Your SodaStream Is Due for a Serious Upgrade
Aarke sparkling water maker.
Photographer: Will Anderson for Bloomberg Businessweek; Prop stylist: Gozde Eker
Most home carbonating machines are similar in their basic function. The $199 Aarke sparkling water maker, released in late 2016, occupies a unique position because of its stainless-steel construction and its small countertop footprint—just 6 inches deep, it’s both taller and slimmer than other options. Its distinguishing feature, though, is a sleekly designed lever, instead of push buttons, that activates the CO2 tank. Pull it down to add bubbles; let it go, and it releases the pressure in the bottle. It’s as simple as turning on a faucet.
SodaStream is the biggest name in the market and works admirably well. The $150 Power, from design guru Yves Béhar, has push-button activation. The $199 KitchenAid, also made by SodaStream, uses a similar lever-activated system, but in a more vintage guise. ISi’s Soda Siphon, at $99, is a water carbonator for those on the go; its tiny 1-liter CO2 tanks are less suited for a family with a full kitchen.