bibiche Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I was feeling guilty about all the little cartridges I was using for my beautiful old soda siphon, read all the raves here, and ordered a SodaStream, figuring one big cartridge would be more environmentally friendly. It arrived today and I’m a bit traumatized. I knew it was plastic, but I wasn’t prepared for just *how* plastic. It is one of the most aesthetically displeasing things I’ve ever seen. I find it offensive. They must have changed the design or something because this thing... I honestly don’t think I can have it in my house. 😳 Does anyone have an Aarke Carbonator? It is significantly more expensive than the SodaStream, so if it isn’t the most beautiful and well-made machine on earth I guess I’ll either live with the guilt of my profligate cartridge use or learn to give up my fizzy water habit. Or any other recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 My Soda Stream is not a thing of beauty to be sure, but I've saved years of plastic by using it. Mine lives in the utility room. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 we exchange the cartridges. they get refilled. we have a sodaking 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 We also found it really aesthetically displeasing. Enough that it didn't end up being used that often. I think the design is slightly awkward. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 We have the SodaStream brand and exchange cartridges. I don't think it looks too bad. Similar to a thin, tall coffee maker (which we don't have). It sits next to the fridge along with my vitamins and it's all that noticable. If you really don't want to use the little cartridges there are DIY versions using those big canisters: Here's an example: https://www.frugalwoods.com/2014/08/11/how-to-cheap-homemade-seltzer-with-a-modified-sodastream/ They are supposed to be much cheaper too. But then you have a big ugly canister. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 DH was looking into a commercial soda dispenser but came to the conclusion that we don’t drink enough soda or beer for it to be worth the cost. Plus we were pretty sure the kids would just drink soda all day. Anyway I think the cost for a 2-5 flavor tap was around $500. I’m not sure that’s any more aesthetically pleasing than an ugly soda stream though. Might be something you could hide in a bar or walk in pantry if you have an empty cabinet & counter space above. Or maybe an old built in kitchen desk you want to turn into a drink center. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Our Sodastream isn’t ugly, but we store it away because it doesn’t fit under our cabinets. It is loud though, the “whoosh” sound sends the kitties fleeing and I actually have to cover my ears. DH now uses it in the garage, no big deal since it’s easily portable. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 54 minutes ago, PrincessMommy said: We have the SodaStream brand and exchange cartridges. I don't think it looks too bad. Similar to a thin, tall coffee maker (which we don't have). It sits next to the fridge along with my vitamins and it's all that noticable. If you really don't want to use the little cartridges there are DIY versions using those big canisters: Here's an example: https://www.frugalwoods.com/2014/08/11/how-to-cheap-homemade-seltzer-with-a-modified-sodastream/ They are supposed to be much cheaper too. But then you have a big ugly canister. We did this, and it's been amazing. so much fizz! our big ugly canister is under the kitchen sink, out of sight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 7 hours ago, kand said: Oh, shoot. Is it that bad? I was getting ready to buy one. Which model did you get? It is that bad. Absolutely hideous. The plastic is thin and shiny and cheap. An abomination. I got the basic model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, PrincessMommy said: If you really don't want to use the little cartridges there are DIY versions using those big canisters: Here's an example: https://www.frugalwoods.com/2014/08/11/how-to-cheap-homemade-seltzer-with-a-modified-sodastream/ They are supposed to be much cheaper too. But then you have a big ugly canister. This was actually my first thought but DH nixed it. He might be on board now though: aesthetics aren’t as important to him but he even he recoiled when he saw the SodaStream. We’d just have to figure out a way to run the lines from the big canister... eta i actually read the link, and looked at the pics. Their SodaStream isn’t nearly as hideous. Maybe I just need to get a different model. Edited December 8, 2020 by bibiche Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I guess we're going to need to see the hideous version. LOL How about this one... its a pretty color. https://www.amazon.com/Icy-Blue-Fizzi-bubly-Drops/dp/B08KYQMBGG/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=soda+stream&qid=1607460569&sr=8-10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 (edited) we store ours in a cupboard. Dh is the only one to use it. He fills his bottle about every second day. Edited December 8, 2020 by Melissa in Australia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 The Aarke is beautiful and has high reviews! