SodaStream ensō review — this Naoto Fukasawa designed kitchen gadget fizzes with brilliance

When it comes to making carbonated drinks in the home, SodaStream is the household name. The company usually chooses function over form, though, to offer up the fizz — that’s not to say its drinks makers aren’t good-looking gadgets but they have often lacked that premium appeal.

With the market going, well, upmarket with the arrival of the Smeg Soda Maker and Aarke Carbonator now in its third iteration, something had to change.

SodaStream ensō: The Details

What is it? It's SodaStream's premium sparkling water maker

How much? £179.99

What's the size of the thing? 241D x 160W x 447H mm

Anything else to know? You can purchase bundles from SodaStream's official site — this is where you can recycle the gas canister, too.

Why's it special? It's been designed by Naoto Fukasawa who is one of the best designers on the planet right now.

Enter the SodaStream ensō. To make sure it got the aesthetics right, the company has enlisted renowned designer Naoto Fukasawa to create the ensō and, boy, am I glad they did.

This is a stunning soda maker and one that demands kitchen top real estate, unlike some previous models that may well be in the back of your cupboards somewhere.

I’ve spent a good few weeks testing the SodaStream ensō — here’s what you need to know…

The design is gorgeous

Bringing in Naoto Fukasawa to design the SodaStream ensō is a stroke of genius. The designer, who made his mark at Sieko and has designed everything from Herman Miller chairs to designer teapots, has a history of making products that are effortlessly usable. And that’s exactly what he has brought to this soda maker.

The ensō isn’t a plastic clad concoction but a stainless steel savant. Its design is minimal but far from understated and adds a contemporary feel to SodaStream — given this is a brand that’s arguably best known for its ‘80s heyday, this is something that has been much needed.

The stainless steel design isn’t just for the body — which measures 241D x 160W x 447H, so there’s quite a bit of height to this device — the nozzle and the drip tray are also made from the same material. The 1L bottle that comes in the package has a great metal accent on its base and lid, too.

It’s incredibly simple to use

Naoto Fukasawa is known for his Without Thought philosophy to design. This essentially boils down to making things that are simple to use and blend seamlessly into your life.

With the SodaStream ensō he has hit that brief to a tee. It took just a minute to set up and start carbonating.

In the box, you get a compatible gas cylinder — this goes into the back of the device and while this process has been fiddly in the past, SodaStream has intro’d something called Quick Connect. I’m not sure of the process/magic that makes this work but the canister slid in with ease, ready to start gassing.

When the canister is slotted in, there is a little gap in the back of the ensō where you can see the top of the canister. This was the only jarring bit about the design, as it detracts from the stainless steel fascia. But it’s on the back, so you only really notice it when you are installing the gas.

Once this was done, I filled up the smart-looking bottle, attached it to the nozzle, and got fizzing. To add carbonation it’s just one touch — you simply press the big circular button on the top of the ensō which is flush (another bit of the design I really like).

For a bit off fizz, it take three one-second blasts. If you want to go full Club Soda, then five blasts should do it.

With a soda maker this stylish, it almost felt wrong to add in the syrups that SodaStream is well known for, but I mustered up a Pepsi Max as per the instructions and it tasted great.

I have a feeling, though, that the ensō will be a device that’s mainly used for those clean living, sparkling water types that would baulk at adding flavour to their bubbles.

SodaStream ensō final verdict

For those who want a bit of fizz in their home life, without compromising on design, then the SodaStream ensō is for you.

Yes, it’s pricier than all other SodaStreams — and even gives the Smeg Soda Maker a run for its money — but its design is superb, it’s easy to use and, most importantly, it will bring a bit of sparkle into your life. And who doesn’t want that?