Tech Household
LARQ Bottle Review – Does it live up to the Shark Tank hype?
November 29, 2021
LARQ was co-founded by Justin Wang and Doug Collins, who envisioned a future where innovative technology can give people access to pristine drinking water in a sustainable way. Knowing this, it’s clear to see that the LARQ Bottle Purevis™ is not just another reusable water bottle, it’s the world’s first self-cleaning water bottle. The LARQ Bottle PurevisTM purifies your water and neutralizes that embarrassing water bottle stink and helps to prevent mold. This review will explain more about the tech used and also how well the UV light water bottle performs in the day-to-day.
The UV-C technology built into the lid, eradicates up to 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.99% of viruses in Adventure Mode, meaning you can sterilize water found in streams while out hiking for example.
The main differentiators between the LARQ self-cleaning water bottle and other insulated bottles:
- The LARQ Water Bottle can clean itself with UV-C technology, while other insulated bottles can be tricky to completely clean and eradicate that stinky bottle smell that develops over time.
- The LARQ Water Bottle will actually purify water, standard insulated bottles can’t do this.
How Does the LARQ Bottle Actually Work?
The LARQ Bottle uses patented UV-C technology (dubbed “PureVis” by LARQ), to purify your water and bottle at the touch of a button. The button is at the top of the lid (pictured below), and a cycle takes 60 seconds to complete. The LARQ self-cleaning water bottle also intelligently turns on every 2 hours to purify both the water you put inside as well as the bottle surface itself. The UV-C light eradicates biological contaminants by destroying their DNA.
When using LARQ’s Adventure mode purification cycle, you can purify even the most questionable of water sources – Think traveling in Third World Countries, or adventuring for days at a time in the wilderness. If you’re unsure whether it purifies water well enough, think of it this way, the LARQ UV water bottle sterilization process is the equivalent of boiling water for 20 minutes straight.
You can also lock the top button of the LARQ water bottle to avoid accidental continual cycles while the bottle is stored in a bag, for example. If you hold the top button for 5 seconds the bottle will be put into Travel mode, and the button will be locked. This is to prevent accidentally running down the battery as a result of putting pressure on the button and activating continual cycles.
7 Things To Know About The LARQ Water Bottle
1. Does the LARQ Water Bottle make noise when active?
No, in my experience, the LARQ Bottle is completely silent! I have the bottle by my bed at night so if it made a noise I would definitely know about it.
2. Does the purification process change the taste of the water?
No, it will not impact the taste of the water but it will eradicate up to 99.9999% of germs, and odor-causing bacteria in Adventure Mode.
3. Does the LARQ bottle actually work in terms of keeping that stinky bottle smell away?
Yes, LARQ’s tech really does work! I’ve been using this UV water bottle pretty much daily, for over two years now as I was one of the original reviewers of the LARQ water bottle. Since my first bottle, I went on to buy the larger 740ml LARQ water bottle as well as the Movement Edition – so I know how these UV bottles work. It didn’t take me long to realize the real value of using a bottle like this daily.
It’s so convenient not having to wash my water bottle as often due to that stinking smell that standard bottles create over time. It’s worth giving the lid a clean every month or so, as the UV-C light doesn’t reach this part of the bottle.
4. What is UV-C LED technology?
The UV-C LED chips in LARQ are smaller, more energy-efficient, non-toxic (mercury-free), and more economical compared to traditional Mercury-based UV technology. There are two purifying modes available on all LARQ water bottle models:
- tap once for Normal Mode (takes 60 seconds to complete)
- tap twice for Adventure Mode (takes 3 minutes to complete)
What’s the difference between Normal Mode and Adventure Mode?
In Adventure Mode, the LARQ Bottle has a 3x increase in UV-C dosage. Normal mode delivers 1,200 uW-sec (or mJ) to the water, while Adventure Mode delivers around 3,000 uW-sec (or mJ) to the water.
