Does anybody have recommendations for a drink carbonator? (like a sodastream)

My partner likes fizzy drinks. I want to get something that will last, and won’t lock us into a single vendor for refills or replacement parts.

I looked at making our own custom one - like this. We might still do something like this, but I’m also pretty clueless with this stuff and don’t want anything to explode or poison us :)

Our priorities, ordered by importance, are:

  • No lock-in (adversarial interop is fine)
  • Well built/long-lasting
  • Convenient, safe, easy to use

Any suggestions?

  • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    563·
    3 days ago

    Soda Stream is an Israeli company that’s based in the occupied West Bank.

    Just thought I’d put that out there in case anyone wasn’t aware.

    • activistPnk@slrpnk.netEnglish
      4·
      3 days ago

      I was going to mention that as well but you beat me to it.

      The only way I would have a Sodastream would be if I pull one out of a dumpster and fix it, or if it were shoplifted. But then there’s the next problem: I boycott Coca-Cola and Pepsi both, and I have never seen consumables by other brands (at least not locally).

      • syntheticidol@slrpnk.netEnglish
        3·
        3 days ago

        shoplifted goods are paid for, it’s literally factored into the price and claimed against insurance. they get paid for the product regardless. on your other point, I don’t believe you need to use the branded drink mixes, I think you can carbonate anything (within reason). others have posted Big Clive’s videos, he’s carbonated all sorts on his channel, previously using a sodastream but now using an alternative

        • activistPnk@slrpnk.netEnglish
          1·
          23 hours ago

          shoplifted goods are paid for

          It’s not just the maker that is a problem. I boycott the whole supply chain. Indeed I know the shop in the end of the chain loses, which is good enough. Everyone in the supply chain is part of the problem. I’m not going to fly to Israel to sabotage their factory.

          it’s literally factored into the price and claimed against insurance.

          That factor counts. Of course only in situations where the insurer does not exclude “mysterious unexplained disappearance”. Either way, the effect is favorable:

          • uncovered: the merchant loses. The loss on the sodastream offsets profit. The less profitable, the less interesting to continue selling that item.
          • covered w/out exclusion: The insurance increases on the demographic of vendors selling sodastream. Insurance premiums cut into profits. There is pressure on insurers to exclude Sodastream from coverage. Store managers time is wasted filing insurance claims, reviewing video footage, researching security mechanisms, etc. That’s not free and also not covered by the insurance claim.

          on your other point, I don’t believe you need to use the branded drink mixes

          Sure, but for me the trouble and space of having a single-purpose appliance calls for local generic ready-made concentrates of cola and immitation dr.pepper-like stuff. If limited to experimenting with molassas and limes or whatever, it becomes a hard sell.

        • KingOfSleep@lemmy.caEnglish
          4·
          3 days ago

          PepsiCo bought Sodastream in 2018. Sodastream is still headquartered in Israel, however.