I weighed the carbonator for accuracy, it's 10g citric acid and 12g baking soda. I honestly can't tell the difference between the two. I ordered this a few days ago based on your recommendation and it's held up great!
@@Jtzkb I did and well it clumbs up a little bit so I prefer to do it daily or use two different set of tiny topperwears (I use different colour lids to know which is which). Or I make it when I use it, I found that using large typical eating spoon (soup) makes for a better taste than the premade sachets; fill spoon flat. So either way it isnt more steps than preparing a coffee.
@@McJc09 You should be weighing your dry chemicals, the difference in mass to volume of dry chemicals varies heavily. For me to get 10 grams of citric and 12 grams of sodium bicarbonate I use 2 teaspoons of each, yours will probably be different.
Hi Erin and everyone, just writing to say, almost after a year my Sparkel has held up great. A tip to keep it clean is to carbonate some water after each carbonation of something else (whether it's juice, wine, tea, etc.) and to make sure you tidy up as much powder spillage as possible near the opening. A kg of Citric acid and Arm&Hammer baking soda has saved me easily $100 so far, and i'm still not finished either packs! Hope this helps any viewers passing by!
Hi Joanne! I dont know if you will ever read this. But just wanna see if you can answer a few question: 1. If I increase the porportion of citric acid, does it makes the drink a bit more citric/sour? 2. Can the two powder be stored together? I was thinking of mass-measuring and bag each portion into sachets so I dont have to do it everytime. thanks!
@@swordman2000 Hi swordman, I can try to answer the best I can! 1. I haven't tried this yet, but I have accidentally poured baking soda in twice instead of with citric acid and it definitely tasted like such. Just a note if you DO decide to try this, I wouldn't suggest putting the same amounts of the CA & BS and then adding more CA on top. Try playing around with the ratios. I've had it happen where I've accidentally put too much powder in the machine and the pressure pops the top, it's really startling! 2. I wouldn't suggest mixing them as they may react with the humidity around it and clump up, and the clumping of the powders may make them react inefficiently when put into the machine so you might not have as strong of a reaction or, given enough time, much of a reaction at all. I just put a table spoon next to my machine and keep the bags close by. Cheers!
@@joannek9169 thank you for the information! I understand what you are saying but I was thinking maybe a person could mix a smaller amount together so they wouldn't have a lot to last a long time but would still have the convenience of having it premixed. I guess I won't know until I try it.
It's 14 or 15 grams of sodium bicarbonate and 12 grams of citric acid. I weighed out 13 and 11 of the pre-measured packets, but adding those weights of ingredients caused the Sparkel unit to stop carbonating before the cycle was complete, terminating with a double beep. Adding 14 / 15 and 12 causes it to complete the cycle.
Hi again everyone! It's been about 2 years and I still have my sparkel! Nowadays the bottle is having trouble being seated into the machine, thus not carbonating. It needs to be wiggled a bit in order to work. I've also noticed some "gunk" building up in the reservoir where the two powders mix. Cleaning that area is really annoying. I think this is the last you'll hear of me since I'll be retiring the sparkel for a new appliance. Thanks again for your review, I got a lot of joy from this thing :)
Just got a Sparkel and tried this and it tasted lovely! Just as good if not "fresher" (according to my husband) than the Sparkel packets. I also used the Millard Citric Acid and Arm and Hammer baking soda. Did the Tbsp thing and it seemed to work perfectly for me. Thanks so much!
I know, 3 years after making this video, it still is applicable, and great advice. Thank you so much for making this video. I love carbonated Sparkel water @$0.03 per container. The cost of a 20oz bottle of Schweppes is $1.79 (locally), and the savings per container makes an awesome, and quick Return on Investment (ROI).
I recently bought one before seeing the videos - I love my machine now I love it more - I ordered the citric acid once I use it I will post a comparison 🤪
I bought this machine based on your video and we love it and everyone we show it to loves it also. Just tried my first bottle with bulk ingredients. Thanks for the weights Joanne K. Will see which is easiest to use.
Are you still using the DIY hack? If so, have you had any issues with your machine? Does it taste the same as it does when you use the Sparkel ingredients?
Thank you, Erin. I tried to get a canister of CO2 yesterday and they were out. Going online, they were out. I kept looking and found your channel. Sodastream has more customers than they can handle. Putting in an order now.
I was debating getting the SodaStream bc of the refill costs and finally decided to see how much the refills would cost. But, they're sold out. That was the dealbreaker.
Sparkel claims that they use “specific” measurements and grind for their carbonator packets. That if you use your own, it will damage the machine. Has anyone had issues using your own carbonation? How long have you been using non-Sparkel carbonators? Thanks.l
After two, maybe three years, of making our own carbonation packets and perhaps 175 uses, ours started making a higher pitched noise, then filling with water. So that would have been about $100 in Sparkel sachets over it's lifetime...
I actually have a Sparkel and measured this more accurately, first using a scale and then measuring spoons. I repeated the measurement several times with several sachets for accuracy. I found that it's actually 2⅝ teaspoons of each, not a whole tablespoon. If you prefer to weigh instead, it's 13 grams of baking soda and 11 grams of citric acid. By the way, I found citric acid in at my local grocery store, since people use them for canning and jarring tomatoes and strawberries.
