DrinkMate 410-01-00 Soda Maker: Full Review

The DrinkMate OmniFizz is an at-home soda maker that allows you to carbonate water and create customized soda, sparkling water, and other fizzy beverages. Manufactured by Drinkmate Beverage Corp., the OmniFizz uses single-use CO2 cartridges to carbonate water and add bubbles to drinks in seconds.

Unlike some soda makers that require proprietary flavor syrups, the OmniFizz gives you the flexibility to carbonate water and then add any flavoring you like, from lemon juice and fresh fruit to juice concentrates and soda syrups. This freestyle carbonation system lets you create a diverse range of fizzy beverages tailored to your tastes.

The OmniFizz soda maker delivers freshly carbonated water and soda on demand. Its compact countertop design makes it easy to store and use in any kitchen. The following sections will cover the design, features, functionality and overall performance of the DrinkMate OmniFizz to help you determine if it's the right soda maker for your needs.

Design

The DrinkMate Omnifizz carries a stylish and sleek design. It measures 12.5 x 6.5 x 16 inches and weighs just under 7 pounds, making it a good size for keeping on your kitchen countertop without taking up too much space.

The Omnifizz features a durable plastic outer housing that comes in either black or white color options. The plastic is BPA-free and feels solidly constructed.

Inside, the main canister where the water carbonation occurs is made from aluminum. This ensures the Omnifizz can withstand the pressure required for carbonation. The carbonator head at the top where the CO2 cartridge gets attached is made from quality stainless steel components.

Overall, the materials used in the DrinkMate Omnifizz lend to a appliance that feels well-built while still remaining lightweight enough for convenient use. The design allows it to blend into most kitchens seamlessly.

In comparison, the MonTen Soda MW-SW Maker features an innovative design that prioritizes user convenience. It is compact and portable, making it ideal for those with limited kitchen space. The sleek design is complemented by a user-friendly interface, allowing anyone to carbonate drinks with ease. The MonTen model also utilizes high-quality materials and advanced technology to ensure perfect carbonation every time. With a stylish appearance and functionality, it is a worthy addition to any kitchen.

Ease of Use

With less parts to clean and maintain compared to some other soda makers, the DrinkMate holds simplicity in high regard. Making soda is straightforward with 3 easy steps:

1. Add water and ice to the bottle
2. Attach the carbonation cap
3. Press the button to inject CO2

That's all it takes to carbonate water and make basic soda water. To flavor, simply remove the cap, add syrup, and shake. With no electricity required, the DrinkMate allows quick carbonation anytime, anywhere.

Cleaning is also simple. The only parts that require washing are the bottle and carbonation cap. The cap gets placed directly on the CO2 canister when carbonating, so there's no separate tank or complex system to disassemble and clean. Just rinse the basic parts with water after use. For deeper cleaning, the bottle and cap are both dishwasher safe.

Alongside the DrinkMate, the OTE 20 PCS + Soda Maker offers a comprehensive soda-making experience. This product comes with 20 essential pieces to enhance your soda-making journey. It's designed for ease of use and provides additional functionalities that make soda crafting even more enjoyable. With OTE's commitment to quality and user-friendly design, every home can become a soda bar in no time, making entertaining friends and family a breeze.

Features

The DrinkMate system comes with multiple features that allow you to customize your sparkling beverages.

• It has both automatic and manual modes. In automatic mode, the machine will carbonate water to the ideal level of fizziness. In manual mode, you control the carbonation time and intensity. This allows you to make anything from lightly carbonated water to extremely bubbly soda.

• There are 3 levels of carbonation to choose from. Level 1 produces lighter carbonation, level 2 is medium carbonation, and level 3 is maximum carbonation for an intense fizz. You can select the level based on your personal preference.

• The machine allows you to carbonate anything - plain water, juices, tea, coffee, alcohol, and more. It works with any liquid. So you can create a diverse range of customized carbonated drinks.

• It comes with a flavor injector that allows you to add syrups, fruit juices, or other flavorings to create your own unique soda flavors. There's an opening at the top where you insert the flavor, and it will mix as the drink is carbonated.

• The system includes 60 BPA-free flavor essence drops in 5 different flavors - cola, lemon-lime, root beer, orange, and raspberry. This allows you to start making your own sodas right away.

• It has a sleek, compact and modern design that won't take up much counter space. The system is also portable if you want to carbonate drinks on-the-go.

Overall, the wide range of customization options and modes makes this soda maker accommodating for all tastes and preferences when carbonating beverages.

Carbonation

The DrinkMate allows you to fully control the carbonation level of your homemade sodas. It has an easy to use carbonation control knob that lets you adjust the fizziness from low to high.

Turn the knob left for less carbonation and right for more bubbles. The knob gives you precision control in finding your perfect carbonation sweet spot. No more guessing or hoping you added the right amount of CO2.

The DrinkMate carbonates water by injecting CO2 from a small compressed gas cylinder. Simply screw in a cylinder and you're ready for soda making. The CO2 injection happens right before dispensing your drink, ensuring maximum carbonation.

