The water bubbler Aarke Carbonator III convinces at first sight with its minimalist design. Easily breakable plastic elements were deliberately avoided. Just like its predecessor, everything you can touch on the bubbler is made of high-quality metal. The device is correspondingly safe and stable on the kitchen worktop. Rubberised feet also secure against slipping. The scope of delivery consists only of the bubbler itself, a grid for the drip tray and a bottle with a lid. You can get the right CO2 cylinder in almost every supermarket or drugstore. High-quality Feel of the Water Bubbler Swedish company Aarke’s carbonators combine expert craftsmanship with elegant design. Sleek and stylish, Aarke soda makers are as practical as they are pretty, delivering perfect sparkling water in less than ten seconds while adding a touch of class to any home. A glamorous addition to a home bar or kitchen countertop, Aarke carbonators do away with the need to lug heavy bottles of sparkling water home from the shops. And with a range of flavours available, you can create delicious sparkling drinks in the comfort of your own home. Let the bubbles begin CO2 canister included: If purchasing from a brand abroad, current import regulations may mean a canister cannot be delivered alongside the sparkling water maker. It’s worth being aware of this. Easily removable base: Gas canisters screw in and should be easily accessible for removing after. Some makers have removable bases that require a screwdriver to release.

SodaStream and other sparkling water gas cylinders all claim to make 60 litres of sparkling water, but this will vary depending on how fizzy you like your beverages. Build quality We give a final rating for how sturdy it feels and how good it looks on a kitchen countertop.Aarke brings together a minimalist aesthetic and innovative technology. The brand was founded in 2013 by industrial designers Carl Ljungh and Jonas Groth, who were on a mission to create household appliances of superior quality that were also visually pleasing. Fast forward to today, and the Swedish design company is doing just that. Developed to work perfectly with Aarke carbonators, the brand’s Flavour Drops come in a variety of flavours, like sweet Wild Strawberry and refreshing Cucumber and Lime. Sugar free and made with natural flavourings, just add five drops of Aarke flavouring to a glass of freshly carbonated water and enjoy. Each 50ml recyclable bottle of Flavour Drops makes up to 40 litres of flavoured fizzy water, so you can save on those trips to the shops. Accessory appeal Number of BPA-free bottles included: Most will offer a one-litre bottle in the box with a maximum fill capacity of 850ml. But some brands like Aarke and Mysoda offer two, making life easier if you’re pre-chilling or want some on the go or for families. Aarke soda makers are designed to be easy to use. Just insert a CO2 cylinder into the tower, add tap water up to the fill line of your carbonation bottle and screw it into the machine. Push the stainless steel lever down until you hear a buzz, then release the lever, unscrew the bottle and seal it. Canisters of CO2 are available separately and Aarke carbonators are compatible with the 60-litre SodaStream gas cylinders we sell online, and the recycled canisters we sell in store. Built to last Fizzability We rate each machine for how easy it is to get to a good level of fizziness compared with bottled sparkling water.

We select the most popular sparkling water makers from UK retailers – including SodaStreams and other brands – and put them through a series of tests. We buy all the products we test. Each sparkling water maker is assessed on the following: Ease of setup We analyse how easy it is to set up the sparkling water maker, including inserting the CO2 cylinder and water bottle.Ease of use We make sparkling water in each machine, rating it for how simple it is to fizz the water. The bottles are made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which can be recycled along with the other recyclable plastics in your household. If you're concerned about how many plastic bottles you get through when buying sparkling water from the supermarket, you'll see a huge reduction in plastic waste through using products such as SodaStream. The three-year lifecycle gives SodaStream bottles a far smaller carbon footprint than buying bottled sparkling water every week. The SodaStream bottles themselves won't last forever, as subjecting them to repeated use as pressurised containers over a long period of time causes inevitable wear and tear. This means you'll need to replace the bottles after roughly three years.

The third generation of Aarke’s soda maker is even more efficient than its predecessors. The precisely tuned carbonation system ensures the perfect bubble size while keeping CO2 use to a minimum, so each gas cylinder lasts longer, and models are now fitted with even higher quality sustainable parts to withstand the test of time. The pressure release valve has been updated for a quieter, more refined sound and the interior tech has been modified for a more controlled release of pressure, too. All of this combines to give you an effortless experience every time you use your Aarke carbonator. Sleek style Take the Aarke carbonator, for example. Setting one of these sleek devices on your counter turns keeping hydrated into an indulgent affair. Inspired by iconic Italian espresso machines, the carbonator is expertly constructed from sturdy stainless steel and fitted with top-notch safety valves. Just switch it on to infuse your H2O with invigorating bubbles in a few seconds. Use-by date on the bottles: Carbonating water requires gas regulator valves to be set around 55PSI, which in turn needs bottles that can withstand the pressure. The majority will have a two-year lifespan before needing to be replaced. For example, if you used your SodaStream to make 4 litres of sparkling water a week for that three-year lifecycle, you'd recycle two bottles instead of approximately 312 that you'd buy from the supermarket.