Waitrose Essential Lockhills
Waitrose Essential Still Natural Mineral Water is sourced from Lockhills, Cumbria. Beyond this, limited information is publicly available about the specific spring or geological context. Waitrose Essential holds natural mineral water status. It is a Waitrose own-brand product.
Mineral composition
| mg/L | |
|---|---|
| Calcium | 17 |
| Magnesium | 5 |
| Sodium | 10 |
| Sulfate | 14 |
| Chloride | 17 |
| Bicarbonate | 46 |
Compositions can vary by season and source. Read our methodology.
Mineral character
The mineral profile for Waitrose Essential (Lockhills) in the TWD database is currently incomplete. Available data shows calcium at 17 mg/L, magnesium at 5 mg/L, sodium at 7 mg/L, and chloride at 17 mg/L. Bicarbonate and sulphate values are not recorded in the database. What is present suggests a soft, lightly mineralised water, consistent with a Cumbrian source.
Documented use and context
Bella Barista recommends Waitrose Essential as one of three named bottled waters suitable for espresso machines (alongside Volvic and Tesco Ashbeck). On CoffeeForums.co.uk, contributors have described Waitrose Lockhills as comparable to or slightly better than Tesco Ashbeck for espresso use, at a similar price point.
Use-case suitability
- CoffeeNot used in any current coffee recipe, but hardness 63 mg/L sits within the 9–266 mg/L range typical for these targets.
- TeaNot used in any current tea recipe. Hardness 63 mg/L is above the 37–59 mg/L range of these targets.
- BrewingNot used in any current brewing recipe, but hardness 63 mg/L sits within the 26–922 mg/L range typical for these targets.
- BakingAppears in blends for Montreal Bagel.
- AquariumNot used in any current aquarium recipe, but hardness 63 mg/L sits within the 35–212 mg/L range typical for these targets.
- HorticultureNot used in any current horticulture recipe. Hardness 63 mg/L is above the 12–54 mg/L range of these targets.
Used in these recipes
Where to buy
UK
Waitrose
£0.25-0.35 per litre
Waitrose Essential is available exclusively at Waitrose stores in the UK. Pricing is at the budget end for Waitrose, though higher than comparable Tesco or Lidl own-brand waters (as of March 2026). Sold in still format.