Best Sparkling Water & Soda Makers
Turn flat tap water into fizzy sparkling water at home — countertop carbonators from SodaStream, Aarke, Drinkmate and more.
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Best Sparkling Water Machines: SodaStream vs Smeg vs DrinkMate vs Aarke vs iSi
Sparkling water makers do not filter or purify water — they inject carbon dioxide into cold water or other permitted beverages. The most important buying differences come down to a few axes:
- What liquids can be carbonated
- CO₂ cylinder compatibility
- Bottle material (plastic vs glass)
- Manual vs electric operation
- Carbonation strength and consistency
- Refill availability and cost
Featured Sparkling Water Machines
How we rate: ratings are an editorial composite of verified buyer reviews, published mineral or material data, and value at typical retail. We do not test products in a lab and do not earn higher ratings for higher commissions.
Affiliate disclosure: as an Amazon Associate, BotledWater may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Quick Comparison Table
| Brand | Best model | Carbonates | Power | CO₂ system | Typical buyer | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SodaStream | Art / E-Terra / E-Duo | Water only; flavor after | Manual or electric | Proprietary Quick Connect | Everyday sparkling-water drinker | Best mainstream choice |
| DrinkMate | OmniFizz / LUX | Water and many pulpless drinks | No electricity | Standard threaded 60 L | Cocktail and juice users | Best overall versatility |
| Aarke | Carbonator 3 / Pro | Water only | No electricity | Standard threaded 60 L | Premium-design buyer | Best luxury countertop |
| Smeg | SKC01 Soda Maker | Sparkling water | No electricity | Standard threaded (not included) | Design-focused kitchen | Best statement piece |
| iSi | Classic SodaMaker / Siphon | Water for serving / mixing | No electricity | Individual CO₂ chargers | Home-bar user | Best siphon, not heavy use |
Top 5 Sparkling Water Machines Ranked
Brand-by-Brand Reviews
SodaStream
Best for: Everyday sparkling water, easy refills and first-time buyers.
Recommended: SodaStream Art for manual use; E-Terra for automatic carbonation; E-Duo for households wanting both glass and reusable plastic bottles.
SodaStream is the most recognizable home-carbonation brand and has the broadest everyday retail presence. Its mainstream lineup includes the manual Terra and Art, the automatic E-Terra, and the more premium E-Duo, which ships with both a glass carafe and a reusable plastic bottle. The Art uses a manual lever and Quick Connect CO₂ cylinder; the E-Terra and E-Duo offer three preset carbonation levels. SodaStream states that its machines must be used with plain water only — syrups should be added after carbonation. Serious Eats found the SodaStream Art delivered strong, lasting carbonation; Food & Wine selected the E-Terra as its top tested soda maker; both publications were less impressed by the basic Terra.
| Model | Operation | Bottle format | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terra | Manual push-button | Reusable plastic | Budget entry-level use |
| Art | Manual lever | Reusable plastic | Strong manual carbonation and retro styling |
| E-Terra | Electric; 3 presets | Reusable plastic | Push-button convenience |
| E-Duo | Electric; 3 presets | Glass carafe + plastic | Premium household serving |
| Enso | Manual premium design | Metal-accented bottle | Upscale SodaStream look |
- •Broad availability of machines, bottles, syrups and cylinder exchanges.
- •SodaStream Art delivers strong carbonation in independent testing.
- •E-Terra and E-Duo automate fizz levels for consistent results.
- •Quick Connect cylinders are very easy to install.
- •At least a two-year limited warranty on SodaStream sparkling water makers.
- •Designed for water only; juice, wine, tea and cocktails should not be carbonated directly.
- •Current Quick Connect models generally do not accept standard threaded third-party cylinders.
- •Electric models need counter space near an outlet.
- •Basic Terra may not deliver as satisfying carbonation as the Art or E-Terra in independent testing.
Choose the SodaStream Art for most users — manual, compact, no electricity needed, with strong carbonation. Choose the E-Terra when one-touch carbonation matters more than manual control.
