Rating of breathalyzers for personal use in 2021: which one to choose

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For some professions, such as taxi or truck driving, having the best breathalyzer can never hurt. And for ordinary car enthusiasts, the device will be very helpful in some situations. For example, double-check the tester readings of law enforcement officers when stopping or refuse to drive if your 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 of 2021 according to users. We begin!

What is the difference between a breathalyzer and a breathalyzer?

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

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

An alcohol meter is a high-precision device that can measure the indicators of a large crowd of people in a minimum period 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 for malicious traffic rule violators.

A breathalyzer is a device for measuring the percentage of alcohol in the air, but it is closer to a household one and lower in price. Has a sensor, more vulnerable than used in the previous version. The accuracy of measurements 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 setup for 4-5 uses by one owner; and special ones - for numerous measurements. Breathalyzers are less common, but are also used by individual organs.

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

Which breathalyzer is better, electrochemical or semiconductor?

Let's look at the difference in 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, which collects all the information and displays the result on the display. Such sensors are not sensitive to other molecules, and therefore show the most accurate results.

The sensor of the best breathalyzer of 2021 does not require preliminary preparation and heating. Temperature does not in any way affect 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 purchasing a new device.

How to choose a breathalyzer: features of semiconductor models

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

Since a semiconductor breathalyzer needs to be warmed up, it is quite susceptible to the environment and air. Therefore, the percentage of error even in the 2021 breathalyzer test showed up to 20%. The sensor is sensitive to the exhaled air on the device. A dirty environment or the use of cigarettes before 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 consistently displays information without high errors even in difficult conditions.

How to choose the right breathalyzer: main characteristics

Let's look at the criteria for choosing a high-quality breathalyzer:

1. Accuracy class. For domestic use, an option that is weaker than that used by doctors and law enforcement officers is suitable. Accuracy directly affects the ppm of alcohol. Manufacturers produce devices for personal use that can work no more than 4 times a day; for mass – about 25-30 checks.
2. Display speed. ​With mass use, this plays a big role, because it increases the time of the overall procedure.We can choose a breathalyzer and with a 2-3 minute delay, nothing bad will happen.
3. Terms of Use. Checking the driver immediately on the road requires an accurate measuring device, since it is influenced by: the environment, cold air and even the cigarette smoked. The latter can generally lead to failure of even the best rated breathalyzer.
4. Pairing with third party devices. To receive 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 alcohol concentration in percentages, numbers or ppm on a digital display. The simplest devices have only two lights: green - the test was passed successfully; red – exceeding the norm.
6. Device dimensions. For home use, it is enough to choose a compact breathalyzer that fits easily in your pocket.

Additional parameters are: appearance, the ability to replace parts, etc. All this affects the cost of the equipment. Consider the possibility of changing 2 main elements: the sensor and the mouthpiece. It will be several 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 discussed how different devices differ, how to choose the right breathalyzer for personal use, and other points. Now, we will present to you a list of devices that have the most accurate indicators in everyday life. Among them:

• Inspector AT500;
• Delta AT-550;
• Dingo E-010;
• Breathalyzer 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 2021 breathalyzer rating in an emergency. Therefore, be careful on the road and be friends with the traffic police!