Alcohawk PT500 Review

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Updated January 25, 2022
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8.7
Expert Rating

Do you need something to make sure you know when to drive and when to not? Looking for modern car accessories to help with preventing those DUI’s from law enforcement? Well, the Alcohawk PT500 will make that a whole lot easier as with a single blow into its fuel cell sensor will give you the breath alcohol level, showing you whether or not you should be driving. And while some customer reviews may report having received defective parts, with a replacement you can get yourself a device with a great lcd display which shows everything with precision and accuracy of potentially the best breathalyzer out there. If you want a breathalyzer that you can easily connect to your phone, take a look at our BACtrack mobile breathalyzer review.

Why We Like It – Alcohawk PT500

Coming with the PT Core Electrochemical Fuel Cell, the Alcohawk PT500 makes taking alcohol level tests a whole lot easier with a much more accurate result than most breathalyzers. The 4 Digit display shows results more precisely and reduces false positives for diabetes, all while being powered by the common AA batteries instead of AAA. And so, with all that and being certified by DOT/NHTSA as well as the FDA for blood alcohol detection, the Alcohawk PT500 is a great breathalyzer, worth considering.

Pros
  • Pretty Accurate
  • FDA and DOT approved
  • Powered by easy to find AA batteries
Cons
  • Customer reports of not being sensitive enough

Related: Check out the Aikenuo 6 Port Car Adapter that works with iPhone/Android cell phones.

Performance

The PT Core Fuel Cell sensor technology implemented into the Alcohawk PT500 breathalyzer makes sure that there are far less false positives for those with diabetes or a low calorie diet, as unlike semiconductor breathalyzers, the fuel cell sensor does not take into account the ketones which are present in the breath of those suffering from diabetes or have a low fat diet. This is similar to the BacTrack S80 Breathalyzer as well as the BACtrack Trace Breathalyzer both which are also fuel cell breathalyzers.

Moreover, when it comes to accuracy, the Alcohawk PT500 offers linear responses to the changes in measured alcohol, with a BAC uncertainty of 0.05% and a total range of 0 to 0.4%. And paired with the LCD screen displaying the results in 4 digits which can even pick up trace amounts of BAC, it will help you from contemplating about whether to drive or not after drinks. When it comes to using the device itself, the device needs 10-20 seconds of a warmup time and then 5 seconds of blowing into the sensor and then 5 to 10 more seconds for the result to show up on the display. Unfortunately, it does require frequent calibration with taking an air sample for 5 seconds for every new environment which can get irritating for most people.

As for the battery life on the device, it is powered by two AA batteries which provides you with upto 200 tests before the batteries run out. This makes it a bit more easier to use than the BACtrack Trace Breathalyzer which requires the more rare AAA batteries. Apart from that, thanks to the PT Core Fuel-Cell, the Alcohawk PT500 will last you up to a solid 1000 tests before becoming unusable, making it less costly in the long run.

Related: The AlcoMate Revo TS200 is also an accurate blood alcohol level detector you can connect to your phone.

Design

Measuring to be 5 x 2.63 x 1.25 Inches and weighing about 5.29 ounces with the batteries and the Shock resistant, molded plastic housing, the Alcohawk PT500 makes for a pretty compact and simultaneously capable breathalyzer. While it doesn’t come with a keychain like the BACtrack C6 Keychain Breathalyzer, it does still provide you with more than enough portability.

As for the controls on the device, you get a simple menu-driven operation with three buttons allowing you to navigate it. And considering the fact that it even comes with 5 included mouthpieces make it more flexible to be used multiple times by different people. Plus with a visual warning on the easy to read display apart from the audio alarm when the BAC crosses the acceptable limit, makes it much more convenient to use for people when drunk.

Value

Priced at about $113, the Alcohawk PT500 falls within the more higher priced breathalyzers out there. And with everything it offers ranging from the accuracy to the easy to use design as well as the DOT and FDA certification, it can definitely be worth money, rather than paying the high DUI fees in the United States. But, if you happen to get a defective part and you think that using the return policy on amazon com can become a difficult process, then consider getting yourself another breathalyzer. But other than that, if you do get the working model, the Alcohawk PT500 is definitely worth the price as a breathalyzer.

Alcohawk PT500 Wrap Up

While it may not have any form of keychain to carry it in or be the most affordable breathalyzer, with an easy to use design along with both accuracy and precision thanks to the PT Core Fuel Cell Sensor Technology the Alcohawk PT500 will make your life a whole lot easier. No longer will you have to contemplate driving after some drinks. And thus, allowing both civilians and professionals to understand the limits of alcohol, the Alcohawk PT500 is among one of the best breathalyzers out there right now.

Bottom Line
Performance
8.5
Design
8.8
Value
8.8
Reader Rating0 Votes
0
What We Liked
What We Didn’t
8.7
Expert Rating