Sodastream Jet Starter Kit

by SodaStream

Product Features

• Enjoy freshly made, great tasting sparkling water/seltzer in less than 30 seconds with no mess
• Starter kit includes SodaStream Jet soda maker in black/silver, one carbonator (good for making up to 60L of soda), and one BPA-free plastic bottle
• Requires no electricity or batteries--great for using in RVs and boats
• Reusable carbonating bottles last for three years with hermetically sealed caps to keep drinks fresh and fizzy
• This item is not for sale in Catalina Island

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 17 inches ; 5.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001KYT6CS
• Item model number: 1012112014
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (318 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #427 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)
  • #2 in Kitchen & Dining > Bar Tools & Glasses > Seltzer Bottles & Chargers

Product Description

Color: Black/Silver

Amazon.com Product Description

With the SodaStream Jet Starter Kit, you've got everything you need to turn tap water into sparkling water in 30 seconds--saves your money. This black/silver SodaStream Jet soda maker comes with one CO2 cylinder that will make up to 60 liters of sparkling water. With no batteries or electricity, you can use your soda maker in your kitchen, outdoors on your patio or deck, or on your boat or R.V.

In addition to making fizzy water, SodaStream also offers more than 25 regular, diet, energy and caffeine-free flavors of syrup (sold separately). Each 500ml soda mix bottle makes the equivalent of 12 liters of soda (about 33 cans). And with over 25 flavors, the possibilities for creative beverages are limited only by your imagination. How about a Creamsicle (Orange and Cream Soda), or a Japanese Beetle (Ginger Ale and Lemon-Lime)? The regular soda mixes contain no high fructose corn syrup, while the diet soda mixes contain no aspartame.

The benefits of the SodaStream drinks maker, compared to ready made bottled drinks:

• Provides an endless supply of sparkling water, freshly made from tap water in just a few seconds.
• No more need to buy, carry or store large quantities of heavy and bulky bottles.
• A wide variety of flavors are produced by SodaStream.
• The ability to make sparkling water as strong or as weak as one likes, makes the machine an ideal solution for the family's entire sparkling beverage needs.

The SodaStream Jet Starter Kit bundles the soda maker with one 60L carbonator and a carbonating bottle.

The Jet soda maker carbonates water in a BPA-free, reusable one-liter bottle in less than 30 seconds, without electricity or batteries, and with no clean-up. After loading the carbonator into the soda-maker, fill the bottle with regular tap or filtered water and place it in the soda maker. Just pump the button a few times to add the fizz and in seconds you will have a liter of fresh, tasty soda or sparkling water in a resealable bottle that stores compactly in your fridge.

When the CO2 carbonator is empty, you can visit the SodaStream web site to purchase a new CO2 cylinder as well as set up a cylinder exchange, which helps to eliminate waste. SodaStream collects your empty cylinder and returns it to our filling facility where it's cleaned, inspected and refilled.

The SodaStream Jet measures 16.7 by 5.3 by 7.9 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 2.58 pounds.

How Does SodaStream Help the Environment?
SodaStream is an "Active Green" company, meaning that consumers actively minimize their CO2 footprint when using the SodaStream system. The more the system is used on a daily basis, the more CO2 footprint the user actively saves. This differs from "Passive Green" brands, which use green-friendly production processes, but their products are not inherently helping you save on your daily footprint.

Because SodaStream uses water straight from the tap, the system makes traditional store-bought beverage bottles obsolete. That means, less plastic manufactured, less plastic waste and less transport of bottled beverages. Globally, 206 billion liters of bottled water were consumed in 2008 (Zenith International Global Bottled Water Report, 2008), and the energy required to make water bottles just in the US is equivalent to 17 million barrels of oil (Container Recycling Institute, 2002).

