ottawa foodies

After years of wanting one, I finally bit the bullet and ordered a soda siphon, which has arrived and it's wonderful. However I realise now that the expense of CO2 cartridges will add up quickly, at $1 apiece at Paradis. Are there any other local sources for these? Or places to mail order in Canada?

There are plenty of places in the US that sell some for 35-50 cents apiece, and I'd order 100 in a heartbeat if shipping wouldn't kill the deal. I can't use the kinds for paintball/BB guns because the format is potentially different and also those aren't food-grade (they mix oil with the gas to lubricate as they vent).

I would love to know this as well.

Zymurgist, you seem like the type of person who might know.

It's not much of a savings but Crappy Tire has boxes of 40 for $29.99 (@$0.75 per cartridge). They're designed for pellet guns but may fit your siphon. www.canadiantire.ca

I'm sure there are better deals out there but CT is a better option than Paradis by $0.25.

I ended up looking on eBay pretty much immediately after posting, and there's a seller in BC that sells them; 58 cents apiece, shipped, in quantities of 100. About 48 cents if you buy 200. So I'll just get some there. Problem solved.

HotFood: Those ones won't work. They're 12 grams instead of 8, and while they might work in the siphon, they tend to have lubricants inside. Not something I want to drink.

I started drafting a response to this already but then did a "ahhhh, nevermind". But since I've been called out ... my response was something like this :

Going with the capsule systems is a fool's game. Get a CO2 tanks and regulator if you want to save money.

I don't drink still water, only carbonated. I was buying my cartridges from Paradis and went to restock this weekend to find that they now carry the Soda Stream, which I picked up for $170, and I am totally in love with it!!! You get the machine, 2x 1L bottles and a 60L cartridge, which can be exchanged for the price of gas only when you need a new for $20(therefore $0.33 per litre). Paradis recycles the old ones, like you would a propane exchange program. Check out www.sodastream.ca

I recently bought a 10-pack of soda siphon CO2 cartridges at DeFalco's. I think they were around $8 or $9.

Zym, the big system is great for heavy users of carbonation, but the little cartridges are spot on for someone who rarely makes fizzy drinks. I probably average 4 cartridges per year, and mostly during mojito season, when I'm trying to use up the mint that grows like weeds in my garden.

10 pack cartridges also $9.99 at c.a. paradis upon recent visit.

i recall a friend bought a separate faucet install at a water store somewhere in bells corners, not sure if they are still there, as well as seeing one at costco at one point for larger co2 tanks. much more economical alternative to the isi soda siphon among the many out there but you lost the serving theatrics with your guests wooshing bubblies in a glass. you do have a locally refillable tank that lasts for many months.

Yeah, I enjoy the theatrics. Also I don't drink enough of the stuff to warrant buying tanks and a regulator; the Sodastream is kind of appealing but I don't think I could justify the expense.

I got my siphon (a Mosa, I don't like the ovoid shape of the iSi ones) for $60, shipped, which already puts me $100+ 'ahead' of the Sodastream, and I figure if I get 200 capsules I'm still in the lead, and it seems to me like 200L is quite a lot of bubbly water.

A brand new tank and regulator is less than $200 out the door. You can often find them on kijiji in the $50 - $75 range which is pretty darned cheap.

Some ideas for any DIYers out there ...

www.angelfire.com