Carbon8 Aluminum Soda Maker: Full Review

The Carbon8 Aluminum soda maker is an innovative solution for creating sparkling water and carbonated beverages at home. This sleek soda maker features an elegant aluminum design that looks great on any countertop while taking up minimal space. The Carbon8 allows you to turn plain water into refreshing carbonated water or create fizzy soda by adding syrups and juice concentrates. It carbonates water through a simple and quick process, eliminating the need to buy bulky plastic bottles of soda. The Carbon8 soda maker is easy to use, easy to clean, and portable for taking your homemade carbonated beverages on the go. With the Carbon8, you can have tasty homemade soda and sparkling water whenever you want it.

Design & Build Quality

The Carbon8 soda maker has an attractive, minimalist design with a durable aluminum body. The aluminum construction makes the unit lightweight yet sturdy enough for regular use. While plastic soda makers can degrade and wear out over time, the aluminum body ensures this carbonator will maintain its sleek look for years.

The matte finish resists fingerprints and scratches, so it will continue looking great on your countertop. The aluminum surface is also easy to keep clean. Overall, the high-quality aluminum body provides both form and function.

Ease of Use

The Carbon8 is designed for simplicity and ease of use. The carbonation process is straightforward - just load the bottle, select your carbonation level, press start, and in seconds you'll have fresh sparkling water or soda.

Cleaning is also a breeze. The Carbon8 bottle is top-rack dishwasher safe, so you can simply wash it along with your other dishes after use. Alternatively, you can hand wash the bottle with some soap and warm water. The key components that come in contact with water or soda are removable and dishwasher safe as well.

Overall, the Carbon8 requires minimal effort to operate and maintain. The intuitive controls and removable, dishwasher safe parts make it easy to use on a daily basis. Both carbonating drinks and cleaning up afterwards can be done quickly and conveniently.

Features

The Carbon8 has several nice features that make it stand out among soda makers.

• It uses a standard 60L CO2 canister to carbonate water. This type of canister is commonly available which makes it easy to swap and replace. The canister screws into the back of the unit.

• The Carbon8 comes with two flavor packs to help add natural flavors and sweetness to your sparkling water. The flavors included are lemon and raspberry. Additional flavor packs can be purchased separately.

• A lever on the front of the Carbon8 allows you to control the level of carbonation. You can make lightly carbonated water by using just a couple pumps of the lever or get very bubbly water by pumping the lever more times. This gives you control over the amount of fizziness.

The combination of the CO2 canister, flavors, and adjustable carbonation makes it easy to customize your homemade sodas with the Carbon8.

Carbonation

The Carbon8 provides impressive fizz for homemade soda with its high-pressure system that can create over 75 PSI. This allows you to dial in just the right level of carbonation, from lightly bubbly to super fizzy.

The carbonation is highly customizable thanks to the variable pressure settings. Simply adjust the setting to your desired fizziness whether making seltzer, club soda or flavored sodas. More gas yields more effervescent drinks with tighter, longer-lasting bubbles.

Lower pressure settings provide a mellower mouthfeel that's less harsh, allowing more flavor nuance to come through. Carbon8 makes it easy to experiment and find your ideal carbonation level.

The sodamaker carbonates quickly, so you can enjoy a freshly made bubbly beverage in just minutes. Overall, Carbon8 provides exceptional control over the carbonation level.

Flavor

The Carbon8 allows you to customize the flavor of your sparkling water by adding different flavored syrups. It comes with two BPA-free syrup bottles - one cola and one lemon-lime. The syrups are easy to add to your carbonated water. Just fill the bottle, screw on the top, flip it upside down and squeeze as much or as little syrup as you want into your drink.

The flavored syrups have a nice, natural taste that isn't overly sweet or artificial tasting. The cola flavor is crisp and refreshing, without an overpowering syrupy taste. The lemon-lime has a nice citrusy zing. Both flavors mix well into the carbonated water without overpowering the carbonation.