Several years later, how is your Sparkël holding up using your DIY carbonator? Still using Arm & Hammer? I've read it may be too fine, but it is hard to buy based on granularity, at least I can't find it easily. :)
Besides the CO2 you have also made sodium citrate "congratulations " if you add another 3-4gm of citric acid you will have made a refreshing lemony drink . ps check the ph of your concoction, most commercial sodas are around ph 3-4 and the small amount of citric acid added extra was around 6 . Cheers
Can someone tell me the benefit of using the machine? I've just been mixing a scant teaspoon of the baking soda and a full teaspoon of citric acid to a glass of water and creating soda water that way . I love seltzer water anyway, but sometimes I use it as an antacid like the Alka Seltzer from back in the day, before they started adding sweetener to it.
Dawna, if you are drinking quite a bit of carbonated water you are getting a lot of sodium that way. With the Sparkel the baking soda doesn't go into the water, so you aren't ingesting the sodium. One teaspoon of baking soda has 1232 milligrams of sodium. I believe the recommendation is to not exceed 2500 milligrams, sp that is about half of the daily maximum.
The machine just adds the bubbles to your drink. The baking soda and citric acid do not go in to the bottle. So you won’t get the same antacid effect that you’re used to. The Sparkel machine is great at infusing flavors in to water though. It builds pressure in the bottle to bind the carbon dioxide to the liquid in the bottle, and that pressure helps make lemon water (for instance) really fast. It’s like fancy spa water for a few minutes wait.
That was exactly my next question! Wondering if you could just add the ingredients in a glass or a bottle with your water or juice or whatever you are wanting to fizz up.
Hi Erin. How many bottles of carbonated water does each satchel or DIY mixture make, using the Sparkle Machine, please. Is it just 1 bottle per sachet or several? Thanks for any reply
out of curiosity, does anyone know if it's possible to pre-mix the two components? For example, to make things easier, pre-measure them into a small container (quick tip: a 35 mm film canister holds just about 2 tablespoons of most powers like spices, flour, instant coffee, etc.). My wife wants a sodastream, but I'm leaning toward the Sparkle. The hassle of measuring things out could be a blocker, and I don't like creating all that small plastic waste of using the packets.
Good question. I didn’t try premixing the solution. But the fact that the company packages them separately tells me that perhaps they lose their effectiveness if combined too soon.
@@eatonjb I made up 3 "mixed" carbonators each in a separate film canister. I used the first one day after packaging, another at 3 days and the last at 7 days. They all "carbonated" just fine. However, by 3 days, it had gotten a little clumpy, and by 7 days VERY clumpy (I had to break up the chunks with a spoon to get them to fit in the machine). So, if you know you're going to use it within a day or maybe two, pre-mixing is fine. Any longer than that, expect to work at it a bit to break up the clumps. I've just found it easier to make up separate canisters of each part. The 35mm film containers work great, but are a little large, so I'll be looking for something smaller.
@@cvkealey Wish it was still easy to get film canisters 😂 Maybe what you could do is get one of those AM/PM pill calendars, and put pre-measured portions of Citric Acid in the AM and Baking Soda in the PM cubbies? That way, you get 7 quick portions, separated?
I am using my Sparkle carburetor. I purchased the power in bulk and have had great results. I also tried adding a smaller amount directly into my drink. Works great. No machine needed. Has anyone else tried it?
@@tomodugan8456 Yes it needs to be cleaned and every 4 or 5 bottles you need to empty the waste container or it will overflow. The powders mix with water from the hopper in the back in a pressure chamber inside the machine. This forms CO2 gas in the chamber which is pumped into the bottle through the valve in the bottom. The water and waste chemicals are drained into the waste container at the front of the machine. This needs emptying every 4 to 5 bottles made. None of the chemicals go into the bottle. To clean it add two tablespoons citric acid and about a quarter cup warm water to the hopper and close the latch quickly. Let it sit about half an hour then open the latch and wipe out the hopper. I do this about once a week.
Your review here gave me the confidence to get one. It arrived this week. As there are two types of citric acid being sold in the market. anhydrous and monohydrate. which is the better of the two for this purpose. Thank you and or anyone with an answer.
@@ErinLawrenceTV It's okay. Today, I bought ARM & HAMMER pure baking soda from a grocery store and Citric Acid powder from a baking ware store and it works like magic!
@@ErinLawrenceTV I know this is an old comment but in case others are looking... It just means there is or isn't a water molecule present in its molecular makeup. The anhydrous will be easier to mix and less clumpy but that's it. It might(?), mix better in the machine slightly but either would be ok.
@Zulu Voodoo No. Not safely, anyway. If you just put the chemicals in the liquid and mix it you will be ingesting the chemicals, not a good idea with these. The machine combines the chemicals which then generate CO2 that then carbonates the water. The chemicals have no contact with what you drink, which is the way it should be, unless you want to be taking in massively excessive amounts of sodium, and, as Wikipedia puts it, "High sodium consumption is associated with chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and stroke."
I wish i saw this before i decided i needed to purchase a machine that uses the co2 cannistera because "it's readily available". This would be even easier and produce less waste!
I don't know. Drinking baking soda sounds gross. I prefer the c02 canister. There is a way to mix the two in a separate container to get a reaction (co2), then feed that reaction (co2) using a hose into your water. Adding the mixture directly to your water will give it a salty taste.
Could I mix the citric acid and baking soda together in bulk ahead of time and keep it in a sealed container or do they need to be kept separate until it's time to use them?
I would keep them separate, if there's any moisture, even humidity, it could cause a reaction within your container holding them both eventually. This just means that the chemical reaction that causes carbon dioxide will have already occurred and become useless.
