Breathalyzer Reviews

AlcAlert BT5500 Personal Alcohol Detector

The AlcAlert breathalyzer is a product of PNI Corporation, a leader in the design, development, and application of sensor technology.

The commercial Breathalyzer.net website said:

The AlcAlert measures the level of alcohol in a person's breath by utilizing advanced semi-conductor gas sensor technology. It clearly displays the Blood Alcohol Content in precise digital percentile increments, all this in about ten seconds. It's easy to use. Simply press the button, wait for the beep, blow into the unit, and within seconds the LCD displays a precise readout….[It] easily fits into your pocket, purse or day planner; about the same size as a lighter.

Writer, sommelier and beer judge Craig Pinhey wrote of the AlcAlert at his Frog’s Pad website:

Is it accurate? Well, it claims to be as good as the ones police use for mobile spot testing, but I suspect they might refute that. My friend researched them and found this one to be the best in its price category. I have tested it many times on myself and my friends, in various states of intoxication, and it correlates well with the spreadsheet system I developed, which is based on body weight, sex, drink volume, alcohol level, and time.

For example, my wife and I used it at a recent dinner. We each had the same amount of wine over two hours. Based on her weight and sex, she should have had roughly half my BAL. I blew 0.03 and she was 0.05. In that case it worked well. I felt fine to drive, but she said she wouldn't even consider it.

…I love my pocket breathalyzer - it is a useful tool for a booze writer and instructor and drinker - and I expect we'll see them sold widely in Canada before too long. My concern, though, is that drinking drivers can use it to push themselves to the 0.08 line, rather than to get familiar with their personal "safe" level of impairment.

The Amazon.com website has some consumer reviews of the AlcAlert. Here’s one:

I have had this little device for a couple of years. I have found that it is somewhat tempermental but it does give reliable readings. For instance, smoke causes the device to read, "SAT" which stands for saturated. Also, if you have had any alcohol within the last 30 minutes, it reads "SAT." I have found that if i stop drinking 30 minutes or more before using it and i go away from smoke (usually outside), the device is pretty accurate.

The PNI website contains specification details and manuals for the AlcAlert breathalyzer.

Note: In February 2007 this product appeared to be no longer on sale.

February 22^nd, 2006
Updated: February 15th, 2007 
 

 
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