KitchenAid KSS1121ER Sparkling Beverage Maker, Empire Red

My husband had a fit one day about the number of San Pelegrino bottles we were racking up in the recycle. The little people visiting our house became famous for leaving bottles laying around with two sips consumed. So I went online and found this fun looking unit. The little grandkids LOVE making their "fuzzy" water. We are not into sugary drinks so I don't use the flavoring, but I do give them a little shot of lemonade to flavor up their water and give them a treat. It's become a happy ritual at our family gatherings. The kids fight each other to see who gets to make the water for everyone.We ran out of CO2 in what I would call a reasonable amount of time so I just replaced the cartridge....Pricey!...but worth it to not have to deal with bottles and have all the water you want on demand. I like this unit because it is fun looking and the red goes with my kitchen colors.It is easy to use, the cartridge installs in a flash and is not complicated. I do recommend extra bottles as our family consumes a lot. I read that the bottles eventually warp out, presumably because of the pressure. I just bought a couple of metal bottom bottles but won't know for a while whether they hold up over the long haul.A word of caution. I took my liter bottle with a shot of lemonade to the beach. I guess the walking and jogging of the bottle caused pressure and when I opened it, the cap went flying. If you have jogged the bottle, open the cap slowly and release a little pressure before removing the lid.

After reading a bunch of somewhat scary negative reviews of this product, I purchased the refurbished model anyway, and have had zero issues with it.It seems like most of the negative reviews are from people that aren't using it properly. If you are adding flavor before carbonating, or are trying to carbonate things besides water, you are probably in for a bit of a mess. Don't try to over-carbonate the water. If you cap it right after carbonating, and wait a few minutes, it will be very well carbonated. Don't fill the container above the fill line, and add the flavoring after, and this unit works beautifully. And it is super easy to use, with the swivel lock for the bottle!The other pleasant surprise, after reading some of the reviews, was that the refurbished unit came with a full-sized CO2 bottle. Apparently, the new units came with a sample bottle, and a voucher for trading that in for a full-sized bottle. But mine came with the regular bottle (and I ordered a couple extra, so that I never run out).The one comment that I have is that you should check the dimensions of where you want to place the unit. It is taller than you might think. I've included a photo of it sitting next to my Kitchen Aid stand mixer, for comparison. But we've been super happy with this unit since we bought it a month ago!

4 stars for the machine.5 STARS FOR CHEF'S CORNER. I have a KitchenAid mixer in the same color, so it was nice to coordinate countertop appliances. The metal housing is good and sturdy. I wish the molded area in the back that receives the co2 bottles were a little wider at the top because it prevents the use of co2 bottles larger than 12 oz or you're forced to use the Soda Stream bottles that are expensive to exchange. I filled the 12 oz co2 bottle but it only lasts a week. When I initially received this machine in November 2016, there was no co2 bottle included, but since I was planning on using a larger after-market bottle I did not give it a second thought. However, the machine sits idle because of the weekly trips. So I called the vendor, Chef's Corner today May 2, 2017. I explained I never received the co2 bottle that was to come with the machine. After giving the rep my order number she said no problem, we're shipping a bottle out to you today, give me your email address so I can send tracking information. THIS IS CUSTOMER SERVICE!! ALL VENDORS TAKE NOTE I won't hesitate to buy anything from Chef's Corner in the future.