The safest mainstream recommendation for households that mainly want plain sparkling water with easy refills. Less attractive for anyone wanting to carbonate beverages other than water.
DrinkMate
Best for: Carbonating water, juice, iced tea, wine, cocktails and other pulpless beverages.
Recommended: DrinkMate OmniFizz for value; DrinkMate LUX for a more premium stainless-steel appearance.
DrinkMate's key advantage is simple: it is built to carbonate more than water. The OmniFizz is designed for water, juice, iced tea, wine and cocktails — its manual advises pulpless beverages and respecting fill-line limits. The premium LUX adds a stainless-steel-oriented design. DrinkMate accepts standard 60 L threaded cylinders and states they are compatible with older threaded SodaStream systems but not with SodaStream pink-label Quick Connect machines. Food & Wine highlighted the OmniFizz for beverages beyond water; The Spruce Eats selected DrinkMate as its top pick for flexibility, consistency and not needing electricity.
| Model | Design | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| OmniFizz | Standard countertop manual | Best value and broad beverage use |
| LUX | Premium stainless-steel-style | Function plus better appearance |
| Spritzer | Portable system | Travel, picnics or small-batch fizzing |
- •Carbonates a much wider range of beverages than SodaStream, Aarke or Smeg.
- •Does not require electricity.
- •Uses broadly available standard threaded 60 L cylinders.
- •Strong choice for homemade sparkling lemonade, spritzers, wine cocktails and flavored beverages.
- •Typically costs less than premium design brands such as Aarke and Smeg.
- •Carbonating sugary or flavored drinks can create foam and requires careful pressure release.
- •The detachable fizz infuser needs cleaning, particularly after non-water beverages.
- •Standard OmniFizz styling is more utilitarian than Aarke or Smeg.
- •Actual CO₂ consumption may rise when carbonating beverages other than water.
Choose the OmniFizz for the strongest combination of price and versatility. Choose the LUX when the machine will sit visibly on the counter and appearance matters.
The best overall choice for users who want more than plain sparkling water. For families, entertainers and home-bar users, direct beverage carbonation is a meaningful advantage over SodaStream and Aarke.
Aarke
Best for: Premium design, stainless-steel construction and minimalist kitchens.
Recommended: Aarke Carbonator 3 for premium manual use; Carbonator Pro for glass-bottle serving.
Aarke positions its carbonators as design-forward countertop appliances rather than inexpensive plastic soda makers. The Carbonator 3 uses a stainless-steel enclosure, manual lever and proprietary PET bottle, and Aarke states it has been tested for more than 10,000 carbonation cycles. The Carbonator Pro upgrades serving with a glass bottle and one-handed push-to-lock operation. Aarke uses standard 400–425 g / 60 L threaded cylinders (including threaded SodaStream cylinders, but not SodaStream Quick Connect). Food & Wine picked the Carbonator III as its tested splurge choice. Aarke also offers a three-year registered warranty for the Carbonator 3 and Pro.
| Model | Bottle type | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonator 3 | PET bottle | Premium design at the lower Aarke price |
| Carbonator Pro | Glass bottle | Luxury serving and avoiding PET drinking bottles |
- •Attractive stainless-steel exterior and premium visual appeal.
- •Cordless manual operation.
- •Uses standard threaded CO₂ cylinders rather than a proprietary format.
- •Carbonator Pro includes a dishwasher-safe glass bottle.
- •Three-year warranty available after registration.
- •Significantly more expensive than SodaStream Art or DrinkMate OmniFizz.
- •Designed for plain water — not for cocktails, juices or tea.
- •Carbonator 3 PET bottle is hand-wash only.
- •Premium pricing is primarily justified by design and materials, not extra beverage versatility.
Choose the Carbonator 3 for premium appearance at a relatively lower Aarke price. Choose the Carbonator Pro when the glass bottle and one-handed operation justify the price increase.
The best premium-design option. Ideal for a high-end kitchen or bar counter — but DrinkMate offers more functional flexibility and SodaStream provides better mainstream value.
Smeg Sparkling Water Maker
Best for: Buyers wanting a distinctive appliance-style design.