Hlo and good evening madam Mam please tell me the exactly citric acid and sodium by carbonate measurement in gram please please and please I will be very thankful to you and also tell how many water
I got one yesterday , pleasantly surprised withe the result the 1st time.... but when I went to get another glass 2 hours later after sitting it in the fridge there was no more sizzle , pretty disapointing . I thought it would at least be good 24 hours , any advice on that ? thanks .
I had this at first. I have had a machine for a month. It makes all the difference if the water is cold first. It's not as strong, but I can still have decent fizz the next afternoon if I make a bottle the evening before.
Storage is just like those 2L commercial bottles. Carbonation leaks fast, it’s best preserved when kept very cool, minimal “air gap” in the bottle (like for 2L Pepsi bottles, it’s best to squeeze the bottle so the inside is just carbonated liquid and no air space above the liquid), and of course a good, tight seal.
Hi, Sorry, my english is not my first language. I don't understand: You put 1 cup of citric acid and 1 cup baking soda ? OR 1 cup of citric acid and baking soda (50/50) ? Regards
Thank you for your videos on sparkel. I guess you can’t pre mix you citric acid and baking soda in a jar and just take 2 table spoonful. when needed. I wonder why you can’t pre mix.
No. That will not work. You are making CO2 in a pressure chamber inside the machine and it needs the same amount of chemicals to produce the pressure no matter how much liquid is in the bottle. NONE of the baking soda and citric acid goes into the drink.
I’m hooked on energy drinks and would like to stop drinking them, both because of the cost and I know they can’t be good for me. Thinking about getting one of these machines and switching to citrus flavored carbonated water. Can anyone tell me what the cost of one drinks worth of these two ingredients would be? It would be really small compared to $2-$3 for an energy drink, right?
Your problem probably stems from just eye balling a tablespoon based on volume rather than mass, the weight per tablespoon can vary greatly depending on what sodium bicarbonate and citric acid you have, for instance after weighing I figured out to get the 12 grams of sodium bicarbonate I just need 2 teaspoons and to get 10 grams of citric acid 2 teaspoons again. With their packets 12 and 10 grams is basically just 1 tablespoon.
From what I read, it might not give you the same taste or fizz. Citric acid is more acidic and has one more oxygen molecule... You could probably try it though...
For some reason, my carbonater stopped bubbling at level 4 and stood still until the chime at level 5; the water was basically flat. Same thing twice. Then I added a tiny bit more citric acid and baking soda and it worked... has that happened to anyone? Or is my machine defective...
According to posts that I've seen, pushing down on the bottle while it is in the machine may help to realign the machine's valve with the bottle. Perhaps that will work for you? Good luck.
So could you get a used empty brand name soda bottle and fill it with whatever you want to mix and then dump in your two powders and seal it up? Wouldn't it carbonate right in the bottle without a machine at all?
Erin, how often have you been using your hack? I was going to purchase a Sparkel and use this hack, but the description on their Amazon page says that using other products WILL deteriorate the machine. I don't know if that's verbiage used to deter you from using DIY hacks. What has been your experience?
Hi Amy, good question. I’m sure they say that because they would rather you purchase the satchets from them. It is literally exactly the same powders inside, so if they are saying a different brand of powder will ruin the machine, I have my doubts if that is actually true. I did not have any issues with mine.
@@ErinLawrenceTV Do you have an update? My research indicates that the company uses a larger 'grain' of sodium bicarbonate that helps it to not 'cake'.
My thoughts exactly! I suppose it will be slightly acidic to mimic the taste of carbonic acid ... however, citric acid has a stronger effect on tooth enamel - a known problem with commercial sodas.
@@f.d.6667 The citric acid doesn't make it into the drink, it's combined with the baking soda and water from the reservoir in a separate tank, then only the gas gets pumped through the bottle for carbonation. There shouldn't be any change in acidity of the drink due to the citric acid.
Hey there! Can someone tell me, if the water became alkaline after being infuse and carbonated, or, it became more acid like the carbonated water from the soda stream. Thank you!
You could get an even more accurate measurement using a scale and finding out how many grams each pouch is, instead of basing off volume which isn't as accurate.
The baking soda doesn't go into the drink.. just the gas from the chemical mix. The byproduct of reaction is a white slurry you dispose of in separate bin.
I ordered the machine and had it ship half way around the world to Riyadh KSA (where i'm currently living) Tried the approach you demonstrated in the video however the result turned out to be more acidic tasing than what i get when i used the sparkel sachets, perhaps it has to do with the type of citric acid I'm using. any tips on that? anyway the machine is lovely however using locally sourced citric acid / sodium bicarbonate is essential as i dont want to keep shipping things all the way rom canada.
The mass to volume of dry chemicals can vary greatly. You can't just eyeball the specific mass that is needed for this 5:6 chemical reaction based on the volume that their citric acid and sodium bicarbonate takes up. To get the proper chemical reaction that this machine was built for the goal should be to reach the specific mass of chemicals they use, 10 grams citric and 12 grams sodium bicarbonate. For me that just happens to be 2 teaspoons of each.
I just found out that doing this voids the warranty. Their website says that there are subtle differences in the baking powder you can buy in the store and the mixture they send with their machines. Store bought baking soda apparently clogs the jets or results in over carbonation. Whatever. My machine broke. Maybe I caused it by using baking soda. If so, I just flushed $120 down the toilet.
