How to Make Soda in a SodaStream Machine

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Many people enjoy a fizzy, carbonated drink with their meal. If you like soda but you were tired of buying cans and bottles all the time, you may have purchased a SodaStream machine. These machines can seem complicated, but as long as you insert the carbonator correctly and choose your level of fizz, you can be drinking delicious soda that you made at home in no time.

Things You Should Know

Unscrew the cap from the carbonator and insert it into the machine. Then, screw the top of the canister into the machine.
Fill the carbonating bottle with water. Push the carbonating block or button in short bursts to carbonate the water and remove the bottle.
Pour a capful of SodaMix into the bottle. Screw the cap on and shake gently for 10 seconds. Enjoy your soda right away.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Putting the Carbonator in Your Soda Machine

1
Set the soda machine on a sturdy surface, like a countertop or table. Usually, this is a table or kitchen countertop. Make sure that the surface is flat and not tilted so that your soda machine sits upright.^{[1]
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- It will also be helpful to set up your soda machine near a sink so that you can fill up your bottle with water later.
2
Remove the plastic seal and unscrew the cap from the carbonator. Your soda machine comes with a carbonator. This is a metal canister that says “SodaStream CO2” on it. Remove the plastic seal from the top of the canister and throw it away. Then, unscrew the plastic cap.^{[2]
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- Always read the manual for your specific soda machine before you start setting it up.
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3
Take off the back cover from your soda machine. The back cover of your soda machine will pop off easily. Pull it from the hole that is on the back of your machine while you hold the rest of the machine steady with your other hand. Place the cover to the side.^{[3]
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- If you are using the SodaStream Genesis or another smaller model of the SodaStream, you will pull the top of the soda machine off instead of the back cover.
4
Insert the carbonator into the soda machine. Place the carbonator canister into the hold where the cover was on your soda machine. Depending on the model of your SodaStream, this will either be the very back of your machine or the top.^{[4]
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5
Screw the top of the canister into the top of your soda machine. Turn the carbonator about 3 times in a clockwise position until it is screwed in all the way. Make sure it is held in place tightly and doesn’t wiggle around.^{[5]
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- If you have a smaller model of the SodaStream, you will not need to screw your canister in.
6
Replace the back cover on your soda machine. Put the cover back onto your SodaStream to lock the carbonator in place. Make sure the cover is on securely before you start using your machine.^{[6]
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- No matter what model of SodaStream you have, make sure your cover clicks into place when you put it back on.
- Your SodaStream may have a CO2 meter that will warn you when your carbonator is running low. If it does, reset the meter each time you put in a new canister by holding down the “reset” button for 5 seconds.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Carbonating Your Water

1
Fill up the carbonating bottle with cold water to the fill line. Your soda machine comes with a clear plastic bottle. Fill up your bottle with cold water, either from the tap or from a filter, to the fill line.^{[7]
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- Using cold water allows you to drink your soda right away without having to chill it first.
2
Snap or screw the bottle into the machine. Depending on which model of SodaStream that you have, you will either snap the bottle into the bottle lock or screw it into the bottle lock. To screw it in, turn it 3 times in a clockwise position. To snap it in, simply push the top of the bottle in place.^{[8]
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3
Push the bottle into a vertical position. Once it is locked in, gently push the bottle into a vertical position so that it is upright.^{[9]
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- There will be a gap between the base of the machine and the bottom of the bottle.
4
Press down the carbonating block or button in short bursts. Depending on your model of SodaStream, either press down on the entire top block of your machine or press a small black button to start the carbonation process. Press down in short bursts, taking a 1 second break in between each press.^{[10]
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5
Watch the LED lights that indicate how carbonated your water is. Your soda machine has 3 levels of carbonation. The first one is light fizz, the second is medium fizz, and the third is strong fizz. As you add carbonation, the LED lights will light up to indicate the levels. Decide how carbonated you want the water to be and stop pressing the button once it reaches that level.^{[11]
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- You may have to try multiple levels of carbonation before you find the one that you like the most.
6
Pull the bottle of water out of the lock mechanism. Once you’ve added carbonation to your water, you can pull the bottle out of your machine’s lock mechanism. Depending on your model of SodaStream, either twist the bottle or pull it out toward you to unlock it.^{[12]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Flavoring Your Carbonated Water

1
Hold your bottle at a 15 degree angle and pour a capful of SodaMix in it. Choose which flavor of soda you’d like to put in your carbonated water. You can purchase different kinds of SodaMix online or anywhere that you buy SodaStream products to replicate many different flavors of soda.^{[13]
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- Holding the bottle at an angle makes it less likely to overflow as you pour.
- Popular flavors of SodaMix include peach tea, cola, and lemon lime.
2
Screw the cap on your bottle and shake it gently for 10 seconds. Make sure your SodaMix is mixed thoroughly by putting a cap on the bottle and shaking it gently from side to side. Don’t shake your bottle too vigorously, or you could cause it to overflow.^{[14]
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- You can also slowly turn your bottle upside down and right side up to mix in your flavor.
3
Enjoy your soda right after it is mixed up. You can pour your soda over ice, or simply drink it from the bottle. Your soda will be cold since you used cold water.^{[15]
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- Store your excess soda in the fridge with the cap on for up to 2 days.

Community Q&A

Question

How far into the water does the Jet that carbonates the water bottle need to go?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

If you fill your bottle to the "Fill Line" that is labeled on the side, the jet will be able to reach the water.
Question

Does the bottle have to be screwed on tightly to the SodaStream machine?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Yes, your bottle should be screwed on tightly so that it doesn't wiggle around. Otherwise, your bottle could fall off.
Question

How do I remove an empty canister from my SodaStream?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Pop off the cover from your SodaStream and unscrew the carbonation canister in a counter-clockwise motion. This will allow you to replace your empty canister with a new one.

Warnings

Never carbonate your water with syrup in the bottle. This will cause it to overflow and create a sticky mess.

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