Budgeting: Is a soda maker worth it? Cost per litre and payback
Is a soda maker worth it? It can be if you drink a lot of sparkling water, since homemade fizzy water costs less per litre than bottles, and in a worked example a soda maker pays for itself in about a year.
By Wealtie Team · 3 min read
Key takeaways
- A soda maker can be worth it if you drink a lot of sparkling water.
- In a worked example, homemade fizzy water costs about 0.25 a litre against 0.60 for bottles.
- Drinking a litre a day, a soda maker pays for itself in about a year.
- Flavour syrups and gas refills are the ongoing costs.
Is a soda maker worth it?
For people who drink a lot of sparkling water, it often is. A soda maker adds fizz to tap water using a gas cylinder, so you don't have to buy and carry bottles. Homemade sparkling water costs less per litre than bottled, and you save on the hassle of lugging heavy packs home and recycling all those bottles. If you only drink sparkling water now and then, the savings are small, and the machine may end up gathering dust.
Flavoured drinks are possible too, using syrups, but they cost more per litre than plain fizzy water.
Some people find a soda maker helps them drink more water and fewer sugary drinks, because sparkling water feels more like a treat. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a few slices of cucumber, adds flavour for very little. If it replaces cans of fizzy drinks, the savings can be much larger than the comparison with bottled water suggests.
There's a practical benefit too. Carrying multipacks of bottles home from the shop is heavy work, and they take up space in cupboards and recycling bins. A soda maker and a couple of reusable bottles take up less room and mean you never run out. For households that drink a lot of sparkling water, that convenience is often what keeps the machine in daily use, and daily use is what makes it pay.
Tap water quality matters for taste. If you don't like the taste of your tap water, a filter jug can help, though it adds a small extra cost per litre.
How much does a soda maker save?
Here's a worked example of the cost per litre, in round numbers that work in any currency:
| Option | Cost per litre |
|---|---|
| Bottled sparkling water | 0.60 |
| Soda maker | 0.25 |
The soda maker figure covers gas refills. Drinking a litre a day, you'd save about 0.35 a day, or about 125 a year. A soda maker costing 100 would pay for itself in about a year, and after that the savings continue. Drinking less brings slower payback.
What are the costs of a soda maker?
The machine
Basic models are affordable and work well. Pricier ones look nicer or have automatic settings, but don't make cheaper water. Make sure the machine uses a cylinder type that's easy to exchange where you live, since some cylinders only fit certain brands and are harder to find.
Gas refills
Gas cylinders are the main ongoing cost. Many brands offer exchange schemes, where you swap an empty cylinder for a full one at a lower price than buying new. Check where you can exchange cylinders before buying a machine. If the nearest exchange point is far away, the savings shrink once you count the trips, though some brands offer exchange by post.
Bottles
Machines come with reusable bottles, which need replacing every few years.
Flavours
Syrups add flavour but also cost. Natural flavourings like lemon, lime or a splash of juice are often cheaper.
Who gets the most from a soda maker?
People who drink sparkling water every day, families who go through several bottles a week and anyone wanting to cut down on plastic bottles get the most value. It's also handy for people who find carrying heavy drinks home difficult. If you mostly drink still tap water or rarely buy fizzy drinks, it won't save much.
How can you make it pay off faster?
Use the machine daily, exchange gas cylinders rather than buying new, and flavour water with fruit instead of syrups. Buy a basic model, or a second-hand one, rather than paying extra for looks. Keep the bottles clean so they last longer. How to save money on groceries covers other ways to cut drinks and food costs.
Work out the cost per use
Divide the machine's price by how many litres you'll make. A soda maker used every day is cheap per litre. One used occasionally may never pay back. Cost per use explains the idea, and is a coffee machine worth it? shows the same thinking for another kitchen gadget. How to save money on household essentials has more ways to trim regular spending.
How do you track drinks spending in Wealtie?
Keep groceries in their own expense categories and set a monthly budget. Comparing a few months before and after buying a soda maker shows whether it's cutting what you spend.
Questions people ask
It can be if you drink a lot of sparkling water. In a worked example, drinking a litre a day, it pays for itself in about a year.
In a worked example, about 0.25 a litre for gas refills, compared with 0.60 for bottled sparkling water.
Gas refills, replacement bottles every few years and flavour syrups if you use them.
Exchange gas cylinders instead of buying new and flavour water with fruit instead of syrups.
This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Your situation is your own; check the numbers that apply to you before you act on them.