Why need to buy the 2 packet instead of buying the citric acid + baking soda? Why need to put into sparkel? Can't it be put into the bottle itself? I have sodastream but its not cost effective to refill gas. If I use these 2 ingredient how do I put into sodastream? Went to your website but can't find anything about the difference between sparkel & sodastream.
I trid directly in the bottle...it has a bit of acid yes but you will drink the ingredients...it seems that, in the sparkel, only the CO2 will go into the water to carbonate it...I am looking to buy the machine
For the Sparkel machine, please do NOT put the ingredients directly into the bottle. You're not meant to consume them. All you need is the byproduct CO2 gas that is produced when they're mixed together in the water tank. The Sodastream brand machines function differently. There is no place to add chemicals or water to create the bubbles that you want. Sodastreams use compressed gas in metal canisters. When the gas cylinder is empty, you need to take it somewhere to be refilled or exchange the empty canisters for new ones. Good Luck.
No. It is combined in a pressure chamber inside the machine with water from the reservior in the back to produce CO2 gas that is pumped into the bottle. Only CO2 gas goes into the bottle so no sodium goes in. All the chemicals are in the waste in the waste bin after you're done.
I LOVE that she doesn't waste time and sounds professional. great job.
Very much appreciated, thank you!
I weighed the carbonator for accuracy, it's 10g citric acid and 12g baking soda. I honestly can't tell the difference between the two.
I ordered this a few days ago based on your recommendation and it's held up great!
Nice! Thanks for sharing.
I have another question.. can I mix these into packets together and just pour one in ??
Joanne K I did this and it didnt make enough fizz, so I increase the citric acid by 1/2 tsp. And it seems to be pretty much the same as the packets.
@@Jtzkb I did and well it clumbs up a little bit so I prefer to do it daily or use two different set of tiny topperwears (I use different colour lids to know which is which). Or I make it when I use it, I found that using large typical eating spoon (soup) makes for a better taste than the premade sachets; fill spoon flat. So either way it isnt more steps than preparing a coffee.
@@McJc09 You should be weighing your dry chemicals, the difference in mass to volume of dry chemicals varies heavily. For me to get 10 grams of citric and 12 grams of sodium bicarbonate I use 2 teaspoons of each, yours will probably be different.
Hi Erin and everyone, just writing to say, almost after a year my Sparkel has held up great. A tip to keep it clean is to carbonate some water after each carbonation of something else (whether it's juice, wine, tea, etc.) and to make sure you tidy up as much powder spillage as possible near the opening.
A kg of Citric acid and Arm&Hammer baking soda has saved me easily $100 so far, and i'm still not finished either packs!
Hope this helps any viewers passing by!
Thanks for the tips!
Hi Joanne! I dont know if you will ever read this. But just wanna see if you can answer a few question:
1. If I increase the porportion of citric acid, does it makes the drink a bit more citric/sour?
2. Can the two powder be stored together? I was thinking of mass-measuring and bag each portion into sachets so I dont have to do it everytime.
thanks!
@@swordman2000 Hi swordman, I can try to answer the best I can!
1. I haven't tried this yet, but I have accidentally poured baking soda in twice instead of with citric acid and it definitely tasted like such. Just a note if you DO decide to try this, I wouldn't suggest putting the same amounts of the CA & BS and then adding more CA on top. Try playing around with the ratios. I've had it happen where I've accidentally put too much powder in the machine and the pressure pops the top, it's really startling!
2. I wouldn't suggest mixing them as they may react with the humidity around it and clump up, and the clumping of the powders may make them react inefficiently when put into the machine so you might not have as strong of a reaction or, given enough time, much of a reaction at all. I just put a table spoon next to my machine and keep the bags close by.
Cheers!
@@swordman2000 I was wondering the exact same thing! It seems like it would be a Time saver if they could be premixed together.
@@joannek9169 thank you for the information! I understand what you are saying but I was thinking maybe a person could mix a smaller amount together so they wouldn't have a lot to last a long time but would still have the convenience of having it premixed. I guess I won't know until I try it.
It's 14 or 15 grams of sodium bicarbonate and 12 grams of citric acid. I weighed out 13 and 11 of the pre-measured packets, but adding those weights of ingredients caused the Sparkel unit to stop carbonating before the cycle was complete, terminating with a double beep. Adding 14 / 15 and 12 causes it to complete the cycle.
Did anyone feel like they were listening to a newscast? Great voice.
😃😃😃🙏
I was thinking the same thing.
Really it's she is a good NEWS Anchor..
Haha your right, and she sounds better than most news casters.
Yes
Hi again everyone! It's been about 2 years and I still have my sparkel!
Nowadays the bottle is having trouble being seated into the machine, thus not carbonating. It needs to be wiggled a bit in order to work.
I've also noticed some "gunk" building up in the reservoir where the two powders mix. Cleaning that area is really annoying.
I think this is the last you'll hear of me since I'll be retiring the sparkel for a new appliance. Thanks again for your review, I got a lot of joy from this thing :)
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
What appliance are you getting this time?
I'm also interested in hearing what you replaced the Sparkel with.
Just got a Sparkel and tried this and it tasted lovely! Just as good if not "fresher" (according to my husband) than the Sparkel packets. I also used the Millard Citric Acid and Arm and Hammer baking soda. Did the Tbsp thing and it seemed to work perfectly for me. Thanks so much!
Glad it helped you
Review and DIY for powders was why I bought my Sparkel.
I bought this after watching your videos and it arrived today- pretty quickly. The family is very excited. Thx!
Let us know how you like it.
