Seltzer is having a serious moment—and has been for a while now. What was once a niche beverage has exploded into an industry saturated with flavors, colors, and brands all vying for a spot in your fridge. If you’re a fizzy water fiend, chances are you’ve found yourself hauling cases of cans home more often than you’d like. Enter the home soda maker, a gadget promising bubbles at the push of a button, straight from your countertop. And among the ever-growing sea of carbonators, Ninja’s new offering—the Thirsti—caught our attention.
Promising customizable fizz and flavor at your fingertips, the Ninja Thirsti Drink System positions itself as a stylish, user-friendly soda maker for people who want more control over their bubbles (and maybe less clutter in their recycling bins). But does it deliver? I put it to the test for over a month, making countless sparkling concoctions in the name of fizzy research.
Here’s how the Thirsti fared in a real kitchen, with real drinks, over real time.
First Impressions: Sleek, Smart, and Surprisingly Simple
Out of the box, the Ninja Thirsti is more substantial than your average soda maker. It has a clean, modern design that feels at home on the countertop—less clunky appliance and more futuristic hydration station. Setup was straightforward: plug it in, insert the CO₂ canister, pop in a flavor pod if you want, and you’re good to go. No app syncing, no fiddly components, just immediate gratification.
What sets the Thirsti apart from traditional soda makers is its customizable approach. Instead of just carbonating plain water, it offers four levels of fizz (from barely-there bubbles to “just cracked a can of LaCroix” levels of effervescence) and the option to add flavor directly into your glass—kind of like a single-serve soda fountain, but way less chaotic.
Carbonation Test: The Power of the Bubble
To see just how well it could handle the core task—carbonation—I ran a series of tests on different water volumes and fizz levels. The Thirsti’s system is intuitive: select your carbonation level, hit the button, and in a few seconds, your water is transformed.
Across all tests, the fizz was consistent and delivered quickly. Level 1 offered a subtle sparkle, more spa water than soda. Level 4, on the other hand, brought the big guns—sharp, punchy bubbles that lingered and danced on the tongue. What really impressed me was the speed. Whether making 6 ounces or 24, it never took more than 20 seconds to carbonate.
Bonus: the CO₂ canister lasted the whole month with near-daily use and didn’t show signs of quitting. Refills are readily available, and swapping out the canister was painless.
Flavor Test: Pods of Possibility
The Thirsti system includes slots for two flavor pods at a time, and Ninja offers a growing selection of options—everything from classic lemon-lime to blackberry-acai to electrolyte-boosted blends. Each pod promises up to 20 drinks, depending on your flavor strength setting (yes, you can adjust that too).
How do they taste? Better than expected. The flavors weren’t overly sweet or artificial—think subtle infusions more than syrupy soda. The lemon-lime was a refreshing take on the classic, and the watermelon-mint was surprisingly crisp. I didn’t love every pod (the orange-mango skewed too tropical punch for my taste), but the overall experience was satisfying. Even more fun: mixing flavors across pods, which the system lets you do on the fly.
For those who prefer their fizz flavor-free, you can skip the pods entirely and just use the Thirsti for straight-up seltzer.
Usability & Clean-Up: Low Effort, High Reward
One of the best things about the Thirsti is how easy it is to live with. There are no bottles to screw in or reservoirs to constantly refill. You just fill a glass, place it under the spout, choose your settings, and let the machine do the work.
Cleanup was minimal. The drip tray is removable and dishwasher-safe, and there’s no sticky residue since the flavoring is injected directly into your glass rather than mixed inside a bottle. Unlike some soda makers, you’re not tied to using proprietary bottles either—any standard glass or tumbler will do.
Is It Worth It?
After a month of testing, the Ninja Thirsti earned its spot on my kitchen counter. It’s not just a novelty gadget; it’s a genuinely helpful appliance that makes staying hydrated more fun—and a little more customizable.
For seltzer devotees, it’s a game-changer. It cuts down on waste (goodbye, endless aluminum cans), reduces trips to the store, and offers more control over your drinks. If you’re the kind of person who gets excited about tweaking fizz levels or trying new flavor combos, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of it.
That said, it’s not the cheapest option out there, and the ongoing cost of pods may give budget-minded users pause. But if you’re already buying premium sparkling water or flavored seltzers regularly, the Thirsti could save you money (and space in your fridge) over time.
Final Verdict
The Ninja Thirsti is more than just a soda maker—it’s a sparkling water experience. Between its sleek design, fast performance, customizable settings, and surprisingly tasty flavors, it brings a splash of joy to the everyday ritual of hydration.
Whether you’re a seltzer purist or a flavor chaser, this countertop gadget delivers the bubbles—and earns its keep one fizzy glass at a time.
