4 Great Alternatives to the Insanely Priced Keurig Kold

By on June 8, 2016

Keurig-kold

06-08-16 UPDATE: Keurig has pulled the Kold from the consumer market and will be issuing full refunds to anyone that purchased one. (Use Refund site here) Big shocker, we know! Who would have thought people didn’t want to pay 4.5 times the going rate for soda?!

Have you heard of the Keurig Kold? It’s a new device from Keurig that produces cold drinks instead of hot. Just like the coffee machines, you pop in your pod (soda, iced tea, flavor water and sports drinks), fill up the tank with water and turn it on. It makes popular name brand sodas, like Coke and Sprite, as well as craft sodas, like root beer and cream soda.

Sounds like a neat machine, right? Don’t get too excited, Keurig is charging consumers $370 for the Keurig Kold ($350 on sale) and pricing a 4-pack of pods at $5. Each pod makes 8 fl ounces. That’s less than a can of soda, which is 12 fl ounces. You can buy this 12-pack of Coca-Cola on Amazon for $5 (not even a great price compared to grocery stores) and still get 4.5 times the volume of Coke that would be produced from the 4-pack of Coke pods!

Of course, if you are really into the idea of making your own drinks, we don’t want you to waste your money on the Keurig Kold. Here’s a selection of reasonably priced alternatives to help you save hundreds:

SodaStream Fountain Jet (MSRP: $79)

sodastream-jet

Arguably, SodaStream kicked off the maker-your-own-soda market in a big way. They can’t even get an ad slot in the Super Bowl ad lineup because the NFL is frightened of Coke and Pepsi pulling their ad dollars. There are mulitple SodaStream models that you can choose from, but the standout from a price-point perspective is the Jet.

The Jet was chosen as Sweethome’s Best Soda Maker and makes over 60 different types of soda. While you aren’t going to find name brands in the mix, each bottle of soda mix makes up to 33 cans. The downside is that you will have to purchase replacement 60-liter carbonators over time (usually $30) in order to continue carbonating the soda. The Jet does come with a mail-in rebate for a free 60-liter carbonator, assuming you swap out the starter 4-liter carbonator.

Be aware that there are plenty of other models in the SodaStream line, ranging up to $200. Other variations will include length of warranty as well as build quality. However, you can’t really go wrong with the Jet, which frequently goes on sale in the $45 to $50 during most of the year and in the $30 to $40 range during November / December.

Search Amazon for SodaStream Deals

Takeya Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker (MSRP: $30)

Takeya-Flash Chill-Iced-Tea-Maker

Giving you the option of using either loose leaf tea or tea bags, the Takeya “Flash Chill” iced tea maker is a simpler, less expensive alternative to standalone tea makers. Snagging 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon, you basically pour in the loose tea or bags, add hot water to about halfway and allow it to brew. Then you just add ice, tighten up the seal at the top, give it a shake and it’s ready to go.

Interestingly, you can also use this this pitcher to cold brew coffee using the same tea infuser. Takeya also sells a fruit infuser for this model (roughly $10) that you can use to add additional flavors to a pitcher of tea or water. On average, you will see sales on the Takeya pitcher in the $18 to $25 range.

Check Amazon Price on Takeya Iced Tea Maker

Asobu Samba Shaker (MSRP: $18)

asobu-shaker

Ideal for mixing up sports drinks for hydration or protein shakes for working out, the Asobu Samba Shaker includes two shaker balls on the inside of the bottle that help blend powdered mixtures. Also attaining 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon, the shaker will also help blend ingredients like peanut butter or yogurt into the mix.

Available in five different colors, the 100% BPA free Samba Shaker bottle also withstands subfreezing to boiling temperatures and offers a 20 ounce capacity for your drinks. Be aware that the large bottom of the bottle isn’t likely going to fit in a car’s cupholder, but should be fine in cupholders on exercise equipment. When it goes on sale, look for a $12 to $16 price point to get the best deal.

Check Amazon Price on Asobu Samba Shaker

Toddy Cold Brew Coffee Maker (MSRP: $39.50)

toddy_cold_brew_system_coffee

Interestingly, the Keurig Kold doesn’t actually cold brew coffee, a method of brewing that’s often preferred by serious coffee drinkers. If you want a simpler process to cold brew coffee, check out the Toddy Cold Brew Coffee Maker. Designed to brew your coffee with 66% less acid than hot brewing, the 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Amazon will give you an idea why this is so popular with coffee drinkers.

Of course, you will have to purchase additional filters over time, sold in a pack of four at a price of $10. Besides coffee, you can also brew hot or cold tea with the Toddy machine. While the Toddy doesn’t go on sale often, you may be able to see a sale price point between $30 to $35 from time to time.

Check Amazon Price on Toddy Coffee Maker

About Mike Flacy

Editor-in-Chief for The CheckOut. During my free time, I love to write about pop culture, home theater, digital photography, social media, mobile technology and cool gadgets!

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