Is this better than a SodaStream? Sage InFizz review

Forget turning water into wine, the Sage InFizz will take any flat drink and add enough sparkle to make it special. Gone are the days of your carbonizer only making sparkling water. With the InFizz you can make sparkling wines and sodas with minimal effort.

Since its launch, the Sage InFizz has been the talk of the SodaStream community. If you're wondering whether you should buy a SodaStream, I'd throw the InFizz in the mix. Sage has taken things one step further.

I had used my SodaStream every day for five years before I touched the InFizz. Now I'm not sure I'll go back.

Specifications

Unboxing

Unboxing the Sage InFizz is every bit as premium as the product itself. The neat cardboard box feels like good quality and is easily recyclable too. The InFizz comes all assembled with a BPA-free bottle, sieve, funnel, and cleaning brush. Those extra accessories are really useful, especially because you'll be fizzing sticky and sweet liquids in the bottle, so you'll want to keep it really clean.

On the countertop, again, it looks like luxury. It's not too heavy and is available in a range of finishes, black, cream, and stainless steel. It's tall, but there was enough space under my wall cupboards for it to sit with some space underneath.

Who would it suit?

If you like life's luxuries, you'll love this. I won't deny that SodaStreams are cheaper and still really good at making sparkling water, but the durable metallic build of the InFizz is brilliant if you want a longer-lasting home carbonator.

On a basic level, this is easy to use for fizzing and infusing water. You can control the carbonation levels to get things just so. The people who will really make the most of the InFizz are aspiring home bartenders and those who want to make sodas and lemonades at home. You can fizz orange juice, lemon juice, and wine, creating your own cocktails effortlessly.

I've tested this out with a number of friends and they've appreciated the level of control that it can give you over champagne, orange sodas, and more. If you like a gentle fizz, just one pump will do the job. Four pumps will give your sparkles their own levels of sparkle. 

What is it like to use?

Sage sends an instruction manual with the InFizz, but you won't need this. You can easily slot the gas cylinder into the back. Just make sure you buy a screw top one, because you have to twist it clockwise into place.

There are useful markers on the outside of the bottle that will let you know about maximum and minimum fill levels. This is around 31 oz, so you have to fizz in relatively large quantities, but you get a neat lid for the bottle, so you can store yours in the refrigerator.

Sage recommends keeping your liquids between 33 and 46 degrees to fizz them, so they'll already be cold. I tested the InFizz on orange juice, cranberry juice, infused water, and wine. Here's what I found.

Test 1: sparkling water

As someone who's firmly on team sparking, this makes excellent carbonated water. I tested it across all the different fizz levels each was excellent.

If you just use one pump, you get a very gentle fizz. It gives a little something to the water, but not very much. It could be useful for topping up the fizz on a drink that's getting flat or for those who don't want much fizz at all.

If you use two to three pumps, you'll get a good level of fizz. Four is the maximum number, so this is about as sparkling as San Pellegrino water. The bubbles feel small and quite light, rather than larger ones, which can get quite aggressive, so it's easy to drink.

Of course, I tested the four-pump function (and ended up with some fizz coming over and out of the bottle). There's a red lever which lets you release any carbon that might make your drink bubble over, which is a great feature for keeping your countertop clean.

I also tried infusing the water with cucumber and mint with great levels of success. I'd recommend giving the bottles at least 12 hours to infuse (it'll look great in the fridge) and then you can fizz away. Staying hydrated will never be easier.

Test 2: sparkling juice

It's a great novelty to be able to fizz fruit drinks and squash. I've heard of endless amounts of carbonizers that have been lost to sticky sugary drinks. I tested basic orange juice and worked through the different levels of carbonation again. This was seriously impressive, delivering perfect results time and time again.

I also tested cranberry juice, again to great success. If you're making cocktails in the sun and want to give some fizz to your drinks, these are perfect. Again, the red lever which released carbon was incredibly useful. I was worried my white table might get cranberry stains on, but it remained pristine, even with maximum fizz levels.

The neat feature on the Sage is the angle which you take the bottle out at. You can flip the bottle out, making it a lot easier to twist and unlock it from the main body of the InFizz. The lid stays firmly on throughout this. You remove that after.

Test 3: sparkling wine

If you're out of champagne or on more of a budget, you can use this to fizz your wine. Again, it's really useful to be able to control the different levels of carbonation in your cocktails and drinks. I saw this at a launch with Sage and they made negronis and cocktails with it. They were all delicious.

I tested mine with a Pinot, working through the different levels of fizz. It was really great and this is probably one of my favorite features that you get access to with the InFizz. 

Cleaning, storage, and maintenance

The silicone cleaning brush is a true savior. It can get right inside the bottle, reaching the walls and scrubbing them clean without becoming sticky or dirty. The body of the InFizz isn't as high maintenance as other brushed stainless steel surfaces can be. Even though I was working with wine, cranberry juice, and orange juice, the InFizz stayed in pristine condition.

In terms of storage, this is as easy to fit into your kitchen as any carbonizer. It's stylish enough to keep out on the countertop and low enough to clear any wall cupboards. You'll use it often enough not to need to put it into cupboards, but if you do, you'll have room for this.

How does it rate online?

The Sage InFizz is brand new to the market and it's created more than just a fizz. Expert reviewers are rightfully impressed (and obsessed) with the versatility of the InFizz, praising it as an excellent cocktail companion as well as a fun appliance to have when you're hosting parties or looking for some sparkle in the kitchen. It's scored five stars with almost everyone who uses it.

The only drawbacks that people mention are the upfront cost of the InFizz and that the bottle isn't dishwasher safe. I think the useful cleaning wand solves the problem of cleaning up the bottle. Plus, I rarely trust my dishwasher to do a good job of cleaning any bottles. The price is a more obvious criticism if you compare it to other models on the market, but it feels really durable.

How does it compare?

There's hardly a sentence with the InFizz in where there are not also whispers of SodaSteams. The brand has dominated sparkling water makers for years, but Sage's break into the scene has really mixed things up.

I answered the question 'should you buy a SodaStream?' after using one for almost five years. On our dedicated SodaStream page, I walked through each different model and, whilst they're brilliant for sparkling water. Whilst I love them, they're a world away from the InFizz.

If all you drink is sparkling water, it's worth considering a SodaStream. These sparkling water makers are popular for a reason. For a relatively small price, you can make some seriously good sparkling drinks. Those on a budget will want to shop the Gaia, since it's only $70 and can carbonate water just as well as the InFizz. 

If you're drawn to the premium aesthetics of the InFizz, it's also worth looking at the SodaStream Art or E-Terra. Both of these are still cheaper than the InFizz, they're $149 and $159 respectively. The Art still requires you to push down to fizz your water, so choosing between that and the InFizz is an aesthetic choice. The E-Terra has pre-sets, so you don't need to do a thing. However, to me, the appeal of self-controlled carbonators is how much control you have over the end product, so it doesn't make sense to buy an automated one.

For sparkling water, it might make sense to buy a SodaStream. However, if you want to fizz your own wine and juices, you need the InFizz. You can't fizz anything except water in the SodaStream. Although, you can buy syrups which you add to our SodaStream water afterwards. the whole InFizz experience is more versatile and much easier than faffing around with branded syrups. 

Should you buy it?

If you're one of life's movers, shakers, and cocktail makers, you'll want the Sage InFizz. Not only is it impressively versatile, it looks premium, and comes with well-considered features, even down to the cleaning. I didn't think I'd ever move on from my trusty SodaStream, but, nearly six years later I've changed alliances. The Sage InFizz is a hosting essential.