The Best Sparkling Water Makers to Give in 2026: SodaStream, Aarke, Breville and More
By Claire Whitmore. Last updated October 2026.
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A sparkling water maker is one of those gifts that gets used every day. It replaces a cart full of seltzer cans and bottles with a countertop machine and a CO2 cylinder, it cuts down on single-use packaging, and it makes life easy for anyone who has switched from soft drinks to sparkling water. The best-looking models double as kitchen décor, which is why they’ve become a staple on luxury wish lists.
The category splits into three kinds of machine: water-only carbonators (SodaStream and Aarke), models that can also carbonate juice, wine and cocktails (Breville and Drinkmate), and automatic plug-in systems like the Ninja Thirsti. Choosing right matters, because carbonating something a water-only machine isn’t designed for can damage it and, as NBC Select reports, can void the warranty.
We built this guide from four independent sources. Serious Eats put seven soda makers through a carbonation test, weighing each bottle to measure how many grams of CO2 it added and how many it lost after 24 hours. NBC Select’s commerce editor and colleagues tested the top brands and interviewed experts from SodaStream, Aarke and Drinkmate, though the brands didn’t choose the picks. BBC Good Food and The Telegraph, both UK publications, tested a wider range including models sold under different names abroad. We did not test these machines ourselves.
Quick answer: Serious Eats picks the SodaStream Art as the best overall, saying it produced the most CO2 and held it for 24 hours. NBC Select’s editor’s pick is the Breville InFizz Fusion, which also handles juice and cocktails. For the best looking water-only machine, NBC Select, BBC Good Food and The Telegraph all point to the Aarke Carbonator 3.
Our picks at a glance
| Machine | Carbonates | CO2 added / lost in 24 h (Serious Eats) | Who recommends it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SodaStream Art | Water only | 10 g / 1 g | Serious Eats best overall; Telegraph best SodaStream | Everyday seltzer |
| Breville InFizz Fusion | Water, juice, tea, wine | 8 g / 0 g | NBC Select editor’s pick; Serious Eats; Telegraph best buy | Cocktails and juice |
| Aarke Carbonator 3 | Water only | 7 g / 4 g | NBC Select best water-only; Good Food; Telegraph | Design-first kitchens |
| Drinkmate OmniFizz | Water, juice, flat soda | 7 g / 1 g | NBC Select best for more than water; Serious Eats | Versatile on a smaller budget |
| SodaStream Terra | Water only | Not tested by Serious Eats | NBC Select best budget | Gifts and starter machines |
| Smeg Sparkling Water Maker | Water only | 9 g / 1 g | Serious Eats runner-up on carbonation; Telegraph best design | Retro kitchens |
| Ninja Thirsti Drink System | Water and flavored syrups | Not tested by Serious Eats | NBC Select best for experimenting | Flavored drinks on demand |
CO2 figures are Serious Eats’ measurements for its test bottles. Prices vary by retailer and bundle, so check current pricing before you buy.
How we chose
We chose based on the testing above, favoring machines that a reviewer had weighed, tasted or used daily and that more than one outlet recommended. Carbonation strength and retention came first, since that is the point of the machine; Serious Eats’ gram measurements are the most objective data in the category. Then we looked at ease of use (CO2 installation, lever or button, pressure release), whether the machine handles anything besides water, cleaning, design, and how the CO2 refill ecosystem works. UK-only prices are left out because they don’t apply to US buyers. Machines sold on Amazon link to the listing NBC Select used, and the rest link to a search or the brand.
The best sparkling water makers
1. SodaStream Art: best overall sparkling water maker
Best for: anyone who mainly drinks seltzer and wants the strongest, simplest carbonation.
Serious Eats’ best overall produced the most CO2 of any machine it tested, adding 10 grams to the bottle and losing only 1 gram after 24 hours. The lever-style Art lets you control the fizz by the number of pulls; NBC Select’s tester uses three pumps for a gentler fizz and says you can make three or four glasses of seltzer quickly. NBC Select highlights the easy snap-in CO2 canister and the dishwasher-safe bottle, and The Telegraph names it its best SodaStream model.
