How to refill sodastream co2 yourself? [MY ULTIMATE Guide]

SodaStream is the solution to having flavored sparkling water on deck and carbonated drinks at all times.

It’s the modern way to enjoy carbonated beverages and Fizzy drinks that you create in the comfort of your home.

It changes how you look at flavored sparkling water and is a great way to save money while enjoying the refreshing carbonated beverage you’ve created.

How Does SodaStream Refill Work?

SodaStream provides a home carbonation system that carbonates water by adding carbon dioxide from a pressurized cylinder to create soda water or sparkling water.

The CO2 cylinder or CO2 bottle that comes with each purchase of a SodaStream Sparkling Water Maker can carbonate 60 liters, or 16 gallons, of water.

Some smaller models can also use a 33-ounce cylinder to accommodate the model’s smaller size.

The CO2 Gas cylinders work marvelously and last for quite a long time.

However, they will eventually run out of CO2, and thus you will run out of your delicious flavored sparkling water.

This means that it’s essential for you to always be on top of your refilled disposable bottles so you can always enjoy a consistent, steady stream of refreshing beverages within the comfort of your own home.

A fabulous idea guiding SodaStream is its strong commitment to recycling and caring for our incredible planet.

SodaStream’s carbonated products are marked as “Active Green,” which means that consumers actively reduce their carbon footprint by purchasing and using SodaStream products.

They do this by eliminating the unnecessary waste from their carbon dioxide products.

You would think that selling soda maker machines would produce a lot of waste and burden the environment!

Plastic bottles, caps, and materials can harm us when released into the environment.

However, SodaStream negates these consequences by minimizing their impact on the environment.

They focus on using reusing CO2 canisters and carbonating bottles.

They offer a gas exchange program to refill your CO2 canisters or Co2 bottle, and the plastic bottles they provide with a purchase of a SodaStream machine are also reusable.

Some SodaStream machines even come with glass carafes instead of reusable plastic bottles.

Customers had to mail in their empty canisters to refill them.

Lucky for you, the program has changed, and the canisters will be delivered straight to your doorstep, and you’ll only need to take a few steps to send off your empties. We’ll take a deeper dive into this process below.

Let’s dive into how and where to refill your SodaStream, as well as take a look at how much you can expect to pay.

SodaStream has streamlined the process of refilling your carbonator.

You’ll have multiple options to replace and refill SodaStream co2 so you can pick the most accommodating for you.

One of its unique features is its gas exchange program.

If you’ve run out of CO2, you don’t need to buy a new cylinder for SodaStream co2 refill.

SodaStream provides you with the service of ordering a Soda Stream refill. You can schedule a refill online, and they’ll mail you a new cylinder.

The only catch is that you must mail back or return your now-empty CO2 cylinder to them.

If you fail to return your empty CO2 cylinder within 30 days, SodaStream will charge you the total price of a new cylinder.

You should make it a priority to send back your empty CO2 cylinder within seven days of receiving your newly refilled cannister.

It should also be noted that the SodaStream carbonator refill and exchange do not apply to owners of 130L cylinders.

Here is how the whole process will work:

The Process of Refill SodaStream CO2 Yourself

First, visit SodaStream’s website and purchase a refill/exchange for your CO2 cylinder.

The total cost should run you $14.99 plus taxes.

You can enjoy a reduced shipping cost if you order two or more cylinders simultaneously with the original shipping box. You can also use the ZIP code for a discount.

After you’ve placed your order, it’s time to wait for your carbonation fix to arrive.

SodaStream will send you a full cylinder and an email with a link to print a prepaid UPS label.

Once your product(s) have arrived, place your empty cylinder(s) in the box and print off the prepaid UPS label SodaStream provided.

Once you’ve done that, slap the label on the box. Once your package is entirely and appropriately prepared, drop off your empty cylinders at a location for UPS to pick up.

You should do this within days of purchase of your new cylinders to avoid being charged for a new one.