5. With all this purification, how long will one battery charge last?
One charge lasts up to 1-2 months for Normal Mode, based on 3-4 cycles a day. Adventure mode, on the other hand, will last around 10-12 days. Low battery indicator lights will let you know when to recharge your LARQ water bottle.
How do I charge the LARQ Water Bottle?
You need to use the included MicroUSB cable which connects to the lid, as seen above. While charging, the led light will slowly pulse with a green light. It will change to a constant green light when fully charged.
Is the charging port on the lid waterproof?
The LARQ bottle’s charge socket is waterproof and rated IPX7, similar to the iPhone. This was one of the first things I had to check! 🙂
6. There’s more to the Stainless Steel mouth than you think
The entirety of the LARQ water bottle is made from BPA-free polished stainless steel. This material helps the bottle stay clean. The LARQ self-cleaning water bottle also keeps cold drinks, cold for 24 hours, and hot drinks, hot for 12 hours, due to its dual-walled insulated construction. If you’re putting sugary drinks or coffee in there, the bottle should be hand-washed, rather than relying on purifying cycles.
7. You’ll probably need the LARQ Bottle Travel Sleeve
The LARQ Travel Sleeve is made from neoprene with a luxe leather strap. It has been very useful on a number of occasions. For example, when I’m holding too many things at once, I can just grab a strap or even hook it to my bag. The top strap can also be detached if you’d prefer to just have the sleeve and the smaller hand-strap.
It protects the bottle from scratches (because the bottle will scratch if you don’t treat it well) when you’re traveling and means you won’t feel quite so protective over the relatively expensive LARQ bottle. I picked up a couple of scratches on my bottle before I decided to put the sleeve on it permanently. It also makes placing the bottle on hard surfaces much quieter, something my wife appreciates in the middle of the night when I go for a swig of water and put the bottle back on my bedside table.
The sleeve accessory is every bit as high-quality as the LARQ bottle itself, as you can see in the photo above.
Did You See The LARQ Bottle on Shark Tank?
This was one crazy episode, where LARQ Co-Founder Justin Wang showed up on Shark Tank asking for $500,000 for a 1% stake in his LARQ Self Cleaning Water Bottle company, and although the Sharks all laughed when they first heard his offer, they were soon on board once he demonstrated what this UV water bottle is capable of.
He ended up scoring a cool $1M deal from the Sharks, resulting in a $50M valuation of the company
Technical specifications of both LARQ Bottles
| 500 ml LARQ Bottle | 740 ml LARQ Bottle | |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 500 ml | 740 ml |
| Technology | PureVis™ | PureVis™ |
| Weight | 380 g | 500 g |
| Charge time | 1 Hour | 1 Hour |
| Height | 24.3 cm | 26.4 cm |
| Run time | Up to a month | Up to a month |
| Diameter | 6.8 cm | 7.6 cm |
| Build | Double wall | Double wall |
UPDATE: Here’s where to get the best deal on the LARQ Water Bottle
The LARQ UV water bottle is available on LARQ’s website here in the sizes 500ml and 740ml. There’s not too much difference in price between the two but you’ll get nearly 50% more water storage in the 740 ml LARQ Bottle – so when people ask me which one I prefer, or which LARQ Bottle to buy, I tend to tell them that the 740 ml LARQ bottle is better value for money.
Lucky for us, LARQ’s Black Friday sale is on NOW and you can save up to 30% off your order.
Hurry! Offer is only valid from November 22-November 29, while supplies last.
LARQ Bottle Review Summary
When it comes to water purification and the odor-neutralization process, the LARQ UV water bottle does everything it claims to be able to do. The bottle’s build quality is exceptional and has been designed beautifully. The LARQ Bottle is a purifying water bottle for those who want something a little different from all the other insulated water bottles on the market.
Yes, it’s more expensive than standard water bottles, but those bottles don’t offer the convenience and benefit of being able to fill up from almost anywhere and know your water will be pure and 99.9999% bacteria-free after one quick purifying cycle. It really is a smart way to drink water and ensure your bottle stays stink-free, while on the go.
I give it a 9.1/10 and think it’s a great gift for the Holiday season!
