Mr. Butler’s soda maker: Tippler’s (MY) best friend

The day the weighing machine at home showed 0 kgs, I stopped using 7up, Mirinda and drinks of that genre as mixing for my drink. The weighing machine showed zero because it went round once and beyond 120 there was just zero again Well that was 5-6 years ago during my prime. I weigh much much less now.

7-up, pepsi etc has so much sugar and calories, they are definitely unhealthy and that’s why even US (and even some Indian) schools have banned them in their in-campus cafeterias. So the day I stopped on these drinks for mixing, I switched to Soda. I urge everybody do the same (one health grounds). Okay, why soda and not water? Water is the best! I am sure many would argue in these lines. Even though water is my 2nd best alternative, I kind of like the soda’s fizz.

Soda is not cheap.Very expensive when compared with water, that 1 litre bottled water costs 12-14 bucks which is the same cost of 600 ml of soda which is just water plus CO2. And given that I need at least a litre of soda to down a double quarter (double quarter sounds exciting and does not raise eyebrows when compared to “half”, right?) it becomes expensive, especially when you  need 4-5 bottles of soda for the weekend. This, plus the looks that guy who bills my stuff at the super market counter every time I check out 5 bottles of soda made me look for alternatives. And the alternative was quickly found and acquired. And since then, every time, I pat myself in the back when I make myself a soda with it. IT? I am referring to my best friend, my personal butler , Mr.Butler’s soda maker.

Well the machine costs 1000 odd bucks, I am not too sure of the exact price, because I bought it quite some time ago.The device needs a CO2 cylinder which needs to be changed when the gas runs out. Eery time you buy the cylinder in lieu of the empty cylinder it’s 75 bucks (here in TN). With one cylinder one can make at least, 20 bottles (1 litre each) of soda. The soda maker (kit) came with a bottle, the machine and a cylinder. So 20 bottles of soda for 75 bucks makes the initial investment of 1000 bucks definitely worth it and a huge saving  (10 bottles of lehar/kinley soda is 120 bucks). You will break even with the initial investment when you get the refill for the 7-8th time.  The soda is definitely as good as the lehar or kinley stuff. So you save money (if I don’t buy 5 bottles of soda, I have 60 bucks to get me a quarter , save the environment (of not buying plastic bottles and you get soda any time.

The whole idea of posting this here at kosukadi, is to send the message across. If you are like me, who uses soda for mixing, then you need to get our best friend, Mr.Butler home.

Also in business sense, one thing which Mr.Butler (the company) amazes me is the kind of niche they have discovered. The niche is so small, that other players are not bothered to enter. Kind of Woodwards gripe water niche, no competition bothers to manufacture gripe water BUT extremely cash cow. Constant recurring income of 75 bucks for a CO2 cylinder which would not cost them any more than 10 bucks to refill for a life time. WOW! Hats off to them. This is the only product which is successful for the company, Mr.Butler, but, this one product is more than enough for the company to be successful

I am writing this over vodka mixed with Mr. Butler’s soda!!! Cheers!!!

Update: Just heard from sales department of Mr.Butler’s that the soda maker (the one pictured and the one I have) is currently priced at Rs.2550. A bit steep, but I still think it’s value for money