Join the Soda-Club

It's time to get a little gassy

By Christine Liu

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This thing arrived in a box approximately the size of a small child. At first I was kind of skeptical—a carbonation machine to make homemade seltzer? These kinds of doodads have been around forever ... what century is this? After unpacking the lot, including the "Edition 1" Soda-Club machine, the bottles of carbon dioxide, some carbonating bottles and approximately a zillion little flavoring options, we declared war against still water and went on a gassing spree.

For those who really crave bubbly stuff, it's clear how this contraption is a better deal for the earth than buying plastic bottles of carbonated beverages from convenience stores and elsewhere. In the homemade case, each carbonating bottle (you get two in the basic setup) can be used for up to three years before replacement. The accompanying hermetically-sealing bottle caps are designed to maintain fizz longer. And through the glorious magic of nature and engineering, the carbonation mechanism works without batteries or electricity.

It's a bit jolting to infuse CO2 into water—there's button-pressing, unseemly whooshes and this alarming squelched beep that tracks your bubble intensity—but lo and behold, there be your seltzer. The add-in flavors weren't really a hit (imagine drinking off-brand soda), but with some drops of fresh lemon juice you're probably best on your burpy way.

[$79.99–$299.99. 800.763.2258. sodaclubusa.com]