To choose a good breathalyzer for your company or home, you need to understand how such devices work and what types they are. In this article, you will learn by what criteria you need to choose a breathalyzer and get acquainted with the list of the best devices in different price categories.
General information
Most recently, breathalyzers could only be seen in the hands of state traffic inspectors or medical workers. Today, more and more motorists want to purchase them for independent use at home. This device will allow you to control the content of alcohol in the blood and reliably find out if you can drive.
A breathalyzer is an accurate device that can determine the concentration of alcohol in a person's blood. All you need to do is blow a good amount of air into the device to perform the analysis.
After a quick analysis, the result can be seen on the display. The unit of measurement in which alcohol intoxication is defined is called ppm. One ppm indicates that one liter of blood contains one gram of ethyl alcohol.alcohol. That is, if the device shows 0.3 ppm, then one liter of blood contains 0.3 grams of alcohol.
The first devices capable of assessing the intoxication of a person appeared in the 30s of the twentieth century in the United States. They could not show exactly how much alcohol was in the blood, but they reliably determined whether the subject drank or not.
The amount of alcohol in the blood is also of great importance. Devices capable of determining the degree of intoxication appeared in 1953. Over time, their accuracy has increased, and medical professionals have the opportunity to very quickly test a suspicious driver or employee for sobriety.
What is the difference between different types of breathalyzers
To do an alcohol test, you just need to exhale air into the device through a special tube - the mouthpiece. Mouthpieces for breathalyzers can be both disposable and reusable. There are models without mouthpieces, but their accuracy is somewhat lower.
The exhalation should be long, about 5-6 seconds. This is necessary so that the volume of exhaled air is sufficient for analysis. When the device is ready, it will give a sound signal in the form of a click or a squeak. After that, the tester will quickly process the received material and display the measurement result on the screen.
The device consists of several parts. Actually, this is the analyzer itself with a sensor, a mouthpiece and a display. The measurement accuracy depends primarily on the type of analyzer. They can be of several types:
- Semi-productive are sensors that burnalcohol vapors.
- Electrochemical devices are able to determine the concentration of ethyl alcohol in the blood using a special reagent that reacts chemically with ethanol.
- Photometric can absorb alcohol vapors by infrared radiation.
Devices with semiconductor sensors are inexpensive, but they can have an error of up to 20%. Verification of breathalyzers of this type should be carried out more often. In addition, the analyzer will have to be changed every three months.
More expensive and reliable are electrochemical devices. In this case, you do not have to constantly change the sensor, but it needs periodic adjustment. The error in the change will not exceed 10%, which is a good result for home use.
The most durable and accurate are devices with a photometric sensor. However, the cost of such breathalyzers is high. Most often, sensors of this type are used in professional devices.
Characteristics for choosing a breathalyzer
Those who drink alcohol may need to have their blood alcohol levels measured. This is necessary to make sure that the driver is sober and can drive. To determine which device is best for you, you need to think through a few points in advance.
Price
First decide how much you are willing to spend on a breathalyzer. The price of the device depends on the type of sensor, the brand name and the quality of the components. The more expensive the device, themore precisely, it will show the result. If exact numbers are required from it, and you will have to use it often, then preference should be given to a product of a well-known brand. How much does a breathalyzer cost? The price of high quality devices starts from 2000 rubles. Cheaper devices costing 500-1000 rubles do not differ in measurement accuracy and durability.
Frequency of use
When choosing a breathalyzer, you need to consider how often it will be used. Agree that it makes no sense to buy the most expensive device if it will be used once or twice a month. But if the device is used frequently, and even by several people, then the breathalyzer must be professional.
Accuracy and certification
Fleets, medical facilities and other organizations that need to determine the sobriety, buy only devices that have passed the appropriate certification. After the prescribed period, breathalyzers must be verified in certified laboratories. The error of professional devices is negligible and is only 0.1%.
Certification is not required for breathalyzers for personal use. Therefore, the measurement error with a non-professional breathalyzer can reach significant values: from 10 to 20%. Therefore, a simple device for home use can only approximately estimate whether a person is sober.
Alcohol vapors are contained in the breath long enough, so the device will be able to accurately determine whether a person drank in the near future and whether he was able to completely sober up afteryesterday's holiday.
