Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Alb Filter vs LARQ
Alb Filter vs LARQ: the differences
| Compare |  Alb Filter |  LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| Filter system | Tap | Bottle |
| Reference models | Alb Filter Duo Active, Alb Filter Duo Active Plus, Alb Filter Untertisch Element Active, Alb Filter Untertisch Element Fusion | LARQ Bottle PureVis 2, LARQ Bottle PureVis, LARQ Pitcher PureVis, LARQ Bottle Filtered Flip Top |
| Price from | €118.90 | €58Lower |
| Cartridge price | €25.90 | €10.65Lower |
| Cartridge life (l) | 3,000 to 5,000Higher | 94 to 151 |
| Filter cost per year | €77.70 | €63.90Lower |
| Certification scope | Nano cartridge certified to ASTM F838-15A, permitted even in public facilities with acute Legionella contamination | Plant-based LARQ bottle filters tested to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 for chlorine, PFAS (PFOA/PFOS) and pharmaceuticals; the Advanced Bottle Filter also covers mercury, HAA5, lead, particulates and BPA |
| Warranty | 10 yearsHigher | 2 years |
| Markets | DE, AT, BE, DK, LU, NL, PL, FR, ES, IT, HU, SK, SI, SE, AD, SM, VA, BG, HR, CY, EE, FI, GR, IE, LV, LT, MT, PT, RO, CH, GB, LI, NO, UA | US, CA, GB |
| Installation required | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: PFAS and lead reduction (Yes).
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Key differences
- LARQ scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.2.
- Price from is lower at LARQ: €58 vs €118.90.
- Cartridge price is lower at LARQ: €10.65 vs €25.90.
- Cartridge life (l) is higher at Alb Filter: 3,000 to 5,000 vs 94 to 151.
- Filter cost per year is lower at LARQ: €63.90 vs €77.70.
- Warranty is higher at Alb Filter: 10 years vs 2 years.
- Support channels: only Alb Filter offers Phone.
- Markets: only Alb Filter offers DE, AT, BE.
- Markets: only LARQ offers US, CA.
Our verdict on each
Alb Filter
Alb Filter suits households that want a fixed tap unit with a long warranty and a cartridge they can reorder, and the fit is strongest across the European markets it ships to. It scores 9.2, with the value sitting in the cartridge at €25.90 and a 10 year warranty rather than the ticket price.
LARQ
LARQ suits people who want purified water straight from a bottle and will accept frequent cartridge swaps. The entry price is €58, and the cartridge ranks high on value at position 2 of 50.
Score breakdown
| Area | Alb Filter | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Entry at €118.90 and €77.70 a year in cartridges, for a cost part of 9.4. | 9.7HigherEntry price €58 sits well under the water filter field, and cartridge cost ranks high at 2 of 50. |
| Offer | 9.4HigherA 3,000 to 5,000 litre cartridge with PFAS and lead reduction, and a 10 year warranty, for an offer part of 9.4. | 8.9Bottle format bottle plus PFAS and lead reduction, with 94 to 151 litres per cartridge. |
| Trust | 8.5A named legal entity in DE with support on email, phone and help centre, for a trust part of 8.5. | 9.2HigherBacked by LARQ, a BRITA SE company, 2 years warranty, and support on email and help centre. |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Alb Filter | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| Water filters | 11 of 68 | 9 of 68 |
If neither fits
Glacierfresh has cartridge life (l) at 5,402, against 3,000 to 5,000 for Alb Filter and 94 to 151 for LARQ.
Glacierfresh reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Alb Filter | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| NSF/ANSI standards | Not confirmed | 42, 53, 401 |
| Legal entity | Blaufaktor GmbH & Co. KG | LARQ, a BRITA SE company |
| Headquarters | Germany | United States |
| Founded | 2016 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Alb Filter | LARQ | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €118.90above the median | €58below the median | €77.77 |
| Cartridge price | €25.90below the median | €10.65lowest quarter | €35 |
| Cartridge life (l) | 3,000 to 5,000highest quarter | 94 to 151lowest quarter | 2,862.5 |
| Filter cost per year | €77.70below the median | €63.90below the median | €99.99 |
| Warranty | 10 yearshighest quarter | 2 yearsat the median | 2 years |
Median across 47 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Alb Filter
Pros
- The Nano cartridge at the centre of the range carries an ASTM certification, and that scope even permits use in public facilities with acute Legionella contamination.
