Make soda at home and skip bottle buying and returning

If you’re a regular soda drinker, you know the routine: schlep the bottles or cans home, pay for the deposits, drink your soda, then haul the empties back to the store for a refund.

A company called Soda-Club has developed a home carbonation system that breaks the cycle of drinking and driving. We tested the SodaStream Genesis G100 ($129), an attractive red unit that holds an exchangeable 15-ounce carbonator (about $30 to exchange) and includes two BPA-free reusable bottles with special bottle caps that create hermetic seals to keep your soda sparkly. It’s a little taller and narrower than an ordinary coffeemaker. The carbonators last about 3 months with regular use, and the company claims an average family will eliminate over 2,000 bottles or cans from the garbage or recycling bin.