A family of four could slash their home soft-drink-related packaging usage by over 90 percent simply by using a SodaStream soda maker, and SodaStream's plastic carbonating bottle are reusable for up to three years. A typical American will toss away over 1500 aluminum cans (and/or hundreds of plastic 2-liter bottles) over three years, while a SodaStream owner will use just one carbonating bottle or carafe that come with the home soda maker.

Operating without batteries or electricity, SodaStream home soda makers are highly energy-efficient small appliances. Appliances that work without electricity improve the environment by cutting down on the emissions generated by electrical plants, giving us cleaner air and ground water.

By operating completely on power supplied by the compressed air in the carbonator--an easily renewable fuel source--SodaStream does not contribute to environmental pollution made by batteries. Empty carbonators are returned to SodaStream to be cleaned, inspected and refilled with CO2 drawn naturally from the air. Carbonators are reusable as long as they remain in good condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I carbonate drinks other than water?
No. Only water should be carbonated in the SodaStream home soda maker. You risk damaging your soda maker, not to mention making a big fizzy mess. The money-back guarantee and the warranty are both invalidated if you carbonate any liquid other than water in your soda maker.

Why does the carbonating bottle have an expiration date?
Since the bottle has to withstand recurring pressure from carbonation, it cannot be used forever. The expiration date on the bottle must be checked and new bottles purchased as soon as the former expires. The bottles must also be replaced if put in the dishwasher, exposed to a heat source, or if they have become scratched. All components of carbonating bottles are recyclable. Check with your local recycling authority for more information.

How do I clean my carbonating bottles?
Carbonating bottles may be cleaned in warm water with a bottle brush and regular dish-washing liquid if necessary. Please do not place carbonating bottles in the dishwasher, as exposure to extreme heat can weaken the integrity of the bottles. Bottles stay cleanest when rinsed and then immediately filled with fresh water and returned to your refrigerator. Plus, you'll always have cold water on hand when you're ready for your next bottle of soda.

How long does the soda last before going flat?
The hermetic seal on the cap keeps your soda from going flat as quickly as ordinary store-bought beverages. If you make sure to close the cap tightly, and keep the bottle in the refrigerator, your SodaStream soda should remain fizzy and fresh for over a week.

How often will I have to replace my carbonator?
On average, the carbonator will make 60 liters of soda, and this number could be more or less depending on the amount of carbonation used when making your drink. A household of four soda drinkers might need to replace a 60-liter carbonator every 6-8 weeks, depending on usage.

Are SodaStream products kosher?
SodaStream products are kosher (OU) certified (OU kosher certificate). SodaStream seltzer is kosher for Passover (OUP). Also, please note that your home drink smaker can be used on the Sabbath.

Product Description

Now soda and seltzer lovers can enjoy a bevy of fizzy flavors at home while reducing their environmental impact. SodaStream, the world leader in make-your-own soda has introduced The Jet. This soda maker carbonates water in a BPA-free, reusable one-liter bottle in less than 30 seconds, without electricity or batteries, and with no clean-up. After loading the carbonator into the soda-maker, fill the bottle with regular tap or filtered water and place it in the soda maker. Just pump the button a few times to add the fizz and in seconds you will have a liter of fresh, tasty soda or sparkling water in a resealable bottle that stores compactly in your fridge. Each carbonator bottle has enough CO2 to carbonate up to 60 liters. Hermetically-sealed caps keep drinks fresh and fizzy much longer than store-bought bottles. With over 25 regular, diet, and caffeine free flavors of syrup (sold separately), there will be a flavor for everyone. With a SodaStream home soda maker, you’ll enjoy freshly made, great tasting seltzer and soda in just seconds and you’ll be helping our environment by drastically reducing waste from store-bought cans and bottles. With no batteries or electricity, you can use your soda maker in your kitchen, outdoors on your patio or deck, or on your boat or R.V. Simple sleek and easy to use, you’ll transform ordinary water into the freshest and best-tasting seltzer and soda anytime. The Jet starter kit includes: Soda Maker; 1 60L CO2 cylinder; and plastic carbonating bottle. When CO2 carbonator is empty please visit Sodastream.com to set up a cylinder exchange or view the closest cylinder exchange dealer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

348 of 357 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Love this product - no more hauling 2-liter soda bottles around, March 11, 2010

By 

V. Lapato - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sodastream Jet Starter Kit (Kitchen)

We love the Sodastream machine and all the soda flavorings.

