LARQ Vs UVBrite – Which Self Cleaning Bottle is Better?

Did you know that 60 million water bottles are thrown away each day in the U.S.? That’s not even taking into consideration the number of plastic bottles that are recycled. That amount of plastic waste is shocking. It contributes to air pollution, water pollution and land pollution. Plastic can also poison wildlife, leading to a disruption in the food chain. In addition to plastic waste being an issue all over the world, plastics also contain chemicals that can increase our risk of developing cancer.

Of course, as a dietician I recognize the importance of staying hydrated each day. I believe there are more eco-friendly ways of transporting your water around all the time. I also acknowledge that there are certain types of water bottles that are far healthier than others. Stainless steel water bottles are a much healthier option compared to plastic bottles, and there are bottles that have some unique features like self-cleaning technology.

I like to think that I speak on top of all the latest and greatest health and wellness products, but even I was surprised to find that products like the UVBrite and LARQ are out there. While they may look like your average reusable water bottle, they have UV lights on the interior of their lids. Without the use of filters or chemicals, you have access to a portable, self-purification device. Let’s look at these two products in more detail. I’m going to compare both the UVBrite and LARQ so you can determine which one is the better option for your budget and needs.

What is a Self-Cleaning Water Bottle and How Do They Work?

A self-cleaning water bottle utilizes UV technology to disinfect the water that is inside. This kills any present microbes and microorganisms. Your water will be cleaner, and this process should improve the taste a bit as well. Once the water inside of the bottle is gone, the bottle will disinfect itself, so you don’t have to get out that big, bulky water bottle brush and scrub away at the inside of your bottle. This will keep you healthier, but it will also protect your water bottle, so it lasts longer.

Unfortunately, there are some potential issues that self-cleaning water bottles don’t address. They don’t remove sediment or offer any kind of filtration for dirt, particulates or heavy metals.

Summary Comparison of LARQ vs UVBrite

Vs.	UVBrite	LARQ
Insulation in bottle:	Double-walled, BPA-free 304 stainless steel	Double-wall vacuum insulation
Keeps water cold for:	12+ hours	24 hours
Self Cleaning:	Yes	Yes
Activate cleaning system:	Touch of a button on top of the cap	Touch of a button on top of the cap
How clean does the water get:	Kills up to 99% of harmful germs	Eliminates up to 99% of bio-contaminants
Pricing:	Go Bottle 18.6 oz: $39.99, Explorer Bottle 20.3 oz: $59.99, Beam Bottle 23.7 oz: $79.99	LARQ Bottle Filtered 17 oz: $58, LARQ Bottle Filtered 25 oz: $68, LARQ Bottle PureVis 17 oz: $99, LARQ Bottle PureVis 25 oz: $118
Purchase at:	UVBrite website	LARQ website

Overview of LARQ Self-Cleaning Water Bottle

The LARQ self-cleaning water bottle comes equipped with two different purification modes. You can choose between the normal and adventure functions. Normal cleaning mode will purify up to 99.99% of pathogens that are present in your bottle in just one minute. The adventure mode from LARQ offers purification of up to 99.9999% of water in just three minutes. You’re probably wondering if these two modes are actually much different from one another. When it comes to filling your bottle from a natural source like a stream, that additional 0.0099 percent in water filtration can really make a big difference.

It’s really easy to turn the LARQ on and off. There is a small button that is located on the top of the water bottle’s lid. You can manually control the bottle that way. You can also leave the bottle alone, as it will turn itself on once every two hours for an automatic cycle that lasts for ten seconds. You may notice that your water tastes crisper and cleaner with the LARQ bottle.

The LARQ bottle itself is designed using vacuum-insulated stainless steel. Like many other stainless bottles, it has the ability to keep your water cold for as long as 24 hours. You can buy some additional accessories for added convenience, such as a travel sleeve, active loop and additional caps or charging cables.

Because this is a wireless, UV-C controlled filtration bottle, you will need to plug it in periodically using an included USB cable. If you are following the normal cycle of cleaning your bottle manually (about four times per day), you can expect one charge to last for around two months before needing to be charged again. If you’re using it more frequently or you’re utilizing adventure mode cleaning more often, the charge may only last about two weeks. I still think this is a pretty impressive length of time.

What I Like About LARQ

• A single charge lasts a really long time
• The water inside the bottle is cleaner and safer
• There is a slight improvement in the taste of the water
• It looks like a regular stainless steel water bottle from the outside

What I Don’t Like

The style of the bottle isn’t really easy to hold onto. I like to take my water with me when I go for a walk, and there isn’t a comfortable way to prevent it from dropping out of my hand unless I invest in the travel sleeve.

What Could Be Improved

More color options would be nice. Currently, there are only two options available.

Cost and Where to Buy

You can purchase the LARQ water bottle by visiting https://www.livelarq.com/. The current cost of the bottle on the brand’s website is $49.95, marked down from $58. You can also find the LARQ on Amazon but be careful of the pricing. I saw some options there that were substantially higher than what was on the company’s website.

Overview of UVBrite Self-Cleaning Water Bottle

The UVBrite Self-Cleaning Water Bottle was created by Amit Vaghela. Vaghela was very interested in creating his own electronic devices as he was growing up, and this knowledge inspired his UVBrite bottle. This device has the ability to remove 99.99% of microbes that exist in the water that you put in your bottle. No matter where you are, you can have access to clean and healthy water that tastes fresh and crisp.

UVBrite utilizes UV light to kill bacteria and pathogens that could be in your water. This same technology is used in hospitals and public purification devices. When you have it fully charged, the UVBrite will purify approximately 60 bottles of water. There is enough UV-C light provided for the lifetime of the water bottle to clean 29,000 gallons of water.

