12 Simple Ways To Get More Out Of Your Soda Machine

Soda typically isn't synonymous with health, convenience, and homemade recipes, but thanks to the popularity of home soda machines, it absolutely can be. When the first home soda machine was invented over a century ago, it was reserved as an upper-class luxury. Today, however, gadgets like the SodaStream allow consumers to create health-conscious sparkling drinks from the comfort of home. When you're feeling thirsty but are tired of plain, still water, your soda maker swoops in to provide ample hydration that's extra refreshing without the need for oodles of added sugar. And if your seltzer drinking habits are anything like mine, a soda maker is necessary to avoid racking up piles of wasteful bottles and cans.

But the fizzy fun doesn't have to stop at mere sparkling water and soda. I've compiled this list of uses for your soda machine — some typical and some unorthodox — to make this handy kitchen appliance something that you'll use more than just when you have the occasional hankering for a carbonated drink. A soda maker can help you prepare fresh, homemade meals, clean items around the house, and inspire kitchen creativity. But before carbonating any unique concoctions, always keep in mind that not all machines are created equal. For example, carbonating anything other than water could result in a huge SodaStream mistake, while Drinkmate's OmniFizz can carbonate nearly any liquid directly. So pull out whichever soda machine suits your needs and start viewing this humble gadget as a panorama of unwavering potential.

We all have that one timeless soda that's our go-to when the craving for a sweet, bubbly drink hits. But as we age and start considering factors like sugar content in our dietary choices, we sometimes have to put that Pepsi or Mountain Dew on the back burner (tragic, I know). But thanks to home soda machines and the limitless possibilities of online recipes, your favorite sodas don't have to be among the many things left to nostalgic childhood memories.

Use a soda machine to recreate your favorite classic or craft sodas from the comfort of home using common ingredients like fruit, herbs, and sweeteners or flavor syrups. This allows you to manage the sugar content or swap out corn syrup for all-natural sweeteners while enjoying the refreshingly sweet flavors that you grew up loving. Make homemade Mountain Dew with sparkling water and the juice and zest from lemons, limes, and oranges. Or try a sugar-free Dr. Pepper-esque drink using cola-flavored stevia sweetener and cherry flavoring, like black cherry Mio, with added caffeine and vitamins.

When the first signs of summer appear and those long, sweltering days call for a switch from hot coffee to iced, it's time to pull out your soda machine. Sparkling coffee drinks are beginning to outshine iced coffee and cold brew as the caffeinated drinks of summer. So stay ahead of the coffee curve by incorporating homemade soda into your morning regimen.

Fans of bittersweet flavors love coffee tonics as a replacement for boring iced coffee. To make one at home, simply combine soda water, tonic syrup (like this one from Portland Syrups), and espresso and take in the sweet and floral flavors. For a more versatile sparkling coffee drink, add espresso to seltzer and whatever flavor syrups you prefer (vanilla and berry flavors work best) to create a caffeinated Italian soda. Or try espresso, orange juice, and seltzer for bold yet smooth bitterness. This concoction combines the two most quintessential morning beverages into one holy grail of invigorating wake-up calls. If you don't have access to espresso, try pouring a concentrated shot of high-quality instant coffee over ice and then adding the syrup or juice and seltzer.

There's only one goal in every pancake-making conquest: to create the fluffiest pancakes imaginable. While there are plenty of tricks to create the ultimate fluffy pancakes, few are as simple and straightforward as adding sparkling water to the batter. To make pancakes as light as air, simply swap out the liquid in the batter for seltzer. Use your soda maker to create plain fizzy water and then measure out the amount required in the recipe. This works for homemade recipes and boxed pancake mixes that require only added water (or, in this case, seltzer) and eggs.

Seltzer water makes pancakes fluffy by trapping pockets of air in the batter. As they cook, the air pockets expand, creating flapjacks that are thick and fluffy. This trick works especially well for from-scratch or boxed fluffy gluten-free pancakes. Gluten-free pancakes are known for being tough and dense, so incorporate carbonated water the next time you make a wheat-free breakfast to see how these pancakes fare with added air.

Of the most popular fermented drinks created for their unparalleled flavor and unique health benefits, none are as famous worldwide as kombucha. Originally developed in China as far back as 221 B.C., kombucha is now a ubiquitous, trendy tonic found in grocery stores and gas stations all over the U.S. The drink is loaded with pre and probiotics, which act as a powerhouse for gut health and may even play a role in improving mental health.

