Every since I started writing about seltzer, I have enjoyed my time as a “seltzer influencer” receiving products to sample and report on. That is how I tasted my first Spindrift (I drank a lovely watermelon one last weekend). And Le Seltzer. And of course all of this seltzer obsessing began so I could receive a free Sodastream, back in 2004, so I could pen a product review. This summer, however, I received something totally different: a Sparklet.
The Sparklet is not new. In fact, that’s the point. They’re defuct. They are an old style of home seltzer making, decades old. But a fantastic new company has taken it upon themselves to find old bottles and make them new again. Talk about a “re-use” company!
And if you just want a beautiful Art Deco object for your home, you get that right away. They look gorgeous: retro, exotic, almost steampunk. But the best thing of all – they still work! And there are so many options for different Sparklets. The one I received, according to the Sparklet collector’s web site has the following features:
Body color: Chromium plate with 4 green bands
Base markings: Sparklets Limited, Made in England
Produced: 1946-1965
Head: Green plastic with chrome spout
The tiny CO2 cartridges required to run them are still available (see MrFixx in the above image). The “key” in the upper right receives the cartridge. The key is turned and, while shaking the device, the water inside get carbonated.
Robert Adams, of Acqua Spumante, came up with this brilliant idea. Here’s what he had to share with me about my Sparklet:
It was originally manufactured around 1950 and has been reconditioned so it is fully functional. A copy of the original instructions have been included along with a humorous guide to what drinks you can make with your syphon (which came with US made syphons from the late 40’s). As you would expect from an item that is now over 70 years old it can be slightly temperamental; sometimes they can leak gas or water when filling them up, in which case screw the charger (canister) key down a bit tighter and it should stop. The head needs to be tightened down onto the neck seal hand tight (but quite tight); use the nozzle rather than the side arm to get a good hold. A trouble shooting sheet has been included to help you. Occasionally you may see a few flecks of black in the water being dispensed; despite us taking care to clean out the insides some pieces of the original paint coating the interior will fall off and be carried out. I do not believe it will be harmful.
The internal mechanism used in both the British and US built syphons during the post war period was the same and we can repair most types from this period, although we do specialise in the mesh and glass Type C and D syphons and the ones which look similar to the one being sent to you.
Robert sent me some more information about the history of these fascinating little seltzer machines, which I will edit into the following. I thank Robert for sharing this slice of seltzer history with me. If of interest to see more of his beautiful restorations, check out Robert’s work at Acqua Spumante.
The idea of making seltzer at home in Europe goes back to the early part of the 20th Century and was driven initially by the fashion of drinking naturally carbonated mineral waters and their supposed health-giving effects. The ability to re-create both the mineral taste and also the carbonation of the natural waters using tap water in the convenience of your own home drove the fashion of home carbonators in Europe.
At the time the early home carbonators were invented it was possible to make your own versions of the various recipes of natural mineral waters by adding pre-prepared concentrated mineral tablets to tap water prior to its carbonation in your home syphon. This is reflected in the guides that were issued with some of the Sparklets Brand soda syphons that were sold in the 1920’s through to the 1940’s. They also sold concentrated fruit flavors so you could produce your own flavored fizzy drinks, just like the soft drinks available now. Robert has actually repeated this with a glass bodied Type D syphon filled with chilled mango, orange, grape and apple juices to produce a range of very nice fruit flavored drinkable “sorbets”; the only problem is they go flat within about 5 minutes but are, of course, totally alcohol free and very refreshing.
A very comprehensive history of the Sparklets brand machines (and by association the other brands of machines that existed at the same time) can be gained by looking at the website www.sparklets.net which is run by an avid collector of Sparklets brand soda syphons in England.
AcquaSpumante, the business that Robert operates, was set up in roughly 2020 to recondition and repair most of the Sparklets brand soda syphons (both those produced in Britain and also the USA) and make it possible to use these on a regular basis once again. To do this they recondition and replace the wearing parts of the old syphons (mainly the old internal rubber seals and plastic parts) with a mixture of specially re-manufactued parts and re-purposed off the shelf items. In the vast majority of cases it is not possible to externally see that they have been reconditioned – they just now work as they would have done when originally marketed.
They can recondition and repair Sparklets syphons from the period between about 1920 and 1980 (when production of Sparklets syphons ceased in the UK). All the syphons that they repair and market are able to use modern and easily available CO2 canisters from a range of brands (“Mr. Fizz” by Leland of the USA is one) such as Liss, Mosa, Kayser and a several others.
Robert, actually, has a competitor, located in Germany, and goes by the name of Die Siphon Manufaktur. They restore and renovate some of the Sparklets Type C and D syphons to a high standard. Their product range, however, is limited to the mesh covered glass bodied syphons like the Sparklets Types C and D (and closely related variants of these).
In addition to Sparklets of New York there was also a wholly US company which made some very nice soda syphons. The Kidde Fire Extinguisher company marketed some lovely syphons under the brand “Soda King” in the mid to late 30’s and 40’s. Robert posted videos of him repairing them: Soda King 1935. This was considered to be a classic design for its time and further information can be found here.
