About LARQ
The LARQ water bottle uses UV technology to purify and clean drinking water[1] itself while having a meaningful impact on the environment. LARQ sells eye-catching, reusable stainless steel bottles with UV-C LED technology.
The cutting-edge water bottle has already been featured on CNN, Esquire, Mashable, CNET and other major media outlets, so the buzz is high.
This LARQ water bottle review takes an in-depth look at the brand and its products, customer reviews, promotions and more to help you decide if their products are worth buying.
Overview of LARQ
Clean water is a basic human need[2], and yet not all Americans have access to pure drinking water. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tap water in the U.S. is among the cleanest in the world, but contamination can still occur[3]. This can be from bacteria, viruses, chemicals and a variety of other worrisome agents.
If you want to be on the safe side when it comes to your drinking water, but don’t want to spend extra money on bottled water every week, then LARQ could be right for you.
LARQ is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and launched its original water bottle in the US in October 2018. This came after a very successful crowdfunding campaign in which LARQ raised £1.04 million in less than 30 days. The people have spoken: they want clean, high-tech water.
LARQ is headquartered in Foster City, California, and was founded in 2017. Their vision is simple but profound: they wanted to develop an innovative technology that would give people access to exceptional drinking water easily and sustainably. LARQ believes that you are what you drink, and the company’s award-winning design is based on this mantra.
LARQ uses PureVis technology to eliminate up to 99.9% of germs, bacteria, protozoa and other harmful biological contaminants without the use of toxic chemicals like mercury. Not a bad statistic, is it?
PureVis is LARQ’s patented UV-C LED technology. It has long been known that UV light is capable of killing pathogens. A study comparing the effectiveness of chemicals and UV-C light as disinfectants in hospital isolation wards showed that they were equally effective in reducing the number of bacteria on surfaces exposed to them.
Not only do the bottles provide clean and tasty drinking water, but 1% of the proceeds from each LARQ bottle goes towards cleaning up our oceans. LARQ has teamed up with Plastic Blank to remove 1 million single-use plastic bottles from the ocean. LARQ hopes to use its technology to bring about a change in behavior that will benefit the environment. This is a noble cause, considering that the amount of plastic waste entering our oceans will triple by 2040 if we continue on our current course.
LARQ is the world’s first portable digital water purification system. It is equipped with a rechargeable lithium polymer battery that is always on, just like you.
The UV-C LEDs in the LARQ water bottles last 40 times longer than mercury-based water purification systems. Also, mercury is toxic even in small amounts[4], so a mercury lamp can be dangerous if it breaks.
Highlights
- Innovative portable digital water purification system
- Removes 99.9% of bio-contaminants in water
- 100% BPA-free, durable stainless steel
- Sustainable impact on the environment with proceeds that help improve ocean health
- No fuss, low maintenance
- Elegant, modern design
- Free returns for customers in the USA and Canada
LARQ offers two bottles (the LARQ Bottle and the LARQ Bottle Movement) that are equipped with the latest technology. In this LARQ bottle review, we will take a closer look at both models. Let’s start with the OG:
LARQ Water Bottle
So you want clean, fresh-tasting water and a bottle that cleans itself. The LARQ water bottle meets the requirements for water purification on the go.
The bottle uses UV light to break down the DNA of bacteria. That’s right – goodbye harmful, odor-causing germs. In fact, UV light is so effective that it has replaced chlorination and ozonation as a means of disinfecting water in many water treatment plants.
Did you know that hospitals have been using the same UV technology to sterilize operating rooms for 10 years? Recently, it has even been used to disinfect items from COVID-19[5]. We’re talking smart science here.
In our review of the LARQ water bottle, we learned that it cleans automatically, 6 times a day (activated every 2 hours), and that the water is purified in 60 seconds. It is also made of 100% BPA-free stainless steel. It is vacuum sealed and double insulated. That means 24 hours of cold water and 12 hours of hot water.
LARQ works hard so you don’t have to. It’s time to get on with your adventures, without backwash bacteria.
LARQ’s motto is: smarter, cleaner, better. According to the brand, the LARQ water bottle is 10,000 times more hygienic than conventional reusable bottles. If you don’t clean your normal water bottle regularly, you run the risk of contamination and illness[6].
If you use the LARQ water bottle, you will save 1,000 dollars a year by not having to buy bottled water. Imagine where you could put that money. We’re thinking Hawaii.
Plus, one charge lasts up to a month, and when you’re feeling a little more energetic, you can switch the bottle to adventure mode for extra cleaning power.
The LARQ Water Bottle is available in two sizes and in some trendy colors:
- 500 ml LARQ Water Bottle: $125 in Monaco Blue, Obsidian Black, Seaside Mint, Granite White and Himalayan Pink
- 740 ml LARQ Water Bottle: $155 in the colors monaco blue, obsidian black, seaside mint and granite white.
LARQ Water Bottle Engraving
If you want to increase the exclusivity factor of your LARQ water bottle, you can personalize it if you live in the USA. LARQ only offers engraving for the original bottle. You can personalize up to 10 capital letters and numbers on the bottle. A great way to spice up your water!
LARQ Bottle Movement
The LARQ Bottle Movement is made of ultra-light stainless steel and is therefore ideal for athletes and people on the go. The two-tone bottle is available in cute colors: White and Coral, White and Navy, Black and Onyx, and Black and Green.
This pure, on-the-go water recharges while you’re on the go. So cool.
The LARQ Bottle Movement has a silicone sleeve to protect it from scratches and scuffs. You can go far and wide with this durable bottle – to the tennis court, to the gym, on a plane, up a mountain, wherever – and this bottle won’t smell. Like the OG LARQ bottle, this bottle also keeps your water cold for 24 hours and hot water cold for 12 hours.