While making homemade kombucha is rewarding, it's a labor-intensive task that not all fans of the natural, fermented drink are up for. Luckily, you can use your home soda machine to create quick and affordable kombucha, saving you pricey trips to the store for the bottled stuff and hours of time creating from-scratch booch.

To make kombucha in the most time-saving and inexpensive way, use your soda machine to brew up some plain sparkling water. Then, add a commercial kombucha concentrate to the sparkling water according to the package directions and stir gently; that's all it takes. You can use a liquid, bottled concentrate, or powder packets, like Feel Good Superfoods kombucha iced tea packets.

Your soda machine doesn't have to be reserved for hydrating, healthy daytime drinks. Bust it out at your next gathering to create DIY cocktails with ease. With a soda maker, there's no need to crack open can after can of sparkling water, creating a mess and making drinks more costly. Not only does a soda machine make your home bar more efficient, but the sleek designs of most machines add a touch of modern elegance and sophistication to your bar's layout.

Use homemade soda to whip up bougie tipples, like a basil and Meyer lemon Tom Collins or Champagne spritz. Or make your favorite boozy beverages extra bubbly by adding a splash of heavily carbonated soda water. This adds fizz without watering down your drink too much. Try this with a French 75, where Champagne typically provides only a hint of carbonation. You can also use your soda maker to host a party centered around homemade cocktails. Gather an assortment of cocktail ingredients — like various liquors, fruit juice, flavor syrups, spices, herbs, and fresh fruit — and host a party where guests can invent their own drinks, all centered around your soda machine.

One of my personal favorite ways to ensure that I get a lot out of my soda machine is to make my own soda-flavoring syrups. Creating homemade syrups appears complex to the untrained eye, but it's actually a very simple process with an incredibly rewarding payoff. All you need is sugar, water, and whatever fruits, herbs, or spices you want to flavor your syrup with. Mix the ingredients together in a saucepan and allow them to boil gently until all of the sugar has dissolved. Then, let the mixture cool and store it away for use in delicious, expertly sweetened sodas. You can also make syrups using the sous vide method for a crisper, cleaner taste. The process takes much longer, but it's ideal for intricate flavors — like those involving florals — where preventing the ingredients from breaking down makes the syrup more complex.

Fruit flavors always make tasty, refreshing sodas. Try a mixed berry syrup with blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, or citrus blends with tangy orange and grapefruit or classic lemon and lime. Add herbs to fruit for more nuance in your soda flavors, like rosemary and grapefruit or basil and lime. If sweet and creamy drinks are your pleasure, get creative with ingredients like fig and vanilla, bourbon butterscotch, and chocolate cherry. These syrups also double as excellent coffee additions, so give one a try in your next espresso soda.

Did you know that you can transform plain water into an all-purpose household cleaner using your soda machine? Unflavored sparkling water is among the best all-natural cleaning products, and with a soda machine, you don't need to stock up on canned soda as part of your cleaning regimen. Since a soda machine allows you to control the level of carbonation in your water, you can create extra-bubbly sparkling water for ultimate cleaning power.

Soda water cleans everyday items around the house gently, without the need for any harsh chemicals. It's ideal for cleaning jewelry, where tiny bubbles help to disintegrate dirt trapped in minuscule crevices in rings, earrings, and necklaces without damaging them. You can also use seltzer to scrub stubborn pet or wine stains out of carpets. Plain seltzer won't leave an irritating, chemical-smelling residue behind, and its fizziness helps to lift away dirt and diminish odors. Try this method with stains on clothing, too, or for polishing glass dishware.

Usually, when meat tenderizing is the task at hand, we reach for any other kitchen tool besides our soda machines. But carbonated water can soften tough meat without having to put in the elbow grease typically required to tenderize steak, pork, or chicken. To tenderize meat with sparkling water, make some extra-bubbly water with your soda maker, then soak the meat in the water for about one hour; no more need for pricey marinades or the time-consuming, low-and-slow cooking method in order to soften meat. The bubbles in the water help break down the proteins in meat, resulting in a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Turn your sparkling water into sweetened soda before soaking certain cuts of meat for added flavor. Add a touch of lemon-lime flavor to soda before soaking lamb for a tangy kick that complements lamb's natural earthiness. Or try a shot of cola syrup in your homemade soda before soaking beef for a hint of caramel and vanilla richness. Add a splash of fresh pineapple juice to soda before soaking pork for barbecue dishes; pineapple adds a touch of tropical essence that accentuates pork's fatty, umami taste and adds much-needed sweetness to smokey flavors.