Recommended: Smeg SKC01 Soda Maker.
Smeg's soda maker is designed to coordinate with the company's stylish countertop-appliance ecosystem. The SKC01 features a front carbonation-control knob, manual non-electric design and a dishwasher-safe Tritan Renew bottle made with 50% recycled plastic. Smeg states that the machine uses standard screw-in 400–425 g cylinders in the 60–80 L class — but the CO₂ cylinder is not included. In Serious Eats testing the Smeg produced strong, long-lasting bubbles, finishing close behind the SodaStream Art. Wired similarly praised its styling and customizable fizz control while noting its premium positioning.
- •Distinctive Smeg design suited to premium kitchens and bar carts.
- •Manual operation requires no outlet or batteries.
- •Standard threaded cylinder compatibility gives more refill flexibility than SodaStream Quick Connect.
- •Dishwasher-safe included bottle.
- •Strong carbonation performance in independent testing.
- •Higher initial price than SodaStream Art or DrinkMate OmniFizz.
- •CO₂ cylinder is typically not included, increasing startup cost.
- •Focused on sparkling water, not direct carbonation of varied beverages.
- •Less established cylinder-exchange ecosystem than SodaStream.
Buy Smeg when design is a major part of the purchase decision and the machine will stay visible alongside matching kitchen appliances.
Not merely decorative: it performs well and uses convenient standard threaded cylinders. But the value proposition is chiefly aesthetic — DrinkMate is more versatile, SodaStream is easier to live with.
iSi North America
Best for: Home bars, cocktail service and occasional sparkling-water preparation.
Recommended: iSi Classic SodaMaker or iSi Stainless Steel Soda Siphon.
iSi is fundamentally different from the countertop cylinder machines above. Instead of attaching a large 60 L CO₂ cylinder to a standing appliance, iSi sells siphons that use individual soda chargers. The iSi Soda Siphon is a stainless-steel vessel that carbonates water and dispenses it directly for sparkling drinks and cocktails. The format is appealing for bar carts and entertaining — the siphon is both carbonation device and serving vessel — but less compelling for someone drinking several bottles of sparkling water daily. Food & Wine found that the iSi Soda Siphon produced acceptable bubbles but carbonation longevity did not match its preferred countertop machines.
- •Classic home-bar presentation.
- •Stainless-steel siphon format is elegant for cocktails and tableside serving.
- •Compact and easy to store compared with tall countertop carbonators.
- •Useful for occasional sparkling water and mixed drinks.
- •Requires individual chargers rather than a large refillable cylinder.
- •Less practical for heavy daily sparkling-water consumption.
- •Carbonation retention underperformed leading countertop machines in independent testing.
- •Less direct control over repeated fizz intensity than lever or button-style systems.
Choose iSi for cocktails, bar-cart display or occasional entertaining — not as the primary sparkling-water system for a large household.
The best siphon-style option among these brands, but not the best general-purpose SodaStream alternative. Frequent sparkling-water drinkers are usually better served by DrinkMate, SodaStream, Aarke or Smeg.