Since you control CO2 levels on each pour, you can carbonate a variety of beverages besides just water. Carbonate juices, coffee, tea, or any other liquid to transform it into a bubbly treat. The versatility of controlling carbonation makes this an exceptionally useful soda maker.

Flavoring

The DrinkMate allows you to easily flavor your sparkling water however you like. It comes with a flavoring carousel that holds the flavor on top and has space for a glass underneath to catch the carbonated water.

To add flavor, simply pour your preferred liquid flavoring into the carousel. The flavor options are endless - you can use juice concentrates, purees, syrups, or any other liquid flavoring. The carousel is designed to perfectly portion out the flavor when turned over the glass.

Turning the carousel over the carbonated water mixes in the ideal amount of flavor for a perfect flavored soda or drink every time. You don't have to worry about adding too much or too little flavor. The flavoring system makes it easy to create customized flavored carbonated beverages.

Fizz Quality

The DrinkMate produces a smooth, fine bubble texture that provides a nice light fizziness in every sip without being overly carbonated. The carbonation level is easily adjustable, allowing you to dial in just the right amount of bubbles.

The foaminess is moderate, giving a nice head of froth on the first pour that dissipates after a few moments, so you don't end up with a foamy mess in your glass. The fizz retention is excellent, maintaining that carbonation sensation from the first sip to the last drop. Even when adding ice cubes, the DrinkMate holds onto the fizziness surprisingly well.

Many users have commented that the DrinkMate makes a professionally carbonated beverage, with one of the best fizz results among home soda makers. The carbonation quality stands right up there with sodas made by more expensive brands like SodaStream.

Quality of Drinks

The DrinkMate produces high quality sparkling beverages. Users report the drinks have excellent carbonation and taste great.

The sparkling water on its own is crisp and refreshing. The level of fizziness can be adjusted based on personal preference. Many reviewers say DrinkMate makes the best tasting sparkling water of any soda maker.

When adding syrups and mixes, the flavors come through nicely without compromising the carbonation. Both fruity and soda flavors like cola and lemon-lime taste authentic. The flavors are strong enough to enjoy without becoming overly sweet or artificial tasting.

The versatility of DrinkMate is one of its biggest strengths. You can carbonate anything from plain water to juice, tea, coffee and more. Customize drinks by mixing different flavors, or by adding fresh fruit slices or herbs for unique combinations. The quality remains high no matter what you carbonate or flavor with.

Overall DrinkMate consistently produces great tasting carbonated beverages with pleasing fizziness. Users say the drink quality rivals that of store bought soda and sparkling water. The machine allows for an infinite variety of bubbly drinks to suit any taste.

Cleaning & Maintenance

The DrinkMate requires occasional cleaning and maintenance to keep it running properly. Here are some tips:

• Clean the carbonation bottle about once a month or when mineral deposits start to form. Use a bottle brush and mild detergent to scrub away any buildup inside the bottle. Rinse thoroughly afterwards.

• Change the CO2 cartridge when it runs out of carbonation. The DrinkMate uses 60L threaded CO2 cartridges.

• Keep the water reservoir full and refill it with fresh water regularly. Empty it entirely every month to prevent mold growth.

• Wipe down exterior surfaces with a soft damp cloth as needed. Avoid submerging the base in water or using abrasive cleaners.

• Descale the water reservoir every 3-6 months using a citric acid descaling solution. This prevents mineral buildup which can clog the internal tubing.

• Replace the carbonation bottle every 6-12 months when it starts to show wear. Look for cracks, cloudiness or poor carbonation as signs it needs replacing.

• Lubricate the bottle cap o-ring occasionally with food-grade silicone grease to maintain a good seal.

• Periodically check tubing for cracks or blockages. Replace any worn tubes.

Regular cleaning and maintenance ensures the DrinkMate continues working properly for carbonating beverages. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Pros & Cons

The DrinkMate OmniFizz has several advantages and disadvantages worth considering:

Pros

• Makes soda and carbonated drinks at home for a fraction of the cost of buying premade sodas
• Large 60L CO2 canister allows you to make up to 120L of soda, a great value
• Utilizes widely available and inexpensive CO2 cylinders
• Easy to use and intuitive controls with 3 carbonation levels
• Compact, lightweight and portable design
• Flavorings allow you to customize drinks with natural flavors like lemon, lime, orange etc.
• Produces good carbonation and fizz
• Fun gadget for homemade soda enthusiasts

Cons

• Requires purchasing separate flavor syrups and CO2 canisters
• CO2 canister must be replaced regularly
• Produces good but not exceptional fizz compared to the best soda makers
• Bottle filling and carbonation takes some time, not instant
• Cleaning and maintenance requires some effort
• Plastic construction feels less sturdy than metal soda makers
• Lacks advanced features like an integrated water filter

Overall, the DrinkMate OmniFizz provides a solid way to make sparkling water and soda at home inexpensively. It's easy to use and portable, but requires purchasing separate supplies. The carbonation and drink quality is good if not amazing. For an affordable starter soda maker it's a decent option, but more premium models exist.