We live in a small condo with a long walk to our unit, and we got the Sodastream mainly to cut down on the number of plastic bottles we were hauling in and out of the place. Also, my husband drinks a lot of diet soda, and the sodium isn't good for his high blood pressure. The Sodastream diet syrups are low sodium or sodium-free, and they're sweetened with sucralose instead of aspertame (which some people think is healthier). For those who don't drink diet drinks, the non-diet syrups are sweetened with a cane sugar-and-sucralose mix, instead of high fructose corn syrup, so they're much lower in calories than name brand sodas.

The Sodastream has been great for our purposes. I have a lot fewer grocery bags to haul up the stairs every week, and a lot less recycling to carry out to the bins. We make soda as we need it, in whatever flavor we're in the mood for, so we can have a lot of flavor choices without having a lot of extra bottles sitting around. The water comes out perfectly fizzy if you follow the directions, and we've been very happy with the flavors. My favorites are the lemon lime, grapefruit, and cranberry. My husband likes the diet cola and ginger ale. Best of all, we never "run out" of soda. If we open the fridge and there's none in there, we simply make more.

Before we bought this product, I read a few consumer reviews that made me worry a little about the availability of CO2 refills and flavor syrups. For most people, this won't be a problem. You can simply order the CO2 canisters and flavors online, leave the empty CO2 canisters on your doorstep, and a messenger will drop by to pick up the empties and deliver your supplies.

Unfortunately, the messenger system can be a bit of a problem for those of us who live in security buildings, or in areas where it's not safe to leave things on the doorstep. Sodastream doesn't give you an estimated delivery date or a way to track your package. The messenger tends to show up at unpredictable times, day or night. The guy who delivers in our area is not too bright and speaks very little English. Twice he's been unable to follow the directions posted on the security system in our lobby so that we could buzz him in.

Fortunately, you can just exchange your CO2 canisters at Williams & Sonoma and Sur La Table stores. (And they last a long time, so you don't have to do it very often.) Unfortunately, the same is not true of the flavor syrups. Brick-and-mortar stores carry a very limited variety of flavors, so unless you only want a couple of basic flavors, you still have to order refills from Sodastream (and deal with their messenger service). But again, for the vast majority of people, this won't be as much of a hassle as it is for us.

A number of people have complained that the cost savings of the Sodastream are greatly exaggerated by the company. That might be true. If you're really pinching pennies, you can certainly make carbonated water on the cheap with some supplies from a home brewing store. But if you don't have the space for a DIY setup and don't want your kitchen to look like a science lab, the Sodastream is a simple, easy alternative.

One more tip, for those of you who are deciding which model to buy - we originally liked the more expensive "Penguin" model, because it looks more stylish on the countertop, and it uses fancy glass carafes. But then we realized that if we wanted to make soda and take it somewhere (to work, in the car, on picnics, camping, etc.), the plastic 1-liter bottles were much more practical. It's something to consider, especially if you want to break the habit of spending money on soda at the vending machines at work.

1,380 of 1,471 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware gas refill costs and restrictions, June 26, 2009

By 

Dr. J. A. Walls - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: SodaStream Jet Starter Kit, White (Kitchen)

Beware the real total cost of ownership when buying this product.

