Can I use any kind of CO2 cartridge for making soda at home?

August 25, 2006 8:24 PM

Can I use any kind of CO2 cartridge for making soda at home?

I have a seltzer bottle that uses these little CO2 cartridges you can buy at fancy schmancy foodie stores. I used to be able to get 10 for under $10 but I can't anymore. Those bastards raised the prices! Can I use any kind of CO2 cartridge that I want? I'm thinking of the kind you can use in paintball or BB guns.

Please don't respond unless you can justify your answer. I've hesitated and done plenty of wondering on my own.

posted by redteam to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

This may or may not be relevant but a similar discussion has gone on about nitrous oxide cannisters. Some claim the cheaper cannisters discharge an oily residue.

A little googling turns up a lot of reference to "food grade" CO2. - and it does appear food grade would be a valid designation for this type of CO2 product.

A lot of different chemicals and lubricants could be used in manufacturing the cannisters, and CO2 is an industrial byproduct of a lot of chemical manufacturing processes, so yes, there is the possibility of contamination that could affect the quality of your water. Could it actually be dangerous? Instinct tells me probably not, unless you drink a LOT of seltzer. Maybe enough to affect the taste. I wouldn't regardless.

If you're hellbound to do it, at least blow a few through the bottle without water and see if they leave a residue. Better yet, Shop online for cheaper alternatives (you have to order 3 or more 10 packs to get under $10/per, because of high shipping, you can get around $8 per or lower by ordering 5 or more packs).

(You said to justify my answer).
posted by nanojath at 8:58 PM on August 25, 2006

As far as I can tell there is no food grade versus industrial grade CO2. I get CO2 for my kegging system from a wleding supply store and it costs 10$ to fill my tank. This is the price per 15 lb of CO2. I know this doesnt help much, but I believe that the bb canisters are essentially the same as the pricey canisters. CO2 is inert so it wouldnt require oil in the canister to keep it safe.
posted by koolkat at 9:11 PM on August 25, 2006

The pressure is the same in all cartridges holding liquid CO2, in case you're worried about that.
posted by springload at 1:46 AM on August 26, 2006

This does not directly answer your question, but i just love this product.

Soda Club

"Refills
Exchange your empty Alco2Jet® carbonator (under license) for a full one. Carbonates up to 110 one-liter bottles of water.

$18.99 ea."
posted by Slenny at 5:27 AM on August 26, 2006

I hate to piggyback, but does anyone remember a thread about how to convert a giant CO2 tank so that you can hook it up to bottles of water to carbonate them? I could be tripping.
posted by Juliet Banana at 6:36 AM on August 26, 2006

The first rule of Soda Club is not to talk about Soda Club.
posted by GuyZero at 8:24 AM on August 26, 2006

Wouldn't that be Club Soda (insert rim shot)?

Anyhow, the article Juliet Banana is thinking of is likely this one.
posted by O9scar at 8:45 AM on August 26, 2006

And here I was hoping I could recharge my bottles of slowly-gone-flat sugar cane "Kosher" Coke with some dry ice.
posted by adipocere at 10:01 AM on August 26, 2006