Breathalyzer Reviews

AlcoHawk ABI Breathalyzer Digital Alcohol Detector

The AlcoHawk ABI, a professional-level digital alcohol detector, is one of the top-of-the-range breathalyzers from Q3 Innovations.

Newsday in July 2005 did a survey of breathalyzers. It said:

AlcoHawk ABI (about $100). Slightly larger than a deck of cards - isn't everything? - the AlcoHawk is billed as "a great choice for bars, parties and social functions." [Keith] Nothacker's site [Breathalyzer.net] says the AlcoHawk is even used by some law enforcement organizations as an initial screening device (most upscale police forces invest about $2,000 in a Breathalyzer, he says). It features a three-digit LED display, five washable and reusable mouthpieces, and it's powered by a 9-volt battery that's supposed to be good for more than 300 tests.

According to Breathalyzer.net:

The new AlcoHawk is the most popular consumer-oriented breathalyzer offered by Breathalyzer.net….The AlcoHawk is lightweight and very portable - it is slightly bigger than a deck of cards. Its sleek design and portability make it a great choice for bars, parties, and social functions. In addition to its appealing design and ease of use, this model is also very accurate.

The Liquor Snob website wrote:

The first thing that struck us about the ABI was the cool protective zipper case it came in. The other two units were in disposable plastic trays with accompanying mesh carrying bags, but this guy was in a hard shell carrying case, just in case we wanted to do any EXTREME testing. Next time we use it, we'll make sure we're at the top of a mountain or jumping out of a plane.

We were also big fans of the shorter load time, closer to 20 seconds than the full minute we got from the [AlcoHawk] Elite, but the ABI only gave us info down to two decimal places, so that's the tradeoff. But honestly, how many decimals do you need for what you'll be using it for? Another high point is the fact that this puppy is good for more than 300 tests on one battery. Now that's a lot of drinkin'. Oh, and plus, it comes with an AC adaptor, so you can test and drive at the same time. Just kidding.

The Gearlog website reviewed both the AlcoHawk Slim and ABI models in May 2006:

I liked the AlcoHawk Slim because it fits right in your pocket or purse. I felt that it was pretty accurate, but it takes awhile to warm up. The AlcoHawk ABI is a bit bigger than the Slim. It's actually the company's best selling unit. The ABI takes less time to warm up than the Slim does, which is handy for impatient drunkards. If I had to choose one over the other, I'd go with the ABI, just for the fact that it seems more accurate (since it's DOT approved) and comes with a car charger.

Cargo magazine in April 2006 wrote: "It takes just five seconds but delivers a lifetime's worth of peace of mind."

Indy Men's Magazine in November 2005 wrote:

Everyone thinks he knows some formula that exactly calculates his level of inebriation, usually involving multiplication of the size of the hoagies he ate and the number of Kamikazes he drank divided by the hours he was in direct sunlight. But carry over one wrong remainder, and you're in the clink faster that you can say the alphabet backward. Thanks to this little gizmo, the guesswork is no longer necessary. In just a few months, the AlcoHawk has already been successfully and appropriately used by me and my friends at least a dozen times. Except that one time, at a house party, when we used it to see who could "win." To be honest, it was more fun than Hungry Hungry Hippos.

The Q3 Innovations website says:

The AlcoHawk ABI has obtained FDA 510K Pre-market Clearance and meets DOT  [Department of Transportation] standards as a Breath Alcohol Screener. It utilizes a state-of-the-art semiconductor oxide sensor to test breath alcohol content quickly and accurately. The simple one-button operation provides a digital reading in seconds. It is one of the top selling breath alcohol screening devices in the market. All AlcoHawk now include Sensor Recognition Technology to monitor for certain types of abnormal sensor conditions.

The AlcoHawk ABI includes five mouthpieces, a soft carrying pouch, wrist strap, owner's manual, quick start guide, and a 1 year warranty.

* Get the Latest Price on the AlcoHawk ABI Breathalyzer.
 

May 10^th, 2006
Updated: February 15th, 2007
Updated: November 8th, 2007 

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