Does Your Household Drink a 12-Pack of Soda a Week? How to Save Approximately $900 Over Five Years
If your household goes through a 12-pack of soda every week, you could be spending more than $2,000 on canned soda over five years.
We ran the numbers to see what happens if you make that soda at home using SodaStream flavouring and a refillable CO₂ cylinder.
Based on current grocery-store prices and the assumptions in this comparison, the potential savings are approximately $900 over five years.
For the comparison, we'll look at two familiar examples:
Pepsi compared with SodaStream Pepsi flavouring
Orange Crush compared with SodaStream Orange flavouring
The calculation includes the cost of the soda, flavouring, CO₂, a carbonation machine and an adapter for connecting a larger CO₂ cylinder.
The Household We're Using for the Calculation
To keep the comparison simple, we're assuming a household drinks:
One 12-pack of 355 mL cans every week.
That works out to:
12 cans per week
4.26 litres per week
221.52 litres per year
1,107.6 litres over five years
52 twelve-packs per year
260 twelve-packs over five years
This gives us a consistent basis for comparing canned soda with homemade soda.
How Much Does a 12-Pack of Soda Cost?
Based on current Canadian grocery-store prices, we're using approximately $8.28 for a 12-pack of 355 mL cans.
At one 12-pack per week:
$8.28 × 52 weeks = $430.56 per year
Over five years:
$430.56 × 5 = $2,152.80
So a household buying one 12-pack every week would spend approximately:
$2,153 over five years.
That's before considering the possibility of making the same type of beverage at home.
What Does Homemade Soda Cost?
Making soda at home has three primary ongoing costs:
Flavouring
CO₂
Water
There is also an initial equipment cost.
For this comparison, we're using SodaStream Pepsi and Orange flavouring as examples and a refillable 5 lb CO₂ cylinder.
SodaStream Pepsi Flavouring
Based on current Canadian grocery-store prices, SodaStream Pepsi Drink Mix is approximately $7.98 for a bottle that makes approximately 9 litres of finished beverage.
That works out to approximately:
$0.89 per litre for flavouring.
Our household consumes 221.52 litres per year.
That means the estimated annual flavouring cost is approximately:
$196.50 per year.
SodaStream Orange Flavouring
We're using the same approximate price for SodaStream Orange flavouring:
$7.98 for approximately 9 litres.
That works out to approximately:
$0.89 per litre.
So the Pepsi and Orange examples have essentially the same flavouring cost in this comparison.
What About the CO₂?
CO₂ is the other major cost when making carbonated drinks at home.
For this comparison, we're using a 5 lb refillable CO₂ cylinder.
We're estimating a working yield of approximately 320 litres per 5 lb cylinder.
That is an estimate rather than a guaranteed yield.
Actual CO₂ consumption can vary depending on:
How heavily the water is carbonated
Equipment
Temperature
How the system is operated
CO₂ losses
Using the refill cost and the estimated cylinder yield gives us a working CO₂ cost of approximately $0.10 per litre.
That puts the estimated homemade soda cost at:
Flavouring: approximately $0.89/L
CO₂: approximately $0.10/L
Total: approximately $0.99/L
Water isn't included in the calculation because its cost is relatively small compared with the other components.
The Initial Equipment Cost
There is also an initial cost to getting started.
For this example, we're including:
SodaStream carbonation machine: approximately $79.98
CO₂ cylinder adapter: approximately $45
Initial equipment cost: approximately $125
The adapter allows the carbonation system to be connected to the larger refillable CO₂ cylinder.
The exact adapter and connection equipment required depends on the particular carbonation machine and setup.
The calculation does not include purchasing the 5 lb cylinder itself. The ongoing CO₂ expense is accounted for through the refill cost.
Pepsi vs Homemade Pepsi
A 12-pack of 355 mL cans contains:
12 × 355 mL = 4.26 litres
At approximately $8.28 per 12-pack, canned Pepsi costs approximately:
$1.94 per litre.
Our homemade Pepsi calculation is approximately:
$0.89/L for flavouring
plus
$0.10/L for CO₂
for approximately:
$0.99/L.
That represents an estimated difference of approximately:
$0.95 per litre.
What Does That Look Like Over Five Years?
Using one 12-pack per week, here's how the costs add up.
After Year 1
Canned Pepsi:
Approximately $430.56
Homemade Pepsi, including flavouring and CO₂:
Approximately $218.64
Initial machine and adapter:
Approximately $125
Potential savings after the first year:
Approximately $86.92
After Year 2
Canned Pepsi:
Approximately $861.12
Homemade Pepsi, including flavouring and CO₂:
Approximately $437.28
Including the initial equipment cost, the potential cumulative savings are approximately:
$298.84
After Year 3
Canned Pepsi:
Approximately $1,291.68
Homemade Pepsi, including flavouring and CO₂:
Approximately $655.92
Including the initial equipment cost, the potential cumulative savings are approximately:
$510.76
After Year 4
Canned Pepsi:
Approximately $1,722.24
Homemade Pepsi, including flavouring and CO₂:
Approximately $874.56
Including the initial equipment cost, the potential cumulative savings are approximately:
$722.68
After Year 5
Canned Pepsi:
Approximately $2,152.80
Homemade Pepsi, including flavouring and CO₂:
Approximately $1,093.20
Adding the approximately $125 initial equipment cost brings the five-year homemade-soda cost to approximately:
$1,218.20
That produces a potential five-year saving of approximately:
$934.60
Rounded to the nearest convenient figure:
About $935.
