever feel, or electric presets — and weighted repeatability, since owner feedback shows manual technique drifts over time. Machines that hit the same level twice in a row scored higher.
CO2 availability. We checked cylinder format and exchange options against manufacturer specs, favoring the standard 60L slim cylinder that's stocked at thousands of retail locations. A machine that's cheap to buy and painful to refill isn't a good machine.
Bottles and cleaning. We looked at bottle material, dishwasher compatibility and neck width, because owners who refill several times a day consistently raise hand-washing as their main gripe. Glass support was treated as a distinct capability, not a nicety.
Counter fit. We compared published dimensions and, for lever models, the vertical clearance needed to operate. Owners in small kitchens repeatedly cite footprint as the deciding factor, so we noted which machines suit tight counters.
Owner-reported durability. We read through owner feedback for each machine looking for repeated failure modes rather than one-off complaints — retracting heads, weak carbonation over time, cord and button design issues.
Top pick
Simple, compact, and cheap to keep running
SodaStream - Terra Soda Streaming Machine -
The Terra is a no-frills manual carbonator that snaps a bottle in place and fizzes it with a button press. It's the narrowest machine here, needs no outlet, and uses the same widely stocked slim cylinders as the rest of the SodaStream line.
$72fromAmazonIt does one thing, and it does it without any learning curve. Snap the bottle in, press the button once for light fizz, a few times for aggressive. That's the whole operation, and it takes well under a minute. Owners routinely describe getting it running within minutes of opening the box. If you've never owned a soda maker and don't want to think about one, this is the easiest possible entry point.
The footprint is genuinely small, and that matters more than you'd think. It's tall and narrow rather than wide, so it eats about as much counter as a coffee grinder. Several owners with cramped kitchens say that shape is what won them over — it tucks against a backsplash instead of sprawling. There's no power cord either, so you can put it anywhere, including a shelf or a cabinet between uses.
Ongoing costs are as low as this category gets. The Quick Connect cylinder twists in without tools, and SodaStream's exchange network covers thousands of retail locations plus mail-back. A cylinder is rated for roughly 60 liters, though heavy-fizz drinkers will get closer to 40 or 50. That's still a fraction of what canned sparkling water costs per liter, and the starter kit gets you carbonating the day it arrives.
It's the most proven machine in the lineup. The Terra has topped independent rankings for several years running, and it's by far the highest-volume seller of the five here. Owner feedback skews heavily positive across thousands of buyers, with durability complaints rare enough that repeat purchases show up regularly — people buying a second one for a vacation house or replacing an older SodaStream with this.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Strong fizz takes technique, not a setting. There's no preset for maximum carbonation. You press and count, and your results will vary until you find your rhythm. If you want repeatable fizz without paying attention, an electric model does that better.
The bottles need hand washing, and the body feels cheap. The plastic housing is functional but nothing you'll admire. The bottles aren't dishwasher-safe, which becomes a small daily chore if you're refilling several times a day. The Art solves both of these for more money.
Some buyers expect fountain soda and don't get it. Owners who bought it to replace a cola habit sometimes report that the syrups taste thin and diet-like even at the recommended ratio. As a sparkling water machine, it's excellent. As a soda replicator, temper expectations.
Upgrade pickOn sale
Better bottles, better build, and a lever you'll enjoy
SodaStream - ART Sparkling Water Maker
The Art swaps the Terra's button for a retro metal-accented lever that lets you feel the carbonation build. It's the only manual machine here with dishwasher-safe bottles, and the value bundle ships with two cylinders instead of one.
$125.99fromAmazonList priceThe lever gives you control the button can't. You pull and feel resistance as pressure builds, so you can hit the same fizz level every morning without counting presses. Owners who upgraded from older button models consistently say the handle makes gauging carbonation easier and the fizz stronger. It's the difference between guessing and knowing.
Dishwasher-safe bottles are the quiet win. If you refill two or three times a day, hand-washing narrow-necked bottles gets old fast. The Art's bottles go on the top rack. Among the manual machines here, it's the only one that offers this, and it's the reason we'd point a high-volume household toward the Art even if they don't care how it looks.
It's the machine you won't want to hide. The metal accents and retro shape look intentional on a counter instead of apologetic. That's subjective, but it's also why people pay the premium. Owners describe it as sleek and well-made, and the heavier build reads as more durable than the all-plastic bodies elsewhere in this guide.
