Type "CO2 refill" and the name of a Thai city into a search engine and you get a mixed bag: expat forum threads asking the same question, marketplace listings, and industrial gas suppliers whose business is welding and fire equipment. Very little of it is about a small food-grade cylinder for a soda maker in a kitchen.
This article sets out where you can actually swap a soda CO2 cylinder in Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Hua Hin, how the exchange by post works for Bangkok and every other province, what it costs, and which machines the cylinder fits. It is written for households, villas and small venues that make their own sparkling water and want a refill they can rely on.
In short, bring your empty soda CO2 cylinder to one of Minairal's four shops, on Koh Samui, in Phuket, Hua Hin and on Koh Phangan, and it is swapped on the spot for a full one. Elsewhere in Thailand, including Bangkok, order online and return the empty by post. It costs ฿390 and fits other major soda maker brands.
Why is a soda cylinder refill so hard to find locally?
Three reasons. First, a soda cylinder is filled by weight on dedicated equipment, which a gas yard set up for large industrial tanks does not have. Second, the gas has to be food grade, handled as a drink ingredient, and most suppliers in a given town sell CO2 for welding, extinguishers or aquariums. Third, the volume is small: a household uses a cylinder every six or seven weeks, so a general shop rarely stocks it. The model that works, in Thailand as elsewhere, is the exchange: your empty goes back to a filling point and you take a full cylinder in its place.
If you are tempted by an adapter and a large tank, our article on how to refill a soda CO2 cylinder in Thailand explains why overfilling, gas quality and valve damage make that a poor idea.
How does the Minairal CO2 exchange work?
There are two ways, and both cost ฿390 for a 380 g cylinder of food-grade CO2, enough for up to 50 litres of sparkling water.
- In store, swapped on the spot. Walk in with an empty cylinder at one of our four shops and walk out with a full one. No waiting, no shipping.
- By post, anywhere in Thailand. Order a CO2 cylinder refill on our online shop, which delivers across all of Thailand, return the empty cylinder by post and receive a full one.
Minairal cylinders are compatible with other major soda maker brands such as SodaStream, so you do not need a Minairal machine to use the exchange: bring the cylinder from the machine you already own. If you exchange by post, an additional CO2 cylinder (฿890, new and full) keeps you supplied while the empty is away.
| Item on our online shop | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CO2 cylinder refill (exchange) | ฿390 | 380 g food-grade CO2, up to 50 litres; empty cylinder required; in store or by post |
| Additional CO2 cylinder | ฿890 | New and full; useful for exchanges by post |
| Soda Maker Kit | ฿3,990 (Inox and Glass ฿6,490) | Machine, bottle and a first cylinder |
CO2 refill in Phuket
Phuket is where the question comes up most often: expat forums are full of it, and the usual answers are an industrial supplier or a marketplace app. Our shop in Phuket is at the Chalong service centre, and an empty soda cylinder is swapped there for a full one on the spot, ฿390, whichever brand of machine it came from. Directions and opening hours are on our Phuket page, which also describes the drinking water systems we install and maintain across the island.
CO2 refill in Koh Samui
Koh Samui is where Minairal is based. Our head office and showroom are in Bo Phut, at 151/35 Moo 1, and that is where island households swap their soda cylinders: bring the empty, leave with a full one. If you prefer, the exchange by post is available on the island too. Our Koh Samui page gives the address and covers the water systems we install and service there, which pair naturally with a soda maker.
CO2 refill in Koh Phangan
Koh Phangan has its own swap point, in Thong Sala, inside DELITALY. Hand in an empty cylinder and take a full one for ฿390. Our technicians cover the island from Koh Samui for installations and service.
CO2 refill in Hua Hin
Hua Hin is one of the places where people most often find us while searching for a CO2 refill, because there is no obvious local filling point for a soda cylinder. Our shop is at the Hin Lek Fai service centre, with the same instant swap. Our Hua Hin page lists the address and the systems and service we provide in the area.
CO2 refill in Bangkok and the rest of Thailand
Bangkok has more options than the provinces, mostly marketplace sellers who refill by post, and a handful of gas companies. What is hard to establish from a listing is whether the gas is food grade and whether the cylinder is filled by weight. Minairal has no shop in Bangkok yet, so the route for the capital and for every province without a Minairal shop is the exchange by post: order on our online shop, which delivers across all of Thailand, return the empty and receive a full cylinder. Minairal does cover Bangkok for installations and service of its water systems; for a home system to go with your soda maker, start with our Air range, which makes mineral drinking water from the air in the room and serves it cold, ready for the soda maker. We set out the water systems we install in Bangkok on a dedicated page.
What should you check with any refill supplier?
- Food grade. Ask explicitly. Industrial CO2 is a different product with a different handling chain.
- Filled by weight. A 380 g cylinder should be filled to 380 g, not by eye. Overfilling is the main cause of valve problems in a hot climate.
- Exchange, not top-up. If someone offers to top up your cylinder on the spot from a big tank, decline.
- Fit. Confirm that the cylinder fits your machine. Minairal cylinders fit other major soda maker brands such as SodaStream.
- Price per litre. Divide the refill price by the litres it makes: ฿390 ÷ 50 = ฿7.80 per litre on our shop.
If you are unsure about an unusual machine or want to check opening hours before driving over, contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I refill a CO2 cylinder in Phuket?
At the Minairal shop in Chalong. Bring the empty soda cylinder and it is swapped for a full one on the spot, ฿390.
Where can I refill a CO2 cylinder in Koh Samui or Koh Phangan?
On Koh Samui, at the Minairal showroom in Bo Phut (151/35 Moo 1). On Koh Phangan, at the swap point in Thong Sala, inside DELITALY. Both swap an empty for a full cylinder instantly.
Where can I refill a CO2 cylinder in Hua Hin?
At the Minairal shop in Hin Lek Fai, with the same instant swap for ฿390.
Do you deliver CO2 refills to Bangkok and other provinces?
Yes. The online shop delivers across all of Thailand. Order the refill, return the empty by post and receive a full cylinder.
Does the Minairal cylinder fit other soda maker brands?
Yes. Minairal cylinders are compatible with other major soda maker brands such as SodaStream, so you can bring the cylinder from your current machine.