Girl, they should be paying you to make your videos about Sparkel! You are AWESOME
Haha. Thanks!
I know, 3 years after making this video, it still is applicable, and great advice. Thank you so much for making this video. I love carbonated Sparkel water @$0.03 per container. The cost of a 20oz bottle of Schweppes is $1.79 (locally), and the savings per container makes an awesome, and quick Return on Investment (ROI).
Glad it was helpful!
This is a great video for educating us on how to make very cost effective sodas. Thank You.
Thank you!
your recipe works! Thx. Really like the sparkel system. Ditching sodastream as soon as my last tank is done.
I recently bought one before seeing the videos - I love my machine now I love it more - I ordered the citric acid once I use it I will post a comparison 🤪
How did it go in comparison?
I bought this machine based on your video and we love it and everyone we show it to loves it also. Just tried my first bottle with bulk ingredients. Thanks for the weights Joanne K. Will see which is easiest to use.
Great feedback! Thanks!
Are you still using the DIY hack? If so, have you had any issues with your machine? Does it taste the same as it does when you use the Sparkel ingredients?
This helps and saves a lot of $😍Thanks a lot😍 I just purchased my Sparkel 3 weeks ago
You're welcome!
Thank you, Erin. I tried to get a canister of CO2 yesterday and they were out. Going online, they were out. I kept looking and found your channel. Sodastream has more customers than they can handle. Putting in an order now.
Did you have the Sparkel now? I tried to email them and they don't respond.
I was debating getting the SodaStream bc of the refill costs and finally decided to see how much the refills would cost. But, they're sold out. That was the dealbreaker.
This hack sold me! Thanks a bunch 👍
Sparkel claims that they use “specific” measurements and grind for their carbonator packets. That if you use your own, it will damage the machine. Has anyone had issues using your own carbonation? How long have you been using non-Sparkel carbonators? Thanks.l
After two, maybe three years, of making our own carbonation packets and perhaps 175 uses, ours started making a higher pitched noise, then filling with water. So that would have been about $100 in Sparkel sachets over it's lifetime...
Your videos convinced me to buy sparkel vice soda stream. Great job!
That's great, thanks so much!
I actually have a Sparkel and measured this more accurately, first using a scale and then measuring spoons. I repeated the measurement several times with several sachets for accuracy.
I found that it's actually 2⅝ teaspoons of each, not a whole tablespoon. If you prefer to weigh instead, it's 13 grams of baking soda and 11 grams of citric acid.
By the way, I found citric acid in at my local grocery store, since people use them for canning and jarring tomatoes and strawberries.
Thanks for sharing!
Weight does really a better job! Thanks!
This is excellent, thank you!
I just purchased one, made sparkling apple juice and it worked great.
Mmmm
You should be on Marketplace! Great professional voice. I think making your own is the way to go.
Wow, thank you!
@@ErinLawrenceTV Sound just like a TV talking head. Imo video could have shorter or got to point sooner for the younger crowd, otherwise great !
Several years later, how is your Sparkël holding up using your DIY carbonator? Still using Arm & Hammer? I've read it may be too fine, but it is hard to buy based on granularity, at least I can't find it easily. :)
I ended up switching back to a soda stream. Just found it was easier.
Your voice is beautiful for this kind of videos. Loved it.
Thank you so much!
You are a nice lady!!! Thank you so much for this great suggestion!! I can do anything now.
You are so welcome!
Besides the CO2 you have also made sodium citrate "congratulations " if you add another 3-4gm of citric acid you will have made a refreshing lemony drink .
ps check the ph of your concoction, most commercial sodas are around ph 3-4 and the small amount of citric acid added extra was around 6 . Cheers
The citric acid does not get into the drink. Only the CO2 that is produced is sent into the drink.
Very helpful Erin. After watching this video I placed an order buying the Sparkle
Glad it was helpful!
Me too
Can someone tell me the benefit of using the machine? I've just been mixing a scant teaspoon of the baking soda and a full teaspoon of citric acid to a glass of water and creating soda water that way . I love seltzer water anyway, but sometimes I use it as an antacid like the Alka Seltzer from back in the day, before they started adding sweetener to it.
Dawna, if you are drinking quite a bit of carbonated water you are getting a lot of sodium that way. With the Sparkel the baking soda doesn't go into the water, so you aren't ingesting the sodium. One teaspoon of baking soda has 1232 milligrams of sodium. I believe the recommendation is to not exceed 2500 milligrams, sp that is about half of the daily maximum.
The machine just adds the bubbles to your drink. The baking soda and citric acid do not go in to the bottle. So you won’t get the same antacid effect that you’re used to. The Sparkel machine is great at infusing flavors in to water though. It builds pressure in the bottle to bind the carbon dioxide to the liquid in the bottle, and that pressure helps make lemon water (for instance) really fast. It’s like fancy spa water for a few minutes wait.
That was exactly my next question! Wondering if you could just add the ingredients in a glass or a bottle with your water or juice or whatever you are wanting to fizz up.
Hi Erin. How many bottles of carbonated water does each satchel or DIY mixture make, using the Sparkle Machine, please. Is it just 1 bottle per sachet or several? Thanks for any reply
Yes. One bottle per sachet.
Thank you! So helpful as I want to decrease my use of soft plastics
Wonderful!
out of curiosity, does anyone know if it's possible to pre-mix the two components? For example, to make things easier, pre-measure them into a small container (quick tip: a 35 mm film canister holds just about 2 tablespoons of most powers like spices, flour, instant coffee, etc.). My wife wants a sodastream, but I'm leaning toward the Sparkle. The hassle of measuring things out could be a blocker, and I don't like creating all that small plastic waste of using the packets.