The bundle softens the upfront hit. It ships with two CO2 cylinders, two dishwasher-safe bottles and flavor drops, so you've got a spare cylinder in the closet from day one. That's a real convenience — you swap when one runs dry rather than making an emergency store run mid-week.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
You need headroom above it. The lever needs roughly a foot of unobstructed vertical clearance to pull through its full stroke. Under a low upper cabinet, that's a dealbreaker, and it's worth measuring before you buy.
It's still plastic bottles only. No glass carafe option, so if your goal is getting plastic out of the routine entirely, this isn't the machine. The E-Duo is.
The included flavor drops underwhelm. Owners repeatedly note the sample flavors taste weak unless you use a lot, and several ended up buying other mixers or just using citrus juice. Treat the drops as a throw-in, not a feature.
Also greatOn sale
Push a button, walk away, get the same fizz every time
SodaStream - E-TERRA Soda Maker
The E-Terra automates carbonation with three preset levels and an automatic shutoff, so you don't press, hold or count. It's nearly as compact as the Terra and comes bundled with two cylinders and three dishwasher-safe bottles.
$131.23fromAmazonList priceHands-free operation is the whole point, and it works. You pick mild, medium or strong, press once, and the machine cuts the gas when it hits the target. No fatigue, no guesswork, no wasted CO2 from overshooting. Owners describe it as the easiest soda maker they've used, and several bought it specifically as a gift for someone who'd find manual pressing tedious.
It's the right machine if grip strength is a concern. Repeated button-pressing or lever-pulling is a small ask for most people and a real barrier for some. If you have arthritis, limited hand strength, or you're buying for an older parent, the E-Terra removes that hurdle entirely while keeping the same slim profile as the Terra.
Consistency is better than any manual model here. Because the shutoff is automatic, your third bottle of the day tastes like your first. Manual machines depend on your technique holding steady, which it doesn't always. If you care about repeatable results more than tactile control, this is the trade you want.
The bundle is generous. Two cylinders, three dishwasher-safe bottles and a power adapter come in the box. The dishwasher-safe bottles are a meaningful upgrade over the standard Terra's, and having a backup cylinder from the start means you're never stranded.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It has to live near an outlet. That's an obvious constraint, but it's a real one in kitchens where the free counter space and the free outlet aren't in the same place. Manual machines go anywhere.
Three presets, and that's it. If you want fizz halfway between medium and strong, you can't have it. Owners occasionally note the middle setting overshoots their taste while the low one falls short.
The power cord design draws complaints. More than one owner has flagged the cord and where it attaches as awkward — not a failure, but a daily annoyance depending on how your outlet sits relative to the machine.
Runner-upOn sale
The one that takes a glass bottle, if you have the room
SodaStream E-Duo Sparkling Water Maker
The E-Duo pairs electric preset carbonation with the only glass bottle support in this lineup. It ships with both a glass liter bottle and a BPA-free plastic one, so you can choose based on whether the bottle is going in the fridge or a backpack.
$119.99fromAmazonList priceGlass is the reason to buy this one. If you're carbonating to get away from plastic, the E-Duo is the only machine here that lets you finish the job. Glass adds nothing to the taste, goes in the dishwasher, and looks right on a dinner table. Owners also report the fizz holds longer in the glass bottle than in plastic, which tracks with how these bottles seal.
The electric operation matches the E-Terra's. Pick a level, press once, and it stops on its own. Same hands-free experience, same repeatability. You're getting the convenience of the E-Terra plus the bottle flexibility, which is why this sits above it for households that plan to use a soda maker for years.
It feels built to last. At more than 13 pounds, it's the heaviest SodaStream here, and the extra mass goes toward safely handling glass under pressure. Owners who upgraded from older machines describe it as a clear step up in solidity. If you're treating this as a long-term appliance rather than an experiment, that matters.
Both bottle types come in the box. You get the glass liter bottle for home use and a dishwasher-safe plastic one for anywhere glass is a bad idea. Note that it takes SodaStream's carbonating bottles rather than the separate glass carafe, so buy replacements accordingly.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
It's big. This is the widest and deepest machine in the guide by a significant margin. In a studio apartment or a dorm, it's the wrong choice — the Terra or E-Terra will serve you better in the same square footage.
