SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker Review

Everyone loves a drink with a bit of bubble added in, but not everyone loves the extra additives, sugar, or artificial sweetener you get with it. When you buy it in a can you can’t control what’s in your drink, but when you use the SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker? You’re in the drivers seat for every bubbly drink you make.

I spent a week testing out the SodaStream Fizzi, trying new drinks and adding carbonation to my water, and I’ve had a ton of fun with this sparkling water maker. It really is the perfect small appliance for summer.

Here’s a look at how to set up the SodaStream Fizzi, how it works, and what you can make with it.

Appearance and features of the SodaStream Fizzi

The SodaStream Fizzi is one of the latest additions to the SodaStream family. Although there have been other sparkling water makers, this particular model is pretty sleek and slim. I have the original SodaStream and it’s about half the size.

I was sent the black model to test out, but it also comes in white. It’s very lightweight, made from durable plastic, and even with the canister it easily fits tucked into a corner on your countertop or on its side in a drawer.

SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker

• Can make sparkling water in about 30 seconds
• Includes a CO2 cylinder so you can unpack your SodaStream and start making sparkling water
• Includes a one-liter BPA-free reusable bottle with a lid
• Has a snap lock mechanism that makes it easy to install the bottle
• Fizzi is compatible with 0.5L and 1L Fuse carbonating bottles
• You can use the SodaStream exchange to recycle your bottles and pick up a new bottle
• SodaStream has tons of great flavours to add to your sparkling water

Setting up SodaStream Fizzi

It couldn’t be easier to use SodaStream Fizzi, and it only takes a minute. Just unpack it from the box, take the back plate off, and install the CO2 canister through the hole in the bottom of the Fizzi. You tighten the CO2 canister to the machine, put the back part on, and you’re ready to start making sparkling water.

According to SodaStream, one canister can make up to 60L of sparkling beverage.

Testing out SodaStream Fizzi

The SodaStream Fizzi is a simple machine, and if you have the SodaStream Fizzi on your countertop your main intention is to have it handy to make sparkling water and other bubbly beverages. It does that quickly and easily.

Adding carbonation to your water

The reusable beverage container is the size of 1 liter of soda, and to make sparkling water all you have to do is add water to the fill line, pop the bottle onto the SodaStream Fizzi, secure, and press the button on the top. If you hold the button down you’ll notice that the SodaStream Fizzi will use a lot of force in the first second or two and then start to slow down. That’s when you can choose to press the button down a second or third time.

SodaStream recommends you press the carbonation button for about 30 seconds for sparkling water. I timed it and at the 30 second mark the water turned out bubbly, but not as bubbly as I would like. I choose about 45 seconds to make really bubbly water a few times. Because we were using it so often, we went back down to 30 seconds just to get more out of the canister.

When you take the bottle off the SodaStream Fizzi, expect it to pop a little or a lot depending on how much carbonation you added to the water. It’s not loud, but it gives your hand a jerk when you remove it if you’ve added too much.

Adding flavour to your water

Once you have carbonated water, the sky is the limit for what types of drinks you can make. You can keep the bottle of carbonated water in your fridge to drink on its own, pour some out in a glass, add fruit, and drink with ice, or set yourself up with a full assortment of SodaStream flavours.

There are so many different SodaStream flavours. You can choose the standard assortment of Cola, Gingerale, and Root beer. There’s a nice selection of flavoured waters called ‘My Water’ that include different unique types like Green Apple Cucumber. My personal favourites are the SodaStream lemonade and fruit drinks. I love carbonated lemonade, and it’s not the easiest to find.

Do the SodaStream flavours taste exactly like soda you’d find in the store? I would say they are very close, but not exactly the same. I would compare it to drinking an off brand cola if you like diet cola. I noticed it was slightly different than my favourite Diet Coke, but it wasn’t so different that I didn’t like it.

It’s actually kind of fun tweaking how much syrup you add, just to see what works for you. Instead of adding syrup to the entire bottle, I like to add it to the glass individually. You turn into a mixologist pretty quickly when you know exactly how much flavour you like in your drink.

When your carbonation canister runs out

When your carbonation canister runs out and you need to replace it, you can easily do so through the SodaStream exchange program. If you go on the SodaStream Canada website you’ll see a list of places you can bring in your old bottle and purchase a new bottle. It’s a nice way of safely disposing your old canister while getting a new one.

Who the SodaStream Fizzi would be perfect for

I have a friend who bought the SodaStream specifically to help her get over her daily habit of drinking two or three canned sodas. She knew the additives weren’t great for her but she relied on the drink the way some of us rely on coffee. By adding carbonation to her water, she was able to get the bubbly taste she needed without all the extra sugar or sweetener. She definitely credits the machine for helping her stop drinking canned soda, and now she just drinks bubbly water with fruit.

The SodaStream Fizzi is also great for parties where you’re serving drinks and you want to offer a wide variety to your guests, or just for every day when you want an ice cold, bubbly drink. I love having the SodaStream around for the kids, because I can control what they add to the drink and how much they add.

Thanks to SodaStream Fizzi, it couldn’t be easier making soda at home. I love the flavours, the compact size, and how easy it is to use. Get set up for summer now by bringing home the SodaStream Fizzi. It’s available right now through Reserve for Pickup at Best Buy.