Ranking of breathalyzers for personal use in 2021: which one to choose - Setafi

For some professions, such as a taxi driver or a truck driver, having the best breathalyzer never hurts. And for ordinary motorists, the device will help a lot in some situations. For example, double-check the testimony of testers of law enforcement officials when stopping or refuse to drive when the blood alcohol level is jumping.

In our article, we will tell you how breathalyzers differ, which one to choose for personal use, and even present a list of the best devices in 2021 according to users. We begin!

What is the difference between breathalyzer and breathalyzer

Not everyone understands that these are two separate devices. Often they are not even compared with each other, although everything is not so.

The main difference between the structure of both devices is in one thing - the features of the measuring sensor.

A breathalyser is a high-precision device that can measure the performance of a large crowd of people in a minimum amount of time. These devices are classified as “for professional use”. The design uses an electrochemical sensor, the percentage of error of which is minimal. These are worn by traffic police officers in order to check the worst violators of traffic rules.

Breathalyzer - a device for measuring the percentage of alcohol in the air, but more close to household and lower in price. Has a sensor, more vulnerable than used in the previous version. The measurement accuracy depends on the external environment and the presence of other substances in the air. For greater clarity, there are 2 options for breathalyzers in 2021: "personal" - do not require configuration for 4-5 uses per owner; and special - for multiple measurements. They are less common than breathalyzers, but are also used by individual organs.

Now you understand the difference between a breathalyzer and a breathalyzer: the first one is more expensive and for special use, and the second one can be safely used for self-checking.

Which breathalyzer is better electrochemical or semiconductor

Consider the difference on a specific analysis of both options.

Types of breathalyzers: electrochemical

The basis of the work is the release of free electrons by the catalyst under the force of alcohol (ethanol) molecules. The sensor is manufactured as an anode with a catalyst. When alcohol vapor hits the anode surface, the catalyst begins to transfer electrons. They are captured by a special converter that collects all the information and displays the result on the scoreboard. Such sensors are not susceptible to other molecules, and therefore show the most accurate results.

The sensor of the best breathalyzer in 2021 does not require pre-treatment and heating. The temperature in no way affects the result of the procedure. The design may have an additional pump that corrects the accuracy of the indicators. The top 10 breathalyzers of this option are serviced without problems, non-working parts are replaced, which saves the user money on buying a new device.

How to choose a breathalyzer: a feature of semiconductor models

The sensor of this device is a semiconductor element. Before the control measurement, the sensor warms up to 100 degrees Celsius. Alcohol vapors under the influence of temperature enter the sensor and change its conductivity indicators. The device records the changed parameters and converts them into a numerical value, sending them to the information board. Top of the best inexpensive breathalyzers are made from tin oxide.

Since the semiconductor breathalyzer needs to be warmed up, it is quite susceptible to the environment and air. Therefore, the percentage of error, even when testing breathalyzers in 2021, showed up to 20%. The sensor is sensitive to the exhaled air on the device. A dirty environment or the use of cigarettes before the measurement will significantly distort the control data on the tester.

Thus, if you choose an electrochemical or semiconductor breathalyzer, we recommend choosing the first option. It stably shows information without high errors even in difficult conditions.

How to choose the right breathalyzer: main characteristics

Let us turn to the criteria for choosing a high-quality breathalyzer:

1. Accuracy class. For domestic use, the option is suitable and weaker than used by doctors and law enforcement officers. Accuracy directly affects the indicators of ppm alcohol. Manufacturers produce devices for personal use that can work no more than 4 times a day for sure; for mass - about 25-30 checks.
2. Display speed. With mass use, this plays a big role, because it increases the time of the general procedure. We can choose a breathalyzer and with a 2-3 minute delay, nothing bad will happen.
3. Terms of Use. Checking the driver right on the road requires an accurate measuring device, as it is affected by: the environment, cold air, and even a smoked cigarette. The latter can generally lead to the failure of even the best of the breathalyzer rating.
4. Pairing with third party devices. To get the results on paper, patrol officers have a built-in printer. And control measurements can be seen on a personal computer.
5. Data display. The top best breathalyzers of 2021 display the concentration of alcohol in percentages, figures or ppm on a digital display. The simplest devices have only two bulbs: green - the test is passed successfully; red - excess of the norm.
6. Device dimensions. For domestic use, it is enough to choose a compact breathalyzer that fits freely in your pocket.

Additional parameters are: appearance, the possibility of replacing parts, etc. All this affects the cost of equipment. Consider the possibility of changing 2 main elements: the sensor and the mouthpiece. It will be many times cheaper than going to the store for the best breathalyzer for personal use in 2021.

Rating of breathalyzers for personal use 2021

We have already analyzed how various devices differ, how to choose the right breathalyzer for personal use, and other points. Now, let's present you a list of devices that have the most accurate indicators in everyday life. Among them:

• Inspector AT500;
• Delta AT-550;
• Dingo E-010;
• Alcovetor Mark V;
• AlcoHunter Professional +;
• Inspector AT100;
• Inspector AT750;
•  Inspector AT850;
• Infracar AT-101;
• DRIVESAFE II.

Among them, the rating includes both home and professional breathalyzers.

We wish you never need the breathalyzer rating of 2021 in an emergency. Therefore, be careful on the road and be friends with the traffic police!