Good question. I didn’t try premixing the solution. But the fact that the company packages them separately tells me that perhaps they lose their effectiveness if combined too soon.
@@ErinLawrenceTV good point. I'll have to do some testing.
@@cvkealey what was the outcome if I may ask?
@@eatonjb I made up 3 "mixed" carbonators each in a separate film canister. I used the first one day after packaging, another at 3 days and the last at 7 days. They all "carbonated" just fine. However, by 3 days, it had gotten a little clumpy, and by 7 days VERY clumpy (I had to break up the chunks with a spoon to get them to fit in the machine).
So, if you know you're going to use it within a day or maybe two, pre-mixing is fine. Any longer than that, expect to work at it a bit to break up the clumps. I've just found it easier to make up separate canisters of each part. The 35mm film containers work great, but are a little large, so I'll be looking for something smaller.
@@cvkealey Wish it was still easy to get film canisters 😂
Maybe what you could do is get one of those AM/PM pill calendars, and put pre-measured portions of Citric Acid in the AM and Baking Soda in the PM cubbies? That way, you get 7 quick portions, separated?
I am using my Sparkle carburetor. I purchased the power in bulk and have had great results. I also tried adding a smaller amount directly into my drink. Works great. No machine needed. Has anyone else tried it?
Thanks for sharing
I am new to that machine. Is the acid citrique and the soda goes in the drink or just the gaz goes in the drink? Thanks
Just the gas goes into the drink.
@@ErinLawrenceTV Does the machine ever need to be cleaned out or is there no waste from the powders?
@@tomodugan8456 Yes it needs to be cleaned and every 4 or 5 bottles you need to empty the waste container or it will overflow. The powders mix with water from the hopper in the back in a pressure chamber inside the machine. This forms CO2 gas in the chamber which is pumped into the bottle through the valve in the bottom. The water and waste chemicals are drained into the waste container at the front of the machine. This needs emptying every 4 to 5 bottles made. None of the chemicals go into the bottle.
To clean it add two tablespoons citric acid and about a quarter cup warm water to the hopper and close the latch quickly. Let it sit about half an hour then open the latch and wipe out the hopper. I do this about once a week.
Your review here gave me the confidence to get one. It arrived this week. As there are two types of citric acid being sold in the market. anhydrous and monohydrate. which is the better of the two for this purpose. Thank you and or anyone with an answer.
I wasn’t aware there was a difference Maybe someone here knows...
@@ErinLawrenceTV It's okay. Today, I bought ARM & HAMMER pure baking soda from a grocery store and Citric Acid powder from a baking ware store and it works like magic!
Thomas Chia can I ask.. do you know if I can mix these in the same packet.
@@ErinLawrenceTV I know this is an old comment but in case others are looking...
It just means there is or isn't a water molecule present in its molecular makeup. The anhydrous will be easier to mix and less clumpy but that's it. It might(?), mix better in the machine slightly but either would be ok.
@Zulu Voodoo No. Not safely, anyway. If you just put the chemicals in the liquid and mix it you will be ingesting the chemicals, not a good idea with these. The machine combines the chemicals which then generate CO2 that then carbonates the water. The chemicals have no contact with what you drink, which is the way it should be, unless you want to be taking in massively excessive amounts of sodium, and, as Wikipedia puts it, "High sodium consumption is associated with chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and stroke."
Bought this machine after watching this video. Thank you!
I wish i saw this before i decided i needed to purchase a machine that uses the co2 cannistera because "it's readily available". This would be even easier and produce less waste!
This actually produces more waste. CO2 tanks are reused.
I don't know. Drinking baking soda sounds gross. I prefer the c02 canister.
There is a way to mix the two in a separate container to get a reaction (co2), then feed that reaction (co2) using a hose into your water. Adding the mixture directly to your water will give it a salty taste.
Could I mix the citric acid and baking soda together in bulk ahead of time and keep it in a sealed container or do they need to be kept separate until it's time to use them?
Hmmmmm. Good question. I don't know....
I would keep them separate, if there's any moisture, even humidity, it could cause a reaction within your container holding them both eventually. This just means that the chemical reaction that causes carbon dioxide will have already occurred and become useless.
No. All you will do doing that is make a giant bath bomb. It will solidify and you will not be able to get it out of the container.
Ask me how I know.
Hlo and good evening madam
Mam please tell me the exactly citric acid and sodium by carbonate measurement in gram please please and please I will be very thankful to you and also tell how many water
Someone commented their weights months ago, but someone else said they found a more accurate amount. Try to take a look. Wish I could tag you :(
How long have you been doing this method and have you had any issues with your machine?
Is your machine still working well? I am very intrigued by it, but the reviews on Amazon are so mixed.
.20 cents tablespoon citric using amazon price 7.50/pound. Maybe half cost of the premade.
I live in the UK where can I buy the sparkle from i tried the 2
main selling sites I have no joy can you help me please thanks
I got one yesterday , pleasantly surprised withe the result the 1st time.... but when I went to get another glass 2 hours later after sitting it in the fridge there was no more sizzle , pretty disapointing .
I thought it would at least be good 24 hours , any advice on that ? thanks .
I had this at first. I have had a machine for a month. It makes all the difference if the water is cold first. It's not as strong, but I can still have decent fizz the next afternoon if I make a bottle the evening before.