Service cost
Any breathalyzer needs maintenance. For example, for some models, you need to buy interchangeable mouthpieces for breathalyzers. In addition, the device may fail. You should be aware that not all testers can be repaired. Devices belonging to the low price range will simply have to be thrown away after a breakdown.
It is best to choose models in which you can replace the most important part (analyzer) with your own hands or with the help of a wizard. Also, before buying, you need to clarify whether it is possible to get spare parts for the selected model.
Instrument parameters
What parameters should you pay attention to when choosing breathalyzers? The top best devices are compiled based on the analysis of several parameters:
- Accuracy is one of the most important indicators.
- Measurement stability. The accuracy of readings should not decrease even after a large number of measurements.
- Reliability. The device should not fail and break quickly.
- Ease of use. You need to think about where and how the device will be used. For business trips and long trips, a compact device is suitable.
- Availability of parts and consumables.
In order to navigate the huge selection of devices, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with brief reviews of the best breathalyzers in different price categories.
The Sims 2 Drivesafe ll
Let's start listing noteworthy breathalyzers. topThe best starts with a device called Drivesafe ll. Its price is 18,000-20,000 rubles. This device is easy to use and does not require any special skills or knowledge. The life of the tester is long, and verification should be carried out only once a year.
The device is compact, fits comfortably in the hand. The analyzer in the device is electrochemical, which means that you can not be afraid of false readings. Reviews of the device indicate that it never fails. The price of the tester is quite high, but it is not inferior to the most expensive professional devices in terms of accuracy.
Dignity:
- High precision electrochemical analyzer.
- Reliability.
- Does not need frequent checks.
- Precise to hundredths.
The only drawback of the device can be considered the need to use mouthpieces.
Alcotest 7510 Drager
This device is one of the most accurate breathalyzers on the market today. Its price is 130,000-140,000 rubles (together with a printer). This high-end device can analyze not only the alcohol content in the air exhaled by the test subject, but also its residual content in the oral cavity. This will eliminate the influence of recent medications or food eaten.
Dignity:
- Easy operation and compact size.
- Analysis results can be printed immediately.
- The device detects the presence of traces of ethanol in the mouth.
- Needs calibration no more than once a year.
- You canuse with or without a mouthpiece.
The device has only one drawback - the high price.
Drager Alcotest 6810
Another of the most popular professional breathalyzers is Drager Alcotest 6810. Its price is about 100,000 rubles. It is small in size, easy to operate, reliable. The device is equipped with a printer, which means that the result can be printed immediately. The tester stores up to 1000 measurements in memory.
Dignity:
- Accuracy.
- Ability to print results.
- Communicates with the printer via optical communication, without wires.
- The device is recommended by the traffic police.
- Can be used with or without a mouthpiece.
The disadvantage is the high price.
AlcoHunter Professional+
Are there good and inexpensive breathalyzers? The top of the best devices continues with the more affordable AlcoHunter Professional + model. Its price is 8,000 rubles. This high-quality tester is not inferior in accuracy to expensive professional devices. It has a simple and clear interface. The environment does not affect the measurement accuracy.
Dignity:
- Determines a small dose of intoxication.
- Inexpensive.
- Batteries last a long time.
- Sturdy body.
- Ease of use.
Flaws:
- Long preparation period for use.
- High price of components.
Dingo-025
Attracts a small price of this tester - only 3000 rubles. ThisThe device is great for personal use. It is equipped with a simple semiconductor sensor, accurate enough. Due to its small size, the analyzer can be stored directly in the glove compartment of a car. This is not the fastest breathalyzer. The instruction says that you will have to wait 60 seconds for the measurement.
Dignity:
- Ease of use.
- Bright display, backlight.
- Small size.
- Fast actuation.
- Low price.
Flaws:
Requires calibration after 200 measurements or every six months
Sititek Pro2
What are reliable but inexpensive breathalyzers? The top of the best is completed by the Sititek Pro2 analyzer with a price of 1,500 rubles. This multifunctional device will become an excellent assistant to the motorist. The device includes clock, timer, alarm and thermometer functions.
Dignity:
- Pocket size.
- Sensor calibration can be done once every three years.
- No mouthpieces required for operation.
Flaws:
- You cannot take more than 5 measurements per day.
- Falsely reacts to food, food.
The information provided in this article will allow you to choose a good breathalyzer in a pharmacy or a specialized store. The measurement quality of the presented analyzers is not inferior, and in some models even exceeds the accuracy of the equipment used by traffic police inspectors.
