Yes! I bought one of these and run it right to the tank without a regulator. I close the tank after every use. Currently I swap the tank at a local liquor shop, but there's a welding supply place I will likely switch to in the future to get a better price.
Supposedly you can refill the smaller cylinder tanks but I think this is easier
Make your own. Here, I got this from another lemming
a real CO2 cylinder with a CGA 320 valve (the 10lb size is plenty)
a CGA-320 CO2 regulator
some 1/4" ID reinforced PVC tubing
a carbonation cap + 1/4" barb ball lock disconnect
I love it, and for anyone else who does, I have a suggestion.
Get a SodaStream (or whatever your carbonator-of-choice is) and a cheap adapter to run it from a standard CO2 tank. Not only do you save money on CO2 refills, but you save money on buying cans of seltzer, too. The concentrated flavor additives are only a few dollars at the grocery store.
I think my SodaStream was something like $100. The adapter and hoses were $50-ish. The flavor syrup costs around $5 for enough to make gallons. Every few months or more, I might pay $50 or so to refill a 20lb CO2 tank. It's already paid for itself, and it's incredibly convenient.
You can skip the soda stream and use a cheap carbonator cap on standard plastic bottles and a ball lock connector on your gas line if you're willing to shake the bottle manually.
I've taken this setup a couple levels up over the last 5 years.
First level: kegerator and switch out the bottle for a keg, bonus points for using a diffusion stone in the keg to speed the absorption of CO2.
Second level: plumb the water line and use a continuous carbonator lid on the keg. Your gas pressure will need to be 10-15 psi (.7-1 bar) lower than the water pressure. Even a small 2.5gal (9.5L) keg makes for nearly infinite cold fizzy water at reasonable consumption rates.
Happy to make a parts list if anyone is interested.
I used to drink a fair amount of pop. I mean, not excessive amounts, but more than I do now. In all my years on earth, I've absolutely never ever able to enjoy diet soft drinks. The aftertaste is just absolutely disgusting and the entire flavor of the drink is ruined.
I actually like artificial sweetener in my coffee because coffee already has a very bitter and strong aftertaste. So artificial sweeteners are not as noticeable. But with soft drinks it just completely takes over and makes everything absolutely disgusting.
I didn't like sparkling water at first, but over the years I've come to really enjoy it and I drink it far more than I do soft drinks. I'd pick a sparkling water over a diet soft drink 1000000%.
Thank you for saying this, completely agree. I eyeroll whenever i hear someone say "they have no taste". Usually those people are soda drinkers, and have no idea how messed up their taste is. Soda completely overwhelms your tastebuds, and you get used to having so much sugar, so everything else will taste bland.
Once you dial down soda, or even cut it out which is what i did, you'll start to notice most things taste a lot better
Lime La Croix got me off soda. Just a heads up - carbonation is slightly acidic. Throw in natural flavor like lemon or lime, and youve got even more acidity. Just saying, don't do what I did and drink 2-3 per day without a meal. I've had to get 5 fillings in the past year. Not attributing it directly to my La Croix habit (I also only brushed in the morning and never flossed, not anymore!) - but I did find some stuff online that hinted the acidity of these drinks can run your teeth down. Maybe not that much, but it sure doesn't help.
Same with acid reflux. Have to dial it back when i start noticing its acting up again. Delicious, and a hell of a lot better than soda, but moderation for sure
I think you'd be surprised just how many people don't. I didn't until I was in my 30s, mostly because my parents never taught me how and it seemed like an 'extra' step. I tried a couple times but couldn't make a habit of it.
Weirdly, It finally clicked for me when a dentist patiently explained that you don't brush your teeth, you clean your teeth.
Brushing and flossing are not two different tasks. That would be like sweeping the floor and then just leaving the pile of dirt on the floor instead of sweeping it into the dustpan. It's not done if you only do half of it. She also suggested tools I could use to make it less painful (I have TMJ). I have only missed a single day since, and that was because I was unconscious for a surgical procedure.
Like others, I used to hate it and drank a lot of soda. Now, I've dropped soda and love lacroix as an alternative. Although, there are better brands (Waterloo).
It's like someone took the perfect beverage {water} and decided to soak a used sock in it before attempting to hide this heinous blunder with a big squeeze of random flavorings.
Not the best tasting thing in the world but like a lot of people said it’s a good substitute for soda and it usually hits my cravings (but sometimes I decide to mix some sorta drink powder into it turning it back into a pseudo-soda)
I really like tacking a pack of la Croix (or kombutcha) to a party or BBQ. I can chug through them like beer and be a responsible human at the end of the event. That no calorie and not artificial shit is a big big plus
I love it. It’s my substitute for soda. I like lemon and cherry lime. My family got some for me when I came over for the holidays and they didn’t care for it. Lol
Haven't had La Croix, but in general I love carbonated water. It's quite possible I drink more sparkling water than I drink tap water because my tap just tastes yucky for some reason.
I definitely agree, but I was expecting you to compare with something more expensive. Personally I really like Spindrift, but it's like 2x the price. On the other hand, you can't beat tap water for value (or filtered water depending on your local water quality).
I enjoy a Lacroix depending on the flavor- Passionfruit is my favorite. The top tie, first round pick for sparkling water in my book is Topo Chico. Add a little bit of lime juice and a splash from a ginger bug on the rocks and you have a spicy treat