Twist ‘n Sparkle

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Wan Chi Lau in RainyDayKitchen // 0 Comments

We have been making our own soda for years. It is economical, easy to do, and we only make what we need when we need it. The only drawback with a soda machine is that it is kind of big to just have sitting on the counter all the time. While we have lots of space in the RainyDayKitchen, not everyone might have the same in theirs. If you have limited counter space, you might not want to share it with a soda maker. The solution to your problem is the Twist ‘n Sparkle.

The Twist ‘n Sparkle system is very compact. It consists of a wand, a bottle, and CO2 cartridges. Each cartridge is good for one use. The entire setup will fit easily into a drawer, out of the way, until needed. Setting the wand up to make soda is very simple. Just pop the cartridge into the slot, close the cap, and insert the stem into the filled bottle. Printed on the side of the bottle are two calibration marks. The upper mark is the level for water, the lower mark is the level for everything else (ice tea, fruit juices, cocktails, etc…). Not much to it at all.

As the name implies, twisting the cap down will activate the “sparkling” process. While we can’t see it, it is clear that there is a pin inside which pierces the CO2 cartridge, releasing the gas into the liquid. The entire carbonation step takes about a minute. When you don’t see any more gas coming out, the wand can be removed.

We love the simplicity and compactness of the Twist ‘n Sparkle unit. The portability and charge-anywhere convenience are the two features it has over our SodaStream machines (Edition1, Penguin, Fizz). However, at about $1 a liter, you are paying a premium for those benefits. The one limitation of this unit is the level of carbonation is not adjustable. You could, of course, add more bubbles by using another cartridge. However, if you want a level in the middle, you are out of luck.

If you don’t drink a lot of sodas or space is a premium, but want the convenience of making fizzy drinks on demand, then the Twist ‘n Sparkle will be perfect for you.