- A cartridge at €25.90 ranks 9 of 50 on cartridge price, ahead of the same brand's entry price placement at 25 of 52.
- PFAS and lead reduction is specified for the cartridge at the centre of the range, so the reduction claim sits on the part you actually replace.
Cons
- Entry price of €118.90 ranks 25 of 52, so this is a mid range ticket rather than a low one.
- Yearly filter spend of €77.70 sits mid field at 17 of 46, which is a softer placement than the cartridge price alone would suggest.
- The tap format is not reverse osmosis, so readers set on Waterdrop (EU) or Culligan Consumer Products will find a different design.
LARQ
Pros
- Entry price of €58 keeps the first purchase well below the water filter field, ranking 17 of 52.
- Cartridge price of €10.65 places LARQ at 2 of 50 on that measure.
- PFAS and lead reduction is a yes, which matters for anyone focused on those contaminants.
Cons
- Annual filter running cost of €63.90 ranks 10 of 46, weaker than the cartridge price suggests.
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so there is no phone line for quick troubleshooting.
- The bottle format in bottle is portable but filters one drink at a time, unlike the reverse osmosis systems from Waterdrop (EU) or Culligan Consumer Products.
Who each suits
Alb Filter
Who it suits
- Households in the markets Alb Filter ships to that want a permanent tap fitting rather than a unit they carry between flats.
- Readers who care what a certification actually covers, since the Nano cartridge carries an ASTM certification whose scope even reaches public facilities with acute Legionella contamination.
- People filtering at the tap for PFAS and lead, since reduction of both is specified for the cartridge at the centre of the range.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers set on reverse osmosis, because Waterdrop (EU) and Culligan Consumer Products both run that filter system while the range here is tap.
- Renters who cannot drill a tap fitting, since installation is required here and IBBL runs a countertop system instead.
LARQ
Who it suits
- Drinkers who fill a bottle on the move and want PFAS and lead claims on a certified filter
- Households in the US, Canada or the UK, where LARQ sells under LARQ, a BRITA SE company
- Buyers who prefer a one-off purchase over a filter subscription, given the €58 entry point
Who should look elsewhere
- People who filter a whole household at once, who should look at the reverse osmosis systems from Waterdrop (EU) or Culligan Consumer Products
- Buyers outside US, CA and GB who cannot find a local source
- Shoppers who want phone support, since LARQ offers email and help centre
Country by country
| Country | Alb Filter | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Yes | No |
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No |
| Croatia | Yes | No |
| Cyprus | Yes | No |
| Denmark | Yes | No |
| Estonia | Yes | No |
8 of 34 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Alb Filter
What does an Alb Filter tap filter cost to buy?+
There is a single purchase price for the hardware. Drinking water filter units in the range start at €118.90, and that covers the fitting itself. Nothing renews on a schedule, so the second figure a buyer meets is the replacement cartridge at €25.90, ordered only when the fitted cartridge nears the end of its life.
What does it cost to keep filtering year after year?+
The cartridge line is the real running cost. A replacement cartridge is €25.90, and the range works out at €77.70 a year of filtering. The Nano cartridge is rated for 3,000 to 5,000 litres, so the number of orders a year depends on how much your household runs the tap and on your local water quality.
LARQ
How much does a LARQ bottle cost to buy?+
The LARQ Bottle Filtered Flip Top starts at €58. That entry price ranks 17 of 52 across the water filters we compare, so the initial outlay sits toward the lower end of the field. There is no subscription tier in the range, so nothing renews automatically.
What does a replacement filter cost?+
A plant-based bottle filter cartridge costs €10.65. On price alone that ranks 2 of 50, among the better cartridge prices in the group. The cartridge is the only consumable the bottle needs, so this figure sets the running cost.