How much does it cost per liter to use a SodaStream?

About $0.20-$0.35 per liter, depending on how fizzy you like it. Compare that to $1.50-$3.00 per liter for store-bought sparkling water like Topo Chico or San Pellegrino.

How many plastic bottles does a SodaStream save?

Each CO2 cylinder carbonates up to 60 liters of water. If you drink 2 liters per day, one cylinder replaces about 120 single-use 500ml bottles over its life. Over a year, that's roughly 1,400 plastic bottles or cans eliminated.

Does SodaStream sparkling water taste as good as store-bought?

The carbonation is comparable to brands like LaCroix or Perrier. For mineral-heavy brands like Topo Chico or San Pellegrino, the SodaStream won't replicate the exact mineral taste, but you can add a pinch of mineral salt to get close.

How long do SodaStream CO2 cylinders last?

Each 60L cylinder lasts about 2-4 weeks for a daily sparkling water drinker. Refills cost $15-$20 through exchange programs at most retail stores or $30 for a new cylinder.

SodaStream vs Buying Sparkling Water: I Tracked Every Dollar for a Year

Hi, I'm a sparkling water addict. There, I said it. I was going through two to three cans of LaCroix or Topo Chico every single day. Sometimes more on weekends. My recycling bin was literally 80% sparkling water cans and bottles.

Last March I bought a SodaStream Art for $130 and committed to tracking every single dollar for a full year. Here's exactly what happened.

Check price on Amazon →

My Sparkling Water Habit: The Before Picture

Before the SodaStream, here's what my weekly sparkling water spend looked like:

2 twelve-packs of LaCroix per week: $10

1-2 bottles of Topo Chico when I wanted "the good stuff": $4-8

Occasional San Pellegrino at restaurants: ~$6/week

Weekly average: $18-24

Annual cost: ~$1,100

And the waste? About 1,500 cans and 100+ plastic bottles per year. All for water with bubbles in it.

Year One with SodaStream: The Real Numbers

Upfront cost:

SodaStream Art: $130

Extra BPA-free bottle: $15

Ongoing costs (tracked monthly):

CO2 cylinder exchanges: averaged $17/month ($15 exchange + tax)

I exchanged cylinders about once every 3 weeks

Annual CO2 cost: ~$204

Year one total: $349

Compare that to my previous $1,100/year habit. That's **$751 saved in year one.** And year two will be even cheaper since I already own the machine — just the CO2 refills at $204/year.

But Does It Actually Taste Good?

OK this is the question everyone asks. Here's my honest take.

**Compared to LaCroix/Bubly:** The SodaStream is just as good. Those brands are literally just carbonated water with a hint of flavoring. The SodaStream gives you the same fizz level. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime and you won't miss the cans at all.

**Compared to Topo Chico:** This is where it gets tricky. Topo Chico has a specific mineral taste that SodaStream can't replicate because you're carbonating your own tap water. I found that adding a tiny pinch of mineral salt gets you about 80% of the way there. Not identical, but close enough that I stopped buying Topo Chico.

**Compared to San Pellegrino:** Same deal. The mineral content is different. But honestly, once you adjust, SodaStream water is refreshing in its own way. I don't miss it.

The Plastic Impact

This is where the SodaStream really shines from an environmental perspective.

In one year of use, my SodaStream eliminated:

~1,500 aluminum cans (yes, aluminum is recyclable, but mining and processing it still has massive environmental impact)

~100 plastic bottles

Roughly 50 lbs of packaging waste

Each CO2 cylinder carbonates about 60 liters. The cylinders are metal and get exchanged and refilled — not thrown away. The reusable bottles last about a year before needing replacement.

It's not zero waste — you still have the machine itself and occasional bottle replacements. But compared to buying single-serve containers, the reduction is massive.

The Downsides (Keeping It Real)

**The fizz isn't always consistent.** Sometimes you get a perfect Topo Chico-level carbonation. Other times it's a bit flat. You learn the right number of button presses pretty quickly, but there's a learning curve.

**CO2 exchanges are mildly annoying.** You have to go to a store (Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc.) and swap your empty cylinder. It takes 5 minutes, but you have to remember to do it before you run out. Running out of CO2 on a Friday night is genuinely tragic.

**The bottles are plastic (BPA-free).** I wish they made glass or stainless options. The bottles are reusable but they do need replacing every year or so per SodaStream's recommendation.

**You need counter space.** The SodaStream Art is about the size of a wine bottle holder. Not huge, but not nothing.

Who Should Get a SodaStream

If you buy sparkling water more than twice a week, the math is overwhelmingly in your favor

If you care about reducing single-use container waste

If you like customizing your fizz level

If you drink 1-3 liters of sparkling water daily (like me), you'll save $500-800/year easily

Who Should Skip It

If you drink sparkling water once a month, just buy the occasional bottle

If you're specifically addicted to one brand's mineral profile and won't accept a substitute

If you have zero counter space

The Bottom Line

The SodaStream Art paid for itself in under 4 months. Over a year, it saved me $751 and eliminated roughly 1,600 single-use containers. The sparkling water tastes great — not identical to every brand, but genuinely good.

Of all the eco swaps I've made, this one had the most dramatic financial impact. It's not a sacrifice, it's an upgrade. You get unlimited sparkling water whenever you want it, for a fraction of the cost. I genuinely don't know why everyone doesn't have one of these.