Party season begins in November for us. The amount of birthday parties and social gatherings increase dramatically. And with summer, and the heat, around the corner it’s time to come up with thirst quenching ideas without the hit of sugary drinks.

I love sparkling water but can’t justify the cost of it at restaurants so unless I buy it from the shop on a rare occasion I’m there alone (read: with no kids), I revert to tap water. Now, there’s nothing wrong with tap water. I’m a fan of that too but every so often it’s nice to have bubbles.

Recently I was asked to review the SodaStream Power. Growing up in the late 70’s and early 80’s I vaguely remember having a machine that made ‘fizzy water’. It was a boxy machine and made a bit of noise! The Sodastream Power is far removed from the SodaStream of my youth. These days the machine is sleek and stylish. Its slimline design has eye catching appeal and it comes in black or white with brushed metal. There are LED lights on top which give the option of light, medium or intense sparkling water.

 

The machine comes with a BPA-free carbonated bottle which shows the maximum amount of water level. It’s not for the dishwasher but is fairly easy to clear. The SodaStream Power also comes with a variety of international adaptors – great if you’re moving to another country and you’re bringing the kitchen essentials.

Setting up the machine is fairly intuitive though the instructions are image based – no words. The one recommendation I would give is to really tighten the gas bottle. I had used it on occasion then it stopped working. It would make a noise but no fizz. After speaking with the production team I found out I hadn’t tightened the gas bottle in enough. After that, all smooth sailing!

After filling the bottle with water, the snap lock mechanism keeps the water bottle in place. Then it’s time to make the decision – light, medium or intense. I’ve tried all three and for me, it has to be medium. Once the water has fizzed you then decide on your favourite flavour.

I tried out our SodaStream machine at two recent events – a kid’s birthday party and a gathering of friends (hint: alcohol!). For the kid’s event we tried a variety of different flavours including mixed berry, lemonade and mango/orange. Lemonade was the favourite by far and very refreshing! For the adults we tried a couple of cocktails but the Raspberry Mojito was the hit of the afternoon. The recipes are extremely easy to make and it’s great to try and come up with your own.

I don’t believe the SodaStream Power is aimed at those who just love sparkling water. Yes, you’ve got to like it but with the different level of intensity to the assortment of different flavours, it could be aimed at a variety of people. As a family we’ll definitely use it (I love a party!), but even now I’m noticing that I tend to get up in the morning, fizz up some plain water, and drink it throughout the day. I do enjoy tap water but this adds something different and it’s increased my water consumption which can only be a good thing as far as I’m concerned.

Did you have a SodaStream machine?

What are (or were) your favourite flavours?

Notes:

• You don’t need to add a lot of flavour to get the desired taste so it’s not like the sugary drinks you buy in stores.
• The SodaStream Power is available to purchase from these retailers.
• For gas bottle refills, take the empty cylinder to your nearest stockist and exchange for a full cylinder. Big W (Australia) currently has a sale on cylinder refills.

 

Disclosure: I was sent the product above in exchange for an honest review. All words and images are my own.