Aarke Carbonator 3, Sparkling Water Maker with Water Bottle, Steel Finish

Product Information

Aarke soda makers are designed to be easy to use. Just insert a CO2 cylinder into the tower, add tap water up to the fill line of your carbonation bottle and screw it into the machine. Push the stainless steel lever down until you hear a buzz, then release the lever, unscrew the bottle and seal it. Canisters of CO2 are available separately and Aarke carbonators are compatible with the 60-litre SodaStream gas cylinders we sell online, and the recycled canisters we sell in store. Built to last Designed for efficiency as well as good looks, the sleek polished steel tower of the Aarke Carbonator 3 will not only look fabulous on any kitchen counter, it’ll allow you to make your favourite sparkling drinks at home, too. We made dozens of bottles of seltzer to evaluate the six soda makers in our tests. We rate each model on how easy it is to use, including when attaching and detaching bottles and using the controls. We use standard 14-ounce CO₂ cylinders, which work in any soda maker. Ease of setup We analyse how easy it is to set up the sparkling water maker, including inserting the CO2 cylinder and water bottle. Expertly designed from the inside outwards, the slim-line good looks and high-quality stainless steel construction of the Aarke Carbonator have already earned it a cult following around the world and this, the third generation, has been created to be even more efficient than its predecessors.

Fizzability We rate each machine for how easy it is to get to a good level of fizziness compared with bottled sparkling water. A Swedish design company founded in 2013 by two experienced industrial designers (and friends), Jonas Groth and Carl Ljungh, the brand is on a mission to re(de)fine the home appliances industry – and their carbonators are rapidly gaining a cult following around the world. Having strong environmentalist principles, Aarke aims to produce made-to-last quality, using premium materials and a unique design approach. If you're concerned about how many plastic bottles you get through when buying sparkling water from the supermarket, you'll see a huge reduction in plastic waste through using products such as SodaStream. Please note: Recycled SodaStream Cylinders are only available when you return a used SodaStream cylinder. Used cylinders can be returned to any of our stores. They’ve added a rotation damper to the control lever to allow for a more controlled release of pressure in the bottle; improved the pressure release valve to give a quieter, more ‘sophisticated’ sound when carbonation is complete; and, lastly, they made sure that this beautiful machine is made with even more high quality, sustainable parts that will help it to become a long-lasting fixture in your home.Once you’ve inserted your CO2 cylinder into the tower, the exciting bit can begin… Just add tap water up to the fill line of your carbonation bottle, screw it onto the head of your Carbonator 3 and push the stainless steel lever down until the drinks maker makes a satisfying buzz. Then release the lever, unscrew the bottle and seal it till you need it – making fizzy drinks for friends and family couldn’t be easier. And with three independent safety valves inside, it couldn’t be safer, either. Other features of the Soda Sensei, however, make it a so-so selection. Icing is a bigger problem for this unit than for the others. The Soda Sensei’s injection nozzle sits deep in the water, making more of it vulnerable to freezing, so it doesn’t carbonate as consistently. This model also requires a bit more work than the others here to make seltzer. You need to put a large, specially designed cap on the Soda Sensei bottle before you add gas. Once you’re done carbonating, you have to release some gas by pushing a tab on the cap, wait for the hissing of the escaping gas to stop, and then replace the large cap with a small cap. Notably, we found that once we put the small cap on after adding a lot of gas, it was hard to slowly release some of the resulting high pressure. So sometimes the cap popped off, spewing seltzer everywhere.

Number of BPA-free bottles included: Most will offer a one-litre bottle in the box with a maximum fill capacity of 850ml. But some brands like Aarke and Mysoda offer two, making life easier if you’re pre-chilling or want some on the go or for families.

Machined from a single piece of stainless steel, the precision nozzle works with the highly tuned carbonation system to ensure your fizzy water has the perfect bubble size while also minimising the amount of CO2 used to create each bottlefull, so every gas cylinder lasts longer. Use-by date on the bottles: Carbonating water requires gas regulator valves to be set around 55PSI, which in turn needs bottles that can withstand the pressure. The majority will have a two-year lifespan before needing to be replaced. Soda-making machines are relatively easy to clean and should be treated like any other kitchen appliance. Regularly clean soda water machines by spraying a cloth with water and gently wiping it down. If your model uses electricity, you may want to remove its batteries before cleaning. You’ll also want to avoid using too much water or harsh soap that could damage the equipment. Whether you are using designated sparkling water bottles or your own receptacle, it’s important to keep those clean between uses, too.

Soda water is rapidly gaining popularity, thanks to trendy brands on the shelves of many grocery stores across the country. Drinking carbonated water has become such a lifestyle staple that it even warrants household soda water machines, allowing users to make their own sparkling drinks on demand.Just add a CO2 cylinder – there isn’t one included, but they’re compatible with the 60 Litre SodaStream gas cylinders we sell online, and the Recycled 60 Litre ones we sell in store – and you’re ready to go. Ease of use We make sparkling water in each machine, rating it for how simple it is to fizz the water. CR’s take: The highly-rated SodaStream Terra is among the easiest soda makers to use: Insert your bottle top in a clamp, push the clamp into place, and press the button on top. The Terra offers other bubbly benefits; for one, it needs no electricity to work. Performance-wise, it doesn’t ice up when operating; its cap stays on under pressure; and because it has no preset carbonation levels, you can vary the amount of fizz by the number of times you press the button. While they range in size, soda makers are typically manufactured to fit on your household countertop. Some models are bulkier and take up valuable room, so they may require an alternate storage option when not in use. Others are small and compact, comparable to an average-sized coffee maker. Users are urged to only add carbon dioxide to water with certain soda watermakers. Adding carbon dioxide to sugary drinks can often cause an excess of bubbles, damaging the machine. Other models encourage you to experiment with other liquids to find your favorite combination.