How to Make Soda at Home (and What It Costs)
A 12 oz can of soda or sparkling water runs $0.75–$1.00 by the case, more for name-brand fizz. Carbonate tap water at home and the same glass costs a few cents, so a soda maker pays for itself within a few months of regular use.
The short answer
A soda maker carbonates plain tap water using COâ‚‚ from a canister. Drink it straight as sparkling water, or add a splash of flavor syrup or a squeeze of citrus for soda. The water is close to free, so a glass made at home costs a few cents, against $0.75 or more for a store can.
How it works
A soda maker (a carbonator) injects COâ‚‚ from a screw-in canister into a bottle of cold tap water. Press a button and the water fizzes. For plain sparkling water, tap water and COâ‚‚ are the whole recipe. For soda, add a flavor syrup or a squeeze of lemon or lime to taste.
What goes into the cost
The COâ‚‚ canister (the main ongoing cost)
The canister is where the recurring money goes. One typically carbonates around 60 liters of water and doesn't cost much to refill or exchange, which works out to a few cents per glass. When it runs out, you swap it for a full one.
Flavor syrup (optional)
If you make flavored soda, syrup adds a little per glass, still a fraction of what a store can costs. If you drink it plain, there's no syrup cost at all.
Waste
You also stop hauling cans and bottles out to the recycling bin. One reusable bottle and a swappable canister replace a steady stream of packaging.
The one-time cost: the soda maker
The maker is the only real upfront cost, and you buy it once. Prices run from about $90 for a basic model to $130 for a premium one, and up to $200 for a pro carbonator with bulk COâ‚‚. With a glass costing a few cents against $0.75 or more for a can, a regular habit pays the machine off in a few months.
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Try it yourself
Run your own numbers
It comes down to how many glasses you drink, whether you add syrup, and which maker you buy. Enter those and the calculator shows your monthly and yearly savings, along with when the maker pays for itself.
It takes about a minute, and there's nothing to sign up for.
Is it worth it?
If you drink sparkling water or soda a few times a week, yes. The maker pays for itself and you stop buying cans. Even if you only have a fizzy drink now and then, a basic maker still comes out ahead; the calculator shows how long that takes.
Read our soda maker reviews →
Safety note: carbonate only water, and only in bottles rated for pressure. Carbonating other liquids or using unrated bottles can make them burst. Handle CO₂ cylinders exactly as your soda maker’s instructions describe. Full terms & disclaimers →