Customer Reviews

Alcohawk ABI Digital Alcohol Breath Tester

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I got the ABI breathalyzer a couple of months ago and was very fond of it at first. Ok, the beeping is annoying, but it seemed to provide precise readings, which were interesting especially the day after....However, the unit got progressively decalibrated, with readings now about twice as high as they should be, and there is no way to calibrate it on your own. I will try another brand next time.

I've owned mine for a couple years. It's a great product and approved by the DOT to be accurate within .01 at .08. In other words if you blow .07 you are between .06 & .08. Using common sense I feel the machine is certainly accurate within it's technical specifications. At .08 on this machine I have a decent buzz but feel like I can drive fine, but I can see why the cops wouldn't agree.

I've read some comments like, "I blew .30" and wasn't passed out. Well the fact that you blew .30 on this machine is meaningless. Even the fact that you blew .15 is meaningless. This is a preliminary screening device intended to be accurate only near .08.

Note: The DOT approves breathalyzers, "for law enforcement use." You can buy one of these if you'd like, they start around $500.00 and are accurate to .005 from 0.00 all the way to .40.

If you treat this tool like a toy and take it out to the bars you will throw off the calibration and will need to send it in for re-calibration ($24.99 includes return shipping). When used shortly after consuming alcohol you will get a "hot" read and will need to have it recalibrated. The machine can't handle the high alcohol concentration due alcohol still being in your saliva (vs from the capilaries in your lungs). Don't eat or drink for 20 minutes, then use it and it works great.

A little bit of common sense goes a long way. You're buying a machine that costs around $125, the machines the police use start around $500. I believe the model used most commonly by police goes for around $800.

This product worked very well. I took it on a field test out bar hopping all weekend. Other people didn't rate it so well, but I will only work if you follow the guidelines. This means you do have wait a little after drinking before blowing into it. If you blow into it while drinking you are blowing pure alcohol into the machine and it will give you a much higher reading. If you do wait at least 10-15 mins, the reading will be accurate. I ended up blowing a .23 at the end of the night which was probably right on the money. I was very hammered. The next morning, eight hours later, I blew a .10. I was still to drunk to drive the next day. Good to know things like that I would never have thought.

The only bad things about it is the fact its slightly bigger than I would have liked. I could still carry it comfortably in my jeans pocket, but its bigger than a cell phone. Also, it is made out of plastic that doesn't seem very durable. Drunks have a tendacy to drop things, I dont know how many times it could be dropped and continue working.

This product works, and it works well. It provides hours of entertainment at the bar, and, if you heed its numbers, keeps you from behind both the wheel of a car and the bars of a jail cell. Use it for fun and to save your bacon! Worth every penny, as a DUI or DWI will cost you a lot more!

And as for the calibration issues. Recalibrate it by blowing compressed air through it or putting the mouthpiece out the window of your car on the freeway, mouthpiece forward, while it does its countdown. The blast of air during the countdown recalibrates the machine. Mine has worked, doing regular recalibrations, for nearly six months now.

i drink a lot, and the first time i tested it, it was right when i would have considered myself "buzzed" (after 3.5 drinks worth) and it measured my BAC as being .09

when it beeps it is kind of loud, but that is a minor issue considering the beeping is supposed to alert SEVERLY INTOXICATED people of their drunkenness.

I purchased this a few weeks ago and have tried it as well as had a few friends try it to see it worked the same for them.

Basically it seems like the makers of the product said we really don't want people thinking they can drive by giving a reading of .07 or something, so lets make this thing multiply the real reading by 2. One night after 4 beers in 2 hours, and the recommended 20 minute waiting period afterwards, I blew a .14. Last weekend at the end of the night I blew a .33 and was not in driving shape, but far from blacked out. My friend that same night (all following the 20 minute delay periods as well) blew a .37. As a 105lb girl I am pretty sure she wasn't anywhere near that considering we were having a conversation and the instruction manual said she should be in a deep coma and at .40 she should be dead.

On the other side it is very consistent. I blow, and wait 2 minutes, nearly identical everytime. I guess you just need to know what real number corresponds to what they are telling you. I am going to try re-calibrating a few more times before I return it though.

Fine for the first six weeks or so...very interesting...but now reading 3.4 after 3 beers...

Like most technology hardware companies these days, the margin is in the services. $19.95 to recalibrate...

Not really pleased with the purchase, as I don't see long term value for your $100. Was it worth $100 for six weeks? no.

So I've hardly used this thing, mainly because I don't go out so often.
But the few times I have, it comes back with some number which I then check again a second time and just seeing anything higher than .05 makes me take a deep breath lean my seat back and take a nap.

The readings fluctuate a little bit but I like keeping it in my car just as a warning to myself, I don't care if it's 100% accurate it just keeps me from driving when I'm still tipsy.
In the end it's worth getting home later and avoid a DUI.

Easy to use and fast to warm up, this handy gadget stows easily in the car. Play with it in the safely of your home while having a drink or two--you will be surprised to learn that even when you think you would be OK to drive you are often way over the legal limit. Anyone who ever has even one drink before taking the wheel should purchase this product or a similar one. It can save your life or driving record. I am giving these as gifts to all my friends.

This device keeps us informed of our blood alcohol content (BAC) to let us know when we're too impaired to drive. It works great and is easy to use. A very important purchase. If more people had the sense to use an alcohol detector, there would be fewer fatalities & arrests. Highly recommended.