Serious Eats says the downside is mostly plastic construction and a cheaper feel than premium rivals. It carbonates water only, and its CO2 cylinders are SodaStream’s snap-in style, which NBC Select notes are compatible only with SodaStream machines.
Pros
- Strongest carbonation in Serious Eats’ test
- Dishwasher-safe bottle
- Easy snap-in CO2
Cons
- Mostly plastic
- Water only
2. Breville InFizz Fusion: best for juice, cocktails and more
Best for: entertainers who want to carbonate more than water.
NBC Select’s editor’s pick, called the Sage InFizz Fusion in the UK, was the easiest machine its editor set up: screw in the CO2 cylinder, press the lever and slowly release the locking system on the bottle cap. NBC Select liked that it carbonates juice, tea and wine as well as water, and loved making sparkling apple juice. The bottle is durable and a cleaning brush is included. Serious Eats measured 8 grams of CO2 added and 0 lost after 24 hours, and says it can carbonate water plus juice, lemonade and cocktails, with a FusionCap that preserves fizz. The Telegraph calls it its best buy and BBC Good Food gives its UK sibling five stars.
The caveats: Serious Eats and NBC Select note a wide base, a finicky bottle attachment and a tall cap, you need smaller bottles for non-water drinks and the bottle isn’t dishwasher-safe. Serious Eats also says it costs about $120 more than the Drinkmate OmniFizz.
Pros
- Carbonates water, juice, tea and wine
- Excellent fizz retention
- Durable bottle and cleaning brush
Cons
- Wide base, tall cap
- Bottle not dishwasher-safe
- Pricey
3. Aarke Carbonator 3: best-looking water-only carbonator
Best for: a design-conscious host whose kitchen deserves a statement appliance.
NBC Select’s best water-only pick is slender, has a pull-down lever and releases pressure for you, and it was incredibly easy to set up: just screw the CO2 cylinder into the base and listen for the distinctive sound that tells you the bottle has finished. The Telegraph says the stainless-steel build looks undeniably high-end and wouldn’t be out of place in a home bar, with a silent lever action and a compact footprint; bubbles were crisp and long-lasting, with a noticeable sparkle after 48 hours. BBC Good Food named a UK model of the Carbonator 3 its best overall and praised two included bottles, automatic pressure release and the sleek stainless-steel outer.
Serious Eats found it beautiful but less impressive in the numbers: 7 grams of CO2 added and 4 grams lost after 24 hours. It adds that the Aarke costs as much as the Breville but can only carbonate water, the stainless finish collects smudges (a microfiber cloth is included) and the bottle isn’t dishwasher-safe. The Telegraph notes there is no fizz-level indicator. Good Food also reviewed the taller Carbonator Pro Steel, which has a glass bottle that is dishwasher-safe, and called it a statement piece.
Pros
- Beautiful stainless-steel design
- Self-releasing pressure
- Compact and quiet
Cons
- Water only
- Lost more CO2 than rivals in Serious Eats’ test
- Bottle isn’t dishwasher-safe
4. Drinkmate OmniFizz: best for more than water on a smaller budget
Best for: anyone who wants to fizz juice, flat soda or cocktails without paying Breville prices.
NBC Select’s best soda maker for more than water carbonates juice and flat soda and comes with multiple bottle sizes. Its editor liked the luxe look and that it fits in a studio apartment kitchen, and enjoyed reviving flat soda. Serious Eats says it works similarly to the Breville InFizz because the siphon attaches to a valved lid that handles extra pressure, and it carbonated nearly as well: 7 grams added, 1 lost after 24 hours.
The drawbacks, per NBC Select: it took a little time to learn, and the bottle didn’t always screw in completely. The bottle isn’t dishwasher-safe either. NBC Select’s Drinkmate expert advises using only the original bottles, because knock-off bottles not designed for the pressure are dangerous.
Pros
- Carbonates juice and flat soda
- Often cheaper than Breville
- Locking system
Cons
- Bottle can be finicky
- Not dishwasher-safe
5. SodaStream Terra: best budget pick
Best for: a starter machine and an easy gift for a seltzer drinker.