Glass is heavier and breakable. A full glass liter bottle is a real object to lift, and dropping one on a tile floor ends differently than dropping plastic. If you have kids handling their own refills, keep the plastic bottle in rotation.
A minority of owners hit real problems. Reports include a carbonating head that doesn't fully retract, weak carbonation out of the box, and an activation button on top that's easy to press by accident while locking a bottle in — which sprays water. It's a smaller sample than the other machines here, so the failure rate is harder to read, but the complaints are specific enough to mention.
Also great
Fizz your juice, your lemonade, or your leftover wine
Drinkmate OmniFizz Sparkling Water and Soda Maker
The OmniFizz is the only machine here designed to carbonate drinks other than water. Its Fizz Infuser vents pressure slowly after carbonating, so opening a bottle of sparkling juice doesn't redecorate your kitchen.
$179.99fromAmazonIt carbonates things SodaStream tells you not to. Juice, iced tea, lemonade, cocktails, flat soda, sparkling wine that's gone still — all fair game, with no adapter to buy and no warranty to void. SodaStream explicitly warns against putting anything but water in its machines. If that limitation is what's stopping you, this is the machine that removes it.
The Fizz Infuser is what makes it safe. Sugary and acidic liquids foam violently when you release pressure fast. The Infuser bleeds it off slowly, so you get carbonated orange juice instead of an orange juice fountain. Owners describe using it for years on juices and homemade sodas without incident, which is the kind of track record that matters for a mechanism like this.
It's a good plain-water machine too. Carbonation is consistent and you control the level yourself, and owners who switched from SodaStream generally say the water is comparable. It also takes standard 60L cylinders, so you're not locked into a boutique supply chain.
The bundle comes stocked deep. Three CO2 cylinders, two carbonating bottles in different sizes and the Fizz Infuser come in the box. Three cylinders means months before you think about an exchange, and the half-liter bottle is handy for carbonating a single drink instead of committing a full liter.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Peak fizz for water falls a little short of SodaStream. At maximum intensity, published comparisons put the Terra ahead. Most people won't notice, but if you like your water aggressively carbonated, that's the gap.
Non-water drinks add steps. You carbonate, then vent through the Infuser, then open. It's a few extra seconds and one more part to rinse. Fine occasionally, mildly tedious if you're doing it constantly.
Accessories and cylinder exchange are thinner. Drinkmate's retail exchange footprint is smaller than SodaStream's, and non-plastic bottle options are hard to find — at least one long-time owner switched brands over exactly that. The bottles also need hand washing, and the narrow opening makes that fiddlier than it should be.
Who this is for
Buy one of these if you drink sparkling water regularly enough that hauling cases has become a chore, or if the packaging waste bothers you. A cylinder covers roughly 60 liters, so if you're going through a liter or two a day, the math turns in your favor quickly. If you drink a can a week, you're better off buying cans — the cylinder swaps and counter space aren't worth it for occasional fizz.
This guide covers countertop CO2 carbonators for home use. It doesn't cover under-sink carbonated water taps, commercial systems, or SodaStream's separate flavor syrups. Every machine here uses the standard slim 60L cylinder format, so you can move between them without rebuying gas. If you specifically want to carbonate something other than water, skip straight to the OmniFizz — the SodaStream machines aren't built for it and doing it anyway puts your warranty at risk.
How we picked
We built this guide from manufacturer specifications, published reviews and owner feedback themes across five machines. Carbonation control: we favored machines that produce the same fizz level twice in a row, whether through a lever you can feel or an electric preset with automatic shutoff. CO2 availability: all five take the standard slim 60L cylinder, but we weighted how easy it is to actually swap one where you live. Bottles and cleaning: dishwasher-safe bottles and glass support were treated as real differentiators, since hand-washing is the complaint owners raise most. Counter fit: we compared published dimensions and, for the lever model, the headroom it needs to work. Owner-reported durability: we looked for failure modes that recur across many buyers rather than isolated bad units.
The competition
These five machines are what our research surfaced as the mainstream options most people are choosing between, not a census of the category. Ultra-premium stainless-steel carbonators exist and produce fine sparkling water, but they use the same cylinders and make the same fizz for considerably more money. We didn't find a machine here that we'd tell you to avoid outright — every one has a household it fits.
