How to Make Sparkling Water at Home: Every Method Compared

Buying sparkling water by the bottle works fine until you do the maths. A household that goes through a litre a day spends over $700 a year on bottled soda water. You're also hauling cases from the supermarket and stacking empty plastic bottles by the recycling bin every week.

There's a better way. Several, actually. This guide covers every practical method for making sparkling water at home in Singapore, from cheap countertop machines to all-in-one purifier systems, with real costs and honest trade-offs for each.

Why Make Your Own?

The case for homemade sparkling water comes down to four things.

Cost savings. Bottled sparkling water in Singapore runs between $1.50 and $3.00 per litre depending on the brand. Even the most basic home soda maker brings that down to $0.50 per litre or less. Over a year, a household that drinks a litre a day saves anywhere from $350 to $900.

Less plastic waste. Every litre you make at home is a litre that doesn't come in a single-use bottle. We'll get into the actual numbers later, but it's significant.

Convenience. No more last-minute runs to FairPrice because you're out of Perrier. You've always got sparkling water on tap, literally or with a quick press of a button.

Control over carbonation. Some people like it lightly fizzy. Others want the kind of aggressive bubbles that burn going down. When you make your own, you get to decide. Bottled water gives you whatever the factory decided.

Method 1: SodaStream and Similar Machines

SodaStream is the name most people think of when they think "sparkling water maker," and for good reason. It's been around since the 1990s, it's widely available in Singapore, and it works.

How It Works

You fill a reusable 1-litre BPA-free bottle with cold water, lock it into the machine, and press a button (or push a lever, depending on the model). CO2 from a pressurised cylinder gets injected into the water. More presses means more fizz. The whole process takes about 10 seconds.

Singapore Pricing

SodaStream sells several models through their official store, Courts, Harvey Norman, and other retailers:

Model	Price (SGD)	Type
Terra	$219.90	Manual, snap-lock CO2 cylinder
Art	$289.90	Manual, retro lever design
Spirit One Touch	~$298	Electric, one-button carbonation
E-Terra	$369.90	Electric, snap-lock CO2 cylinder

All models come with one CO2 cylinder and a 1L reusable bottle. CO2 cylinder exchanges cost $29.50 each and make roughly 60 litres of sparkling water. Exchange locations are available across Singapore, or you can arrange home delivery.

There are also competitors like Aarke (premium Swedish design, around $350 to $500) and DrinkMate (carbonates any liquid, not just water, around $150 to $200). They all work on the same basic principle.

Pros

• Low upfront cost. You're making sparkling water for under $300.
• No installation needed. Unbox it, insert the CO2 cylinder, and you're done.
• Portable. Taking it to a new flat is as easy as picking it up.
• CO2 exchanges are easy to find in Singapore.

Cons

• You need to manually fill and carbonate one bottle at a time.
• Takes up counter space (about 13cm x 18cm).
• Doesn't filter or purify the water. Whatever goes in comes out fizzy.
• If you're using tap water and don't like the chlorine taste, you'll need a separate filter.

Best for: Casual sparkling water drinkers, renters, anyone who values simplicity and low upfront cost.

Method 2: CO2 Siphon (Soda Syphon)

The soda siphon is the classic approach. Your grandparents might have had one. These days, they're mostly popular with cocktail enthusiasts, but they still work perfectly well for sparkling water.

How It Works

A soda siphon is a pressurised metal or glass bottle with a dispensing lever on top. You fill it with cold water, screw in a small single-use CO2 charger (usually an 8g cartridge), and the gas dissolves into the water under pressure. Press the lever to dispense fizzy water.

Each charger carbonates about 1 litre. Brands like iSi and Kayser are the most common. A box of 10 chargers runs about $12 to $18 in Singapore, available from kitchen supply shops, Lazada, or Shopee. The siphon itself costs $60 to $150 depending on the brand and material.

