Sodastream Not Carbonating Enough? 6 Steps to Full Fizz

Is your Sodastream not carbonating enough? You might want to check your CO2 levels. Here are 6 steps to full fizz.

Enjoying a nice carbonated drink after an intense running session, or during dinner, is one of those pleasures in life that have no substitutes. Whether you enjoy plain sparkling water, or a delicious fruit-flavored soda, your Sodastream has always been there for you.

These appliances are one of those investments that very few people, if any, ever regret. They’re just so versatile and easy to use. What is there not to love?

That being said, I’m not here to sell you on a brand-new model. If you’re reading this, you already own one, and it’s not carbonating enough.

What is going on?

There are many possible explanations to current unfortunate situation. From a depleted CO2 canister, to a damaged gas tube. The possibilities are nearly infinite. In order to properly troubleshoot your appliance, you need to know exactly what to look for.

And while the research can be very tedious, you can relax. I already took care of it for you.

Below, you will find a list of the most common causes behind this occurrence, and the easiest steps you can take to fix them. I’m confident that, if you follow them religiously, your carbonating problems will be a thing of the past, soon to be forgotten.

Ready? Let’s get busy!

Fixing a Non-carbonating Sodastream

You might be tempted to think that your appliance is faulty or broken, and I can’t really blame you. When these kinds of things happen, it’s a lot more logical to think that there is something wrong with the unit, than with our user habits.

Something apparently unimportant like checking your CO2 canister or water temperature can make a night and day difference in the results you’re getting from your Sodastream.

I want to help you get the most out of your appliance, so, without further ado. Here are 6 steps you can follow to full fizz:

• Check your CO2 levels
• Push the carbonating button a few more times
• Use cold water
• Check your gas tube
• Only carbonate water
• Don’t overfill the bottle

#1 Check Your CO2 Levels

The first factor I want us to rule out as a culprit, is a depleted CO2 canister.

You might be thinking this is too obvious to even consider, but remember, it’s the most seemingly unimportant things, that we tend to overlook the most.

You’d be surprised at how many people bend over backwards trying to find faults in their Sodastream, only to realize they had run out of gas. If your unit is not carbonating enough, chances are you need a new canister.

Solution: The best way to tell if this is your problem is by looking at the way your water carbonates. If the fizziness does not increase, no matter how many times you press the carbonation button, your CO2 is definitely depleted.

Luckily, replacing your canister is very simple. You can either ask another proud Sodastream owner, or find tons of online resources that you can check out, and follow along with this step-by-step guide for canister replacement.

#2 Are You Pushing the Button Enough?

Hey, I get it. You finally received your Sodastream, and you couldn’t wait to start using it. It’s totally understandable.

That being said, while no one will fine you for not reading your user manual prior to operating your appliance, failing to follow the instructions on it could be an obstacle in your quest for fizzy drinks.

Solution: When it comes to carbonation, too little is definitely much better than too much. Let me elaborate.

Most Sodastream manuals will recommend 3 pumps for moderate fizziness, and 5 for extreme bubbling, but no more.

Remember that carbonating your drinks adds pressure to your bottles, so overdoing it can break them, and wreak all kinds of havoc. It’s best to carbonate moderately.

Moreover, excessive consumption of CO2 can cause you heartburn, and indigestion.

If you bought your appliance recently, you can always ask another Sodastream owner, or look online. There are tons of resources with useful tips.

#3 Stick to Cold Water

This is certainly something I didn’t know before I did this research.

It turns out that the end result of the carbonation process can be highly affected by the temperature of the water you’re using. CO2 is much better absorbed by water when it’s cold, than when it’s lukewarm or hot, which translates into fizzier drinks with fewer pumps.

Solution: Try to store your bottle in the fridge for a couple of hours before carbonating your water. This will yield much better results.

That being said, try not to overdo it. Nearly frozen water can overflow the bottle, and cause a mess in your kitchen. Especially if you’re in the habit of overfilling your containers.

#4 Check Your Gas Tube

As you probably know, this part is responsible for transporting the CO2 from your canister, to the carbonation terminal, where you place the bottles.

If your Sodastream is not carbonating enough, your gas tube might be damaged at some point across its length.

I know it might be counterintuitive to consider that this component could sustain damage over time. After all, it’s located inside your appliance, so no external factor should be able to break it, right?

Well, yes, and no.

You’re absolutely right about the fact that no external factor can damage the tube, but what about internal ones?

Remember that this part is constantly passing highly-pressurized CO2 across its length, so it’s actually not that surprising that some eventual wear and tear is bound to happen.

Solution: You’ll have to test and replace the part. To do so, please follow these steps:

1. Carefully unplug your appliance
2. Remove your CO2 canister from the back compartment
3. Remove the bottle if attached to the machine
4. Locate the screws next to the carbonation terminal
5. Undo them with a screwdriver
6. Remove the plastic cover, and expose your appliance’s guts, you should now have comfortable access to the tube
7. Carefully, but decidedly, begin to pull it through

While this procedure might vary from model to model, the broad strokes should be very similar.

#5 Only Carbonate Water

When you’re just getting the hang of your Sodastream, things can get very confusing. While the most logical thing would be to prepare whatever drink you want, and carbonate it later, this is actually a mistake.

The right way to create your fizzy drinks is to carbonate your plain water first, and THEN add any ingredients or flavored syrups.

You see, your appliance is designed to carbonate plain water, and plain water alone, so if your Sodastream is not carbonating enough, you might want to stop trying to bubble-up other drinks.

Solution: I’d recommend giving your user manual another read through. In it, you will not only find your bottles’ recommended maximum capacity, and instructions to common replacements, but also the right process for drink carbonation.

You can go online and find several vendors that sell syrups of nearly any flavor, so you can prepare your fizzy drinks without too much trouble.

#6 Don’t Overfill Your Bottle

Lastly, please do not overfill your bottles. Your manufacturer has already established a maximum capacity, and there’s good reason for this.

Not only will staying below this limit prevent overflowing, and damage to the bottle, but also guarantee that the recommended CO2 pumps provide the desired level of fizziness for every drink.

If your Sodastream is not carbonating enough, chances are you’re exceeding this recommended maximum.

Solution: It will vary from model to model, but normally, you should find this limit in your user manual.

Alternatively, look for a “Max” marking on the inside of your bottles.

Best Practices

Summarizing, here are some best practices that you can follow to both get the results you want, and extend your appliance’s lifespan significantly:

• Clean your Sodastream regularly
• Read your user manual
• Do not over pressurize the bottles
• Keep your water cold
• Do not overfill the bottles
• Pump CO2 moderately

Conclusion

To have your Sodastream not carbonate enough defeats the purpose of owning one altogether. You bought this appliance to get fizzy drinks whenever you wanted, so not being able to without troubleshooting beforehand, can be very frustrating.

Luckily, as you’ve learned on this piece, addressing most of the issues that cause this is fairly simple, and quick. All it takes to notice a night and day difference, is a slight modification of your user habits, and careful monitoring of your canister’s CO2 levels.

Enjoying your Sodastream is very easy. You just need to be a little more conscious about how you operate it.

Thank you for sticking with me all the way to the end. If you found this article useful, why not keep the learning going through our other amazing resources below?

Bottoms up!