I'm gonna load my own.

[Mags]

.
I side stepped telling Mark about how awful the syrups are. I didn't like any that came with the older machine I had. The older one came with 1 liter water bottles and left overs could go flat. It was a manual pump. 15-20 buttons presses to get the CO2 in the water at the desired fizzy level. After a while I too quit using it. Never made it all the way through the first CO2 cylinder. Eventually gave it away. Now that they came out with a machine that fills automatically (3 settings) and 0.5 liter bottles (sold separately), might work out this time. Several places have a bottle exchange now. Bed, Bath and Beyond, Kitchen Kaboodle, Williams Sonoma, Target and Walmart to name a few.

Taste. Personally I do not like carbonated chlorinated city water. Good tasting well or spring water chilled before gassing I think is best.

I got one as a gift a few years ago. It was ok and I didn't care much for the syrup line up they had. Some are ok and some aren't very good. The biggest part of it that I didn't like was getting more CO2 was kind of a pain. Either order it or get it from local retailer. Wife found out that Bed Bath and Beyond had an exchange program with them I think. You might very well like it. Not trying to totally dish the product just got lazy on my end and don't use it anymore.

[BigAl52]

Good luck with it this time hope it works out I do like fizzy stuff to but I quit buying all the water with fizz and flavors in it. Its just an expense that was out of control.

[Mags]

.
I quit typical sodas a long time ago. Well except for A&W Root Beer, and even then I heavily dilute it with carbonated water. Just a hint of root beer flavor left. I made Italian Soda (carbonated lemonade) with the old machine that was really good. Never tried it with iced tea.

The new machine should be here tomorrow.

Please post a followup of your results with this.
I have been thinking of one my self maybe to make carbonated lemonade or iced tea as I do not drink any typical sodas.

[Mags]

.
I've been buying unflavored LaCroix in the 12 oz cans + Oregon 10cent per can deposit. I really like it, but the cans piling up has gotten out of hand. If not for the deposit I'd just dispose of the cans in recycling. I may have to cave and visit one of the gross redemption kiosks to get rid of them and get a few buck back.

Good luck with it this time hope it works out I do like fizzy stuff to but I quit buying all the water with fizz and flavors in it. Its just an expense that was out of control.

[Mags]

.
The SodaStream arrived late yesterday afternoon. First impression out of the box, a bit taller than I was unconsciously expecting, 17 inches.

Put it together and loaded up the 0.5L water bottles. As easy as advertised. Going to have figure out which of the 3 settings though to use with the 0.5L water bottles. The defaults are for 1.0L water bottles. I used the max button and the carbonation was pretty strong. On the next water bottle fill I'll use the middle setting and see how that goes. No lemonade or iced tea on hand at the moment. So trying that is down the road. Anyway for me this is a keeper this time around.

20190815_075002.jpg (86.91 KiB) Viewed 1323 times

[markiver54]

Will be interested to hear how you like it after further use!

[Mags]

I filled the 0.5L bottles using the #1 and #2 settings. We'' see what the fizz taste level is like in a little while.

[Mags]

.
As mentioned previously, the #3 reload setting resulted in aggressive carbonation in the 0.5L water bottle. Reloaded again using the #1 and #2 setting and retasted. Setting #1 seems most appropriate for the 0.5L water bottle.

[markiver54]

.
As mentioned previously, the #3 reload setting resulted in aggressive carbonation in the 0.5L water bottle. Reloaded again using the #1 and #2 setting and retasted. Setting #1 seems most appropriate for the 0.5L water bottle.

Careful while testing Mags! Please...no internal combustion...

[Mags]

.
Just CO2 belching, so combustion unlikely. Now if helium was an option, I could talk like Donald Duck.

.
As mentioned previously, the #3 reload setting resulted in aggressive carbonation in the 0.5L water bottle. Reloaded again using the #1 and #2 setting and retasted. Setting #1 seems most appropriate for the 0.5L water bottle.

Careful while testing Mags! Please...no internal combustion...