Pros

• Compact. Takes up less counter space than a SodaStream.
• No electricity needed.
• The dispensing mechanism keeps water carbonated longer than an open bottle.
• Looks good on a bar cart.

Cons

• Higher per-litre cost than SodaStream due to the single-use chargers.
• Single-use chargers generate more waste than refillable cylinders.
• Smaller capacity (typically 1L).
• Can be harder to find replacement chargers locally.

Best for: Cocktail enthusiasts, occasional use, anyone who wants something compact and doesn't mind paying a bit more per litre.

Method 3: All-in-One Purifier + Carbonator

This is the newest category, and it changes the equation if you're also in the market for a water purifier.

Systems like Velta's HydroSpark+ combine a full reverse osmosis water purifier with a built-in carbonation system. One machine replaces both your water filter and your sparkling water maker. It sits under the sink, connects to your cold water line, and dispenses still or sparkling purified water from a single tap on your counter.

How It Works

Tap water flows through a multi-stage RO filtration system that removes sediment, chlorine, heavy metals, and other contaminants. The purified water is then stored in a pressurised tank. When you select sparkling mode on the tap, the water passes through a carbonation chamber where CO2 is injected before dispensing. You get purified, carbonated water directly into your glass. No bottles, no filling, no waiting.

Singapore Pricing

The HydroSpark+ is $3,288 SGD, which includes the purification unit, carbonation system, installation, and the dispensing tap. Filter replacements run $80 to $200 depending on the component, with intervals of 6 to 36 months. CO2 cylinder costs are similar to SodaStream.

Pros

• Purified and sparkling water from a single tap.
• No counter space needed. Everything sits under the sink except a slim dispensing tap.
• No bottle-filling cycle. Dispenses directly into your glass, cup, or water bottle.
• One maintenance schedule instead of juggling a filter and a soda maker separately.
• Ideal for HDB kitchens where counter space is tight.

Cons

• Significantly higher upfront cost.
• Requires under-sink installation (included with purchase, takes about one to two hours).
• Not portable. This is a fixture, not an appliance you take when you move.
• Needs a power outlet and drain connection under the sink.

Best for: Households that want both water purification and sparkling water in one system. Especially worth considering if you don't already own a water purifier.

For a detailed head-to-head comparison, see our SodaStream vs HydroSpark guide.

Method 4: DIY with Dry Ice or Baking Soda

For completeness, here are two methods you'll come across online. Neither is practical for daily use, but you might be curious.

Dry Ice

Dropping a small piece of dry ice (solid CO2) into water does produce carbonation. It works, technically. But dry ice is -78.5 degrees Celsius, causes frostbite on contact, and can't be sealed in a closed container without risk of explosion. You also need to wait until it's fully sublimated before drinking. In Singapore, food-grade dry ice is sold in bulk (minimum 1kg to 5kg), making it impractical for daily use. It's a party trick, not a daily routine.

Baking Soda

Adding baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to water produces a slight effervescence, but the carbonation is very weak compared to proper sparkling water. It also changes the taste noticeably, making the water salty and alkaline, and adds a meaningful amount of sodium. One teaspoon contains about 1,260 mg of sodium, over half the recommended daily intake.

Bottom line: Neither method is worth it for regular use. Stick with the purpose-built options above.

Cost Per Litre Comparison

Here's what each method actually costs per litre of sparkling water in Singapore, with real prices.

Method	Upfront Cost	Per-Litre Cost	Notes
Bottled (store brand, e.g. FairPrice Sparkle)	$0	~$1.00-1.50/L	Buy as needed
Bottled (Perrier, 750ml)	$0	~$3.50-4.00/L	Premium pricing
Bottled (San Pellegrino, 1L)	$0	~$2.50-3.00/L	Widely available
SodaStream	$220-370	~$0.50/L	CO2 exchange at $29.50 per 60L
CO2 Siphon	$60-150	~$0.80-1.00/L	Chargers at ~$1.20-1.80 each per litre
HydroSpark+	$3,288	~$0.30/L	Amortised over 3 years, includes filter costs

A few notes on these numbers. The SodaStream per-litre cost only covers the CO2. It doesn't include the cost of the water itself or any separate filter you might use. If you add a basic carbon filter pitcher ($50 per year in replacement cartridges), the cost goes up slightly.