Orange Crush vs Homemade Orange Soda
The same calculation can be applied to Orange Crush.
Using the same approximate $8.28 price for a 12-pack of 355 mL cans, canned Orange Crush works out to approximately:
$1.94 per litre.
The homemade Orange soda calculation is approximately:
$0.89/L for flavouring
plus
$0.10/L for CO₂
for approximately:
$0.99/L.
Because we're using the same example 12-pack price for both comparisons, the five-year savings are essentially the same.
The exact savings will change whenever grocery prices, flavouring prices or CO₂ costs change.
Why Use a Larger CO₂ Cylinder?
A standard SodaStream setup typically uses a smaller consumer CO₂ cylinder.
For someone making carbonated drinks regularly, a larger refillable cylinder can provide a greater supply of CO₂ between refills.
In this comparison, we're using a 5 lb cylinder connected to the carbonation system with an appropriate adapter.
The actual amount of soda produced from a cylinder will vary.
The approximately 320-litre figure used here is simply the working assumption for our financial calculation.
If you use a setup like this yourself, tracking how many litres you produce between CO₂ refills will give you a much more accurate figure for your own household.
Don't Forget About CO₂ Cylinder Hydro Testing
There is one important part of owning a refillable CO₂ cylinder that shouldn't be overlooked.
A CO₂ cylinder is a pressure vessel and needs to remain within its applicable requalification period.
For the 5 lb cylinder used in this example, hydro testing is required every five years.
That means the cylinder shouldn't simply be refilled indefinitely without checking its test status.
Transport Canada regulates the inspection and requalification of cylinders used for dangerous goods and establishes requirements for cylinders and their continued use.
If your CO₂ cylinder is approaching its test date, Rapid CO₂ provides CO₂ cylinder hydro testing and recertification from our Nepean facility.
Is Making Your Own Soda Worth It?
Based on the assumptions in this example, the answer is potentially yes.
A household buying one 12-pack every week would spend approximately:
$2,152.80 over five years.
The homemade version, including flavouring, CO₂ and the initial carbonation machine and adapter, comes to approximately:
$1,218 over five years.
That produces a potential difference of approximately:
$935.
In other words, about $900 in potential savings over five years.
Where the Savings Come From
The comparison works because the homemade beverage costs less per litre under the assumptions we're using.
Our estimated costs are:
Canned soda: approximately $1.94/L
Homemade soda: approximately $0.99/L
That's a difference of approximately:
$0.95 per litre.
At 221.52 litres per year, that represents roughly $212 in potential recurring savings per year before the initial equipment cost is considered.
After accounting for the approximately $125 initial setup, the five-year potential saving is approximately $935.
What About the Cylinder and Adapter?
If you're considering making your own soda with a larger CO₂ cylinder, the carbonation machine is only part of the setup.
You'll also need compatible equipment to connect the larger cylinder to the carbonation system.
The adapter needs to be appropriate for the specific machine and cylinder being used.
Don't assume that an adapter intended for one setup will automatically work with another.
The CO₂ cylinder also needs to be suitable for the application and kept within its required testing period.
CO₂ Isn't Just for Homemade Soda
If you already use CO₂ at home, the same type of refillable cylinder can have applications beyond carbonation.
CO₂ is commonly used for:
Beverage dispensing
Home carbonation
The Bottom Line
Does making your own soda save money?
For a household drinking one 12-pack of soda every week, our example suggests that it can.
We're assuming:
One 12-pack of 355 mL cans per week
4.26 litres per week
221.52 litres per year
1,107.6 litres over five years
SodaStream Pepsi or Orange flavouring
A 5 lb refillable CO₂ cylinder
Approximately 320 litres of estimated CO₂ yield per cylinder
Approximately $125 for the initial carbonation machine and adapter
Using those assumptions:
Five years of canned soda: approximately $2,153
Five years of homemade soda, including initial equipment: approximately $1,218
Potential five-year saving: approximately $935
So, for a household that regularly goes through a 12-pack a week, making your own carbonated drinks could potentially save about $900 over five years.
The calculation uses current grocery-store prices and an estimated CO₂ yield, so actual results will vary.
And if you're using a refillable CO₂ cylinder, remember that the cylinder is pressure equipment and needs to be properly maintained and kept within its required testing period. For the cylinder used in this example, hydro testing is required every five years.
If you're in Ottawa or Nepean and need a CO₂ refill or cylinder hydro testing, Rapid CO₂ can help.
Rapid CO₂
613-299-8412
Pricing and Calculation Note
The grocery and SodaStream flavouring prices used in this article are based on current Canadian grocery-store prices and are intended as examples for the comparison. Prices and promotions change over time. The approximately 320 L cylinder yield is an estimate for comparison purposes and is not a guaranteed yield. Actual CO₂ consumption varies with carbonation level, equipment and use.
