Drinkmate OmniFizz Review: Save big on your sparkling water bill

Skyrocketing egg prices have received a lot of attention lately, but what’s really bothered me is the high cost of sparkling water. Our family enjoys it—sometimes drinking as much as 24 cans a week. Yikes! I did the math, and our sparkling water bill (mostly LaCroix) added up to nearly $520 last year. Which is why we switched to a soda maker a few months ago called Drinkmate OmniFizz. Now we’re saving money, and this little gadget and its accessories should pay for itself within four to six months.

I picked the OmniFizz, in part, because of the many positive reviews about it. The clincher for me was that it is purely mechanical. No electricity or batteries required. There are fancier soda makers available boasting digital displays, but in my opinion more features equals more ways for things to break. The OmniFizz stood out for its simplicity. You attach a bottle to the soda maker, press a button to inject CO2 into it, and, viola, you have sparkling water.

A secondary reason for us choosing the Drinkmate Omnifizz is its sleek design takes up minimal counter space. Plus, because it doesn’t need to be plugged in, you can stick it anywhere in your kitchen.

OmniFizz can sparkle more than water

We bought a set that came with the OmniFizz soda maker, two 60-liter CO2 canisters, and four PET bottles of two different sizes. Several reviews mention that the OmniFizz is one of the few soda makers that can also carbonate beverages other than water. We’ve tried pulp-free orange juice (pulp drinks aren’t recommended), and it was refreshing. There’s been some talk at our home about attempting to carbonate milk, but I’ve refused. Sounds gross. For the most part, we’ve stuck to water, which also makes cleaning everything easier.

Most of my experiments with our OmniFizz have focused on determining the minimum number of times required to press the carbonation button to adequately carbonate a drink. The more you press the button, the more carbonated your drink becomes. You can add carbonation until it bites your tongue. Ultimately, my goal is not to waste any C02 because you can inject only so much of the gas before it exhausts through a release valve, which ensures you don’t over pressurize the PET bottle.

Consider buying three CO2 cylinders to start

If you’re going to buy the OmniFizz, I’d recommend buying one that comes with three CO2 cylinders (not just one or two). Drinkmate has an exchange program, which requires you to send in at least two cylinders at a time. You receive a store credit once the company receives your two cylinders ($20). You can then use this credit toward your purchase of two new cylinders. I haven’t done an exchange yet (I’ll update this review when I do). We recently bought a third cylinder so that when we send in our two used cylinders, we’ll still have a supply of CO2.

The more cylinders you buy initially, the greater your long-term savings. Drinkmate offers a $35 credit for exchanging three cylinders and $55 for four cylinders. I’m not ready to commit to exchanging more than two at a time for now. But if this gadget holds up, maybe I’ll invest in a few more. Assuming we use six cylinders a year, I’m looking at an annual refill cost of $120, which is a lot less than what we would spend on LaCroix each year. (ALDI makes a less expensive sparkling water, but we don’t prefer the taste.)

There are cheaper options for buying C02 cylinders through vendors other than Drinkmate. You might save money with one of these options, but I haven’t tried them. For now, I plan to stick to Drinkmate’s exchange program.

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Keep in mind: PET bottles have expiration date

One concern of mine is the durability of the PET bottles. The bottom of one of our bottles popped off and doesn’t reattach properly, though the bottle itself is still usable. Our OmniFizz came with a two-year warranty, though the warranty doesn’t cover PET bottles or CO2. Also, the PET bottles contain an expiration date, which I’m not sure whether to take seriously. Our bottles “expire” in 2028. Perhaps the expiration is related to the potential for the plastic to degrade over time. Drinkmate offers compatible stainless steel bottles, which cost more but obviously wouldn’t expire.

I will mention here that some reviews/comments about the OmniFizz have stated it seems a bit “flimsy.” It is made of plastic, but I don’t feel it’s “flimsy.” That being said, plastic items typically aren’t as durable as metal ones. Whether our OmniFizz holds up over time remains to be seen. I’ll certainly update this review if its durability comes into question. For now, I’m confident it will last multiple years.

Is a soda maker right for you? It depends

So is a Drinkmate OminFizz or another soda maker right for you? If you and your family only occasionally indulge in sparkling water, a soda maker likely isn’t going to save you much, if any, money. But if sparkling water is your go-to drink, I would consider purchasing one. The price of canned sparkling water will likely continue to rise, especially now that the U.S. has imposed tariffs on aluminum. For our family, sparkling water replaces sugary drinks, which we try to avoid because they contribute to cavities and other health problems. Everything I’ve read about sparkling water indicates that it’s not unhealthy and may even be good for you. My hope is for our family to be able to use the Drinkmate OmniFizz for years to come.