SodaStream will expect your empties back on time.

This delivery system is a great way to eliminate the hassle of going out and trying to find a place to refill or exchange the box of your CO2 cylinder.

This can be incredibly frustrating if you’re an Anonymous user living in a rural area without somewhere nearby to help you.

It can also help save on gas as well as save you time.

It’s a great tool to keep your flavored sparkling water flowing day and night consistently.

Of course, you can use your SodaStream’s gas exchange service to refill your cylinders like we’ve gone over before.

However, this isn’t your only option for purchasing refills. SodaStream provides a variety of ways to keep CO2 coming and provide your supply of flavored sparkling water.

If you’re not interested in waiting for the mail to arrive, check to see if a retailer sells SodaStream refills or exchanges near you.

Here’s a list of many stores that can help accommodate your SodaStream needs.

Walmart

Walmart is one of the biggest retailers worldwide, and it also happens to be one of the biggest retailers of SodaStream.

However, you should check if your local Walmart carries SodaStream exchange box.

You could waste your time driving only to discover that your local Walmart doesn’t carry the products.

Here’s a quick method to check if SodaStream exchanges are in stock:

• Visit Walmart’s national website and enter your store address in the search field
• After you’ve brought up your local store, search for SodaStream in their available products
• Look for “SodaStream exchange carbonators.”
• It should show you whether they are in stock or out of stock
• Another quick and easy way to check is by simply calling the store ahead of time and checking what their availability on SodaStream products is at the time.
  • Your local Walmart phone number should be listed after you’ve entered your store address.

Amazon

If you’re interested in getting the most bang for your buck, Amazon may not be your best option.

However, they provide delivery to most of the U.S. Postal Service, and if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can snag a good deal on shipping.

Because Amazon can’t sell SodaStream products directly, third-party vendors must do it through Amazon.

This causes a price increase so that the middleman, Amazon, in this case, receives their fair share of the purchase.

This leads to SodaStream CO2 canisters averaging around the $40 mark.

It is substantially more than what you would pay through SodaStream’s website.

They offer their products at a rate of $30, and so do most other retailers.

However, if you’re in a highly rural area and don’t have any retailers around that you can visit to exchange your cylinders, Amazon can be an excellent and safest choice to keep your CO2 supply at full strength.

Other Retailers that May Carry SodaStream Exchanges

• Staples
• Bed Bath and Beyond (surprisingly, they tend to keep most stores in stock for SodaStream products)
• Home Depot
• Costco (only if you’re a member!)
• Tesco
• Target

Consistently having CO2 canisters for your SodaStream and SodaStream Cylinder products is excellent, in theory.

However, it can be challenging to maintain, mainly if you’re limited to one CO2 cylinder.

If you’re restricting yourself to one canister, you’ll quickly realize that it’s always impossible to have a tank with CO2 in it.

You need backup CO2 canisters when one of your refills is on the way.

A brand new cylinder from SodaStream will hold carbonation for up to 60 liters of carbonated deliciousness.

And they only cost $29.99 when ordering them online through SodaStream themselves. If you’re going through Amazon, you may be paying more than $40. You can also use the gift card for purchasing.

You’ll always have a drink to sip on by keeping a spare on you.

I recommend purchasing at least two spares if you’re a real flavored sparkling water lover, or if you just really dig carbonated water.

It’s also a good idea to consider owning a 130-liter tank.

The tank doesn’t qualify for the refill program, but it will provide you with the most extended duration of any CO2 canister made for SodaStream products.

The 130-liter tanks are also a perfect item to own as a spare or backup canister.

You can comfortably relax when your 60L canister runs out, as you can keep sipping on the good stuff via your 130-liter tank until your exchange arrives via the mail.

Plus, they’re a great bang for your buck.

They were only $59.99  through gift card and held more than double the amount of the original canister.

Any way you spin it, it’s almost certainly worthwhile to carry a spare CO2 canister if you’re a real SodaStream fanatic.

