Review: LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher
Written by: Gene Fitzgerald // Expert Fact-Checking: Buddhini Dolapihilla, MBSS // Last Updated: Nov 10, 2023
This page may contain affiliate links. If you buy a product or service through such a link we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
The LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher is a premium-priced product aimed at people with a more flexible budget. At that price level, most buyers would have some serious expectations about performance – but does the LARQ actually live up to them? Let’s investigate!
Contents
show
LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher |
|
| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Activated Carbon, UV Light |
| Filter Life: | 60 Gallons |
| Storage Volume: | 8 Cups |
| Annual Cost: | ~$150-200 |
|
Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
|
|
LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher – All Specs
- Model: LARQ Pitcher PureVis
- Annual Maintenance Cost: ~$150-200
- Filter Media/Process: Activated Carbon, UV
- Filtering Capacity: 60 gal or 2 Months
- Storage Volume: 8 Cups
- HxW: 10”x9.4”
- Weight: 2.25 lb.
- NSF Testing: Standard 42, 53, 401
- Warranty: 1-Year Limited
LARQ Pitcher PureVis – Key Features
The LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher aka LARQ Pitcher PureVis is a high-end product with some advanced features you don’t see in any other pitcher model – most importantly, the integration of UV light disinfection (more on that soon).
To use with the LARQ Pitcher PureVis, the company offers two different filter elements to pick from: Essential and Advanced, both based on what’s described as “plant-based carbon material”, with the Advanced being the more powerful version. We assume that this means coconut shell activated carbon, but we couldn’t specifically verify that point, as there is not a lot of official information published by the manufacturer on that matter. Filter life is 60 gallons.
In both cases, filtration is additionally supplemented by the unique and proprietary PureVis technology, which is basically an advanced self-cleaning mode that utilizes UV light to kill bacteria in the filtered water while it’s sitting in the pitcher. This mode activates automatically for 60 seconds every 6 hours, keeping your drinking water from becoming stagnant and taking on a bad taste/smell. You can activate the mode on demand at any time too. Keep in mind that the lamp is specifically pointing downwards and aimed at the filtered water.
What’s more, the company is quite open about its contaminant reduction testing, which we always appreciate in a product like that. You can read all testing reports freely directly at LARQ’s website. Here’s a summary for what the Advanced filter can do:
- 99.3-99.6% lead reduction
- 95.3% benzene reduction
- 99.4-99.8% HAA5 reduction
- 99% PFAS reduction
- Up to 99% reduction of several chemicals including BPA and trace pharmaceuticals
- 98.6% chlorine reduction
- 99.8% cadmium reduction
- 98.5-98.6% mercury reduction
- 92.6% reduction of VOCs
- Microplastic reduction
Testing standards: NSF 42, 53, 401.
The LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher is also aesthetically pleasing, with a sleek design and two color patterns to pick from: Monaco Blue and Pure White. It can hold 8 cups of water, and is made of BPA-free, phthalate-free, food-grade plastic. You get 1 year of warranty with your purchase.
One more interesting feature we don’t see in other pitchers is the app integration. The LARQ has a smart component, and once it’s linked to your iPhone (sorry Android users, no support for your devices yet), you can track your water intake and the remaining filter life directly from your phone. Sadly, you have to press a button every time you refill the pitcher as it doesn’t track dispensed water automatically.
Thankfully, you don’t have to keep the device connected to a power supply to use these features – both UV light and water tracker work on a standard lithium polymer battery, which last for about a month on a full charge. The LARQ pitcher comes with a handy magnetic charging cable included.
And finally, there’s a ring light built into the pitcher, which not only looks pretty cool, it also indicates filter and battery status, activation of the UV lamp, and malfunctioning.
LARQ Water Pitcher Pros
- Contaminant reduction claims backed by NSF testing.
- Keeps filtered water from becoming stagnant thanks to PureVis UV light.
- Smartphone integration for easy monitoring.
- Ring light indicates filter status for simplified maintenance.
- Sleek design that easily stands out next to other pitchers.
What Contaminants Are Being Removed?
The LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher has been tested against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401, meaning that it’s capable of reducing or removing at least the following contaminants:
- Lead: 99.3-99.6%
- Benzene: 95.3%
- HAA5: 99.4-99.8%
- PFAS: 99%
- BPA: 99%
- Trace pharmaceuticals: 99%
- Chlorine: 98.6%
- Cadmium: 99.8%
- Mercury: 98.5-98.6%
- VOCs: 92.6%
- Microplastics
LARQ has also shared lab results on how effective the pitcher’s UV light is at removing aqueous heterotrophic bacteria in the filtered water and preventing their growth. It has shown to be indeed highly effective.
