Buy alcohol testers and breathalysers - measure blood alcohol
Do you want to know whether you are still allowed to drive after consuming alcohol? Or do you have to be able to safely check other people's fitness to drive for professional reasons? With our mobile alcohol testers and breathalysers, you can rely on quick results with the highest measurement accuracy. In our online shop, you can buy alcohol testers that impress with their ease of use. The alcohol content of the blood is shown on an LCD display or indicated by discoloured granules. The breathalysers in our range are handy devices - about the size of a smartphone - that can be carried in your handbag or jacket pocket. Many models also offer the option of saving measurement results and evaluating them later via an app.
Replaceable mouthpieces with a back-breathing barrier ensure maximum hygiene when using breathalysers. They also guarantee more reliable readings than blow tubes or devices without a blow-in aid. The mouthpiece should be replaced after each use. This serves both hygiene and the accuracy of the measurement result. Do not attempt to clean the mouthpieces - this could interfere with the function of the back-breathing barrier, causing measurement inaccuracies and incorrect results. Buy a breathalyser now!
How does a breathalyser work?
A breathalyser measures the breath alcohol concentration during use to calculate the blood alcohol concentration. When you drink alcohol, much of it enters the blood through digestion. However, ethanol is also released into the air you breathe via the alveoli. This happens as part of the natural gas exchange during breathing. Breathalysers contain either chemicals that change colour on contact with exhaled air or sensitive sensors that measure the alcohol concentration.
Since the breath alcohol concentration is much lower than the blood alcohol concentration, an electronic breathalyser calculates the actual alcohol level based on the breath alcohol concentration. In rapid tests consisting of a tube to blow into, granules are usually used that change colour when they come into contact with alcohol in the breath.
Mobile, digital breathalysers compared to other systems
Mobile, digital breathalysers and breath alcohol testers are battery operated. Thanks to exchangeable mouthpieces, the high-quality devices can be used over a long period of time. In addition, digital breathalysers are also used by the police during general traffic controls. Depending on the type, the testing devices use different sensors to determine the test person's blood alcohol level based on their breath:
- Semiconductor sensor: has a sensor layer coated with metal oxides that reacts to ethanol and similar gases.
- Infrared sensor: Measures the light transmission of injected gases and thus determines the alcohol content.
- Electrochemical sensor: the oxidation of metal by a gas - in this case ethanol - produces a current flow between two diodes. This current flow enables a conclusion to be drawn about the blood alcohol level.
Disposable alcohol tests
These rapid alcohol tests, also known as blow tubes, consist of simple plastic tubes containing chemical granules. If these granules come into contact with ethanol, they change colour. The test is not performed directly into the tube, but first into a balloon. The breath from the inflated balloon is then released into the test tube. The measurement accuracy of disposable alcohol tests is lower than that of sensor-based alcohol testers. However, they provide sufficient information about current fitness to drive. As disposable tests, the tubes and balloons must also be disposed of after use.
Alcolock ignition lock
The Alcolock is a highly efficient but also very expensive system that was developed specifically for installation in cars. It functions as an immobiliser that measures the driver's breath alcohol level before driving and only unlocks when it has been proven that the driver is fit to drive. The measurement accuracy is very high and reaches the quality required for police testing devices. An Alcolock costs around 1,000 euros. Some countries, such as the USA, impose the installation of an Alcolock on alcohol offenders as a court sentence.
Breathalysers for more safety on the road
Drunk drivers are among the greatest dangers in road traffic, as alcohol impairs perception and slows reactions in dangerous situations. Every year, thousands of traffic accidents occur under the influence of alcohol. Breathalysers ensure that the driver of a car is actually fit to drive. The famous "blow" at a police checkpoint can cost drunk drivers their driving licence.
If an increased breath alcohol concentration is detected, a blood sample can then be ordered. The proportion of alcohol in the breath is significantly lower than the blood alcohol concentration, which is why the exact blood alcohol level can only be determined from the blood sample in a laboratory. Therefore, please note that it is not the breath alcohol test but only the blood test that is legally relevant.
A police-accurate alcohol test is now also available to private individuals with the modern testing devices in our range. In Germany, however, there is no obligation to carry alcohol testers in your vehicle. In France, however, it is already a legal requirement to carry an NFX-approved breathalyser in the vehicle.
Catering establishments, on the other hand, often use stationary devices to check guests' fitness to drive and, in case of doubt, advise them against driving home in their own cars. The introduction of alcohol testers that can be installed in vehicles and trigger an immobiliser if alcohol levels are too high is currently already beginning on a trial basis.
The breath alcohol testers from our shop are suitable for private use as well as for use in social services, transport companies or security companies. Check yourself and encourage other drivers to check their breath alcohol concentration.
Accurate and easy-to-use breathalysers can be ordered online here in the shop.
Some tips before you buy a breathalyser online
Before you buy a breathalyser, you should consider exactly what you need the tester for and what measurement quality is required for your purposes. The following questions can help you make your choice:
- What is the accuracy class of the measuring device? These range from level 1+ (professional, police-accurate measurement) to level 4, which only provides an approximation of the actual blood alcohol level. Use at least level 1 for professional-use breathalysers. If you are looking for an NFX-approved breathalyser for driving in France, you will recognise them by the French standard France NFX 20702 for disposable breathalysers and NFX 20704 for reusable testers.
- What kind of sensor or test medium is installed? Depending on the type, semiconductor sensors, infrared sensors, electrochemical sensors or granules are used.
- Can the device be calibrated? Alcohol measuring devices must be recalibrated every six months or once a year, depending on the model.
There are also various differences in the features of alcohol measuring devices. Some alcohol testers have replaceable sensors or allow test results to be evaluated via an app. If the tester has to be carried in the car for private or professional use, a model that can be recharged in the car is recommended.
How to use a breathalyser correctly
Please refer to the enclosed instructions for use for the exact application of your respective breathalyser. Do not drink any alcohol or consume any food containing alcohol for at least 15 minutes before use. Otherwise, so-called mouth alcohol could falsify the measurement result. This is alcohol that is absorbed into the breath from the upper mouth and throat. These residues evaporate by themselves after a while.
Usually, a breath alcohol test proceeds as follows:
After switching the meter on, it first has to warm up. Once it is ready, place the mouthpiece to your lips and blow into the device continuously until the test is finished. Most testers will then beep. If you want to check the test result, simply wait a few minutes for any residual mouth alcohol to dissipate and repeat the procedure using a new mouthpiece.
A new mouthpiece must be used because residual alcohol can remain in a used mouthpiece. A new measurement could be falsified by this. For this reason, you should also not clean or disinfect the mouthpiece.
Order a highly accurate breathalyser cheaply online
In our shop, you can buy alcohol testers and breathalysers online at low prices and with high quality. In addition to alcohol testers, you will also find the following in our online shop:
