Soda Stream Advice and Experiences

[Scoobydoo]

Due to having problems getting Ginger Ale for my hubby as a mixer for his scotch and brandy (it makes them last a little longer!) and also Schweppes Tonic at one stage, he suddenly came up with the bright idea of buying a Soda Stream.

I have no experience whatsoever (and neither does he) with a Soda Stream or it's various flavours, so I have a few questions:

Does anyone here have one?

Do they taste good, bad or indifferent?

Does it work out cost effective or more expensive?

Where over here do you buy the flavours?

Are the machines easy to use and keep clean?

Any information would be gratefully received because I have noticed how expensive the machines are and if we are not going to get full use out of it then it would be a waste of money (or another donation to the Tulips stall to sell )

Thank you

Sue

[andrew4232]

your big problem will be trying to get the concentrate and also to gas cylinders neither of which i have seen this side, i have seen the concentrate the other side but only with strange flavours

[suehowlittle]

Goodness, we have tried to source one of these for about 4 years now, cannot bring one from the UK if you cannot get the gas 'bombs'

If you are successful, please, please let us know on here

[suehowlittle]

Meant to also say that I tried to persuade an electrical retailer to import some as there would be an amazing bit of kit to sell - I could easily sell 12 for him!

He would not be moved - I do not think he even knew what they were but he just kept saying "there is no market for them". I gave up.

Perhaps he is trying to protect the soda, tonic and lemonade markets! Where are the entrepreneurs here?

[Philoz]

Andrew-what sort of strange flavours?
You mean like Cheese and pickle,liver and tunafish?

[Halffull]

Used to have one in the UK when they became "fashionable" but soon learnt they were just weren't cost effective (bit like a bread maker) by the time you have bought your gas, bottles and favourings (they never taste like the real thing) and fussed about filling bottles with the correct amount of water so on and so forth, it soon found a home on the back shelf never to see the light of day again

[deputydawg]

Scoobydoo. Unless things have greatly improved in recent years I believe, like Halffull, that once the novelty has worn off
you would find the tedium of the process and cost not worth the effort. When our 5 children were younger we gave the system a fair trial. The taste of the products was fine but it took a very large amount of the juice for the tastes to be strong enough for most palates and the gas bottles expended far faster than the sales pitch at the time claimed. Overall it was time consuming, expensive, and no match for retail bottled products. This pyromaniac did give the kids a treat to remember though, as one November the fifth he placed the abandoned gas bottles underneath Guy Fawkes on the Bonfire !

[suehowlittle]

One gas bomb = 100 bottles

they WERE good value.

[sophie]

I thought they went out in the 80's. I've only ever seen them in second hand shops in the UK looking a bit tatty .,

[Halffull]

Yes I think it was the late 70s we had ours, they didn't last long, but I think they were "re-invented" seem to remember seeing an advert for them and thinking, there was enough trouble finding the gas bottles and refill syrups the first time round, who is going to stock them this time?

[suehowlittle]

Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Argos, they are now a new shape - more ergonomically pleasing (neater) and are selling like the proverbial hotcakes in the UK.

I wish I could get one and supplies of the gas, concentrates are not a problem, they can be brought out in your suitcase.

[dippersgirl]

I love fizzy water and would love to have one just for that. I've never seen cheap fizzy water here (in the north).

I wonder if they have this in Turkey?? Might be more convincing for your supplier to import it, Sue

[suehowlittle]

I think DD's 5 kids were at the concentrate and the gas when he was not around if he thinks that the gas and concentrates did not last long enough.

Mine loved the dandelion and burdock, - they certainly loved the cola but then they had never had the real stuff so had nothing to compare it with!

Fizzy drinks were always beyond our budget the way they drank them so this proved to be a real winner.

It never ended up unused in the back of the cupboard, we wore it out in the 80's after about 10 years service. By then they had become unfashionable and we could not find a replacement.

Wish I had one now

[Scoobydoo]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Suehowlittle, have you looked in the south?

[Scoobydoo]

Just found this via google, however the website does not work but there is also a phone number and an email address - may be worth a call?

http://www.sodastream.com/node/210

I have also sent an email to Sodastream to ask who is stocking this product in Cyprus (because the website did not work)

[suehowlittle]

Scoobydoo: Spent the best part of a year searching, I also emailed the company who did not even bother to reply. And you are right, the website does not work and did not work 2 years ago either!

What a waste of sales!

[Philoz]

I must say I am surprised,nay, amazed as to how many responses this apparently (to me) boring post has attracted.

I think I need to start 'living in the fast lane' and obtain a Sodastream ASAP.

Frankly,now I think about it ,I cannot imagine how I have got through my life so far without owning one, judging by the joy that possessing one seems to bring to some folk.

[deputydawg]

Philoz. I think you are kidding and just sitting on your hands awaiting the introduction of the new, improved, Supasodastream which includes alcohol in the flavourings and an optional intravenous delivery system as well as a gas bottle plus a voucher for a free Vindaloo Curry meal to the first 1,000 purchasers !

[Philoz]

Mmmm -the alcohol option is appealing I admit.

[Scoobydoo]

Philoz - You neither have to read a topic that is of absolute no interest to you or do you have to comment

[suehowlittle]

Hear Hear! Only really wanting to read sensible, constructive postings on this topic.

[Philoz]

Sorry-Was just trying to add a bit of 'fizz' to the thread.
Duly castigated.

[andrew4232]

should that not have been duly carbonated

[JBA]

Mine loved the dandelion and burdock

I have just found Ben Shaw's "Dandelion & Burdock" in Hur Deniz. I loved it as a kid but haven't had it for 40 or more years. We bought Dandock (same thing) from Heywood Bros and later we got D&B from the Corona house to house service. It still tastes pretty good.