GOOD GEAR RATING — 10/10 STARS

Summary: After two months of testing the LARQ bottle and pitcher, we are happy to recommend this brand for folks with questionable water sources, as well as folks who travel or hike frequently. The price point is high but we believe the bottle is a purchase that will last many years. The pitcher is an excellent add-on for folks who want to clean their water at home.

PROS

  • With all the talk about PFAS and other harsh chemicals in our drinking water, I’m excited to have the assurance that LARQ’s PureVis pitcher and filtered water bottle remove PFAS and 70+ other contaminants.
  • The charge on the UV bottle lid and the pitcher both last a long time — in two months, I have only charged the bottle lid once. I have not had to charge the pitcher.
  • My LA city tap water tastes much better after it’s filtered through LARQ! I was surprised to notice a difference. When used for brewing coffee and tea, they are less murky and taste great.
  • Setup is easy, and there’s even an app for the pitcher!

CONS

  • For the full filtration experience, you’ll have to pair both the UV lid and the filter (or use the PureVis filter). This isn’t too much of a problem, although switching out the UV lid and the filter lid could be cumbersome if you’re traveling light.
  • Because of the multi-step process, I wish there was a convenient way to carry all the lids in one place.
  • The insulated bottle is a bit heavy, but that should be expected with a heavy-duty water bottle.
  • The PureVis pitcher is on the small side (8 cups or 1.9L), so I have to fill it quite frequently. It filters slowly.

There’s one travel essential I never leave home without — a water bottle. You’ll often find me chugging the last bits of stale water from it before I reach TSA, preferring the gross taste over getting yelled at by airport security.

Once I’m inside the airport, I fill up my bottle religiously so I don’t get caught on a long-haul flight without extra water (who knows when drink service will come back around?). But as I’ve traveled more extensively in the past year, including out of the country, I’m beginning to question the quality of airport drinking water. And even more, as I’m a frequent tap water drinker at home — should I really be drinking straight from the sink here in Los Angeles? 

LARQ, the self-cleaning water bottle brand founded in 2017, has expanded its range of water filtration products to answer these questions at home and on the go. You’ve probably seen it, whether from its successful debut on Shark Tank or scattered across Instagram — and you may have scoffed at its $99 water bottle like I did. At first. 

“LARQ offers two water purification technologies that, when combined, result in clean (and tasty) water even when you’re on the go.”

How does LARQ purification and filtration work?

Is the technology really worth dropping a cool hundo on? (Spoiler alert: Yes, more on that below.) Let’s break down what you’re getting. LARQ offers two water purification technologies that, when combined, result in clean (and tasty) water even when you’re on the go. You don’t have to use both, depending on your purification needs!

UV water treatment is not a new concept and has been widely studied and endorsed outside of LARQ’s claims. And everything LARQ does is rigorously tested in-house as well as by third parties, like Harrens Lab and partners of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). 

Does LARQ remove PFAS?

Yes! But you’ll need to pick specific products for that feature. As more comes out about the endocrine disruption and other harmful effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS), I was excited to learn that the PureVis LARQ Pitcher with the Advanced filter and the Filtered Bottle do indeed remove PFAS. (The PureVis UV-C light does not remove PFAS on its own.)

While Los Angeles water has not been found to contain PFAS according to the 2022 water quality report, there are reportedly concerning levels of arsenic, chromium, and acids from disinfectants. Some of these can get filtered out by LARQ, fortunately!

If you’re not sure about your municipality’s water quality, LARQ recommends you contact your public water system and inquire about recent PFAS test results. 

The LARQ bottle packaging
Setup was easy and streamlined, and everything came packaged efficiently.

The LARQ bottle

“Officially, my LARQ bottle will be the last reusable water bottle I ever get
(as long as I don’t lose it).”

Officially, my LARQ bottle will be the last reusable water bottle I ever get (as long as I don’t lose it). It’s stylish, sturdy, and most importantly, it makes my water taste so good. This bottle is excellent for frequent travelers, off-grid hikers, and any folks who simply want to ensure the water they drink is safe, clean, and fresh.

Setup is simple, just wash the bottle, charge the lid, and put together the filter if you choose that option. The LARQ website walked me through all the modes and light meanings:

  • Green light: The lid will pulse green while charging, and become solid green when fully charged
  • Light blue: Push the button once to activate this 60-second normal cleaning mode, the light will pulse until it’s ready
  • Deep blue: Push the button twice to activate this 3-Minute cleaning mode (aka “Adventure Mode”), the light will pulse until it’s ready
  • White light: Hold the button for 5-10 seconds until this light comes on and release to activate travel mode; hold for 5-10 seconds until this light comes on and is followed by a flash to turn off travel mode
  • Orange light: Safety mode is on, which means the UV-C light will not power on (and potentially harm your eyes)—you may have opened the bottle during a clean, or the device is too hot
  • Yellow light: Pulses when the battery life is low
  • Purple or red light: There has been an error, you may need to contact support!

