SodaStream refill

[Gwylan]

Just been thumped for £25 for a refill.
We use about 1 a month

Tried their subscription scheme they still owe me money from the fiasco.
But I have the machine and don't want to chuck that away

Anybody using a DIY refill kit? Experience, costs, recommendations.
Thank you

 

[markemark]

Yep. If you have space buy a large co2 cylinder and the refill kit. Really very easy. The refill only seems to half fill it but it’s not lost co2, just means you fill them twice as often. We have 4 canisters and it takes me 5 mins about once a month. The large co2 canister is pretty cheap but the first time the bulk of the cost is the deposit you pay on it.

 

[Gwylan]

Thank you. What make of bits do you use.
Found a local source for the gas. Just need the ancillaries

 

[markemark]

All you need is this. You then fill the normal canisters you have with food grade co2. I bought one large co2 and reckon it’ll last me a few years. Getting the sequence right of filling it takes a bit of getting used to but it’s not difficult. You just have to follow the sequence of filling then taking off. First time to me 30 mins. Now it takes me 5.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

@Gwylan I was in the same predicament as you: by chance I found out that a local branch of Curry's swaps the empty canisters for full, cost £11.99.

 

[markemark]

I think it costs less than £1 when you do it yourself. That’s after about £100 for the adaptor and the large cylinder deposit (which is refundable). So there’s a small upfront cost by quickly turns to large savings and it’s very easy and quick to do.

 

[Aescott]

Better to go to The Range rather than Currys. The Curry’s process is convoluted and time-consuming and needs The Specialist to put it through the till. The Range just knock the price off the replacement.

 

[Gwylan]

Learning all the time.

Had looked at the online price and seen £25 type figure.
Did realise that there was an exchange price.

My wife went to Sainsbury's, where Argos hides these days and bought from Sainsbury.
Weird S are cheaper than Argos.

The large gas looks good. At £2 a fill against £10 the payback in time and convenience is pretty good.

 

[Gwylan]

Also managed to cancel the Argos collect and recover my £25.

 

[amasidlover]

Yep. If you have space buy a large co2 cylinder and the refill kit. Really very easy. The refill only seems to half fill it but it’s not lost co2, just means you fill them twice as often. We have 4 canisters and it takes me 5 mins about once a month. The large co2 canister is pretty cheap but the first time the bulk of the cost is the deposit you pay on it.

Are you freezing the small canister first? I stick mine in the freezer overnight; it stops the first burst of CO2 from instantly boiling and half filling the cannister - I can usually get my to within 50g of their marked weight like that.

We go through a 6kg canister of CO2 every six months which is about £20 (as opposed to 13 x £15 = £195!!) from Sodastream! So we more than saved the cost of the adapter in the first couple of months...

 

[markemark]

Are you freezing the small canister first? I stick mine in the freezer overnight; it stops the first burst of CO2 from instantly boiling and half filling the cannister - I can usually get my to within 50g of their marked weight like that.

We go through a 6kg canister of CO2 every six months which is about £20 (as opposed to 13 x £15 = £195!!) from Sodastream! So we more than saved the cost of the adapter in the first couple of months...

Nah not bothered freezing it. It only half fills but nothing gets wasted, I just fill them twice as often. But it’s monthly with the 4 canisters I have.

 

[Tom B]

Interesting thread.

I have a soda stream machine from the 80s, we stopped using it because the syrups were awful in the 90s

What are you guys making with it? or are you just having sparking water?

 

[Alex321]

Interesting thread.

I have a soda stream machine from the 80s, we stopped using it because the syrups were awful in the 90s

What are you guys making with it? or are you just having sparking water?

We have never used the syrups. Just various squash concentrates. Sarsparilla is my favourite, but any are generally good.

 

[AndyRM]

Just mix the syrups with cheap lemonade from Aldi in my casa. Seems to have the same effect, wouldn't know as I don't drink it, but have it on good authority!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Yes, I only use the SodaStream for sparkling water.