I Tried Ninja's New Thirsti Drink System: A Souped-Up Answer to SodaStream
Ninja's hydration station makes dozens of soft drinks in five seconds or less. Here's how it works and what I thought of the Thirsti.
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Pros
- Adds flavors and other enhancements to water
- Cheaper alternative to bottles and cans
- Allows full control over flavor strength and carbonation levels
- More versatility than a SodaStream
- Easy to use
Cons
- Some flavors pods had a chemical taste
- More expensive than most SodaStreams
- Wider body than other carbonators
Want to add a little pop to your fizz? Ninja just launched the Thirsti a $180 at-home electronic beverage system that adds carbonation, flavor, caffeine and other enhancements to otherwise boring old water.
Soda water makers have become popular as an alternative to buying cans and bottles that drain your money -- here's how much you can save making seltzer at home -- and create tons of waste. I previously tested a handful of at-home carbonators including most SodaStream models and Aarke's elegant seltzer maker. To see how Ninja's entry into the seltzer game stacks up against the field, I whipped up a slew of sips using the new Thirsti.
The Ninja Thirsti is similar to a SodaStream but with the option to add flavor, vitamins and even caffeine directly to your bubbly water.
The compact, countertop drink system is like a SodaStream on steroids. I found it easy to operate and fun to use. As a bonus, the Thirsti has inspired me to drink more water and spend less money on bottles and cans. Here's how the Ninja Thirsti works and my take on whether or not it's worth the splurge.
Setup and use
The Thirsti was simple to set up, taking me less than 2 minutes to assemble out of the box. The included CO2 canister is screwed into the base of the machine and the 48-ounce water reservoir fits snugly on the right side. The last step is popping pods of liquid flavor, should you desire them, into a front compartment front -- up to two at a time.
Ninja recommends using cold water for best carbonation results. You can get your water down to temp either by chilling it in the fridge for a few hours or adding ice for a speedier cooldown. There's an indicator on the bottom of the reservoir that turns blue when it hits the optimal temperature. For what it's worth, I tried carbonating both with cold and room-temperature water and didn't notice much of a difference.
The Thirsti took mere seconds to set up and was easy to operate.
There are a good many buttons and levers to accommodate all the device's features and settings. Most are either clearly labeled or accompanied by a removable sticker illustrating their purpose. I found the control panel intuitive.
Once you've assembled the Thirsti, you can choose the type of beverage by selecting a flavor from one or both capsules (or no flavor at all), a carbonation level and drink size. The Thirsti makes 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-ounce drinks in about 5 seconds. Note: It's important to have the right size cup waiting underneath to avoid spillover -- a lesson I learned the hard way.
What kind of drinks does the Ninja Thirsti make?
I preferred the basic "Splash" flavor capsules to the sweetened beverages.
All of the capsules have a unique flavor but some contain extra ingredients to fortify your water in various ways. Pod bottles labeled "Vitamins" contain a modest amount of B6 and B12. "Hydration" pods include electrolytes to encourage hydration and "Energy" capsules add a serving of caffeine to your drink. "Splash" capsules are just flavors with no extras added, similar to what you'd find in a typical can of flavored seltzer.
All of the flavors have zero calories and zero sugar. The Vitamin, Hydrate and Energy pods contain sucralose for sweetness. If you don't enjoy that slightly chemically sugar substitute taste, you'll probably want to limit or avoid those pods.
I made drinks using all four types. I found some of the flavors a bit cloying and found myself opting for the simple Splash pods versus those with added sweetener. In fairness, I drink a lot of flavored seltzer and not much else, so my preference for those capsules made sense.
The carbonation function worked well, on par with SodaStreams and other soda makers I've tested. Choosing a specific level of carbonation is not a feature of all soda water makers, but it's an option I appreciate.
How much does it cost?
The new beverage system is on sale at Ninja's website for $180. The basic package includes the beverage station, a 60-liter CO2 canister and eight packets of flavor drops. Each packet makes roughly 20 12-ounce drinks, and replacement flavor capsules, called "water drops," cost $7 each or $20 for three.
A SodaStream cartridge costs just $15 if you use the exchange program. One can produces the equivalent of about 169 cans of seltzer.
Ninja CO2 canisters cost $36 for one or $60 for two, but you'll save 30% on refills. A spokesperson for Ninja told me that the brand's canisters are the only ones designed for the Thirsti system. That said, they are identical to SodaStream's canisters in case you prefer to use that robust CO2 exchange program.
Is the Ninja Thirsti better than a SodaStream?
The SodaStream Terra costs about $60 less than Ninja's Thirsti and might be the better pick if all you want is sparkling water.
The Thirsti is similar to SodaStream or electronic sparkling water makers. The key difference being that SodaStreams and comparable soda water makers don't allow you to add flavor directly.
Read more: A Guide to SodaStream Models: Terra, One Touch and Aqua Fizz
If you mostly desire simple sparkling water, a basic model such as the SodaStream Terra or the slim and striking Aarke Carbonator would be the best fit. If you want to add some razzle dazzle to your hydration via fruity flavors, caffeine and custom levels of fizz, I say spring for the Ninja Thirsti since it's only about $60 more than an entry-level SodaStream.
I also gave the Ninja a few vigorous shakes: It feels well-built and with no flimsy parts. The machine produced consistent results in the two weeks I used it, and I didn't run into any mechanical issues. In previous testing, Ninja kitchen products hold up well over time and the brand is generally good about replacing parts if things do break. The Thirsti is also similar in size to a standard SodaStream model with a bit more girth because of its built-in water reservoir.
My biggest gripe with Ninja's new offering is that some of the flavor pods had a cloying, artificial aftertaste. I'm not a huge fan of most artificial sweeteners -- popular as they may be -- so I stuck to the unsweetened "Splash" capsules or simply made unflavored bubbly water. I would have liked to have the option for drinks with flavors and more natural sweeteners for the occasional splurge, even if that meant a few added calories.