SodaStream E-Terra Review
Perfect sparkling water made easy
Verdict
A quality sparkling water maker, the SodaStream E-Terra makes the job easy thanks to its powered automation: one touch of a button is all you need to get perfect results every time. This machine is more expensive than its manual siblings, but the extra cash is worth it for those that drink a lot of sparkling water or flavoured drinks.
Pros
- One-touch operation
- Perfect results every time
- Good choice of flavours
Cons
- Expensive
Key Features
- Sparkling waterOne-touch operation creates sparkling water in seconds.
- CapacityEach bottle takes 1-litre of liquid, although the fill line is actually 840ml.
Introduction
While all SodaStream machines are designed to inject CO2 into water bottles, the SodaStream E-Terra makes the job easier.
With one-touch buttons and automatic powered fizzing, this machine makes it easier and faster to get consistent results every time, although that comes at a cost.
Design and features
- Takes Quick Connect Cylinder
- Three carbonation buttons
- Requires power
As with recent machines, such as the SodaStream Art, the E-Terra runs on the company’s Quick Connect Cylinders.
Rather than screwing into place, these cylinders simply clip into place and lock into position when the handle is pulled down. It’s a neater design than the screw-in design of the old cylinders, and I found it quicker to change over.
Both new and old cylinder types cost the same: £12.99 when you factor in the £10 deposit return for bringing your old cylinder back to the shop. As each cylinder can deliver 60 litres of fizzy water, that works out to around 22p per litre of water. You won’t get cheaper than that in the supermarket and, of course, there are no plastic bottles going to waste.
Rather than a manual handle for adding CO2, the SodaStream E-Terra plugs in and has automated fizzing. The small power cable plugs in underneath the E-Terra, with the cable popping out of the back once it has been clipped into a small channel.
If I kept the E-Terra on the kitchen counter, this setup was fine; when I moved the machine around, I found it quite easy to either knock the cable out of place or trap it when I placed it down. I think that it would be better if the power supply just plugged into the rear of the machine.
Carbonating water is really easy with this machine. With the provided bottle filled to the line, there’s a choice of three carbonation buttons, going from lightly sparkling to full-on fizz. Just tap a button, and the machine automatically injects just the right amount of CO2. That’s good for getting the right results and should mean less CO2 used overall.
A dishwasher-safe 1-litre bottle is provided in the box, and additional bottles are available in 1-litre and 500ml ‘on the go’ sizes.
If you don’t just want standard water, there’s a big choice of flavours to add. There’s Pepsi (regular, Max, Max Cherry and Max Lime), 7-Up (regular and sugar-free), ginger ale, orange, orange and mango, and diet tonic. Prices are better when you buy a 6-pack, with the branded packs costing £29.95 (£4.99 a bottle).
Each bottle can make up to 9 litres of drink, which works out to 55p per litre. Include the cost of the CO2, and you’re paying around 77p a litre for premium fizzy drinks with the only recycling involving the small plastic bottle of syrup.
SodaStream has reduced its own range of standard syrups (there’s no cream soda anymore, which is a travesty) but has increased its premium range with organic apple, orange, blackcurrant, raspberry and mint, and ginger ale cordials.
These bottles are more expensive than the concentrated syrups (£7.99 for two) and make less drink (around 2.8-litre), but they’re a little fresher tasting.
Performance
- Works brilliantly each time
- Syrups add variety
I’m a big fan of SodaStream, and the E-Terra makes it easier than ever to make fizzy drinks. With the touch of a button, the machine started to add CO2.
With a manual machine, the instructions suggest pressing the handle down for two seconds, waiting and repeating up to three times; the E-Terra works faster than this, dishing out the same amount of gas each time.
As a result, I found the results more consistent each time, getting the right level of fizz for different tastes and drink types.
That’s particularly important when it comes to using syrups. With the diet tonic, I find that level one or two is good; when making Pepsi Max, I like to go with the full fizz.
I have to praise the quality of the syrups. When using filtered water from a ZeroWater jug, the premium syrups make a drink that’s indistinguishable from supermarket-bought drinks.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
You want perfect sparkling water every time: This machine has a one-touch operation for exact CO2 dispensing.
You’re on a tight budget: The manual machines are a chunk cheaper and you can still get good results with them.
Final Thoughts
There’s no doubt that the SodaStream E-Terra is brilliant. It’s easier to use and produces more consistent results than the competition.
The downside is that it’s more expensive. If you drink a lot of sparkling water or drinks, and have a plug to hand, then it’s worth every penny; if you don’t drink sparkling drinks that often, one of the manual machines may suit you more.
You might like…
FAQs
As with all SodaStream machines, CO2 canisters can be returned in exchange for a £10 deposit refund.
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