Aside from the added features for an active lifestyle, this model has the same vacuum seal, double insulation, 6 times a day cleaning performance and water purification in 60 seconds. The LARQ Bottle Movement is available in 710 ml and 950 ml sizes for $99 and $129 respectively.
LARQ Water Bottle Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
This evaluation of the LARQ water bottle resulted in a split camp between skeptical scientists and very satisfied buyers. One microbiologist commented that the product was not a good idea from a scientific point of view. Another scientist agreed with this assessment, explaining that while using UV light to purify dirty water kills the bacteria, it does not kill the chemical by-products that the bacteria secrete.
The scientists also said that the UV radiation in the LARQ water bottle becomes less effective over time. From a good old biologist’s point of view, water and soap are more effective than anything else.
Satisfied customers, on the other hand, said that they like to show off their LARQ technology on the go. They felt that the good-looking product gave them a powerful clean. Customers were impressed that the cleaning process was silent, so it wouldn’t disrupt an appointment or meeting in the boardroom.
One reviewer commented on how sleek the LARQ water bottle is and how much it improves the taste of the water, “The taste of the water is amazing and I love the style of the bottle! This bottle also helps me drink more water because I know the water is clean and tastes good!”
Another reviewer praised the LARQ water bottle for improving their water intake:
“I absolutely love the filtration! The main selling point of this bottle for me was that it removes lead and PFAS. I was impressed with how good tap water tastes – the way I imagine Fiji water tastes…. (but I’m too cheap to buy Fiji). I take it with me when I travel because I can’t stand the taste of tap water or buying bottled water. This has really helped me break the cycle of dehydration when traveling!!!! Highly recommended!”
Overall, LARQ customers seem to be happy with their new favorite travel companion: the LARQ Water Bottle.
Are LARQ Water Bottles Worth It?
Although we hold scientists in high regard, we take the testing of this product with a grain of salt because customers are satisfied and feel the benefits that the science of LARQ promises. For our LARQ Water Bottle review, that was the most important thing.
This fabulous LARQ water bottle fits an active, hard-working lifestyle and eliminates the need to drink clean, fresh water with no odor while having a positive impact on the environment. When it comes to the LARQ self-cleaning water bottle, we’ve got your back!
LARQ Promotions & Discounts
We have great news from the results of our LARQ Water Bottle Test. If you complete a 60-second questionnaire, you’ll receive $5 off your order. Just take the quiz to get the LARQ promo code.
To find access to another LARQ discount code, continue to check their website and social media.
Where to Buy LARQ
We believe that shopping should be as easy as clean water. That’s why we’ve picked out the best places to shop in our LARQ water bottle review:
- LiveLarq.com
- Indigo
- Anthropologie
- Amazon.com
- The Cove
- Bloomingdales
- MoMA
- Holt Renfrew
- Nun.ca
- Bestgifts.com
FAQ
Do I ever need to wash my LARQ water bottle?
The answer to this question is yes, but….
The first tip the team gave us in our LARQ Water Bottle Test is to rinse the bottle and lid with warm soapy water every now and then. This helps to remove any deposits or residue from lipsticks or food.
Yes, you should wash your LARQ Water Bottle, but much less frequently than a normal bottle as it is self-cleaning. This is one of the biggest advantages of the LARQ bottle as you don’t have to wash it every day. You can even just wash it every 3-4 weeks.
Can you fill other drinks into the LARQ water bottle?
LARQ does not recommend using the bottle for coffee, tea or drinks with milk or sugar. These types of beverages are known to cause stains, but what’s worse, they can interfere with the effectiveness of PureVis UV-C LED technology. What do all these technical terms mean? It prevents the light from bouncing off the electropolished walls of the bottle.
If you pour coffee or soda into the bottle, you should clean it with a bottle brush and warm soapy water. This will prevent any stains from remaining so that your LARQ water bottle continues to work at optimum efficiency and your water continues to taste fresh.
Can I wash the lid?
This is a big area of uncertainty for LARQ users, but yes, you can definitely wash the lid by hand if necessary. LARQ has thought of everything and the cap is IPX7 certified. Please err on the side of caution and make sure the cap is completely dry before charging to avoid injury.
How do I clean the LARQ Bottle Movement cover?
You can wash the sleeve, but wipe it down, use a damp cloth or put it in the dishwasher after removing it from your bottle. It is important that you do not leave the sleeve in direct sunlight for a long period of time, otherwise it will fade.
How often does the LARQ Water Bottle need to be recharged and how can I tell if the battery is low?
One charge of the LARQ Water Bottle lasts up to one month and can easily be recharged via MicroUSB. This time frame is based on 3-4 usage cycles per day. Normal mode lasts for up to 4 weeks and adventure mode for 10-12 days.
When the battery is low, the cap flashes yellow before and after a cleaning cycle. This is the signal that it is time to recharge the battery.
LARQ shipping conditions
Good news: LARQ ships all over the world. For deliveries to the USA and Canada, the United Kingdom or the European Union, orders take between 5 and 7 working days. Deliveries to other countries take 7-14 working days.
LARQ asks that you allow an additional business day for processing. Expedited shipping is available for certain regions. These options will be displayed at checkout.
LARQ Return Policy
LARQ offers a 1-year limited warranty on all bottles purchased from LiveLarq.com and authorized retailers. The warranty covers the repair or replacement of defective material or components. LARQ will provide a refund. What is not covered is wear and tear due to regular use, loss or theft.
Contact LARQ
In our review of LARQ Water Bottle, we looked for the best way to get in touch with the team. You can contact the team by email at hello@livelarq.com and they will try to respond within 24 hours.
The address of LARQ:
LARQ
950 Tower Ln, Suite 2100
Foster City, California, U.S.A.