Storage is just like those 2L commercial bottles. Carbonation leaks fast, it’s best preserved when kept very cool, minimal “air gap” in the bottle (like for 2L Pepsi bottles, it’s best to squeeze the bottle so the inside is just carbonated liquid and no air space above the liquid), and of course a good, tight seal.
How many grams of sodium bicarbonate is in a sparkel sachet and how many grams of citric acid is in a sparkel sachet.
Hi, Sorry, my english is not my first language. I don't understand: You put 1 cup of citric acid and 1 cup baking soda ? OR 1 cup of citric acid and baking soda (50/50) ? Regards
I ordered one of these, and I am curious that after a year or so, have you continued to do this, and did it cause any issues with the machine?
I only used it for a few weeks just to try it out.
@@ErinLawrenceTV oof.
So 1 tablespoon for each correct?.
just tried this and it worked
How much carbonation does it make at highest level? Would you say light , medium or high?
Tongue scarring, lol. Its very, very bubbly, I love it but my brother says it hurts his mouth.
Very, very, VERY bubbly. I LOVE IT.
Walmart carries citric acid in the pickling and canning section.
Does Canadian tire sell these?
Unfortunately not.
@@ErinLawrenceTV a reply . Any other
I much prefer going in person pay cash 💲
How is your machine holding up. I want to buy one but concerned with the build quality based on reviews on amazon.
So far so good. I heard they had some issues with bum units earlier this year. Seems like it's been dealt with.
@@ErinLawrenceTV Thanks Erin, I order one based on your review and plan to make my own Carbonation mix.
Thank you for your videos on sparkel. I guess you can’t pre mix you citric acid and baking soda in a jar and just take 2 table spoonful. when needed. I wonder why you can’t pre mix.
They will react when together because there is humidity in the air.
Because it will solidify and be stuck in the container. Ask me how I know.
Great voice and presentation, subbed
Why not just mix both with a spoon instead?
Great video.! All meat and potatoes. Thanks for the great info and for respecting my time
Thanks for the view and comment!
So if I only fill the bottle halfway up, do I only use half the amount of citric acid and baking soda or do I just use the same amount?
No. That will not work. You are making CO2 in a pressure chamber inside the machine and it needs the same amount of chemicals to produce the pressure no matter how much liquid is in the bottle. NONE of the baking soda and citric acid goes into the drink.
I’m hooked on energy drinks and would like to stop drinking them, both because of the cost and I know they can’t be good for me. Thinking about getting one of these machines and switching to citrus flavored carbonated water. Can anyone tell me what the cost of one drinks worth of these two ingredients would be? It would be really small compared to $2-$3 for an energy drink, right?
Especially if you make your own carbonator it’s probably under a dollar.
why not use alkaseltzer?
Doesn't using your own carbonater or a different one void the warranty? But if its been a year not much to worry about i suppose
If you have a low level of carbonation, can you just put less baking soda and citric acid
Your problem probably stems from just eye balling a tablespoon based on volume rather than mass, the weight per tablespoon can vary greatly depending on what sodium bicarbonate and citric acid you have, for instance after weighing I figured out to get the 12 grams of sodium bicarbonate I just need 2 teaspoons and to get 10 grams of citric acid 2 teaspoons again. With their packets 12 and 10 grams is basically just 1 tablespoon.
I was wondering the same thing... Like use less, but press the number 5...
Could be interesting to try!
Has anyone tried absorbic acid (vitamin c) instead of citric acid? I just realized I already have a bulk supply of absorbic acid not citric
From what I read, it might not give you the same taste or fizz. Citric acid is more acidic and has one more oxygen molecule... You could probably try it though...
For some reason, my carbonater stopped bubbling at level 4 and stood still until the chime at level 5; the water was basically flat. Same thing twice. Then I added a tiny bit more citric acid and baking soda and it worked... has that happened to anyone? Or is my machine defective...
According to posts that I've seen, pushing down on the bottle while it is in the machine may help to realign the machine's valve with the bottle. Perhaps that will work for you? Good luck.
So could you get a used empty brand name soda bottle and fill it with whatever you want to mix and then dump in your two powders and seal it up? Wouldn't it carbonate right in the bottle without a machine at all?
Sachet Sounds like sa·shay
Almost as cute as Nigella Lawson’s funny Pronunciation of Microwave
LOL!
You should of been in the news. You sound like a news lady. Not a bad thing. Great cadence.
Thank you. I was a news lady once 😀😀
What is a shatchet...never heard that term before
Erin, how often have you been using your hack? I was going to purchase a Sparkel and use this hack, but the description on their Amazon page says that using other products WILL deteriorate the machine. I don't know if that's verbiage used to deter you from using DIY hacks. What has been your experience?
Hi Amy, good question. I’m sure they say that because they would rather you purchase the satchets from them. It is literally exactly the same powders inside, so if they are saying a different brand of powder will ruin the machine, I have my doubts if that is actually true. I did not have any issues with mine.
@@ErinLawrenceTV Do you have an update? My research indicates that the company uses a larger 'grain' of sodium bicarbonate that helps it to not 'cake'.
I put a tablespoon of each but it tastes funny. Any advice? It tastes like salty
The manual says that carbonating brings out the flavor of whatever is in the bottle. Maybe your tap water is salty?
THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!!
Wow that’s effin awesome!!!
Erin great video! Did you try to measure pH of the mix?