I’ve used my LARQ at home, at airports, and through TSA (just not in checked bags due to the battery type), metro stations, and even to drink from a waterfall during a hike in Hawai’i. I did forget to use the particle filter and only used normal cleaning mode, but I didn’t get sick so I count that as a win. Honestly, I could probably use the UV + filter combo to drink from the kiddie pool I filled with hose water for myself — but I would rather not. (I looked into it, and no, you can’t use LARQ for saltwater FYI).

The writer filling her LARQ bottle from the water at a natural source.
I used LARQ to purify this water. It was fairly clear and I made sure to source from an area where it wasn’t stagnant. It tasted good, and even better—I didn’t get sick!
The filtered LARQ bottle straws and accessories.
The filtered bottle comes with extra straws depending on which capacity bottle you’re using, the pop up straw top, and a handy carabiner!

I primarily use the PureVis cleaning lid, which keeps my water really fresh no matter how long I forget about it. When travel mode is not activated, the device will light up and run a 10-second self-cleaning cycle every two hours (even while you’re sleeping, so head’s up if you’re sensitive to light). As I’m writing this, I ran adventure mode on some several days-old water and the before and after of the taste is extremely noticeable, in a good way.

The drawback here is more of a convenience one than of performance — you need two separate lids to run the UV and the particulate filter. This means I either have a small UV lid or a full straw-top-and-filter lid rolling around in my purse when I want to bring both of them. I’d love to see the brand offer pouches for carrying them interchangeably without getting (potentially) dirty. There’s also a carabiner attachment option on the straw-top lids, but not the UV lid which makes the non-UV lid + bottle combo easier to tote around when your hands are full.

Those drawbacks aside, I’m definitely bringing both my filter and PureVis lid on every future long hike. (See you soon, Colorado!)

What it’s like to use the LARQ pitcher  

I’ve had a Brita pitcher for many years, but have always preferred straight tap water thanks to the convenience (and not trying to remember when to change the filter). So I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the LARQ pitcher. This pitcher works well for people who live in areas with questionable water quality, cooks looking for pure water, and families or sensitive folks who are in search of a water filter for health reasons.

LARQ pitcher setup is simple and similar to the bottle, with one notable exception: the chargers are different. (Who needs more charging cables to lose? Not me). 

The LARQ filter charging.
The charging cable for the LARQ filter.
The bottle and the pitcher’s UV lights take different chargers, which unfortunately means I have to keep track of yet another new charging cable.

The pitcher takes a few minutes to fill up, as the top reservoir is smaller than the bottom—and the filtration process itself goes slowly. Keeping it topped off is a habit I have yet to develop, although I’m sure other folks could handle it! I also wasn’t sure if I needed to press the filter button every time it went off to keep the UV light going — or if it would sense the water on its own.

There’s also an app for the LARQ pitcher, which I didn’t know about until a couple of months after I set up the device. When I connected it, though, the filter remembered its setup date (June 2nd, 2023) and how much water it had already filtered! I was very excited to see that. The app helps you track water intake/usage, battery life, and will remind you when it’s time to change out the filter. 

The LARQ pitcher with water in it.
A screenshot of the LARQ pitcher app
See the tiny stream of water for how slowly the pitcher fills up, but I think it’s worth it for delicious water!

The filters last roughly six months, which is longer than Brita and many competitors. And I say “competitors” lightly—when it comes to comparison, LARQ is a clear frontrunner thanks to its two-step filtration. 

Final thoughts

LARQ’s water purification and filtration devices, while they have a higher initial investment than others on the market, are sustainable long-term swaps for bottled filtered water. And by needing fewer filter replacements, you’ll reduce your plastic waste even further! 

Water comes out crisp and refreshing, with no brassy or stale taste (even if you’ve kept it in the bottle for a few days). It tastes best when you pair both the PureVis and Nano Zero filter. The design is aesthetically pleasing, and pressing the button on the bottle lid is delightful!

If you have the budget, skip the Britta and go straight for LARQ — and clean up your water act anytime, anywhere.

Emily Torres is the Editorial Director at The Good Trade. Born and raised in Indiana, she studied Creative Writing and Business at Indiana University. You can usually find her in her colorful Los Angeles apartment journaling, caring for her rabbits, or gaming.

This review is not sponsored and includes the author’s personal experience. Good Gear editors were gifted this product. Read more about our review process here.