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I get why people love drinking soda. There are two types of people who love this sweet carbonated drink. Some people like it for the sugar rush, but others like it for the carbonation. I am more of the latter. However, I do not drink it often due to the high amount of sugar that comes with it. I know there is also carbonated water available in convenience stores and supermarkets.
Why not make one for yourself? Because in this article, we are going to take a look at two soda makers from SodaStream – the Genesis and the Fountain Jet. Let us take a closer look and see what their similarities and differences are.
SodaStream Genesis vs SodaStream Fountain Jet
Let’s review the specifics in a side by side chart.
| Name | SodaStream Genesis | SodaStream Fountain Jet |
|---|---|---|
| Image |  |
 |
| Material | Plastic | Plastic |
| CO2 Cylinder Compatibility | 60 Liters | 60 / 130 Liters |
| Carbonating Bottle Compatibility | 1 Liter Slim, 1 Liter Classic, 0.5 Liters | 1 Liter Slim, 1 Liter Classic, 0.5 Liters |
| Carbonating Bottle Insertion | Twist and Lock Bottle Insertion | Twist and Lock Bottle Insertion |
| LED Fizz Indicator | No | No |
| Electricity Required | No | No |
| Automatic Carbonation | No | No |
| Product Dimensions (W x H x D) | 9.2 x 5.2 x 16.4 inches | 10 x 5.5 x 17 inches |
| Product Weight | 6.93 pounds | 4.93 pounds |
| Warranty Period | 2 Year | 2 Year |
| What’s Included | SodaStream Genesis Sparkling Water Maker, 2 x 1 Liter BPA-Free Reusable Carbonating Bottle, Mini CO2 Carbonator (makes up to 9 Liters of Sparkling Water), Free 60-liter carbonator mail-in rebate | SodaStream Fountain Jet Sparkling Water Maker, 1 Liter BPA-free Reusable Carbonating Bottle, Mini CO2 Carbonator, Free 60-liter carbonator mail-in rebate |
| Price | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
Debunking Health Issues
Everybody assumes that all carbonated drinks are bad for health. Well, sodas loaded with sugar are indeed bad for your health. However, in the case of carbonated water (or sparkling water), there is no evidence that it causes health issues. Moreover, for some who are concerned about their dental health, sparkling water does not seem to affect it. In actually, sparkling water even helps your digestion by improving swallowing ability and reducing constipation.
No Electricity required
SodaStream Genesis and Fountain Jet conveniently do not require any power source to operate. That means either sparkling water maker does not require plugging it into the wall or insert batteries in them to carbonate your drink. You do not need to worry about the battery power running out. Instead, both use their CO2 tanks as their power source to carbonate. Unfortunately, both do not have an LED fizz indicator and an automatic carbonation process. To make a fizzy drink, you need to twist and push, then wait until your preferred carbonation is reached. Did I already mention that it only takes seconds to carbonate drinks? Yes, it only takes less than half a minute to make a sparkling drink. On top of that, both have ‘stay fizz’ bottle caps so that sparkling water stays carbonated for a long time.
Environment-Friendly
Since both SodaStream sparkling water makers do not need electricity or batteries, both are considered environmentally friendly. Moreover, both use BPA-free plastic bottles adding to their health benefits. The bottles that both come with are reusable, so you do not have to buy bottles after bottles of carbonated drinks to satisfy your sparkling water needs. Their CO2 carbonators are also refillable, just find a store near your location.
Buy SodaStream Genesis on Amazon
Buy SodaStream Fountain Jet on Amazon
SodaStream Genesis vs SodaStream Fountain Jet – Differences
Let’s see how these soda makers are different.
Design
When placed side-by-side, one clear difference between them is their design.
SodaStream Genesis
In my honest opinion, the SodaStream Genesis has a better design and style overall. SodaStream focused on design without sacrificing its functionality. It has a modern yet timeless style with its slim-fit and space-saving design and muted matte black design. It has a dimension of 9.2 x 5.3 x 16.4 inches. While it has a slim body, it is surprisingly heavy weighing at 6.93 pounds.
SodaStream Fountain Jet
SodaStream Genesis and Fountain Jet are constructed with sturdy plastic. You can get the Fountain Jet in a silver body with red or black accents. It is not as slim as the Genesis, but it will fit your kitchen countertop just as well. The Fountain Jet is indeed larger since its dimensions are 10 x 5.5 x 17 inches. Unlike the Genesis, it is way lighter with its 4.93 pounds weight.
The Winner Is- SodaStream Genesis
Cylinder Size Compatibility
As mentioned, both use a CO2 carbonator to fizz up your drink. The Genesis and Fountain Jet differ in the canister size they are compatible with.
SodaStream Genesis
Both SodaStream Genesis and Fountain Jet come with the Mini CO2 carbonator that can make up to 9 liters of sparkling water. Additionally, both have a free 60-Liter carbonator mail-in rebate. Therefore, both sparkling water makers are compatible with the 60-liter carbonator. One disadvantage of the Genesis’ slim-fit design is its incompatibility to a larger carbonator.
SodaStream Fountain Jet
The SodaStream Fountain Jet has a huge advantage over the Genesis since it can handle the 130-liter carbonator. This large CO2 carbonator can create more than twice sparkling water than the Genesis’. Moreover, it will save you trips to the store just to refill these tanks.
The Winner Is- SodaStream Fountain Jet
Price
Up until this point, the Genesis and Fountain Jet are tied. The Genesis has a better design, while the Fountain Jet has better CO2 carbonator compatibility. Their price difference is the ultimate deciding factor.
SodaStream Genesis
The SodaStream Genesis is more expensive than the Fountain Jet. Its sleeker design does not justify its price difference. If you are the kind of person who cares about the design, you will still be happy with the Genesis since it has the same functionality as the Fountain Jet.
SodaStream Fountain Jet
Since the Fountain Jet is cheaper, it is more valuable with its compatibility with larger CO2 canisters. If you are looking for a sparkling water maker, the Fountain Jet is a great way of introducing yourself to the sparkling water world.
The Winner Is- SodaStream Fountain Jet
Pros and Cons
SodaStream Genesis
Pros:
- The SodaStream Genesis’ sleek and modern design can fit in any kitchen countertop.
- Both sparkling water makers do not need electricity or battery to operate.
- The sparkling water made with the Genesis and Fountain Jet is healthy, contrary to the universal belief.
Cons:
- The higher price of the SodaStream Genesis is not reasonable when both function similarly.
SodaStream Fountain Jet
Pros:
- The SodaStream Fountain Jet is considered best for beginners due to its simple operation and friendly price.
- It is compatible with a larger 130-liter CO2 canister that makes twice as many cups of sparkling water as the Genesis.
- There are about 12,000 retail stores where you can refill these CO2 canisters.
Cons:
- It has a relatively outdated design and style.
The Final Verdict
Statistics show that SodaStream users drink about 9.6 glasses per day versus 6.7 glasses that most Americans drink. SodaStream also offers sparkling drink mixes so you can add flavor to your sparkling water. Between the two soda makers, the Fountain Jet is indeed the better one due to its cheaper price and wider compatibility.