I’ve had a Qarbo sparkling water maker for over a year now and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve used it. And thanks to the number of syrups available, it’s easy to make my own mixers too. A dash of soda for my classic Aperitif Spritz or Ms Sans Mojito? No problem! Some tonic for my non-alcoholic gin? Done!
On top of the convenience of owning a sparkling water marker, they are also very environmentally friendly. In fact, Qarbo founder, Paul Heath told me that the need to be more environmentally friendly was the inspiration behind the Qarbo sparkling water maker.
Put simply, if you swap bottled carbonated water for a sparkling water maker you will dramatically reduce your plastic consumption. I love this win-win because I get to enjoy amazing carbonated drinks without feeling bad about buying plastic.
To help you get the most out of your Qarbo sparkling water maker, I have put together a guide with practical advice on how to use it as well as some Qarbo recipes to inspire you.
Buying your Qarbo sparkling water maker
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me tell you about the different Qarbo sparkling water maker options available at Sans Drinks.
I stock the Qarbo sparkling water maker in four colours:
Qarbo Sparkling Water Maker & Fruit Infuser - Rose Gold
Qarbo Sparkling Water Maker & Fruit Infuser - Silver
Qarbo Sparkling Water Maker & Fruit Infuser - Black
Qarbo Sparkling Water Maker & Fruit Infuser - Red
All four colours come with the main unit, which includes the unique air charge injection cap, two 1-litre bottles, a detailed Qarbo instructions manual and a book of Qarbo recipes to inspire you.
Due to shipping restrictions, the Qarbo does not come with a CO2 cylinder. But don’t worry, I’ll explain where to get your cylinders and refills later in this guide.
What makes Qarbo special?
Perhaps the best thing about Qarbo, is that their sparkling water maker allows you to make your own flavoured water using fresh ingredients such as fruit, vegetables and herbs. If you’re wondering how this is different from other sparkling water maker brands — let me break it down.
Most sparkling water maker brands only allow you to carbonate water, you then need to add any flavouring in the form of syrup. In contrast, you can add fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs to your Qarbo sparkling water maker before you add the carbonation. This means that all those fruit flavours are directly infused into your water.
The reason you can do this with a Qarbo sparkling water maker is that it’s been designed to maximise the flavour of your drinks. The Qarbo carbonation nozzle can be removed and washed, which prevents it from becoming blocked with particles from your fresh ingredients.
Don’t try this with other types of sparkling water maker though, it will probably break and you’ll void the 12-month warranty. This is definitely something to be aware of if you are weighing up a Qarbo vs SodaStream or Qarbo vs Aarke.
Another point of difference is that the Qarbo sparkling water maker allows you to control the amount of carbonation in your water. If you want an extra fizzy drink you just need to keep pressing the injector head.
How to use the Qarbo Sparkling Water Maker
The Qarbo sparkling water maker is very easy to use and comes with a comprehensive manual of Qarbo instructions which I recommend reading before you start making drinks.
I like to fill my Qarbo bottles with water and store them in the fridge. This means that whenever I want to use my Qarbo sparkling water maker, the water is chilled. Fun fact: while cold water tastes better, it has also been shown to absorb the C02 more easily — thanks, Google!
Likewise, hard water doesn’t absorb C02 as well as soft or distilled water. So if you live in a hard water area it might be worth investing in water softeners.
Cleaning your Qarbo sparkling water maker
One crucial thing to remember is that every part of the Qarbo sparkling water maker needs to be cleaned manually and not in the dishwater. This includes the bottles, which are made from PET and are BPA-free and the Qarbo carbonation nozzle.
Qarbo C02 cylinders and refills
Because of shipping restrictions, Qarbo does not include a C02 cylinder when you buy a Qarbo sparkling water maker.
But it is very easy to get your hands on one. The Qarbo sparkling water maker uses standard 60L cylinders that are easy to find and inexpensive to refill. Simply type ‘60L co2 cylinder exchange’ into your internet browser and pick the option that suits you best.
