Have you ever considered how convenient it would be to have sparkling water spout from your kitchen faucet? It turns out, there are some great options available to turn that boring tap water fizzy with carbonation.
While these home carbonation systems are not cheap, they do make sense for certain households: Ones with multiple sparkling water drinkers who are interested in a stylish, environmentally conscious, and long-term investment in refreshing sparkling water.
And here’s the thing: You don’t have to pay for someone to install a home carbonation system, though you certainly could find a handyman or plumber to do so. DIY installation of a sparkling water faucet and carbonation system is commonplace.
Recommended Home Carbonation System
For a quality sparkling water faucet that you can install yourself, we praise the GROHE Blue Professional Kitchen Faucet Starter Kit (made in Germany).
Not only does it provide chilled, filtered sparkling water – it also allows for different degrees of carbonation with the touch of a button. We also love the sleek contemporary look, which features a color-changing LED light button on the faucet for intuitive use, even by houseguests.
But the design on the interior is what we found most impressive. With two separate waterways within the faucet, you can access tap water for dishes or cooking without impacting the taste or temperature of the chilled drinking water.
Additionally, the Blue is WiFi and Bluetooth capable, so you can keep track of CO2 levels, filter status, and more from the GROHE Ondus app.
How it Works
The GROHE Blue has two main features — a knob for controlling the dispensation of chilled or carbonated water and a handle for regular tap water. By pressing the LED button on the “preferred water” knob, a user can control the level of carbonation, from none to medium and full carbonation.
The faucet is capable of moving a 180 degree radius to reach each corner of the sink. The cooling unit fits directly under your sink, alongside a CO2 tank and other hardware. Additional tools and hardware may be required for installation, or you may choose to contract with a professional plumber.
Why Get Sparkling Water on Tap?
There are several reasons to consider swapping out the cans, bottles, or even that SodaStream for a built-in water carbonation system. No doubt, sparkling water on tap is a luxury. But, if you relate to the following reasons to make the investment, it may well be a worthwhile purchase.
1. Affordability Over Time
If your household drinks a lot of sparkling water over the course of several years, the costs add up. In fact, bottled water can be up to 1000 times more expensive than tap water. That’s because when you pay for bottled sparkling water, you pay for production, transportation, marketing, and store markup.
With sparkling water on tap at home, you make a substantial initial investment for the carbonation system, and of course the occasional CO2 tank fill. However, the resource you’ll expend most over the years after installation will be tap water — which is typically very inexpensive.
2. Slick Design
There’s something to be said for the sleek feel of a built-in water carbonation system. It’s streamlined, easy, and it’ll probably blow your friends’ minds.
Instead of having a fridge full of LaCroix, your kitchen faucet is a wellspring of refreshing sparkling water. Instead of cluttering your counter with a home carbonation device like a SodaStream, you’ve got a stainless steel fountain of effervescence with the touch of a button.
3. Environmental Benefits
We all know that single-use bottles and cans are significantly more harmful to the environment than reusable water bottles. According to the Container Recycling Institute, 86% of disposable water bottles in the United States become garbage or litter.
Many people choose single-use bottles out of convenience, but what’s more convenient than a great water bottle and an endless stream of refreshing sparkling water on tap?
Installation
Watch this video from GROHE to get an idea of what the installation process looks like:
Other Home Carbonation Systems
Sparkling water on tap may sound ideal, but the price tag may be daunting for some. Luckily, there are several options for sparkling water makers that are highly affordable and require no installation.
Take a look at some of our favorites at Amazon.com:
