The Social Drinker
Tom Molloy on the return of the SodaStream — this time it has eco credentials
One of the best things I did last year was buy a SodaStream in Argos for €58. Anybody who grew up in the 1970s will probably associate SodaStream with children’s parties and a cola that disappointingly didn’t quite taste like Coca-Cola. Today, you can still buy the somewhat sickly soft-drink flavours, but the main selling point is endless sparkling water at home.
The 117-year-old company changed ownership a few years ago and has a new mission: to reduce the ridiculous number of plastic bottles we waste buying water these days. Designer Yves Behar tweaked the design so that the plastic machines themselves and the bottles look better than the clunky 1970s versions but the technology remains pretty simple. You just screw a large blue canister into the back of the machine, fill a bottle with tap water, screw it into the front of the machine and then press a button several times to add the amount of fizz that you want. There are more advanced versions which are mains-connected and are even easier to use — and, to be honest, I wish I had bought one of these instead of the cheapest version.
While the more expensive SodaStreams are easier to use and more attractive, the real joy is the steady supply of fizzy water whenever you need it. The endless lugging water around the supermarket is gone, along with the low-level guilt as you empty the recycling bin.
The big benefit is that you are likely to drink a lot more water. A jug of sparkling water with ice and a slice of lemon is much more refreshing than a jug of still water. More than the environment or the cost, drinking more water has easily been the biggest benefit in the Molloy household.
In keeping with SodaStream’s newly discovered green mission, the gas canisters are recycled so you only pay for the cost of the gas, which is €18 a pop. This seems reasonable, because they contain enough gas to make at least 60 litres, although there are plenty of tips on the web about how to refill the canisters yourself. My only gripe is that the canisters are not easy to find. Argos stocks them, but I have yet to find an alternative supplier close to home. As a result, getting a new canister of gas requires a little planning — but it’s a small price to pay for an absolutely wonderful product.