Product Comparison: AlcoHAWK PT500 vs BACtrack S80

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Best Pick

AlcoHAWK PT500 Breathalyzer Alcohol Detector

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BACtrack S80 Professional Breathalyzer Alcohol Tester

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General Specifications

Brand

AlcoHAWK

BACtrack

Model

PT500

S80

Origin

China

About the Product

The AlcoHAWK PT500 is the premium model portable breathalyzer. With a wide range of features, it can be used as a professional or personal breath alcohol analyzer.

BACtrack’s premier professional breathalyzer, the S80 Pro is an ideal choice for law enforcement, health professionals or anyone who requires the most dependable BAC results. It features police-grade Xtend® Fuel Cell Sensor Technology with enhanced linear accuracy, and convenient one-button operation for fast and accurate BAC results.

Key Specs

Warm-Up Time

20 sec.

Response Time

3 sec.

Range

0.000 – 0.400 %BAC

0.000 – 0.500 %BAC

Accuracy

+/- 0.01% at 0.05% BAC

+/- 0.01 %BAC @ 0.02 %BAC

Warm-Up Time
Response Time

What customers say about "Key Specs"

AlcoHAWK PT500 Breathalyzer Alcohol Detector

This is a great item to keep yourself and your guests safe. It does not get a clogged filter that constantly needs recalibrated like less expensive models and accuracy to 3 decimal places is very good to have.
Its easy to use. The accuracy is never really entirely known since I don't have an "official" comparison through a police officer, but it "feels" like it would be accurate.
Easy to use and convenient to carry. Accuracy is difficult to gauge but should give a good indication of BAC if you err on the safe side. Calibration requirement a hassle.
The accuracy is listed as .005 + or - at 05%. I would say it's probably more like + or - .001. It quickly always gives the same values and maybe down .001 as the kidneys uses the alcohol.
I ordered this breathalyzer last year and have used it off and on for a couple months. The results have not been consistent at all. It will show 0 when I have clearly had alcohol, often more than one drink. Results will vary considerably depending on how hard I blow.
Really inaccurate; I was hoping that this would be a good alternative to the higher priced professional models, but it fell well short. I tested this against someone who had no alcohol and it registered a .08%.

BACtrack S80 Professional Breathalyzer Alcohol Tester

Not only does this tester measure to the thousandths place, it also has features to ensure the most accurate measurement possible
It is easy to use and very accurate plus fits on glove box nicely. Been using it for years now and would highly recommend to others.
Simple to use. Very accurate. (Compared accuracy to two other devices by other manufacturers.) Super fast results. It functions perfectly. So simple a drunk could use it.
I think the most important aspect of a breathalyzer is accuracy and this device is one of the most accurate you can.
The only downside is that this product's instruction manual recommends re-calibration every 6-12 months without any place to mail in the unit, or instructions for how to do this. I'd be worried about accuracy in the long run.
Okay product to make you think before driving but the accuracy is questionable. With a price tag like this has, I would go a different route.
Not so sure on accuracy. But a cool tool to get an idea of where your at with B.A.C

Size & Weight

Material

Plastic

Color

Black

Height

5 in.

4.8 in.

Width

2.63 in.

2.3 in.

Depth

1.25 in.

0.8 in.

Weight

5.2 oz.

4.8 oz.

Features

Sensor Type

Electro-chemical fuel cell

LCD Screen

Back-lit LCD display

4 digit LCD display

Power Supply

2 x AA batteries

Extras

Adjustable blowing time, Optimal Breath Capture, Temperature monitor, USA Calibrations and Quality Assurance, Trusted by Law Enforcement, Multiple output conversions

Sleek, rounded edges maximize style and comfort, Replaceable, hygienic mouthpiece, Low power requirements. Get up to 1500 tests on one set of AA batteries, One button operation, DOT/NHTSA Tested and Compliant

What customers say about "Features"

AlcoHAWK PT500 Breathalyzer Alcohol Detector

It also has a temp readout, so you can know when it's warmed up enough to get the best reading. Very nice feature.
Size is small enough were you can slip it in your pocket and step in a bathroom or something to take a reading without garnering attention.
It's also quiet. No loud beeping or buzzing sounds when being utilized. Fits nicely in the center console or glove box of the car as well.
It worked fine for a few months. Maybe used 40 times. Then it quit working. New batteries did not help. It made a definite "click" when sampling. Now no click and no reading 0.000.
It works well but if you have multiple people use it, it will become faulty and average the same number for everyone.

BACtrack S80 Professional Breathalyzer Alcohol Tester

Good product and features. You can program the unit to require 3, 5, or 7 second breath samples (the longer, the more accurate). Mine is set to the default 5 seconds and seems to be accurate to within .01% BAC.
This unit uses fuel cell technology, which is absolutely what you want. The number of samples that can be taken before requiring recalibration is impressive, and the recalibration only costs $20 (I have not gone through this process yet).
3 digit read out is a good feature. Fast, dependable, and appears to be very accurate.
Battery stays charged for a very long time and this is an indispensable addition to my car's glove compartment.
One feature I would have liked is a little memory, which it doesn't have.

Warranty / Certifications

Manufacturer Warranty

1 year(s)

Certifications

Other Information

Manual

Download

Manufacturer

Link

MSRP

129.99 $