Care and cylinder swaps
Start with cold water. Chilled water absorbs CO2 far more readily than room-temperature water, so a bottle that's been in the fridge overnight comes out noticeably fizzier for the same effort — and your cylinder lasts longer. Fill your bottles in the evening and leave them cold. Drink it soon after carbonating, since home-made fizz fades faster than the canned kind. Hand-wash bottles unless the manufacturer says otherwise, and let them dry fully upside down. Watch your bottle expiration dates; carbonating bottles are pressure vessels with a stated service life, and a tired one should be replaced rather than pushed. When the fizz drops off suddenly, that's usually an empty cylinder, not a broken machine.
Questions we get
Is a soda maker actually cheaper than buying sparkling water?
For regular drinkers, yes, and it isn't close. A 60L cylinder produces up to 60 liters of sparkling water for the cost of one exchange, which works out to a small fraction of what canned or bottled sparkling water costs per liter. A household drinking two liters a day typically covers the machine's cost within a few months. If you only drink it occasionally, the savings won't be worth the counter space.
Which one should I get if I drink sparkling water all day?
The E-Terra or the E-Duo. Both carbonate electrically with automatic shutoff, so you're not pressing a button dozens of times a day. The Terra is also fine for high volume if you don't mind manual operation — it's the most proven machine here, and it's cheap to keep running.
Can I carbonate juice or wine in a SodaStream?
No. SodaStream warns against carbonating anything but water in any of its machines, and doing so can void the warranty and make a pressurized mess. The Drinkmate OmniFizz is the exception in this guide — it was designed for it, and its Fizz Infuser vents pressure slowly so sugary and acidic drinks don't foam over when you open the bottle.
How long does a CO2 cylinder last?
A standard 60L cylinder is rated for about 60 liters, but your mileage depends on how hard you carbonate. Press for maximum fizz every time and you may only see 40 to 50 liters; keep it light and you can stretch past 70. Carbonating cold water helps meaningfully here. You can swap empties at retail exchange locations or mail them back.
What's the real difference between the Terra and the Art?
The Terra uses a push button and an all-plastic body, and its bottles need hand washing. The Art swaps in a lever that lets you feel carbonation build, adds metal accents, and — the part you'll appreciate daily — includes dishwasher-safe bottles. If looks and bottle cleaning matter, the Art earns its premium. If you just want reliable fizz for the least money, take the Terra.
Can I use third-party CO2 cylinders?
Physically, yes — third-party cylinders with standard SodaStream-compatible threading fit all five machines here. But SodaStream's warranty covers its own branded cylinders only, and third-party fill volumes and quality control vary. For most people the official exchange program is the simpler path.
Which is best for a small apartment or dorm?
The Terra. It's tall and narrow rather than wide, needs no outlet, and owners with cramped counters consistently point to that shape as what made it work. The E-Terra is nearly as slim but needs a nearby plug. Skip the Art if you have low upper cabinets, since the lever needs about a foot of clearance above the machine, and skip the E-Duo, which is by far the largest here.
Why you should trust us
For this guide:
- We read the manufacturer specifications and listing details for all five machines, comparing dimensions, cylinder format, bottle materials and included accessories side by side.
- We reviewed published rankings and comparisons from independent appliance publications to check how these machines have held up in the wider press.
- We read through owner feedback for each product, looking for failure modes and daily annoyances that recur across many buyers rather than isolated complaints.
- We read owner reviews on every listing, weighted toward the critical ones, because that is where the recurring failures show up.
- We have a systematic way of automatically fetching the latest prices, so the numbers on this page stay current.
- This is a research-focused guide, so the team may not own every product listed — though we often do own the top winners, which gives us extra context for the recommendations.
- We don't accept free products, and the retailer commission never changes which product we recommend.
Sources
Best Soda Makers of 2026, Wirecutter
Best Sparkling Water Makers, Good Housekeeping
SodaStream vs. Aarke vs. Drinkmate: Full Comparison, Serious Eats
Best Sparkling Water Makers, Tested, Food Network Kitchen
Soda Maker Reviews & Ratings, Consumer Reports
Best Soda Makers, Tom's Guide
Best Sparkling Water Makers, CNN Underscored
SodaStream CO2 Cylinder Exchange Program, SodaStream Official
Amazon product listings and owner reviews for all 5 products
Manufacturer specification pages for each product
Some passages in this guide may be paraphrased with AI help. Prices are refreshed automatically.
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