It’s over 50 years since the police first put breathalysers to the test
on an unlucky motorist at the roadside in Shropshire. Before that, the criteria for prosecution for drink-driving were somewhat less scientific – whether you could touch your nose with your eyes shut, walk in a straight line or stand on one leg. In 1967, in an era when there was a more socially accepted view of drink-driving and lenient enforcement, approximately 1,640 road deaths were linked to alcohol.
The Road Safety Act of 1967 set the maximum limit at 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (0.35mg of alcohol per litre of breath). It became an offence for the first time to be in charge of a motor vehicle with a blood or breath alcohol concentration exceeding that limit, and deaths dropped immediately. They’re down to a little over 200 a year now, despite car ownership going through the roof, and that’s due to a change in attitudes and more rigid policing — more than half a million tests are now carried out each year.
Most are aware that drinking at the pub and driving afterwards is unsafe. However, the ‘morning after’ remains a potential trap for even the most cautious drivers. Total abstinence from alcohol is the safest choice, but for those who choose to drink, modern personal breathalysers provide reliable next-day readings.
While we all know a night out at the pub is not conducive to a safe drive home, the ‘morning after’ can catch out even the most careful of drivers. The only way to stay safe is to avoid alcohol entirely, but for those who choose to drink, modern personal breathalysers provide reliable next-day readings.
In the name of science, we spent many hours drinking heavily to put a range of devices to the test…
| Model | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| AlcoSense Pro | £150 | ★★★★★ |
| AlcoSense Elite 3 | £70 | ★★★★☆ |
| AlcoSense Excel | £100 | ★★★★☆ |
| AlcoSense NF Breathalyser | £3 | ★★★☆☆ |
| AlcoDigital Neo | £100 | ★★★☆☆ |
| AlcoDigital Platinum | £189 | ★★★☆☆ |
| AlcoDigital 4000 | £315 | ★★★☆☆ |
| Victsing GECA011AB | £10 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
AlcoSense NF Breathalyser
£3
AlcoSense has the market for personal breathalysers pretty much sewn up, although a few others like AlcoDigital, Bactrack and Kenwood muscle in. AlcoSense’s strength is in its range, which runs from units with countless features to these single-use breathalysers that will give you change from a fiver.
While cheap, they were a pain to use, but they meet the legal requirements for driving through France, where you’re required to have one in the car so the Gendarmerie will be able to tick their boxes.
Setting the test up wasn’t easy, with the clear crystals in the stick spilling everywhere on our first attempt. Squeezing the air out of the bag you’ve blown into was also surprisingly tricky, but the markings were unambiguous. Not bad for the cheapest device at just £3 — although remember you’ll need two of them for France.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
Not something to rely on, but enough to keep the Gendarmerie happy.
VicTsing GECA011AB
£10
There are countless £10ish breathalysers on Amazon, most unbranded and most imported from China. We picked one randomly, but you’re likely to get the same results from whichever of the oddly-named options you choose, and they’ll all be pretty unconvincing.
It starts badly, with the ‘manual’ advising the user to rinse their mouth with water before use, which risks contaminating the sensor with moisture and could lead to inaccurate readings.
In fairness, it was already assumed to be wildly inaccurate, reading more than double every other machine, but at least overestimated things. If being consistently wrong was a positive thing, then the Victsing would have this test won.
Verdict: ★☆☆☆☆
Hopeless, but in very minor defence, it did over rather than under-read.
AlcoSense Elite 3
£70
The newest model from AlcoSense, the Elite 3, uses a semi-conductor sensor, which tends not to produce results that are as consistent as a fuel-cell sensor on more expensive models.
But cost is where the Elite 3 excels. At just £70, it packs a load of tech to ensure you’re safe on the road. You can set the right alcohol level for England or Scotland, and other settings are accessed via switches in the battery dock rather than through a swish menu.
It takes some time to warm up and then only leaves you with a short window to take your breath test, but they’re only minor quibbles for something that offers excellent value for money.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Excellent value makes up for a slightly slow experience.
AlcoDigital Neo
£100
The Neo from Alcodigital adds connectivity to the breathalysing process. While you can use the device as a standalone unit — and it’s very easy to do that, with just a single button and a clear, unambiguous display — the ability to connect it via Bluetooth to an app opens up some interesting possibilities.