Some people avoid using soda machines such as SodaStream products because they don’t see the point.

Why buy a product to make something that you can pick up at any local grocery store?

It certainly does add steps you must take before enjoying your beverage.

However, introducing your low-cost flavoring and using the refillable bottles will save you money in the long term.

Right now, through Walmart, one bottle of San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral water runs for $1.54 for one 25.3 fluid ounce bottle. That roughly translates to 6.1 cents per fluid ounce.

A CO2 canister from SodaStream will carbonate 60 liters of water for a total price of $29.99, or $14.99, once you’ve started exchanging them.

Sixty liters of water to about 2029 fluid ounces you can carbonate per canister.

We’ll use the $14.99 price as our baseline because you should only pay the total once when you initially purchase the product.

SodaStream provides carbonated water at a staggeringly low price of $0.007 per fluid ounce.

Off the bat, this should be peaking, grabbing, and thrusting your interest into the arms of SodaStream.

You’ll also save money on disposing of wasted materials.

Because SodaStream is so eco-friendly, you won’t have to worry about purchasing more bottles or throwing away the empty CO2 canisters – SodaStream answers both of those issues.

If you love soda, sparkling water, or flavored sparkling cold water and hate wasting money on unnecessary expenses, this is a great product to get the best bang for your buck while also letting you get creative with your taste buds.

An entire 60-liter SodaStream CO2 cylinder is advertised as providing roughly 60 bottles of sparkling water so you can add flavor.

If you’re making one bottle of sparkling water daily, a regular canister should last between eight and nine weeks.

However, you can use various tips and tricks to help your CO2 cylinder last longer so you can enjoy your refreshments for as long as possible before purchasing another exchange or spare canister.

Use Cold Water. Like, icy water.

This will likely be the most helpful tip you’ll receive in making your SodaStream cylinder last longer and ensuring you can immediately enjoy your carbonated beverage after creating it.

If you weren’t aware, CO2 dissolves the best in essential cold water.

This is why having the coldest water available is essential when creating your sparkling water with a soda maker machine.

If you fail to use cold and room-temperature water, you can be in a world of pain or displeasure.

If the water is at room temperature, you run the risk of a lot of CO2 not being able to dissolve into the water.

This means the gas from the cylinder would then be trapped at the top of the bottle.

Guess what happens when you release excessive CO2 from the top of your bottle?

That’s right, nothing good. You may look at it before your bottle takes flight and pops you right in the eye.

While this isn’t the most likely scenario, you’ll run into it, and it’s a possibility.

Using cold water also means you’ll waste less gas on carbonating water that wouldn’t have been carbonated if you used warmer water.

Allow the CO2 Gas to Settle After Carbonation

Like cold water, letting the gas settle after the carbonation level will help you preserve the carbonation in your beverage.

When you carbonate your drink, you press and release the button in two-second bursts.

Then, you allow a one-second pause between each burst, ensuring that the carbonation is thoroughly mixed with the water.

This is the same concept, except you’ll let the water settle once you’ve carbonated your whole bottle.

Allow the bottle to sit and rest for about a minute before opening your newly-carbonated bottle.

Suppose you don’t allow them time to settle and open the bottle after carbonating it. In that case, you’ll enable much carbonation within the bottle to escape quickly before it can dissolve into the water.

This means your drink will be less fizzy than appropriate, and you’ve just wasted money on unused carbonation.

If you want to save as much of your CO2 cylinder as possible, always allow time for your heavy bottles to settle after carbonation.

Plus, it will make your drink taste better too!

Only Carbonate Water

Carbonating liquids other than water tend to use more CO2 than water.

This may include coffee, alcohol, or juice.

This is because other liquids usually have a higher density when compared to water.

This makes carbonation more complex and will take more CO2 to carbonate your drink fully.

More carbonation equals less in your CO2 cylinder.