You can also add other flavors by using your own natural syrups, juices or purees. The Carbon8 allows you to customize your sparkling water so you can create a variety of flavor combinations. Fruity flavors like strawberry, peach or mango pair well with the carbonation. The Carbon8 provides a blank canvas for you to add your own unique flavor creations.

Value

The Carbon8 offers excellent value for money. It retails for $79.99 which puts it at the lower end of the market for countertop soda makers. The initial purchase includes the main soda making unit along with a 60L CO2 canister.

Additional 60L CO2 canisters cost around $20-25 which allows you to make up to 60 liters of sparkling water. This works out to around 33 cents per liter of sparkling water produced. Compared to purchasing cans or bottles of seltzer at the store, the Carbon8 provides huge cost savings over time. Even just a few months of moderate use leads to a return on your initial investment.

The affordability combined with the durable aluminum construction means the Carbon8 should last for many years of frequent use. It's an appliance that pays for itself over and over again. So if you enjoy sparkling water and drink it regularly, the value offered by the Carbon8 is hard to beat.

Portability

The Carbon8 soda maker is designed to be highly portable and easy to take with you anywhere. At just 2.2 pounds, it is lightweight and compact in size. The entire soda maker stands just 12 inches tall, meaning it can easily fit in a cabinet or be tucked away when not in use.

Despite its small footprint, the Carbon8 can hold up to 60L of carbonated water before needing a CO2 refill. This makes it ideal for carbonating large amounts of water at once for a party or event. The CO2 canister is also conveniently located in the base, ensuring the soda maker maintains a sleek, minimalist profile.

The portable design makes the Carbon8 perfect for use in RVs, boats, dorm rooms, or other small spaces. It doesn't require a cumbersome plastic bottle or complex installation. You can simply plug it in, add water, and start carbonating. The compact size also makes it easy to bring to a friend's house or take on trips where you still want access to fresh, fizzy sparkling water.

Overall, the portable and lightweight build of the Carbon8 soda maker sets it apart from bulkier, less convenient models. The compact footprint and removable CO2 canister allow you to easily transport delicious bubbly water wherever you go.

Warranty

When purchasing a soda maker, warranty length can be an important factor to consider. The Carbon8 Aluminum soda maker comes with a 1-year limited warranty. This covers any defects in materials or workmanship for 1 year from the date of purchase.

The 1-year warranty provides peace of mind that any issues arising during the first year of ownership will be covered. However, some competing soda makers offer longer 2 or 3 year warranties. The length of warranty reflects the expected lifespan of the soda maker. Models with longer warranties imply they are built to last longer.

A 1 year warranty is quite typical for a soda maker in this price range. While a longer warranty is always better for the consumer, the 1 year coverage is reasonable. If you plan to get years of use from your soda maker, going for a model with a longer warranty may be preferable. But for most users, the 1 year limited warranty of the Carbon8 Aluminum should suffice.

Pros & Cons

The Carbon8 has many positives but also some downsides to consider.

Pros:

• Sleek and attractive aluminum design
• Easy to use and set up
• Carbonates water quickly
• Adds fizzy flavor easily
• Portable for use anywhere
• Produces good amount of seltzer per cycle
• Fun gadget for seltzer lovers

Cons:

• Only makes seltzer, not other beverages
• Takes up space on counter
• Requires CO2 charges which are an added cost
• Has to be cleaned frequently
• Loud when carbonating
• May require frequent troubleshooting
• Only comes in two colors

The Carbon8 aluminum soda maker has great functionality for quickly carbonating water and infusing bubbles and taste. However, it is limited in what it can make, and requires constant upkeep and CO2 charges. The sleek design and solid carbonation abilities balance out the need for maintenance and noise. For seltzer aficionados who want an easy home solution, the Carbon8 is a good choice. More casual users may prefer a simpler and quieter model.