Looking for a way to make soda at home - without the bitter taste of occupation? Don't buy SodaStream - their machines are manufactured in an illegal Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank.
There are plenty of good alternatives. For instance, the Primo Flavorstation [1] soda makers are relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to find. Their manufacturer, Primo Water Corporation, is a publicly traded company whose main business is selling bottled water and water dispensers for use in homes and offices. The Flavorstation appliances are made in China, their CO2 canisters in Taiwan, and the syrups in the United States. Primo has an alliance since 2011 with Sparkling Drink Systems - Innovation Center, a small Israeli company formed in 2009 by former SodaStream executives. However, its factory is in China, and according to researchers at whoprofits.org [2], its only facilities in Israel are business offices in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv.
At this writing (August 2012), Primo Water Corporation offers two models of soda maker: the Flavorstation 100 ($69.99) and the Flavorstation 120 ($79.99). The main functional difference between them is that the Flavorstation 100 is designed for "single-serve" half-liter bottles, while the Flavorstation 120 uses one-liter bottles. The newer 120 model also adds several new features, such as a dial that allows you to choose what size bubbles you want in your beverage.
The Flavorstation 100 is sold at Lowe's home stores - there are 1,745 in North America, so there's probably one not far from you. It's also available through Primo's online store [3]. At this writing, the Flavorstation 120 seems to be available only at Amazon.com. All of these outlets also sell Flavorstation accessories - extra water bottles, spare CO2 cartridges (though the cartridge included with each appliances is refillable), and flavor syrups.
Other options:
• Precious Products LLC of Garland, Texas (www.sodamakerusa.com [4]) markets a $90 soda-making appliance called the Italia, made by Mr. Butler’s [5] in Kerala, India. Unfortunately however, Precious Products markets flavorings from SodaClub, the parent company of SodaStream, for use with the Italia.
• Several companies, including iSi, Liss, Mosa, Mr. Fizz, and Whip-It, make “soda siphons,” the modern equivalent of the old-fashioned seltzer bottle. The siphons are bottles or pitchers made of stainless steel, aluminum, or reinforced glass with a small CO2 charger attached. They are available, generally at prices between $40 and $80, on Amazon and other online retailers, as well as at Sur La Table and other kitchen stores. One disadvantage is that the small CO2 cartridges are single-use - you need a new one each time you refill the siphon, and they are not refillable. (Online, packages of 100 standard chargers start at about $35.)
• If you want a lower-cost, U.S.-made alternative, consider the Fizz-Giz, a kit developed by a North Carolina tinkerer named Mike Harvell (a.k.a. Mr. Fizz). It consists of a banana-shaped charger "wand" and two special bottle caps, plus one single-use CO2 charger. You fill your own bottle (you can reuse a standard store-bought soda bottle), screw on one of the Fizz-Giz caps, put a CO2 cartridge into the wand, then insert the wand through the bottle cap and carbonate your beverage. The product sells for $28.75 on the Fizz-Giz [6] site or $34.95 on Amazon (plus shipping in both cases).
• If you are so inclined, you can build your own carbonation system. Fizz-Giz's Harvell has posted links to several sites that offer detailed instructions - go here [7] and scroll down to “DIY References and Sources.”
• In a few places you can still get locally-made seltzer water delivered directly to your doorstep. In New York the Gomberg Seltzer Works [8] in Canarsie, Brooklyn, supplies several home-delivery men. In California the Seltzer Sisters [9] of Redwood City deliver throughout the Bay Area. And there are similar services in Toronto, Vienna, and Argentina.
Warning: iSi Twist'n'Sparkle recalled
Earlier versions of this page recommended a product from iSi called the Twist'n'Sparkle system, which consisted of a plastic bottle and a "wand" that held a single-use CO2 cartridge. Unfortunately, the product has been recalled [10] and owners are instructed to stop using it immediately because, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission [11], "The plastic bottles can explode under pressure, expelling plastic parts, resulting in an injury hazard to anyone nearby." For more information or return instructions, call 800-645-3595.