My thoughts exactly! I suppose it will be slightly acidic to mimic the taste of carbonic acid ... however, citric acid has a stronger effect on tooth enamel - a known problem with commercial sodas.
@@f.d.6667 The citric acid doesn't make it into the drink, it's combined with the baking soda and water from the reservoir in a separate tank, then only the gas gets pumped through the bottle for carbonation. There shouldn't be any change in acidity of the drink due to the citric acid.
@@itsstefans9334 That is good information. I love this idea but didn’t want to drink baking soda. Thank you
I got the Milliard citric acid and I actually think it tasted better than the kind that came with it
Since none of the citric acid gets into the drink, that is very weird...
Thanks
Hey there! Can someone tell me, if the water became alkaline after being infuse and carbonated, or, it became more acid like the carbonated water from the soda stream.
Thank you!
I imagine dissolving co2 into water will make it acidic no matter the source of the co2
I buy vitamin c in bulk, cheap. It has the same effect when mixed with baking soda.
Thank you!!
Is there a particular brand you recommend?
@Boris Baconstein Can you give the accurate measurement of Vitamin C to use with the Baking Soda?
Yes, vitamin C is commonly cirtic acid
Yes what is your measurements ?
Thank you!!!
My pleasure!
Thank you. I did find their sachets a tad pricey.
Glad to help!
@@ErinLawrenceTV I just tried it and I actually found it better than the ones Sparkles makes! :)
Since it uses baking soda, how much are we allowed to drink a day? Too much baking soda isn’t good for us.
The baking soda does not go into your water. Only the CO2 gas it creates.
Erin Lawrence thank you! I got one based on your review!
Satchets and Hatchets do not rhyme... 😆 Teasing aside, this was an excellent video and very helpful! Sparkel could have you as a rep!
You could get an even more accurate measurement using a scale and finding out how many grams each pouch is, instead of basing off volume which isn't as accurate.
Thanks for the tip!
I tried it but it didn't work
Wow awsome video!
Glad you think so!
You should join the news, you got the voice oh my gosh
Ha, thanks!
@@ErinLawrenceTV np🤗
Can we not put sodium bicarb and citric acid in a sealed bottle of water and get these results?
no its gonna taste bad , the machine uses the 2 products to produce the gas but the sodium bicarb and citric acid never ''touches'' your water
Considered that there is bycarbonate of sodium how about the consumption for people with hypertension?
The baking soda doesn't go into the drink.. just the gas from the chemical mix. The byproduct of reaction is a white slurry you dispose of in separate bin.
Great video
Thanks!
This over pressurized my machine and blew the seals on the bottle.
Oh no!
This is very informative!!
😊😊😊🙏
I ordered the machine and had it ship half way around the world to Riyadh KSA (where i'm currently living) Tried the approach you demonstrated in the video however the result turned out to be more acidic tasing than what i get when i used the sparkel sachets, perhaps it has to do with the type of citric acid I'm using. any tips on that?
anyway the machine is lovely however using locally sourced citric acid / sodium bicarbonate is essential as i dont want to keep shipping things all the way rom canada.
The mass to volume of dry chemicals can vary greatly. You can't just eyeball the specific mass that is needed for this 5:6 chemical reaction based on the volume that their citric acid and sodium bicarbonate takes up. To get the proper chemical reaction that this machine was built for the goal should be to reach the specific mass of chemicals they use, 10 grams citric and 12 grams sodium bicarbonate. For me that just happens to be 2 teaspoons of each.
Do you work for CNN or news channel? 😅 Thanks for the video
I used to be a news reporter on CTV. Thanks for watching!
Great video! Thank you
Sachet is pronounced as sa-shei
I just found out that doing this voids the warranty. Their website says that there are subtle differences in the baking powder you can buy in the store and the mixture they send with their machines. Store bought baking soda apparently clogs the jets or results in over carbonation. Whatever. My machine broke. Maybe I caused it by using baking soda. If so, I just flushed $120 down the toilet.
Sorry to hear that.
Mine has also started malfunctioning. I'm really unhappy I tried this.
Why need to buy the 2 packet instead of buying the citric acid + baking soda? Why need to put into sparkel? Can't it be put into the bottle itself?
I have sodastream but its not cost effective to refill gas. If I use these 2 ingredient how do I put into sodastream? Went to your website but can't find anything about the difference between sparkel & sodastream.
I trid directly in the bottle...it has a bit of acid yes but you will drink the ingredients...it seems that, in the sparkel, only the CO2 will go into the water to carbonate it...I am looking to buy the machine
For the Sparkel machine, please do NOT put the ingredients directly into the bottle. You're not meant to consume them. All you need is the byproduct CO2 gas that is produced when they're mixed together in the water tank.
The Sodastream brand machines function differently. There is no place to add chemicals or water to create the bubbles that you want. Sodastreams use compressed gas in metal canisters. When the gas cylinder is empty, you need to take it somewhere to be refilled or exchange the empty canisters for new ones. Good Luck.
All this evidence of people using technology about which they have absolutely no understanding. I mean ZERO.
You can replace the citric acid with lemon juice 👍
Thanks!
How much lemon juice do you use as substitute for the citric acid in combination with 12 g of baking soda?
Do the powders end up being combined in the water. If so, how does it affect the taste and I guess sodium content?
No. It is combined in a pressure chamber inside the machine with water from the reservior in the back to produce CO2 gas that is pumped into the bottle. Only CO2 gas goes into the bottle so no sodium goes in. All the chemicals are in the waste in the waste bin after you're done.
Cool
Thanks!