I Make Sparkling Water At Home (& Save Money Doing It) — Here's How

When I wanted to cut out diet soda, I turned to sparkling water. The carbonated beverage gave me the same fizzy satisfaction without the hidden chemicals and artificial sweeteners, and I began obsessively testing every brand for the best. My requirements included maximum fizz with minimal artificial flavoring. 

My biggest hesitation about at-home sparkling water machines were carbonation tanks. Although these tanks are more cost-efficient than buying carbonated beverages from the store, they often have to be sent off for refills. As a result, you not only have to spend time mailing the tanks to the company, but you'll also need to invest in multiple tanks to ensure you always have a full tank on hand.

I also like my sparkling water brimming with bubbles; I want that satisfying "ah" right after the first sip. Most at-home machines use a lot of carbon to reach that level of fizz, so I would likely run through tanks faster than the average person. In the end, I just felt the carbon tank route wasn't for me, even if my friends were obsessed.

The process is relatively hands-off. You simply fill the Spärkel bottle with cool water, pour the two carbonator packets into the top of the machine, pull down the level to seal the machine, and pick your desired level of fizziness. Selecting one adds subtle bubbles, while the highest sparkling level is powerful enough to add carbonation to cocktails or wine, a suggestion straight from the brand. Once you push the start button, you can walk away and tend to other tasks.

The entire process takes less than four minutes, and the machine beeps when it's finished. You can leave the bottle as long as you want, but cooler water will hold the carbonation better—so I like to get it into the fridge right away. 

Swapping my weekly 12-pack purchase for the sparkling system has drastically reduced my weekly waste—but the eco-friendly swaps don't stop there. The machine ships with minimal packaging and comes with your first round of carbonators tucked into the system's water tank to maximize shipping efficiency.