The machine is the cheap part. SodaStream's real cost is the CO2 cylinders - and the gas exchange scheme is where you save or overspend.
SodaStream is the dominant home fizzy-drinks brand in the UK, sold through Argos, Currys, John Lewis, supermarkets, Amazon and its own site. The machine price is only the start: the ongoing cost lives in the CO2 gas cylinders and any flavour syrups. Understanding the cylinder exchange scheme - swapping an empty for a refilled one at a discount versus buying new - is the key to knowing what your sparkling water actually costs per litre.
| What you're buying | Typical price | How SodaStream compares |
|---|---|---|
| Entry machine (e.g. Terra / Gaia bundle) | £50 - £80 | Often discounted in bundles with a cylinder and bottle; rarely worth paying full RRP. |
| Premium machine (Art / Duo, metal finish) | £100 - £180 | Higher-end styling and features; the machine is still the smallest part of lifetime cost. |
| CO2 cylinder - first purchase (new) | £25 - £35 | Buying a brand-new cylinder is the dear way; the exchange scheme is much cheaper thereafter. |
| CO2 cylinder - gas exchange (swap empty) | ~£10 - £18 per refill | The crucial running cost - swapping empties is far cheaper than buying new each time. |
| Flavour syrups / drops | £3 - £7 each | Optional; plain sparkling water needs none, so syrups are where costs creep up if you let them. |
| Spare / extra bottles (BPA-free, dishwasher) | £8 - £15 each | Bottles have a use-by date; buy spares only as needed, and check pack deals. |
Think of SodaStream as a razor-and-blades model: the machine is sold cheaply (and heavily bundled), while the recurring revenue comes from CO2 cylinders. A new cylinder costs noticeably more than a refill, so the scheme that matters is gas exchange - you return an empty cylinder and pay a reduced price for a refilled one, at supermarkets, Argos, Currys and other partners. Once you're in the exchange loop, the per-cylinder cost drops and your cost per litre of sparkling water becomes genuinely low.
Crucially, you don't have to buy SodaStream syrups at all. Plain carbonated water needs only gas and water, so the cylinder is the only true running cost for many users. Syrups, fruit drops and flavour add-ons are optional extras that inflate the bill if treated as standard, so deciding upfront whether you want flavours changes the maths a lot.
On plain sparkling water, SodaStream is cheap over time. Spread across the litres a refilled cylinder carbonates, the cost per litre undercuts buying bottled sparkling water, with the added benefit of cutting plastic. The machine pays for itself relatively quickly for households that drink a lot of fizzy water.
It's less cheap if you rely on the branded syrups or keep buying new cylinders instead of exchanging them. Buying gas new every time, or treating flavour drops as essential, erodes the saving. The economics also only work if you actually use it - an occasionally-used machine never recoups its cost.
To judge value, divide the exchange-cylinder price by the litres it carbonates, add the cost of water (negligible) and any syrup you choose, and compare that against bottled sparkling water per litre. For most regular users on the exchange scheme, the home cost wins comfortably.
Because machine bundles and cylinder prices vary so much between retailers, comparing the exact bundle and the gas-exchange price across Argos, Currys, John Lewis, supermarkets and Amazon before buying is worth doing - FindPrices can line those up for you. Buy the machine in a bundle deal, get into the exchange habit early, and skip new-cylinder purchases after the first.
FindPrices compares the exact product across retailers while you shop, so you only pay full price when it really is the best price.
Compare Pricing Now - It's FreeIt's a razor-and-blades model: machines are sold cheaply and bundled to get you started, while the recurring cost is the CO2 cylinders. Using the gas-exchange scheme keeps that running cost low, which is what makes the whole system good value over time.
Through the gas-exchange scheme - swapping an empty for a refilled cylinder - refills typically cost a good deal less than a brand-new cylinder. Exact prices vary by retailer, so it's worth comparing exchange prices at supermarkets, Argos and Currys.
For regular users on the exchange scheme, usually yes. Spread over the litres a cylinder carbonates, the per-litre cost of plain sparkling water comes in below bottled, with less plastic. The saving shrinks if you buy syrups or new cylinders rather than exchanging.
No. Plain carbonated water needs only gas and water, so syrups are entirely optional. Skipping them keeps your only running cost the cylinder, which is also the cheapest way to use the machine.
It varies by deal, since machines are sold across Argos, Currys, John Lewis, supermarkets, Amazon and the brand's own site. Bundles on offer usually beat buying the machine alone at RRP, so compare bundle prices and the local gas-exchange cost before committing.
Discounts cluster around Black Friday, Christmas and January, when bundles are common, and supermarkets run their own promotions through the year. Because the machine is the smallest part of lifetime cost, the bigger long-run saving still comes from exchanging cylinders rather than buying them new.
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