As the seasons start to change, have some fun with your soda maker by adding seasonal syrups to your collection of soda add-ins. I love to restock my pantry with flavor syrups that correspond with the time of year as a means to put my soda maker to more use; there's something uniquely satisfying about drinking in the flavors of the season, especially as a refreshing, bubbly tonic.

For an enticing, from-scratch touch, make homemade seasonal syrups using the aforementioned methods. Add local herbs, florals, and fruits that are in season to give your soda a homestyle appeal. In the colder months, homemade warm and spicy syrups invoke the spirit of the holidays and make great additions to boozy, carbonated drinks. Or, stock up on popular, commercial seasonal flavors, like this line of autumn and winter flavors from Torani. These classic syrups, like pumpkin spice and peppermint, are usually reserved for coffee, but incorporating them into soda gives your drinks a distinctive quality.

For springtime, try bright and flowery syrups, like lavender and rose, and come summer, snag Torani's line of classic berry syrups or vibrant citrus flavors. You can also flavor summertime sodas with fresh fruit juices. My favorite bright and fruity soda is made with a splash of grapefruit juice, a few drops of lime juice, and agave nectar.

While soda is typically associated with sweet, sugary drinks, there's no law that says you can't crank out delicious, savory libations using your soda maker. Savory drinks make great booze companions, especially as revitalizing, hair-of-the-dog elixirs. But you can also enjoy them purely for their taste and health benefits. Make an herby summer drink with fresh rosemary, thyme, lime juice, and salt for a simple refresher with the taste and aroma of a warm, sunny day.

Pickle juice and sparkling water combine for an easy, two-ingredient beverage that's as hydrating as it is stunningly refreshing. Pickle juice provides ample electrolytes for quick hydration, while a tall glass of sparkling water gives you a healthy dose of nourishing liquid, so try this tonic the next time summer's heat has you feeling weak. 

Tomato juice-based, spicy, and herbaceous drinks are usually reserved for bloody marys, but with added seltzer, this concoction also works wonders as an invigorating and nutrient-packed morning wake-up. Brew some extra-bubbly water and add it in a 1:1 ratio with a tomato juice-based mixture made with herbs of your choosing, Worcestershire sauce, and celery salt. Add an optional dash of lemon or lime juice and something spicy, like Tabasco, for added zing.

Cleaning seafood — especially shellfish — is among the most daunting kitchen tasks. Too much water pressure can destroy your scallops or clams, while not enough can leave nasty bits of sand and debris behind. Sparkling water is your best friend in the seafood-slinging kitchen to make this troublesome task a breeze. The bubbles in carbonated water remove tiny specks of debris that are impossible to see with the naked eye without altering their flavor. This ensures fish tastes fresh and doesn't leave behind a gritty residue.

Brew up some carbonated water to soak scallops, clams, mussels, and other shellfish before cooking. This method is ideal for delicate seafood items that don't fare well under running water. Be sure to make your soda with extra cold water when soaking seafood to keep it as fresh-tasting as possible. Five or 10 minutes of soaking is all it takes to remove debris from shellfish. Be sure to pat them dry with a paper towel after soaking to remove any excess liquid.

One of the most disheartening kitchen mishaps occurs when you pull out your favorite cast iron pan only to discover it was accidentally stashed away when wet and rust has formed. While this may seem like reason enough to retire your durable kitchen tool, before you toss that cherished hand-me-down, whip out your soda machine. Carbonic acid in seltzer water aids in naturally eliminating or reducing rust wherever it forms, including on tools, hinges, and furniture. Since seltzer doesn't contain any harsh chemicals, you can clean rust from cast iron without having to worry about stripping all that hard-earned seasoning from your pans.

To clean rust from your cast iron pans using soda water, simply soak them in extra-fizzy water for about an hour or two, or until you notice that the pan's rust is deteriorating. Be sure to clean and dry pans thoroughly after soaking to prevent more rust from forming from residual moisture. The best method for drying pans is to wipe them clean with a microfiber or paper towel and then set them on the stove on low heat until no water is visible. You may have to repeat the process a few times for large spots of rust or particularly stubborn oxidation, but the effort will be well worth it when you can put your favorite cooking gadget to use once again.