Ad: Gifted product received for review purposes. As always I give honest and unbiased reviews of products I receive. This post contains affiliate links.
A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute. Only 7% of those collected were turned into new bottles. Instead, most plastic bottles end up in landfills or in the ocean.
In my home we have a variety of reusable stainless steel bottles. However you constantly have to clean them after each use as they end up stinky and can be a breeding ground for bacteria and mould. I’ve had to throw away a few bottles as I couldn’t get rid of the stale, musty smell.
Do you want clean, fresh tasting water? How about a bottle that cleans itself!
Meet the LARQ bottle – The world’s first self-cleaning water bottle
LARQ began with a simple vision where innovative technology can be combined with inspirational design to help people access pristine drinking water easily and sustainably.
Our proprietary PureVis™ technology eradicates up to 99.9999%* of germs, bacteria, protozoa, and other harmful bio-contaminants without the use of toxic chemicals like mercury. It’s a no-brainer. Widely used in hospitals for sterilization, UV-C light damages the nucleic acids in the DNA, destroying the bacteria & viruses.
I was contacted by LARQ a few months ago and invited to review their bottle. I chose the LARQ Bottle PureVis™ 740ml in Eucalyptus Green.
Bring a little of the outside in, and wherever you are. The limited-edition two-tone Eucalyptus Green colorway borrows soft green hues from nature for a fresh take.
What’s In the box
- The LARQ Bottle PureVis™
- Micro USB charging cable
- Quick start guide
How does the LARQ Bottle work?
- Patented UV-C LED – The LARQ bottle contains a 280nm UV-C LED light that neutralises up to 99.9999%* of harmful and odour-causing germs. It is the world’s only mercury-free portable UV-C water purification technology.
- USB rechargeable – The LARQ bottle is powered by a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery. One charge lasts 1-2 months ** and conveniently recharges via USB.
- Vacuum insulated stainless steel – Double-walled, electropolished stainless steel keeps your water cold for 24 hours.
- Intelligent activation – The LARQ bottle purifies at a touch and intelligently turns on automatically every 2 hours. Did you forget to clean again? Your LARQ bottle didn’t!
*in adventure mode
** estimated usage based on 3-4 cycles a day. Normal mode lasts up to 4-8 weeks of use and Adventure Mode lasts up to 10-12 days of use.
It’s easy to get started. First up, you press and hold down the centre of the cap for 5 seconds until you see a white light glow gradually and flash.
Next take the cap off your bottle and insert the LARQ USB cord into the cap. Then plug the USB into any USB wall charger or laptop USB socket until the battery is fully charged
A steady green light will indicate it is fully charged.
Now it’s time to fill your bottle up with some water. The water you put in the bottle must be clear and free of large particles or other sediments. The bottle doesn’t have a filter so won’t remove physical impurities or eliminate chlorine, fluoride or other heavy chemicals that might be found in the water.
There are different modes to choose from:
- Normal mode is the right choice for daily use if your water is from a trustworthy source. Press the cap once to activate normal mode (60 second cycle with a breathing sky blue light).
- Adventure mode is a good choice if you’re not sure about the quality of your water and need an extra dose of purification power. Press the cap twice to activate adventure mode (3-minute cycle with a pulsing blue light).
- Self-Cleaning Mode will activate every two hours from the last cleaning cycle for ten seconds (indicated by a blue breathing light). It is a very quick cycle, so it is easy to miss!
- Travel Mode is a good choice if you’re hopping across the world on your next adventure. Hold down the cap for 5 seconds to activate travel lock. It deactivates Self-Cleaning Mode, and is recommended if you are storing your bottle for an extended period of time or to conserve battery life.
Screw on cap and press the button to get purifying – once for Normal Mode, twice for Adventure Mode. (Do not interrupt the purification cycle by removing the cap or pressing the button!)
While you wait , give the bottle a gentle a gentle shake or do your best water dance to spread the purifying UV light evenly. And voila! Enjoy pure water from a clean bottle.
I’ve been using the LARQ Bottle PureVis™ for about two months and absolutely love it. The design has a very sleek and modern look and I really love the two-toned colours. It is available in two sizes and comes in a variety of trendy two-toned colours.
I decided to chose the 740ml (25oz) bottle so I don’t need to keep refilling it. I drink a lot of water so this is perfect for long trips. It was invaluable on those hot summer days outdoors as it kept my water cold and fresh all day. I’ve even left ice in my bottle and the next morning there were some ice cubes still left. Pretty amazing!
The bottle is heavier than my usual stainless steel bottle but it’s not cumbersome to carry around.
What I love most about this bottle is it doesn’t require daily cleanings which can be a hassle. With my regular bottle I would usually soak it in warm soapy water and clean with a bottle brush daily.
However I do wipe around the mouth area of the bottle to get rid of any build up from lip products and food residue.
As long as you’re using your LARQ Bottle for water, you don’t have to give it a proper washing for at least 3-4 weeks. You can simply hand wash the bottle and cap with warm soapy water. The cap is waterproof, just ensure it is completely dry before charging to avoid the risk of injury.
You will need to clean the bottle when you use it for liquids other than water. LARQ do not recommend using it for tea, coffee, milk, and sugary drinks, which are known to stain, and can reduce the efficacy of the PureVis™ UV-C LED technology by preventing the light from bouncing off the electropolished walls of the bottle.
If you do choose to use coffee, tea, or sugary drinks with your LARQ Bottle, use a bottle brush to scrub with warm soapy water to remove staining promptly after each use. This will ensure that your bottle is working at optimum efficiency to keep your bottle and water fresh.
Now this bottle is definitely a splurge, but it’s a worthy investment. With every LARQ bottle purchased, a portion of proceeds will go to 1% for the Planet, a global network of businesses, individuals and non-profit organizations dedicated to tackling our planet’s most pressing environmental issues and bringing safe drinking water to billions of people worldwide.
If you are looking to ditch single-use plastics and have peace of mind that you’re drinking clean and fresh water, then I suggest you invest in the LARQ bottle. There are various options to suit your needs and budget.
500 ml LARQ Bottle PureVis™ – £95 available in Monaco blue, Obsidian black, Seaside mint, Granite white, Himalayan pink, Eucalyptus green and Electro blue.
740 ml LARQ Bottle PureVis™ – £118 available in Monaco blue, Obsidian black, Seaside mint, Granite white, Eucalyptus green and Electro blue.
There’s also the option of their ultra-lightweight single-wall non-insulated 710 ml LARQ Bottle Movement PureVis™ – £78 and 950ml LARQ Bottle Movement PureVis™ – £98 available in White/Coral, Black/Onyx, White/Dune, White/Pebble, Black/Clay and Black/Pine.
What do you think of LARQ? Let me know in the comments.
Until next time,