NBC Select’s best budget soda maker is compatible with flavor drops, has a dishwasher-safe bottle and a push-top panel that carbonates once the bottle locks in. There is no locking lid to release, one less step. A removable back panel makes installing the snap-in CO2 cylinder easy, without awkward pushing and screwing. It uses snap-in cylinders only and carbonates water only.
Pros
- Affordable
- Dishwasher-safe bottle
- Easy CO2 changes
Cons
- Water only
- Snap-in cylinders only
6. Smeg Sparkling Water Maker: best retro design
Best for: a kitchen that already has a Smeg kettle and toaster.
Serious Eats says the Smeg’s carbonation was second only to the SodaStream Art (9 grams added, 1 lost after 24 hours), and it is retro-styled, compact and dishwasher-safe. The Telegraph names it the best design among the models it tested. The main drawback, according to Serious Eats, is the higher price.
Pros
- Second-best carbonation in Serious Eats’ test
- Dishwasher-safe
- Retro styling
Cons
- Expensive
- Water only
7. Ninja Thirsti Drink System: best for flavored drinks
Best for: families who want sparkling flavored drinks at the push of a button.
The Thirsti is the only automatic plug-in machine in NBC Select’s roundup. It comes with a built-in water canister, flavored syrups in a top compartment that feed into the water flow, and can make multiple drink sizes. NBC Select’s tester found the setup easy and the flavors pleasant for anyone who likes low- or no-calorie sparkling drinks. It doesn’t come with a bottle, since it dispenses into your glass, and takes more space than the lever machines.
Pros
- Automatic and plug-in
- Syrup compartment
- Multiple drink sizes
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a bottle
- Larger footprint
Sparkling water maker buying advice
Decide if it must carbonate more than water
NBC Select’s Drinkmate expert says that if you want to carbonate drinks beyond water, you need a model that states it is compatible, and trying it on a water-only machine can void the warranty. Of the picks above, only the Breville and Drinkmate are built for juice, flat soda and similar drinks; the Ninja Thirsti uses its own syrups.
Think about CO2 cylinders
NBC Select points out you’ll need to keep replacing CO2 cylinders, which can get costly if you make a lot of sparkling water, though brands let you exchange empties for refills. Cylinder style also differs: screw-in cylinders from different brands are often interchangeable, while SodaStream’s snap-in Quick Connect cylinders work only with SodaStream machines. Shop CO2 cylinders on Amazon | Shop screw-in cylinders.
Prioritize safety and original bottles
Carbonated bottles are under pressure. NBC Select recommends machines with a locking or self-releasing system and says to use only the bottles that come with the machine, never knock-offs. Several bottles aren’t dishwasher-safe and need hand washing; Aarke’s co-founder recommends avoiding scratches, extreme heat and freezing.
Match the machine to the kitchen
Heights run from about 16 to 17 inches on the lever machines in NBC Select’s roundup, so check cabinet clearance. Wide-base machines like the Breville take counter space; slim ones like the Aarke or Drinkmate tuck into corners. Pair it with good glassware, such as the pieces in our guide to the best whiskey glasses, or a set of clear ice molds.
FAQ
Are sparkling water makers worth it?
NBC Select says yes if you drink a lot of seltzer or want to cut down on single-use plastic and sugary soda. The ongoing cost is CO2 refills, and brands let you swap empty cylinders.
Which machine makes the fizziest water?
In Serious Eats’ weighing test, the SodaStream Art added the most CO2 (10 grams), followed by the Smeg (9 grams), the SodaStream Aqua Fizz and Breville InFizz Fusion (8 grams each), and the Drinkmate OmniFizz and Aarke Carbonator 3 (7 grams each).
Can I carbonate juice or wine?
Only in machines designed for it. NBC Select lists the Breville InFizz Fusion as compatible with water, juice, tea and wine, and the Drinkmate OmniFizz with juice and flat soda. SodaStream and Aarke machines are water only.
Can I use any CO2 cylinder?
Not always. NBC Select explains that screw-in cylinders are often interchangeable across brands, while SodaStream’s snap-in cylinders only fit SodaStream machines.
What’s the best gift version?
The SodaStream Art for most people, the Aarke Carbonator 3 for design lovers, and the Breville InFizz Fusion for anyone who also wants to make cocktails and sparkling juice.