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 35 minutes ago, PrincessMommy said: I guess we're going to need to see the hideous version. LOL How about this one... its a pretty color. https://www.amazon.com/Icy-Blue-Fizzi-bubly-Drops/dp/B08KYQMBGG/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=soda+stream&qid=1607460569&sr=8-10 Ours is just that shape, but matte black (!10+ years old, so maybe the shiny is worse). It's no more unsightly than the toaster oven, coffeepot, any number of other detritus out and about. Y'all must have more streamlined uncluttered counters than ours... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 17 minutes ago, Pam in CT said: Ours is just that shape, but matte black (!10+ years old, so maybe the shiny is worse). It's no more unsightly than the toaster oven, coffeepot, any number of other detritus out and about. Y'all must have more streamlined uncluttered counters than ours... I wondered the same thing. We used to have a toaster oven. A big toaster oven with crumbs, smoky front from various over cooked items, and bits of greasy melted cheese from feeding 8 people. My soda stream is much nicer - and smaller. 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I sense a crockpot kerfuffle looming on this thread. ☺️ 2 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 (edited) 27 minutes ago, PrincessMommy said: I sense a crockpot kerfuffle looming on this thread. ☺️ Nah. I'm happy with functional, but I'm not attuned to appliance design. I buy all my small appliances in black. That's about as far as my aesthetic need for them stretches. Edited December 8, 2020 by Laura Corin 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I didn't buy my SodaStream for its design beauty; I purchased it for its function. I do have a SodaStream Aquafizz on order--we needed to replace our bottles (and needed a new canister) and I really wanted to switch over to the glass bottles. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I don't have any issues with how the sodastream looks; it's just sort of fine. I do wish it weren't another thing on the counter (it has to be out all the time since we have it hooked up to the big CO2 tank, but it's not a huge deal. And, incidentally, I'm still using the one I bought probably 10 years ago, so I'm impressed with how well they hold up (or at least how well the ones they were making a decade ago hold up) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 1 hour ago, Pam in CT said: Ours is just that shape, but matte black (!10+ years old, so maybe the shiny is worse). It's no more unsightly than the toaster oven, coffeepot, any number of other detritus out and about. Y'all must have more streamlined uncluttered counters than ours... Matte I might be able to deal with. I suspect the quality has declined in the past decade. It looks cheap. I mean, it *was* cheap - I just don’t want it to look it! 😜 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 2 hours ago, PrincessMommy said: I guess we're going to need to see the hideous version. LOL How about this one... its a pretty color. https://www.amazon.com/Icy-Blue-Fizzi-bubly-Drops/dp/B08KYQMBGG/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=soda+stream&qid=1607460569&sr=8-10 Thanks. That’s actually the same model, just different color. Maybe I could build a box so I wouldn’t have to look at it. Or hide it in the closet. Although *I* would still know it was there... I can’t explain it, but things I find ugly make me feel sad and depressed. It could be the plastic that is doing it - I try to have as little plastic as possible in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 11 minutes ago, bibiche said: Thanks. That’s actually the same model, just different color. Maybe I could build a box so I wouldn’t have to look at it. Or hide it in the closet. Although *I* would still know it was there... I can’t explain it, but things I find ugly make me feel sad and depressed. It could be the plastic that is doing it - I try to have as little plastic as possible in my life. one would hope that having a soda stream would reduce plastic use as there would be less plastic softdrink bottles being purchased 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 12 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said: one would hope that having a soda stream would reduce plastic use as there would be less plastic softdrink bottles being purchased True. In my case it was the little metal cartridges from my soda siphon that I wanted to avoid because they aren’t able to be refilled. I know plastic is unavoidable, I just wish it weren’t so ugly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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