The portable breathalyzer is one of the most exciting new gadgets to become widely available to consumers in recent years. This item is innovative on a number of different levels the first being that traditional breathalyzers are cumbersome and difficult to use. With a portable breathalyzer you can quickly know what your own blood alcohol level is or that of another person. Though these are fun to play around with, they should not be used to determine if you can drive or not as the best rule of thumb is that it is never safe to drive after consuming alcohol.

There are some distinct benefits of having portable breathalyzers for both the general public and law enforcement agencies. The first is that a portable model of this device makes determining blood alcohol content easier than ever on routine traffic stops. A portable breathalyzer test means that law enforcement can determine the blood alcohol content of any individual no matter where they are as opposed to being tied to their breathalyzer that in the past was generally kept in police stations.

Another benefit is that because this test is portable, it works a bit more simply than a traditional test. Though the basic function is still the same, the fact that it is a smaller item makes it a bit easier to use. Like a traditional breathalyzer, a portable alcohol breathalyzer uses the breath of the individual being tested to determine how much alcohol is being stored in the alveoli of the lungs. When an individual is truly drunk or has consumed large amounts of alcohol their body stores it in different areas of the body, blood and the lungs are just two of these places.

When someone is being tested for alcohol consumption, they are always asked to blow rather forcefully into the breathalyzer machine. This is to insure that when they breathe all the air is expelled from both their lungs and the alveoli that line them. When someone who has been drinking heavily expels breath from these sacks that line the lungs it is easy to determine how much they have been drinking by measuring how much is stored in these pockets of the lungs. This is how a basic breathalyzer works and also how a portable version works.

With personal versions however, there are less extra features, and accuracy does go down a bit. That is one of the reasons that it should not be used to determine if you are ok to drive. Though they do give up a bit of accuracy in order to be smaller and more compact, they are still accurate and good if you want a general idea of your own blood alcohol content.The professional versions available are extremely accurate and their results will stand up in a court of law. These more precise portable breathalyzers are available to the general public and are a good way to learn how alcohol affects the body.

Personal breathalyzer accuracy is a bit less than that of other methods but it does offer a good idea of your own reading. There are some professional models that boast a super sensitive sensor which can help to increase the accuracy of the readings that you get. There are also models that boast a secondary checking system within the machine which means that your reading is doubly accurate and these also help to increase accuracy.

These portable machines are incredibly varied and it is because of this that you need to consider what you are buying carefully prior to buying. Just because something has a big price tag does not mean that it is the best model available. There are dozens of different models and each has their own distinct extras and special qualities. The things that you need to look for are sensor life, design, warranty, mouthpieces, and the life of the product. These characteristics are important because they can help you determine which machines are worth the money and which are not.

A good portable alcohol breathalyzer will have multiple settings, an extended sensor life, a sensor that can detect very small levels of alcohol, a warranty of some sort, and various other extras. The cost of these breathalyzers is as varied as the products themselves. Different models can be anything from fifty dollars up to the hundreds. The important thing however is that you look for features not price and that you are certain that what you are getting is what you want. These portable machines are great for law enforcement, parents, and even the frequent party goer in order to see what your blood alcohol level is at any time.