Brand Comparisons
SodaStream vs DrinkMate
| Comparison factor | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plain sparkling water convenience | SodaStream | Wide retail availability and simple current product range |
| Carbonating juice, wine or cocktails | DrinkMate | Designed for permitted pulpless beverages beyond water |
| Refill-cylinder flexibility | DrinkMate | Uses standard threaded 60 L cylinders |
| Beginner ease of use | SodaStream Art / E-Terra | Very straightforward water-only workflow |
| Overall functionality | DrinkMate | Broader beverage capability |
Aarke vs Smeg
| Comparison factor | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Minimalist luxury styling | Aarke | Stainless-steel premium design and multiple finishes |
| Matching other countertop appliances | Smeg | Stronger coordinated-appliance aesthetic |
| Glass-bottle option | Aarke Carbonator Pro | Dishwasher-safe glass bottle format |
| Included dishwasher-safe standard bottle | Smeg | Tritan Renew bottle is dishwasher safe |
| Standard threaded cylinder compatibility | Tie | Both support common screw-in cylinder formats |
DrinkMate vs Aarke
| Comparison factor | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonating more than water | DrinkMate | Supports many pulpless beverages |
| Luxury appearance | Aarke | Higher-end stainless-steel construction |
| Value | DrinkMate | Lower purchase cost with broader use |
| Bottle presentation | Aarke Pro | Glass bottle serving format |
| Practical family use | DrinkMate | More beverage options for entertaining and everyday use |
Best Choice by User Type
| User need | Best pick | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall machine | DrinkMate OmniFizz | Carbonates water and many other beverages |
| Best for plain sparkling water | SodaStream Art | Easy operation and strong carbonation performance |
| Best automatic machine | SodaStream E-Terra | Three preset fizz levels and push-button operation |
| Best premium machine | Aarke Carbonator 3 | Stainless-steel luxury design |
| Best premium glass-bottle system | Aarke Carbonator Pro | Glass serving bottle and upscale operation |
| Best designer kitchen option | Smeg SKC01 | Distinctive Smeg styling with good carbonation |
| Best for cocktails and wine spritzers | DrinkMate OmniFizz | Direct beverage carbonation capability |
| Best for home-bar presentation | iSi Classic SodaMaker | Traditional siphon aesthetic |
| Best cylinder compatibility | DrinkMate, Aarke or Smeg | Standard threaded cylinder platforms |
| Best refill availability | SodaStream | Large mainstream retail exchange ecosystem |
Important Buying Considerations
1. What do you want to carbonate?
For plain sparkling water, all five brands can serve a purpose. For direct carbonation of juice, iced tea, wine or cocktails, DrinkMate is the clear choice — SodaStream restricts its machines to water, and Aarke instructs users to carbonate fresh, clean water only.
2. Which CO₂ cylinder system do you prefer?
| System | Brands | Advantage | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Connect cylinder | Current SodaStream Art, Terra, E-Terra, E-Duo, Enso | Very easy installation | Less compatibility with standard threaded third-party cylinders |
| Standard threaded 60 L cylinder | DrinkMate, Aarke, Smeg | More interchangeable cylinder options | Requires screwing cylinder into place |
| Individual chargers | iSi | Compact and convenient for occasional service | Less practical for high-volume daily drinking |
3. Do you want plastic or glass bottles?
Most entry and midrange machines use reusable plastic carbonating bottles for pressure safety. Premium machines such as the Aarke Carbonator Pro and SodaStream E-Duo provide glass-bottle options — attractive for table service and consumers who want to minimize drinking from plastic.
4. Do you want electric or manual operation?
Manual machines (SodaStream Art, DrinkMate OmniFizz, Aarke Carbonator 3, Smeg SKC01, iSi siphons) can sit almost anywhere. Electric SodaStream models such as E-Terra and E-Duo deliver preset carbonation levels but need access to power.
Final Recommendations
Best Overall: DrinkMate OmniFizz
DrinkMate wins because it does the most. It makes ordinary sparkling water but also enables direct carbonation of pulpless juices, tea, wine and cocktails. It uses standard 60 L threaded cylinders and generally costs substantially less than premium Aarke and Smeg machines.
Best for Most Plain Sparkling-Water Drinkers: SodaStream Art
For people who only need sparkling water, the SodaStream Art is a strong balance of affordability, ease of use, refill availability and independent carbonation performance. Preferable to the basic Terra for buyers who care about stronger, longer-lasting fizz.
Best Luxury Choice: Aarke Carbonator 3 or Pro
Aarke is for buyers willing to pay more for construction, appearance and countertop presence. The Carbonator 3 is the sensible premium pick; the Pro is appropriate where a glass bottle and upscale serving experience are important.
Best Style-Focused Appliance: Smeg SKC01
Smeg combines design with credible carbonation performance and standard threaded cylinder flexibility. Best for a coordinated designer kitchen rather than budget-conscious shoppers.
Best for Occasional Home-Bar Use: iSi Classic SodaMaker
An attractive cocktail-oriented siphon — but not the ideal daily workhorse for households consuming large amounts of sparkling water.