The interior of the bottle is a double-insulated stainless steel that will keep your water cold (or even hot) for up to 12 hours. It takes about three to five minutes for the cleaning cycle to work on the UVBrite. There is a purification button for the bottle that will start the unit. You should also run the cleaning cycle when your bottle is empty. This will sterilize the interior so that you don’t have to wash the bottle by hand too often. However, a thorough cleaning now and again is beneficial.

There are actually three different UVBrite bottles to choose from. The main difference between them is their size. The Go Bottle holds 18.6 ounces of water, the Explorer bottle holds 20.3 and features a travel mode and the Beam Bottle holds 23.7 ounces. It comes with a carrying handle, which I appreciate.

What I Like about UVBrite

• The price of this bottle is almost exactly the same as similar, non-cleaning varieties. An excellent affordable option for cleaner water!
• The exterior coating is very durable and holds up well
• Self-cleaning even when the bottle is empty
• You can buy multiple bottles on the brand’s website and save money (great gift idea!)
• Removes 99.99% of microbes

What I Don’t Like

The Go Bottle only holds just over 18 ounces of water. I find it needs to be refilled a lot.

What Could Be Improved

As I mentioned with the LARQ, there are only two different color options available for the UVBrite. It comes in black and a light turquoise shade. I’m not a big fan of black water bottles, because I feel like the liquid inside doesn’t stay as cool as lighter colored bottles. They can be hot to the touch when they’re out in the sun for too long.

Cost and Where to Buy

You can purchase the UVBrite water bottle by visiting https://uv-brite.com/. The current cost of the Beam bottle is $79.99. You can purchase the Explorer Bottle for $59.99. The Go Bottle is the most affordable option priced at $39.99.

Comparing Both Self-Cleaning Water Bottles: Water Purity

When it comes to comparing the self-cleaning functions of both of these bottles, you have to take into consideration how you’re going to be using the bottles. If you’re planning on simply using your water bottle around the house and to go to work, then you would be fine with either of these varieties. Both the LARQ and the UVBrite have the ability to remove over 99 percent of bacteria and pathogens that are inside of your bottle. However, if you’re going to be filling your bottle on a hike or out in the wilderness, I would probably invest in the LARQ simply for the fact that it has the upgraded mode for an even better purification.

Comparing Battery Life

The battery life is more impressive in the LARQ. It holds a charge for 12 days if you’re frequently using the adventure mode cleaning process. You get two months' charge with average daily use of the traditional purification option. The UVBrite will hold a charge for about 60 bottles of water, which according to my standards, would be far less.

Though, I have to mention that both bottles do hold a charge for an acceptable period of time. I would probably be more than willing to plug my bottle in every couple of days so it would be ready for the next day or a big adventure that’s coming up.

Comparing Overall Value

If budget is something you’re concerned with, I encourage you to take a look at the different features that are available for both of these bottles. They’re relatively similar in price, unless you’re looking at the upgraded UVBrite models. However, there are some key features and benefits that make the LARQ stand out for me. The amount of time that the bottle holds a charge is one of them. Also, I like the advanced purification feature to really give your bottle or water a good cleaning. Otherwise, I find the design of the bottles to be pretty similar.

Main Differences between LARQ and UVBrite

If you’re focusing on cost alone and you just simply want to try out a self-cleaning water bottle, then my assumption is that you’re going to gravitate more towards the UVBrite water bottle. It tends to be the most efficient and affordable out of these two options. However, if you want a bottle that has a little bit more in the way of features and customization, I would opt for the LARQ.

If you’re still really torn, you could always start with the basic UVBrite bottle. If you love it but know that you need something a little larger or something with some different features, you can upgrade to the LARQ or one of the higher end UVBrite models. LARQ offers those accessories like the travel sleeve, the clip, etc. UVBrite kind of provides you with a product that is what it is, and there’s not a lot you can do to make it your own.

Which is Better: UVBrite or LARQ?

By killing the DNA of things like bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms, the UVBrite and the LARQ can help keep you healthy while you’re making sure that you’re staying hydrated. I’m behind any science that aids in hydration, and both of these bottles have a good deal of research and development included in their invention.

If I personally could only pick one of these self-cleaning bottles, I would opt for the LARQ. I like the fact that a single charge lasts a lot longer than the UVBrite. I also like that I can hit the adventure mode to get a deeper clean of my water or bottle. If I was on a tight budget but still wanted to make sure I could utilize this UV technology to access cleaner water, I would choose the UVBrite (one of the smaller bottles).

• Visit UVBrite
• Visit LARQ

The Bottom Line

Both the LARQ and UVBrite self-cleaning water bottles use safe and non-toxic methods of cleaning your water as well as the bottle itself. As a registered dietician, I’m always walking around with a bottle of water in my hand. I believe deeply in the power of hydration. It helps to keep your energy levels up, it detoxifies the body and heck, it’s what up to 75 percent of our bodies consist of (though that number may be lower as we age). I use a reverse osmosis water filtration system in my home, and I have used filtering pitchers in the past as well. However, filling my bottle up at work, the gym or even out in nature has been made easier with the creation of these two water bottles.

While the LARQ and the UVBrite have some differences, they’re both really great bottles to invest in. They both remove a substantial number of bacteria, viruses, protozoa and other microorganisms before they have the opportunity to enter the body. Take a moment to consider investing in a self-cleaning water bottle as part of your self-care and wellness journey.

For the record, I chose UVBrite because it was less expensive and I'm super happy with my decision, but I honestly believe you can't go wrong with either one. LARQ is an amazing product, it was just out of my budget.