Buumin 001 Soda Maker: Full Review

The Buumin 001 is an at-home soda maker that allows you to create fresh sparkling water and soda at home. This portable soda maker comes with everything you need to make fizzy beverages including the carbonator, CO2 cartridges, and reusable BPA-free bottles.

In this review, we will take an in-depth look at the features and performance of the Buumin 001 soda maker. Key factors we will cover include the sleek design, ease of use, carbonation, flavor options, fizz factor, taste, convenience, and value. We'll also discuss some of the downsides of the Buumin 001 and provide our final verdict on whether or not this soda maker is worth purchasing for at-home use.

Design

The Buumin soda maker has a sleek and modern design perfect for any kitchen counter. It is made of high-quality aluminum with accents of black plastic, giving it a lightweight yet durable feel. Weighing in at just 2.2 pounds, the soda maker itself is quite portable and easy to store away or bring to parties and gatherings.

Despite its small footprint (10.5 x 5.5 x 10.5 inches), the soda maker does not compromise on carbonation power. The ability to make up to 60 liters of sparkling water on one CO2 cylinder means you won't have to swap out cartridges too frequently.

The soda maker comes in a stylish black colorway that looks great in any home. With its compact, portable size and attractive design, the Buumin soda maker adds both form and function to your kitchen.

Ease of Use

The Buumin 001 soda maker is designed for convenient use and easy maintenance. Setting up the unit is straightforward - just add water to the marked fill line, attach a CO2 cartridge, and press the button to carbonate. The carbonation process takes about 2 minutes, and produces bubbly soda water ready for flavoring.

Cleaning the Buumin after use is simple. Just rinse out the bottle with water, disassemble the soda cap, and hand wash the parts with soap and water. The company recommends replacing the CO2 cartridges after each use to maintain optimal carbonation, and the cartridges are widely available.

Overall, the soda maker requires minimal effort to operate. The quick carbonation process and easy disassembly for cleaning makes the Buumin convenient for whipping up fresh fizzy drinks at home. Its simple maintenance needs make it easy to keep the unit in good working order.

Carbonation

The Soda Maker Buumin 001 uses CO2 cylinders to carbonate water and create the bubbles and fizz in your homemade sodas. The carbonation system is easy to use - simply screw in a CO2 cylinder, attach to the bottle, and press the lever to inject carbon dioxide.

The CO2 canisters are standardized 60L size, which is convenient and inexpensive to replace. One CO2 cylinder should provide approximately 60L of carbonation, making 30-40L of bubbly soda depending on your carbonation preference.

The sodamaker allows you to control the level of fizziness. Short bursts of CO2 will give a light sparkle, while holding down the lever injects maximum carbonation for an intense bubbly sensation. The carbonation is consistent, resulting in reliably fizzy sodas.

The carbonation system delivers excellent results - sodas produced with the Buumin have abundant uniform bubbles and a satisfying fizziness. The CO2 canisters are easy to switch out and provide cost-efficient long-lasting carbonation.

Flavor Options

The Buumin 001 soda maker comes with a sample pack of 12 flavors to get you started making sparkling water. The pack includes common flavors like lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit as well as more unique options like strawberry, peach, and coconut.

The flavors are sugar-free powder packets that you simply add to carbonated water. Each packet makes about 12 oz of flavored soda. The flavors taste natural rather than artificial. The fruit flavors like peach and strawberry come across as authentic, not candied.

While the included pack provides a variety, the Buumin also gives you the flexibility to get creative with your own flavor combinations. You can add juice concentrates, purees, herbs, spices, or other ingredients to create custom soda flavors. The carbonated water provides a neutral, fizzy base for experimenting with different mix-ins.

The convenience of the flavor packs means you always have options for flavored soda on hand. But the ability to craft your own unique flavors really opens up the possibilities for fun customization.

Fizz and Taste

The Buumin 001 soda maker produces a smooth, even carbonation that enhances flavors without overpowering them. The carbonation level is customizable based on personal preference, allowing you to achieve anything from a gentle prickle to an effervescent bite.

Unlike some soda makers that can produce a coarse, bubble-filled texture, the Buumin provides a velvety fizz that lifts flavors evenly throughout the drink. The smooth carbonation carries subtle fruity or spicy soda flavors across the palate without distorting them. Even delicate flavors come through clearly.

