Updated September 30, 2026 · SmartHomeCue Editorial Team
Doulton vs LARQ
What sets them apart
| Compare | Doulton ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |  LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| Filter system | Under sink | Bottle |
| Reference models | Doulton Kingfisher Under Sink Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra; Doulton Countertop Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra; Doulton HIP DUO Under Sink Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra; Doulton HIP TRIO Under Sink Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra | LARQ Bottle PureVis 2, LARQ Bottle PureVis, LARQ Pitcher PureVis, LARQ Bottle Filtered Flip Top |
| Price from | €26.45Lower | €58 |
| Cartridge price | €50.95 | €10.65Lower |
| Cartridge life (l) | 2,300Higher | 94 to 151 |
| Filter cost per year | €101.90 | €63.90Lower |
| Certification scope | Biotect Ultra cartridge certified in the Kingfisher Biotect Ultra Inline Water Filter System, plus NSF/ANSI/CAN 372; WRAS approved products | 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 | 5 yearsHigher | 2 years |
| Markets | GB | US, CA, GBCovers more |
| Installation required | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: PFAS and lead reduction (Yes).
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Key differences
- Price from is lower at Doulton: €26.45 vs €58.
- Cartridge price is lower at LARQ: €10.65 vs €50.95.
- Cartridge life (l) is higher at Doulton: 2,300 vs 94 to 151.
- Filter cost per year is lower at LARQ: €63.90 vs €101.90.
- Warranty is higher at Doulton: 5 years vs 2 years.
- Support channels: only Doulton offers Phone.
- Markets: only LARQ offers US, CA.
Our verdict on each
Doulton
Doulton suits households in the GB market that want a certified under-sink filter without paying reverse osmosis money. Entry prices start at €26.45, and the strength is that opening cost plus stated certification, while replacement cartridges at €50.95 each are the running cost to plan for.
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 | Doulton | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Entry at €26.45 is low, but €50.95 per cartridge and €101.90 a year push the running cost up. | 9.7HigherEntry price €58 sits well under the water filter field, and cartridge cost ranks high at 2 of 50. |
| Offer | 9.3HigherReference models span under sink and countertop Biotect Ultra systems, and lead and PFAS reduction is stated. | 8.9Bottle format bottle plus PFAS and lead reduction, with 94 to 151 litres per cartridge. |
| Trust | 9.6HigherNSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 certification and WRAS approvals, a 5 year warranty, and support on email, phone and help centre. | 9.2Backed by LARQ, a BRITA SE company, 2 years warranty, and support on email and help centre. |
Which one suits you
Pick Doulton if offer, trust, price from, cartridge life (l), and warranty matter most.
Pick LARQ if cost, cartridge price, filter cost per year, and markets matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Doulton | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| Water filters | 8 of 68 | 9 of 68 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Doulton | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United States |
If neither fits
Glacierfresh has cartridge life (l) at 5,402, against 2,300 for Doulton and 94 to 151 for LARQ.
Glacierfresh reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Doulton | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| NSF/ANSI standards | 42, 53, 401 | 42, 53, 401 |
| Legal entity | Doulton Water Filters Limited | LARQ, a BRITA SE company |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United States |
| Founded | 1826 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Doulton | LARQ | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €26.45lowest quarter | €58below the median | €77.77 |
| Cartridge price | €50.95highest quarter | €10.65lowest quarter | €35 |
| Cartridge life (l) | 2,300below the median | 94 to 151lowest quarter | 2,862.5 |
| Filter cost per year | €101.90above the median | €63.90below the median | €99.99 |
| Warranty | 5 yearshighest quarter | 2 yearsat the median | 2 years |
Median across 47 listed brands.
Pros and cons
Doulton
Pros
- Entry price of €26.45 ranks at position 6 of 52 brands, so the opening outlay is low.
- Certification is stated: NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 401 standards on the cartridges, plus WRAS approved products in the range.
- Lead and PFAS reduction is claimed for the cartridges, which is the reason many households look at a filter at all.
Cons
- Renewal cost is the catch: the Biotect Ultra cartridge is €50.95 and the yearly filter cost is €101.90, ranking 29 of 46 brands.
- Cartridge life of 2,300 litres sits below the site median 2,512.5 litres, so swaps arrive sooner than with the longer lived filters listed here.
- Installation is required for the under sink format, so it is not a countertop drop in.
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
Doulton
Who it suits
- Households in the GB market that want a under sink filter and care about stated certification.
- Buyers who budget for the running cost, since cartridge price and the yearly figure set the refill bill from the start.
- People who want phone and written help, as support runs on email, phone and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for anyone set on reverse osmosis: Culligan Consumer Products runs reverse osmosis systems, so that buyer should compare there instead.
- Not for kitchens without a plumbed spot, since installation is required for the under sink formats; IBBL offers a countertop setup that needs no fitting.
- Not for buyers who prefer the reverse osmosis route Waterdrop（EU）takes, which filters differently from the Biotect Ultra cartridges Doulton uses.
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
Current offers
Doulton
Current offer
Discount code
20% off replacement filters with Subscribe & Save: 20%
Discount applies to subscription orders for replacement filters
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Discount code
Sign up to the newsletter and get 10% off: 10%
Email newsletter signup offer shown site-wide in the footer; no end date stated
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Doulton | LARQ |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Doulton
How much does a Doulton water filter cost to start with?+
Doulton's range starts at €26.45, and that entry figure sits at position 6 of 52 brands listed, so the opening outlay is among the lower ones here. The systems sold are under sink units built around Biotect Ultra cartridges, so the starting cost buys the housing and the filtration cartridge.
What do Doulton replacement cartridges cost over a year?+
A Biotect Ultra replacement cartridge is €50.95, and the yearly filter cost for the range is €101.90. That running figure is the one to plan for, and it ranks 29 of 46 brands listed, which puts Doulton toward the dearer end once refills are counted.
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.