A super-smart, self-cleaning water bottle

Larq’s chic design packs patented UV-C technology to keep bacteria at bay

A staggering one million single-use plastic bottles are sold around the world every minute. Factor in the statistic from lobbying group A Plastic Planet that only nine per cent of plastic in the UK is recycled each year, and most of us begin searching around for a greener alternative. But then reusable bottles can make water taste less than great, while also harbouring bacteria – especially when the design is ergonomic to drink from but less so for cleaning. The new Larq bottle (£95) is the space-age, self-cleaning, water-purifying solution.

The Larq bottle comes in a choice of five colours, such as Himalayan Pink, Monaco Blue and Seaside Mint

Here’s how it works: the USB-charged bottle top harnesses the same UV-C LED light technology that is used in hospitals to sterilise surfaces, destroying 99.99 per cent of germs via a photochemical reaction. Produced in professional-grade stainless steel, the bottle, Larq claims, is 10,000 times more hygienic that some reusable models. It is also double walled and vacuum sealed, so it can keep beverages ice cold for 24 hours or, like a souped-up Thermos, hot for 12 – while every two hours the purifying process kicks in. Plus, it looks darn chic in a choice of five colours, such as Himalayan Pink, Monaco Blue and Seaside Mint.