This Water Bottle Is the Answer to My Seltzer Addiction

SHOP $89, aerflo.co

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The question “still or sparkling?” has only one correct answer. Given the option, I will always opt for a little fizz in my water. Why go with flat when you can have a little fun with it, right? Bubbles are the way. The only way.

This isn’t the first time I’ve chronicled my seltzer obsession on this very website. Almost exactly two years ago, I sang the praises of the Aarke Carbonator Pro. It still has pride of place on my countertop, where it gets ample use. But there’s one big problem with the Carbonator Pro: It’s stationary. You could take it on the road with you to fizz up your water wherever you may roam, but only in the sense that you could bring a kitchen chair with you everywhere to ensure you’re never without seating. It’s less than totally practical.

Enter the Aerflo Aer1, an ingenious little water bottle that slips easily into a bag and sits comfortably in a car cup holder. It’s lightweight, durable, and no slouch to look at, either. Hidden inside the lid is a tiny carbon dioxide container that lets you transform four bottles’ worth of boring water into beautiful, effervescent, sparkling water. It’s my new on-the-go companion. If you like bubbles, it should be yours, too.

It Does the Job Well

Not all carbonators are equal. I’ve discovered this over years of testing. Some leave the water tasting strangely off in a way that’s difficult to describe but impossible to ignore. Some have trouble making enough bubbles to make a difference. The Aer1 gets it right. If you’ve used an at-home carbonator, you’ll be familiar with the general process. After you’ve put the carbon dioxide capsule in the lid and screwed it in (very tight!) you add water to the fill line, press a button on the top of the lid, and wait for the bottle to vent. Here’s where it gets a little different, though. Next, you give it a shake for three seconds to distribute the bubbles and repeat the process until you reach your desired level of carbonation. I’ve personally found I need about five spritzes to reach my sweet spot. And the brand’s advice to stick to colder water for more carbonation seems to hold true. One thing to note—and this is true with every single carbonator I’ve ever tried, so I don’t fault Aerflo for it—is that it seems nigh impossible to reach the truly bracing level of carbonation you get with some commercially produced seltzer. In terms of replicating the effects of a Sodastream, Aarke, or even something like a San Pellegrino, though? The Aer1 does the job.

SHOP $89, aerflo.co

It Saves You Money

Yes, buying a $99 water-bottle system (currently marked down to $89) is more expensive than dropping three or four bucks on a two-liter in the grocery store. But as with all carbonators, you’re going to save money in the long run. You get 15 total carbon dioxide capsules in the first package, along with a carrying case—use it; four bottles go faster than you might think—and the bottle itself. As you work your way through the capsules, you can fill up the included return box. Send it back with 12 capsules and you’ll get another 12 in return for $23.50. Do a little math and you’ll see that in normal use, a bottle full of carbonated water runs you 49 cents. Aerflo says that’s about 50 percent less than buying commercially available seltzer. If you’re like me and prone to dropping two or three dollars on a couple of 20-ounces from the vending machine or bodega throughout the day, you’ll wind up saving even more.

SHOP $89, aerflo.co

It’s Better for the Planet

I know that talking about sustainability can be an enormous drag. But it’s worth remembering that this whole system is better for the environment than most alternatives. Instead of powering through single-use plastic bottles, you’ve got one reusable bottle along with a circular system of carbon dioxide refills. Even considering the implications of shipping product—something that has to be done with those single-use bottles too, by the way—it’s a clear win for Mother Earth. Plus, because it’s designed to travel with you, you’re much more likely to use it under real-world conditions. Yeah, I understand that I could bubble up a bottle of water at home, transfer it to another single-use bottle, and bring that with me. But if I’m rushing out the door in the morning, it’s just not gonna happen. Instead, I’m going to let that bottle of Hal’s black cherry tempt me into spending a little pocket money later in the day. As long as the Aer1 is in my bag and I’ve got a stash of capsules (really, seriously, take advantage of that travel carrier), that’s much less likely to happen. One thing I’d love to see is some sort of onboard system for adding flavor in the future, so that bottle of black cherry is even less tempting. But all told, this thing is a game changer.

SHOP $89, aerflo.co

Photographs by Joe Lingeman. Prop styling by Heather Greene.