Photograph: Chris Haslam
Installation and use is simple. Just screw the standard 400/426-gram CO₂ cylinder into the hole in the base and you’re ready to fizz. In the UK, Smeg has partnered with a brand called CO2 You that offers cylinder refill, return, and subscription services, with prices from £25. Buy direct from Smeg and you will receive a free cylinder, but don’t expect the same from third-party retailers.
Most soda makers have handles or buttons, but the Smeg has a stylish metal dial that keeps the design lines uncluttered. The knurled metal ring is a pleasure to use, and the base is stable enough for one-handed operation, although getting the current level of fizz into your water does take practice.
Busy With the Fizzy
Photograph: Chris Haslam
The supplied instructions are a little too basic, suggesting that turning the dial once, twice, or three times will boost your bubble level. What it doesn’t say, however, is how long you turn the dial for. Again, I asked Smeg, and they told me that carbonation levels are subjective, as a rule. But as a rule, if you spritz for two seconds, you’ll get light bubbles—leggermente frizzante, if you’re feeling Italian—four seconds for a medium fizz, and hold for six for the full club soda effect. You can also hold the dial to the right until it squeaks, which indicates there’s as much CO₂ in there as possible.
Obviously, the amount of carbonation will impact the number of cylinders you will get through. I like my water fizzy, and while rated for 13 gallons (60 liters), CO2 You estimates that I’m more likely to get 10 to 11 gallons (45 to 50 liters). It’s still a whole lot better than the equivalent number of plastic bottles you’d get through.
So it’s simple to use, effortlessly stylish, and fizzes water like a charm. And surprisingly, given Smeg’s track record, it’s not crazy expensive. Still, just be aware that you can currently pick up a perfectly effective, but painfully boring, SodaStream Art with three CO₂ cylinders for just $110.
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