Beyond it being bad for your CO2 usage, using a SodaStream machine to carbonate anything other than water will result in SodaStream refusing any replacements if your machine has been damaged.

SodaStream is explicitly made only to be used with water. If you choose to carbonate any other liquid with a SodaStream product, you’ll risk damaging your machine and being left without a paddle on a replacement.

Be sure only to carbonate water in any SodaStream machine in any model. If you don’t, you may regret it and be out of quite a bit of money.

Don’t Overcarbonate Your Drinks

This may be a personal preference.

But, in my opinion, there is such a thing as too much carbonation. It would be best to be mindful of how much fizz you’re putting into your beverage.

Too much may ruin your drink and waste more CO2 than is necessary.

A quick fix for this is to purchase SodaStream’s One Touch Electric soda machine model. The One Touch comes with three levels of fizz, and you can adjust your drinks.

Be mindful of the level you’ve selected and carbonate away.

This will ensure you can get the right amount of fizz for your tastes without ruining your drink or CO2 cylinder.

If you have a different model that doesn’t come with three distinct levels, that’s not a problem.

SodaStream recommends carbonating your water by pressing down on the block or button in two seconds bursts with a one-second pause between each shot.

You can experiment with the number of bursts you incorporate into your drinks to find the perfect level of carbonation to your taste. This will allow you to never spend extra CO2 on a ruined drink.

As a guiding principle, SodaStream recommends using four two-second bursts to flavor your sparkling water.

However, they recommend never going above five bursts in total. If you do, you risk over-carbonating your drink and having excess CO2 in your bottle that won’t correctly dissolve into the water.

Try playing around with the different amounts of carbonation in your drink to make the most of your CO2 cylinder.

Preserving, exchanging, and keeping spares of your CO2 cylinder is a great idea. However, it’s useless if you’re not adequately protecting your soda machine.

Here are some tips and tricks to preserve your soda machine for years.

It Needs To Be Said Twice – ONLY Carbonate Water

This was discussed previously, but it’s a common misconception that you can carbonate drinks other than water.

While it is possible to carbonate other drinks, you should never do it with a SodaStream machine.

You can damage your machine by introducing sticky materials, such as sugar. Plus, you’ll invalidate any returns on your SodaStream product.

Be safe; only carbonate water. Even if carbonated coffee sounds like a good time, it isn’t worth it.

Only Exchange/Refill Your CO2 Cylinders From SodaStream or Licensed Retailers

SodaStream consumers commonly try to save money by refilling their CO2 cylinders or through a local, unlicensed dealer, and this is a big no-no for several reasons.

Firstly, SodaStream uses a licensed carbonator cylinder filled with beverage-grade CO2 and complies with exacting FDA standards for food and beverage safety.

If you go to a local filling station, chances are they don’t meet these standards. This means you could introduce toxins into your CO2 – and thus, into your drinks.

Beyond the health risks, using an unauthorized filling machine may cause damage to the carbonator.

If you’ve damaged your carbonator, be warned SodaStream will not accept any of them for return or Cylinder Exchange.

Finally, using any filling station for your CO2 cylinder that SodaStream doesn’t authorize also violates the User License that comes with the product.

That means your three-year warranty has just gone out the window.

If you’re an intelligent consumer interested in preserving their soda machine’s life for as long as possible, never exchange or refill your CO2 cylinders from anyone other than SodaStream or a licensed retailer.

Don’t fret; that doesn’t mean you don’t have any options for exchanges and refills.

You’ll find a long VIP list of retailers that are more than likely in your area listed above.

Many retailers sell SodaStream products and exchanges from Walmart to Target to Bed Bath Beyond.

Finding someone that isn’t a local filling station shouldn’t be a problem.

In a worst-case scenario, you can also easily exchange your canisters via the mail. SodaStream’s Co2 exchange services should never leave you without access to a new CO2 cylinder.

This is what you need to do the refill at home– enjoy!