Qarbo Australia also has a cylinder home delivery service operating in metro locations in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. With normal use, a standard cylinder can last up to 3 weeks.
Qarbo recipes to inspire you
There are literally hundreds of drinks that you can make in your Qarbo sparkling water maker. But to start you off on the right track, here are four of my personal favourite Qarbo recipes.
All of these mocktails use fruit and herb-infused Qarbo sparkling water and alcohol-free alternatives to spirits. They’re all light and refreshing, so they make great summer mocktails whether you’re entertaining or putting your feet up.
Fresh Margarita spritz
This is a light and refreshing take on a classic Margarita mocktail. The fresh citrus perfectly balances with the non-alcoholic tequila. The Triple Sec Substitute in this Qarbo recipe is optional, but recommended.
Ingredients
- 500ml cold water
- Half a lime, sliced
- Half a lemon, sliced
- Ms Sans Bring a Sombrero to taste
- Optional: Sans Bar St Barts Sunrise to taste
- Lime wheel to garnish
Method
Mix your Ms Sans Bring a Sombrero and cold water together and chill in the fridge. Add the mixture to your Qarbo bottle along with sliced lime and lemon, and carbonate as desired. Strain over ice and garnish with a lime wheel. If you want to go the whole hog, I suggest serving this one in a salt-rimmed glass.
Minty Pink Gin
As the name suggests, this is a fresh take on a pink gin and soda mocktail. With lime and mint in the mix, it’s an ultra-refreshing mocktail that will showcase the floral notes of the Ms Sans Juniper Berry Blush.
Ingredients
- 500ml cold water
- Half a lime, sliced
- Ms Sans Juniper Berry Blush to taste
- Mint sprig to garnish
Method
Mix your non-alcoholic gin and cold water together and chill in the fridge. Add the mixture to your Qarbo bottle along with sliced lime, and carbonate as desired. Strain over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Watermelon Gin Crush
This fruity mocktail tastes sensational. The sweetness of the fresh watermelon and kiwi pair beautifully with the bitter notes in the Sans Bar Notting Hill Stroll.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup watermelon, cubed
- Kiwifruit diced
- 1/2 lime, sliced
- Chilled water
- Sans Bar Notting Hill Stroll to taste
- Slice of cucumber
Method
Mix your non-alcoholic gin and cold water together and chill in the fridge. Add the mixture to your Qarbo bottle along with the watermelon and kiwi and carbonate as desired. Strain over ice and garnish with a slice of cucumber.
Ginger Mojito Spritz
With fresh ginger root and lime, the Qarbo take on a mojito mocktail is a fusion of tropical flavours. You can use any non-alcoholic rum to make this drink, but I think the Sans Bar Summer Carnivàle with its coconut and vanilla notes works a treat.
Ingredients
- 1 inch of root ginger, peeled and sliced
- 2 limes, sliced
- Chilled water
- 50ml sugar syrup (optional)
- Sans Bar Summer Carnivàle to taste
- Mint sprig to garnish
Method
Mix your non-alcoholic rum and cold water together and chill in the fridge. Add the mixture to your Qarbo bottle along with the ginger and lime and carbonate as desired. Strain over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Create your own Qarbo mocktails
I hope that this guide has given you a good insight into why I think Qarbo is the best sparkling water maker on the market. If you’d like to find out more, please go ahead and sign up to my loyalty club so that I can keep you updated about new products and special offers.
It’s likely that your Qarbo sparkling water maker will inspire you to get creative with your drinks repertoire. If you are keen to invent your own Qarbo recipes, I recommend that you start by exploring the non-alcoholic spirits section where I stock the alcohol-free version of almost any drink you can think of including non-alcoholic liqueurs and apéritifs.
I should warn you, if you are anything like me, you might become slightly obsessed with the endless possibilities!
