There’s a certain kind of magic to a fountain soda, especially at that one place in town that has its recipe tuned in just perfectly. It’s effervescent, refreshing, and saturated with flavor, not flat or watery, a blissful mixture of bubbles and syrup that you can’t get anywhere else. Or at least, that’s how it used to be. Before home-use soda machines became mainstream, you couldn’t get that straight-from-the-fountain flavor or those iconic bubbles without leaving the house. Now, you can carbonate any drink on your countertop, though it might not taste exactly the same as a fountain Coca-Cola from McDonald’s.
You could use one of many countertop soda machines to make any kind of bubbly drink (including sparkling wine), so you can create your own fizzy cocktail or the perfect blend of flavors for your own fountain soda pop. And while you can whip up a cream soda, cola, or a classic ginger ale, you’ll find that you might not be able to mimic some of your favorite carbonated beverages. There’s a reason why fast food soda always tastes different, and it hinges on the discrepancies between commercial and home-use soda fountains.
How do commercial fountain soda machines work?
The thing that makes commercial fountain soda machines unique is how they blend water, syrup, and carbonation in perfect proportions while dispensing. Most machines rely on CO2 tanks and syrup pumps to create bubbles, carbonating water that’s mixed with syrup to create the perfect soda. Commercial fountain soda machines do this in two different ways, a pre-mix system and a post-mix system. Pre-mix systems carbonate a pre-made mixture of syrup and water. Post-mix systems hit carbonated water with a blast of syrup just before it comes out of the dispenser. In both systems, water (or a water-syrup combo) is chilled as it waits to be used, which enhances the carbonation. Your favorite sweet, bubbly fountain soda tastes the way it does because of the mechanics but also because of the unique ratio of syrup to water — and the syrup/water proportions differ between establishments that have fountain soda machines.
How do home soda fountains compare to commercial versions?
Home-use soda machines have been around for longer than they’ve been popular. They’ve been on countertops since 1903, though they were huge back then and only within reach for the wealthy. They’ve been fine-tuned through the years, and now there are plenty of brands with their own countertop carbonator on the market. Some just process water, others will carbonate any beverage.
There are two types of home-use soda machines available. The first is a machine like the classic Sodastream, a device that uses a CO2 cartridge to infuse bubbles into water. The second uses a chemical reaction to create bubbles. Products like the Sparkel employ sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and citric acid to create carbonation in any liquid — no canister necessary. In these machines, you can even carbonate alcohol. For spiked drinks, try infusing some bubbles into your next lavender Aviation and other unique, refreshing cocktails.
Taste differences between commercial and home soda machines
Home-use soda machines infuse bubbles and syrup into water to create soda pop, just like commercial fountain soda machines. They can use chilled water and be compared to the pre-mix version of a commercial fountain machine — adding carbonation to an already mixed concoction. But, there’s almost always a difference in taste — even if you’re mimicking commercial soda flavors with SodaStream syrups or using Bubly syrups to recreate the flavor of the iconic canned sparkling water.
You’ll never be able to fully match the taste of a commercial fountain drink from your favorite restaurant, unless you have the exact recipe, that is. Flavor has everything to do with syrup combinations and water ratios, and until you get the original recipe for Coca-Cola (a closely guarded secret) or other common sodas found in commercial machines, you’ll always be able to taste a difference.
The cleanliness of commercial vs. countertop soda machines
Your favorite restaurant’s soda fountain might not be as clean as you think. It takes about 15 minutes to clean and sanitize a commercial machine, and there are established protocols and state-set standards for cleanliness. However, studies have found stubborn bacteria in commercial fountain soda machines since 2010. Additionally, a 2023 study conducted by researchers at California’s Loma Linda University looked at water quality in some commercial fountain drinks and found traces of the microbes Pseudomonas aeruginosa, salmonella, and E. coli.
When you have your own countertop version, whether it’s a SodaStream or the more intricate Ninja Soda Maker, you can control the cleaning schedule and the water source for your soda. Consider cleaning with lemon to deal with odor issues in your soda maker, and consult your device’s owner’s manual for hygiene tips specific to your machine.
