Keurig is calling its new countertop soda-making machine “the coolest thing to happen to cold drinks.”
The Keurig Kold allows users to make individual 8-ounce servings of big-name sodas like Coca-Cola and Diet Coke, Sprite, Canada Dry ginger ale and Dr Pepper with the press of a button from the convenience of their home.
The machine doesn’t require CO2 cartridges because its drink pods, which are similar to the Keurig coffee pods, contain both soda flavoring and special beads that are packed with CO2. The machine also chills the drink.
“Keurig has redefined the way consumers enjoy coffee and tea in their homes and offices and today with the launch of Keurig KOLD, we’re embarking on a new journey that will change the way consumers enjoy cold beverages at home,” said Brian Kelley, president and CEO of Keurig.
The Keurig Kold drink pods aren’t limited to fountain-style and craft sodas. They also come in flavored water, iced teas, seltzers and sports drinks. Keurig has plans to develop a line of cocktail mixers as well.
But the coolness and convenience of the Kold machine could be overshadowed by its hefty price tag.
The Keurig Kold retails for $369.99, though simply adding it to your online shopping cart at Keurig’s website drops the price by $20. The soda and drink pods are priced at up to $5 per four-pack. One pod makes a single 8-ounce drink, so you’re paying about $1.25 to make a Coke at home.
“That’s a steep cost of entry with little promise of savings compared to the cost of bottled soda at the supermarket,” Time said.
The Keurig Kold’s main competition is SodaStream. But you can get a SodaStream machine online for as little as $59.99 on Amazon, with drink mixes starting at $5.99 for 36 8-ounce servings. You can also get Pepsi product flavoring packs for SodaStream.
At its current price, the Kold machine is expensive. But according to Money, Keurig may be purposefully inflating its prices for the Kold machine and drink pods now so it can roll out “seemingly generous promotional prices” in the coming months.
The prices may still be absurdly high then, but to many consumers they will seem like great deals compared with the original, off-the-charts insane prices. Surely, many people will buy them as Christmas gifts just because they are new and “on sale.”
So, if you really want to get your hands on the new Keurig Kold machine, despite its high price tag, it’s probably best to wait until November or December, when it will likely be available at a reduced price.
I’ve had a SodaStream machine for a few years. I used it a lot at first, but now it’s collecting dust in one of my kitchen cupboards. I drag it out on occasion to make carbonated water (club soda).
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