By Melissa Antoinette Garza
For years, I wanted a fountain soda machine to create my on diet coke at home. When I first started looking into it seriously, it was a near impossibility. I could theoretically buy the machine for about 3K but getting the necessary syrup and CO2, was a no-go as Coke wouldn’t sell on an individual basis.
Instead, I would buy the 2 Liter bottles. Now, I know Diet Coke isn’t the healthiest option. The sweetener Aspartame has gotten heat for years due to correlations it has with different diseases and health risks. Still, I’ve been drinking diet coke since 1987, only 5 years after it came out. I adore the taste, the fizziness, the smell, and even the thought of it. I wouldn’t want to live in a world without Diet Coke. All of my loved ones, at some point, have said to ‘give it up’ or to ‘cut back,’ but I just love it too much.
When Keurig Kold first came out, I couldn’t justify spending the near $400 for the machine and another $10.00 for every 4 glasses of diet coke. I drink a 2 liter bottle a day which is typically between $1.30 and $2.00. Still, I always kept my eye on the machine. I wondered how the soda would taste and if it would have that slightly stronger syrupy goodness that fountain soda so often had.
Recently, I was perusing online and saw that BEST BUY had the KEURIG KOLD for only $150 and that the price of the pods went down considerably. Off of the KEURIG website it was now only $3.00 for 4 pods. I could live with that. Not to mention, if used wisely, it would probably help me cut back on Diet Coke as a whole. I ordered 15 4 packs of Diet Coke and my husband some of the Coke and Ginger-Ale pods.
Overall, I’ve been extremely pleased. The shipment was mailed and received fairly quickly. The machine itself is easy to use. It does take a few moments for it to fill the glass. It’s always ice cold and the mixture of water, CO2, and diet coke syrup.
When purchasing, keep in mind that it is more difficult to find the pods now. TARGET, BED BATH AND BEYOND, and WAL-MART no longer carries the Kold Pods as far as I can see. As long as you don’t mind waiting approximately 4 business days, getting them off KEURIG is pretty easy and if you put it on auto order, you save additionally.
Another benefit I notice, is typically DIET COKE never quenches my thirst. Regardless of how much I drink, I am just always thirsty. The KEURIG KOLD version of the beverage tastes like a Diet Coke fountain soda but also hydrates me. I’m not saying it’s any healthier and it could be a placebo effect for all I know, but it does appear to help me cut back on my intake and satisfy my need for sweetness overall.
In the event of get-togethers or parties, KEURIG KOLD wouldn’t be sensible to use. As stated before, it takes a while for each glass to be filled and cans are cheaper.
Still, for avid COKE product fans and for those of us who were hoping that eventually we would get a SODASTREAM device for the beverage of our choice, this is a great product to have. It takes up a hefty chunk of counter space, but saves you in the refrigerator where bottles are typically kept.
If you have the cash and COKE, DIET COKE, DR. PEPPER, etc is your vice, go for it. Have fun with it. I wouldn’t say it’s the best investment I ever made, but I certainly use it more than the Blender, Ice Cream Maker, Margarita Maker, and CUISINART set all combined.
SCARED STIFF RATING: 8.5/10 – WORTH THE MONEY IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING
