Imbibe will be closed on October 3, 4, 17, 18, 25, and 26. Please expect delays in responses during this time.

The 4 best soda makers we tested in 2021

In the last few years, seltzer has become more than just a beverage — it’s become a way of life. From fan-favorite La Croix to Sanzo, which was founded by a Filipino-American entrepreneur and focuses on Asian flavors like calamansi, to the well-hyped Travis Scott-endorsed hard seltzer, we just love the fizzy stuff. But keeping a fridge stocked with seltzer can both add up in cost and take up a lot of space, so investing in a soda maker might be the solution.

Soda makers work by injecting CO2 into a liquid. Some machines want you to stick to plain water and add flavorings after the fact, while others allow you to carbonate beverages like juice, tea, and wine.

How does carbonation work?

I spoke with beverage scientist Adam Johnson of Imbibe, and he explained that carbonation is simply the suspension of carbon dioxide gas in a liquid. A soda maker forces a concentrated stream of gas into water to create soda.

Johnson explained that we find carbonated beverages so appealing because it actually causes us a very low-level pain. Think of it like enjoying a hot sauce or spicy food. “You get a little bit of a body response to the spicy food, but people like it,” he said. “It might just be kind of that, um, you know, people like pushing their body to certain limits. This is just a very, very low-end pain that people enjoy.”

Read the full article on Business Insider.

Keep Reading:

Decoding Flavor: Imbibe’s Lauren Senne on Taste Modulation, Bitter Blockers, and What It Really Takes to Formulate Great Beverages

Taste modulation is its own discipline. Maskers and bitter blockers aren't the same thing — bitter blockers work at the receptor level, physically blocking the signal, while maskers shift the overall flavor system. Knowing which tool to reach for is...
READ MORE

What’s Driving Flavor in 2027 — And What It Means for Beverage Innovation

Explore Imbibe's 2027 Flavor Trends report and discover how formulation complexity, functional ingredients, and evolving consumer expectations are changing the role of flavor in beverage innovation.
READ MORE

Why Relaxation Beverages Require a Different Flavor Strategy

Ingredients commonly associated with calm and relaxation — including ashwagandha, magnesium, valerian root, reishi, l-theanine, and other botanicals — can introduce earthy, woody, bitter, savory, sulfurous, or lingering off-notes.
READ MORE

Notice: Holiday Closure

Imbibe will be closed April 2, 3, 8, and 9. Please expect some delays in our response during these dates.