The LARQ Pitcher PureVis – learn more on Amazon.com
Assembly and Filter Priming
Before using a LARQ water pitcher for the first time, make sure to follow these steps:
Please consider these instructions as a general guideline. Always make sure to check and follow your user manual before getting started.
- Take out the PureVis Wand from the pitcher.
- Wash the pitcher body thoroughly, using warm water and soap.
- Charge the PureVis Wand by simply attaching the magnetic charger to the golden pins – this should cause your pitcher to wake up.
- Take the filter out of the packaging and soak it in water for 10 minutes.
- Install the filter into the reservoir.
- Put the filter lid on.
- Hold down the “A” button for 5 seconds – this resets the filter counter.
- Fill the pitcher with water.
- Let the water filter through, and discard it.
All in all, pitcher assembly and priming follow the standard procedure and are in no way more complicated that with other models.
The Package (Parts)
- LARQ Pitcher PureVis
- Magnetic USB charger
- Essential or advanced filter element
- Quick start guide
Maintenance
An indicator light helps you keep track of the current status of your device and lets you know when it’s time to replace the filter element (simply follow the steps from the “Assembly and Filter Priming” section above), or do something else. Here are the different colors you may see and their corresponding meaning:
- Green pulse: charging
- Solid green: charged
- Flashing green: low battery (also flashes 2x before cleansing)
- Blue pulse: PureVis is running
- Orange pulse: filter life at less than 20%
- Flashing orange: replace filter ASAP
- Solid red/flashing purple: error – contact manufacturer
Each filter cartridge lasts for 60 gallons of water, which means that this filter will cost you around $150 to $200 per year in maintenance. This is significantly higher than other models with similar or even better filtration capabilities. Only good news: You can get a 20% discount if you subscribe to receive replacement filters on schedule.
Manual
Here is a link to the official manual:
NSF and Other Certifications
The filter is tested against several NSF standards. So even though there’s no official certification, the manufacturer still provides detailed testing lab reports on their website.
- NSF 42: for free chlorine
- NSF 53: for lead, benzene, HAA5, PFAS/PFOS, cadmium, copper, mercury, VOCs
- NSF 401: for atenolol, DEET, TCEP, BPA, and several other emerging compounds
Earlier Product Versions
We couldn’t find any earlier product versions.
LARQ Pitcher Cons
- Very expensive, both upfront and in the long term – replacement filters in particular cost quite a lot given that all you get is activated carbon.
- NSF testing with lab reports provided, but no official NSF certifications. Also not a whole lot of key contaminants tested for. Probably because the LARQ only uses activated carbon and you are limited in what you can remove with that. So when you have stuff like chromium 6 or want to remove fluoride or nitrate etc. from your water, the LARQ is not the right choice.
- Product description claims that the pitcher kills “germs”, but it’s only tested against specific types of bacteria and not cyst, viruses, algae, or mold. The UV lamp runs on a small battery so it’s probably not powerful enough for any of that.
- We would have liked more specific information of filter media used. We can only assume it’s coconut shell carbon.
- Only LARQ bottles were tested against two types of harmful bacteria (E. Coli and Salmonella); the pitcher itself was not tested. It was only tested against aqueous heterotrophic bacteria which are not harmful but only cause bad taste and odor. They also do not say how much power the UV light has, which is critical for calculating the applied UV dose and what type of germs can be eliminated.
- Yet another device that you have to keep charged.
- No Android support for the app.
- Only holds 8 cups of water.
- LARQ claims “free returns”, but this is only true if you haven’t used the pitcher yet.
LARQ Pitcher PureVis Review: Our Verdict + Best for
We genuinely appreciate LARQ’s unique approach to pitcher water filtration. We are just not sure if the LARQ Pitcher PureVis really works as good as many people might think. The filter process itself is quite solid with many contaminants tested against NSF standards. However, because it’s only carbon filtration being applied you are quite limited in terms of what can be removed from your water. So depending on your water conditions, it might be better to go with something more powerful.
The UV light will help prevent water sitting in the pitcher for longer times from becoming stagnant. But it may only kill bacteria, no other types of germs. And finally we have the extremely high price for both pitcher and replacement filters. All in all, 3.5 stars.