The consistent carbonation also ensures an enjoyable drinking experience from start to finish, with no flat or overly bubbly sips. The fizz brings out the best in both homemade syrups and soda mixes while avoiding an excessive bite or burn. Overall, the Buumin offers carbonation you can customize to suit any flavor and palate preference.

Convenience

Making your own sparkling water at home with the Buumin 001 is incredibly convenient. You don't have to go out and buy cases of bottled soda or seltzer, you can make fizzy drinks anytime you like right from your own kitchen.

The soda maker allows you to carbonate water in just a few seconds at the push of a button, meaning you always have instant access to bubbly water or homemade soda on demand. No more running to the store when you have a soda craving! The convenience of being able to make your own carbonated beverages at home whenever you want helps save time and money.

Plus, the Buumin 001 is portable so you can bring it to parties, picnics, or anywhere you need access to delightful fizzy drinks. Having an at-home soda maker like this gives you the freedom and flexibility to make your own carbonated beverages fresh anytime. You'll never be without options for fun flavored sodas and sparkling waters when you have this convenient appliance in your kitchen.

Value

The Buumin 001 soda maker provides good value for the price. While not the least expensive option on the market, it is competitively priced for the quality and features it includes.

The starter bundle comes with everything you need to get going - the soda maker, 60L CO2 cylinder, and one 60ml flavor essence. Additional CO2 cylinders are affordably priced if purchased from Buumin or other retailers.

The generous 60L gas cylinder included in the bundle means you can make up to 60 liters of sparkling water before needing a replacement. This is enough to make approximately 120 glasses or 60 bottles of fizzy water. For an avid sparkling water drinker, this could last 2-3 months.

Replacement CO2 cylinders from Buumin cost around $15-20 depending on the retailer. Compatible sodastream cylinders can also be used.

The soda maker comes with one bottle and a flavor essence, but you can purchase additional bottles separately. The bottles are made from BPA-free plastic and feel fairly sturdy.

Overall, the bundled accessories and competitive gas cylinder pricing make the Buumin 001 a good value purchase for anyone looking to make their own sparkling water at home.

Downsides

While the Buumin 001 soda maker has many benefits, there are a few potential downsides to consider:

• The CO2 cartridges can get expensive over time. Each cartridge carbonates about 60 liters of water, but frequent soda drinkers may go through cartridges quickly. Buying cartridges in bulk can help lower the cost per cartridge.

• It's not as fast at carbonating water as some electric models. You need to screw in the cartridge, shake the bottle for about 30 seconds, then wait 2-3 minutes for full carbonation. So there's a bit more time and effort involved in the process.

• There's no option to control the level of carbonation, it's maximum fizz every time. Some users might prefer dialing back the bubbles for a less aggressive carbonation.

• Only compatible with proprietary CO2 cartridges, you can't use less expensive soda chargers. And it doesn't work with larger CO2 canisters.

• Produces short-term soda, once you release the pressure the carbonation is lost. Not designed for bottling and storing carbonated beverages long-term.

• Limited to making sparkling water and soda, not built for carbonating juices, teas or other drinks.

So while very portable and affordable, it lacks some customization and convenience of pricier electric models. The cartridge cost and single-use carbonation may be drawbacks for some users.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the Buumin 001 Soda Maker is a convenient and affordable option for making sparkling water and flavored sodas at home.

Some of the pros of this soda maker are its sleek, compact design, intuitive push-button controls, and ability to produce good levels of carbonation. It's easy to use - just add water and CO2, press a button, and you'll have fizzy water or soda in minutes. The flavors it comes with allow you to customize drinks.

However, there are some downsides to consider. The plastic build and small CO2 cylinders don't seem as durable or eco-friendly as some alternatives. Users also report issues with container leakage and excessive foaming. The range of flavors and carbonation levels could be improved.

Overall, this makes a nice budget-friendly soda maker for casual use, but serious soda enthusiasts may want to opt for a higher-end model with metal construction, larger CO2 capacity, and more carbonation control. The ease of use and low price point make it a good starter soda maker, but one may eventually look to upgrade after evaluating their soda making needs and personal preferences. Those with minimal counter space may appreciate its petite size.