Chief among those is the ability of a parent to ensure their children are safe out on the road. The iSober app controls the device, letting the user know when to blow into the tube and how long for, but it also takes a photo of the process. The photo, a map of the user’s GPS location and details of the reading measured against the limits in their area can then be emailed, leaving few ways to escape parental overview.
Outside the app, the Neo uses a fuel-cell sensor similar to other premium models, which should ensure a reasonable degree of accuracy. Alcodigital also recommends sending the unit for recalibration every 12 months, although this costs £33.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
A bargain price with some great features for families. Getting the app and machine talking isn’t always easy, though.
AlcoSense Excel
£100
The compact Excel unit from AlcoSense does things slightly differently. It explains that it reads too high to meet European guidelines, countering the tendency for readings on these fuel-cell sensors to drift downwards over time. The fuel-cell sensor itself is a mini version of that found in police equipment, so reasonable accuracy should be a given, and it’s all housed in a unit that feels like a solid, high-quality bit of equipment.
The unit provides results with a clear green, amber or red screen that is entirely self-explanatory and leaves no room for doubt. The ability to change limits to meet demands across other countries (Scotland’s limit is lower, for example) is handy, while the compact casing, rugged build quality, comprehensive instructions and ease of use make it easy to recommend this £100 device, even with an annual service at £30.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Solid, easy to use and reliable. It’s a really well-considered product.
AlcoSense Pro
£150
It might look similar to the AlcoSense Excel, but does the Pro pack enough extra features in its shell to warrant an additional £50 on the asking price? A larger sensor than the Excel — a more compact, 121mm version of the sensor used in most police breathalysers — promises improved accuracy, with algorithms ensuring it never under-reads. There’s even a temperature sensor to compensate for changing conditions.
It’s an absolute cinch to use, guiding the user through the process with a ‘BlowCoach’ that ensures you don’t waste time and energy providing invalid samples, before giving unambiguous results. You’ll never be left in any doubt as to whether there’s any alcohol in your system, with the unit a green screen for zero or trace amounts of alcohol, amber for when there’s some potential impairment, and red if you get within 80% of the limit. Cleverly, in all circumstances where there’s a positive result, it estimates how long it will be before you’re clear and can remind you to take another test then.
It’s possible to spend more — the Ultra version is £250 and uses the same sensor as the police, while the AlcoDigital 4000 tested below hits £330 — but this AlcoSense Pro model represents an impressive balance between accuracy, usability and price, even with annual servicing at £30. It’s our recommended model for the morning after.
Verdict: ★★★★★
Improved accuracy and a stunningly easy-to-use unit mean this is undoubtedly the best all-rounder.
AlcoDigital Platinum
£189
AlcoDigital’s Platinum device is pleasingly quick and easy to use and was unerringly consistent in its readings. However, there’s no way of changing the limits on the device, so you’ll need to remember what the limit is for where you are — bear in mind that the Scottish limit is lower than England’s.
AlcoDigital recommends that the unit is sent back to them each year for calibration, ensuring long-term accuracy. Impressively, the fuel-cell sensor is replaceable, potentially negating the need for the annual service, but at £53 for a new clip-in unit, it’s more expensive than sending the unit in for a service.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
A neat system, but the inability to set local limits hamper its usefulness.
AlcoDigital 4000
£315
AlcoDigital’s semi-professional device, the snappily titled 4000, uses the same sensor as police equipment and is wrapped up in a compact, incredibly easy-to-use unit. Built by Drager, it’s a solid and unobtrusive device that promises impressive accuracy thanks to the 220mm sensor.
It feels solid, too, with a two-year warranty suggesting it’s more than skin-deep quality. It’ll only record the last 10 tests, but the readings were consistent, and the machine was straightforward to use.
Annual servicing is required at £33, and the £315 price tag is steep, but you’re paying for quality.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
German quality doesn’t come cheap, but £315 feels a little too much.
He is the founder of Huff Media, publisher of Professional Pickup, Professional Van, Average Janes, Average Joes, and CALIBRE. His work focuses primarily on light commercial vehicles, pickups, and real-world vehicle use, with much of his time spent on manufacturer launches, industry events, and long-term vehicle testing.