The HydroSpark+ figure of roughly $0.30 per litre accounts for the purchase price spread over 3 years, plus annual filter and CO2 costs. If you keep the system for 5 years or more, the per-litre cost drops further.

For a household that drinks 1 litre of sparkling water per day, here's the annual spend:

Method	Annual Cost
Bottled (store brand)	$365-548
Bottled (Perrier)	$1,278-1,460
SodaStream (after purchase)	~$180
CO2 Siphon (after purchase)	~$292-365
HydroSpark+ (amortised)	~$110

The pattern is clear. Any home method beats buying bottles. The differences between home methods come down to upfront cost, features, and whether you need water purification.

The Plastic Problem

Singapore generates about 900,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year, and we recycle only about 6% of it. Beverage bottles are a big contributor.

Consider a household that buys four 1.5L bottles of sparkling water per week. That's 208 bottles per year. Over five years, that's over 1,000 plastic bottles from one household, for one type of drink.

Every home carbonation method eliminates this entirely. SodaStream's reusable bottles last about 3 years before replacement. CO2 siphons use small metal chargers that are recyclable. The HydroSpark+ doesn't use bottles at all.

The CO2 cylinders used by SodaStream and similar systems are also reusable. You exchange your empty for a full one, and the empty gets refilled and recirculated. It's a genuinely closed-loop system for the gas supply.

This isn't a reason to feel guilty about buying the occasional bottle of Perrier. But if sparkling water is a daily habit for your household, making it at home is one of the easiest sustainability wins available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I carbonate tap water directly in Singapore?

Yes. Singapore's tap water meets WHO drinking water standards and is safe to drink straight from the tap. You can put it directly into a SodaStream or soda siphon without any health concerns. The main reason to filter first is taste: PUB uses chloramine to keep the water safe through the pipe network, and some people notice a faint chemical taste that carbonation doesn't mask. If that bothers you, a basic carbon filter or an RO system will remove it. For more on this, see our guide to choosing a water purifier in Singapore.

How long does homemade sparkling water stay fizzy?

In a sealed bottle (like the SodaStream reusable bottle), carbonated water stays fizzy for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. Once opened, it starts losing carbonation within a few hours, just like a bottle of store-bought sparkling water. Colder water holds carbonation better, so always refrigerate after making it. A soda siphon keeps water carbonated longer because the container stays pressurised until you dispense.

Is it cheaper to make sparkling water at home or buy it?

Making it at home is always cheaper in the long run. Even the most affordable store-brand sparkling water costs around $1.00 to $1.50 per litre. A SodaStream brings that down to about $0.50 per litre after the initial investment. If you currently buy premium brands like Perrier ($3.50+ per litre), the savings are even more dramatic. Most home soda makers pay for themselves within 3 to 6 months.

Can I add flavour to homemade sparkling water?

Yes, but do it after carbonation, not before. SodaStream and similar machines are designed to carbonate plain water only. Adding syrups, juice, or fruit before carbonating can cause messy overflow and may damage the machine. Carbonate your water first, pour it into a glass, and then add whatever you like: a squeeze of lemon, a splash of fruit juice, fresh mint, sliced cucumber. This also lets each person in your household customise their own glass.

Do sparkling water makers work in small HDB kitchens?

Absolutely. A countertop soda maker like the SodaStream Terra takes up about the same space as a kettle. If even that feels like too much, an under-sink system like the HydroSpark+ keeps everything hidden under the counter, leaving only a slim dispensing tap visible. The tap takes up less space than a soap dispenser. For tiny kitchens, the under-sink approach is worth the higher price just for the space savings.