Our Rating in Detail:
- Filtration Performance: 4.0/5.0
- Filter Capacity (Life): 4.0/5.0
- Purchase Price: 3.0/5.0
- Annual Cost: 2.0/5.0
- Overall: 3.5/5.0
Comparison to Other Water Filter Pitchers
The LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher costs a lot, but it’s not the only premium model on the market. If you’re looking for alternatives, we recommend checking out the Clearly Filtered and the Epic Pure.
Clearly Filtered |
|
| Price: | $$ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon + Composite Shell |
| Filter Capacity: | 100 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 17 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$150 |
|
Overall Rating: 5.0/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Get 10% Off! Use Code: |
|
Epic Pure |
|
| Price: | $ |
| Filter Process: | Carbon Block, Ion Exchange |
| Filter Capacity: | 150 gal |
| Total Storage Volume: | 14.8 Cups |
| Annually: | $90-135 |
|
Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
Get 20% Off! Use Code: |
|
|
LARQ Pitcher PureVis |
|
| Price: | $$$ |
| Filter Process: | Activated Carbon, UV Light |
| Filter Capacity: | 60 gal |
| Storage Volume: | 8 Cups |
| Annually: | ~$150-200 |
|
Overall Rating: 3.5/5.0 ⓘRating based on filtration performance, filter life, price and yearly cost, NSF testing/certification, customer support, product warranty, our testing/experience, user feedback, and other factors.
|
|
With Clearly Filtered, you also get a premium-quality product like the LARQ PureVis, and one that’s been officially tested against NSF standards 42, 53, and 401. That said, the Clearly Filtered pitcher can target more than 350 contaminants overall, making it much more effective than the LARQ PureVis. Those contaminants include:
- Chlorine/chloramine
- DBPs
- Lead
- Chromium-6
- Arsenic
- Pharmaceuticals
- Pesticides
- VOCs
- Semi-volatile compounds
- PFAS
- Fluoride
- Radiologicals
This is accomplished with the use of several proprietary filter media combined. Each filter cartridge can last for 100 gallons of water or 4 months, making the Clearly Filtered more efficient than the LARQ PureVis.
You can store 10 cups of filtered water – once again, better than what LARQ has to offer.
The pitcher comes with a removable lid and is made of 100% BPA-free materials. It also comes with a limited lifetime warranty and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, a better offer than LARQ’s. And despite being a premium product, the Clearly Filtered pitcher still costs far less than the LARQ Pitcher PureVis.
On the other hand, there’s the Epic Pure, aimed at people with a slightly less flexible budget. It’s cheaper than both the Clearly Filtered and LARQ, and is specifically designed for dealing with tap water (containing fluoride). This pitcher also uses a mix of proprietary filter media, allowing it to target more than 200 contaminants in total – and it’s NSF-tested against standards 42, 53, and 401. This makes it more effective than the LARQ. Some of the contaminants targeted include:
- Chlorine
- Fluoride
- Nitrate
- Chloramine
- Sulfate
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Hexavalent Chromium
- Lead
- Mercury
- VOCs
- Pharmaceuticals
- Disinfection byproducts
- Pesticides
- PFOAS
- PFOS
The Epic Pure has a long 150-gallon filter life. There’s also a built-in indicator timer to let you know when it’s time for a replacement – and when that time comes, make sure to keep those used filters instead of throwing them away! If you send four used ones to the company, you’ll get one brand new filter in return.
The pitcher is made entirely out of BPA-free materials and can hold 14.8 cups of water. Everything – the body and the cartridges – is made in the USA, and is backed by a lifetime warranty and a hassle-free return policy. Plus, the company provides discounts for military personnel, first responders, medical staff, teachers, students, seniors, as well as owners and employees of non-profit organizations.
In the end, if you need a viable alternative to the LARQ Pitcher PureVis, we recommend the Clearly Filtered, as it offers the best filtration capabilities on the market, followed closely by the Epic Pure. When to use the LARQ? When you absolutely don’t care about costs and primarily want to remove chlorine, lead, and organic chemicals from your water.
This completes our review of the LARQ PureVis Water Filter Pitcher. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below!
About the Author Gene Fitzgerald
Information provided on BOS is for educational purposes only. The products and services we review may not be right for your individual circumstances.
We adhere to strict editorial guidelines. Rest assured, the opinions expressed have not been provided, reviewed, or otherwise endorsed by our partners – they are unbiased, independent, and the author’s alone. Our licensed experts fact-check all content for accuracy. It is accurate as of the date posted and to the best of our knowledge.