These are great in the UK, where you can buy the gas refills (actually exchanges) in many supermarkets for not much money. However, in the US there are pitifully few outlets for the refills (Williams Sonoma and Camping World) and as such they are always out of stock. Because these gas cylinders have a proprietary fitting and anti-refill valve on them, they cannot be refilled at paintball, welding, or homebrew stores, so your only option is to mail them to Sodastream and obtain refills from the manufacturer directly. This adds up very quickly, and there is simply no way you can achieve the 20c per liter carbonation they claim here. The cheapest refills available from the manufacturer today are 3x14.5oz cylinders for $39 + $10 shipping = 41c/l. But since you have to have 3 cylinders first, you have to buy 3 more first (another $75 + $10 shipping), and these are their SALE prices.

It's an interesting novelty and the kids love it, but when the first gas cylinder runs out, the soda cans on the supermarket shelves are going to look really tempting again. It's a shame, here's another great idea marred by poor execution. I can't see that there is anything 'green' about burning up so much in shipping heavy cylinders back and forth across the country.

161 of 168 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good machine, but the flavors are what matter, December 11, 2009

By 

S. M. Baker (Tucson, Az USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sodastream Jet Starter Kit (Kitchen)

Let's start off with the hardware. The machine is mostly plastic, but it appears durable. I'm a great abuser of products and I haven't managed to break anything on it yet. The bottles are of above-average plastic thickness, so they'll probably last as long as the company claims they will. The CO2 canisters are well made and the only disadvantage is that they're proprietary and need to be send back to Soda Club for refill. Use of the machine is so easy that it's trivial -- screw on a bottle filled with water, press the button, wait for a buzzing noise from the relief valve. It doesn't get any simpler than that. No electricity required and no mess to clean up. In short the hardware is a 100% win.

Now we get to the software (or maybe I ought to call it "softdrinkware"). In order to make soda / pop / "soft drinks", you need to use syrup which the company calls "soda mix". The company sells a variety of soda mixes in both regular and diet forms. As many people have noted, the regular mixes are actually hybrid mixes with 2/3 artificial sweetener and 1/3 real sugar. That's a real shame as choice has been taken away from the consumer in favor of a perceived health benefit by those who think they know better than you. My initial order contain five regular mixes: Cola, Orange, Grape, Root Beer, and Pete's Choice. Let's walk through them from best to worst.

Pete's Choice and Root Beer were both excellent. Pete's choice tastes like Dr. Pepper. Both of these mixes tasted as good or better than store-bought soda. There was no annoying aftertaste from the artificial sweetener. I'd highly recommend them and I expect that most of my refills are going to be these two flavors.

Orange and grape .... not so much. Fruit flavors demand a certain sweetness to taste right, and it just isn't there. The annoying artifical sweetener aftertaste is prominant among these two flavors although it's tolerable. They also don't taste that orange-ish or that grape-ish. I might try mixing the syrup in at double the amount next time to see if I can raise the sweetness and strength of flavor while hopefully not ramping up the aftertaste. I'm skeptical.

And then there's the cola mix. This has to be one of the foulest concoctions I have ever had the misfortune of drinking. It doesn't taste like regular cola. It doesn't taste like diet cola. The artificial sweetener aftertaste is overwhelming. It kind of tastes like the old diet sodas that would spoil after sitting on the shelf for 5 years. If I didn't know better, I'd think they'd mixed in some of that chemical is in cough syrup that makes you gag when you put it in your mouth.

In summary, I really like the machine itself. I'd have given it 5 stars were it not for the flavors. The cola flavor was so bad that it deserved taking two stars off my review. The orange and grape flavors were mediocre and between the two of them it deserved the loss of another star. The bottom line is that this is a product that you'll be drinking and it needs to taste good.

Updated (2/17/2010) - I've had a chance to try out a few more flavors and I've found that I really like the 'Fountain Mist' and 'Lemon Lime'. The 'Energy Drink' tastes quite similar to red bull. I've bumped up my review an extra star to cover the new flavors that I actually enjoy! Still can't stand that cola flavor though, which is rather unfortunate. I'm on my third CO2 cylinder now, and have given the machine a lot of use. It's holding up well.

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