SodaStream Not Carbonating — Water Not Fizzy

What Does This Error Mean?

If your SodaStream makes no bubbles or produces water that is barely fizzy, the most common causes are an empty or improperly seated CO2 cylinder, using warm water instead of cold, or not pressing the carbonation button long enough.

Affected Models

SodaStream Source
SodaStream Fizzi
SodaStream Crystal
SodaStream Terra
SodaStream Art
SodaStream Genesis

Common Causes

CO2 cylinder is empty or nearly empty
Cylinder not fully screwed in — gas leaking around the seal
Water is not cold enough (warm water absorbs less CO2)
Bottle not locked in properly — gas escaping instead of dissolving into water
Carbonation button not held long enough
Internal valve inside the machine has failed

How to Fix It

Use cold water

Cold water (near 0 °C from the fridge) absorbs CO2 much better than room-temperature water. Always use chilled water for best results.
Check the CO2 cylinder

Make sure the cylinder is screwed in tightly and is not empty. A blinking red light or very light cylinder means you need a refill.
Ensure the bottle is locked in correctly

The bottle must click securely into the machine. If gas is escaping around the bottle seal, it will not dissolve into the water.
Press the button longer

For more carbonation, press and hold the button for 2–3 full seconds per press. Listen for the hiss — that is CO2 entering the water.
Press 3–4 times for higher fizz

One press gives light carbonation. Three or four presses give stronger, longer-lasting fizz. Experiment to find your preference.
Test with a fresh cylinder

If you have a new cylinder available, try it. If the machine works fine with a new cylinder, the old one was depleted.

When to Call a Professional

Only if all user-level checks pass and the machine still does not carbonate — may indicate an internal valve fault.

SodaStream Not Producing Fizzy Water

When your SodaStream fails to carbonate, the issue is almost always one of four things:

Empty cylinder — no CO2 left to inject
Warm water — cold water absorbs CO2 far better
Loose bottle — gas escaping before dissolving
Not pressing long enough — not enough gas injected per press

Work through each check before assuming the machine is broken.

The Temperature Effect

Cold water (1–4 °C) can hold significantly more dissolved CO2 than room-temperature water. If you have been carbonating water straight from the tap, switching to refrigerator-cold water often dramatically improves the result.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my SodaStream water flat after just a few minutes?

Flat sparkling water is almost always caused by warm water (absorbs less CO2 and releases it faster), not pressing the button enough times, or the cap not being on the bottle tightly after carbonating.

My SodaStream makes a hissing sound but produces no bubbles. Why?

A hissing sound without bubbles usually means the gas is escaping somewhere without entering the water — most often because the bottle is not properly locked in. Remove the bottle, re-seat it, and try again.