Buying guide · 34 models
Alcohol testing machines, breathalyzers and breath analysers
Whether you call it a breathalyzer, a breath analyser or an alcohol tester, the question is the same: which one fits the testing you need to do. This page compares our whole range by what each family is for, explains how the sensors differ, and walks through the choice.
34 models from 
1,000 to 50,000, excluding tax. Full price list
Breathalyzer, breath analyser, alcohol tester: one device, four names
People search for the same instrument in four ways. "Breathalyzer" began as a brand name and became the everyday word. "Breath analyser" (or analyzer) is the word used in specifications and tenders. "Alcohol tester" is what most buyers call a small personal unit, and "alcohol testing machine" is how a company buyer usually describes one that will test staff or drivers. They all do one job: estimate how much alcohol is in a person's blood from a sample of their breath.
The difference that matters is not the name but what the device is built for: a quick personal check, screening a queue of people, or a measured reading that someone else will act on. The table below groups our range that way.
Compare the range
Every model we sell, grouped by what it is built for. Prices exclude tax and are read from each product's own page.
| Family | Built for | Sensor | Models | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall-Mount Systems | Fixed at a gate, plant entry or depot, so everyone on a shift is tested at the same point. | Fuel cell | 30,000 – 40,000 | |
| Professional Analyzers | Handheld units for testing other people as part of a job; most print a paper record. | Semiconductor, Fuel cell | 9,500 – 50,000 | |
| Non-Contact Screening | Quick checks of many people, most without a mouthpiece. | Non-contact, Semiconductor |
| 4,000 – 20,000 |
| Screening Batons | Baton-shaped testers for roadside, gate and patrol checks. | Semiconductor, Non-contact, Fuel cell |
| 3,500 – 40,000 |
| Personal & Compact | Pocket testers for a personal check, and low-cost units for small teams. | Semiconductor |
| 1,000 – 10,000 |
How an alcohol testing machine reads a breath
Alcohol in the blood passes into the air in the lungs, so a deep breath from the bottom of the lungs carries alcohol in proportion to what is in the blood. The machine measures that air and converts it into a reading such as %BAC, mg/100mL or mg/L.
A semiconductor sensor uses a heated metal-oxide element whose resistance changes when alcohol reaches it. It is compact and inexpensive, which is why pocket testers use it, but it drifts with use and is recalibrated more often.
A fuel cell sensor oxidises the alcohol in the sample and produces a small electric current in proportion to it. It responds to alcohol rather than to anything that will burn, and holds its calibration longer, which is why professional analysers and wall-mount stations use it.
A non-contact unit is a screener. The person breathes towards it without a mouthpiece and it flags whether alcohol is present. It is fast and hygienic for checking many people. Anyone it flags is then tested on a mouthpiece unit for a measured reading.
How to choose an alcohol tester
Six questions settle most choices. Answer them in order and the table above narrows to two or three models.
1. Who is being tested: yourself, or other people?
For a personal check before driving, a pocket semiconductor tester is enough. If you are testing employees, drivers or visitors, the reading may be questioned, so start with a fuel cell analyser.
2. How many tests a day?
A handful a day suits a handheld unit. A gate where a full shift arrives at once needs either a wall-mount station that people walk up to, or a non-contact screener that checks the queue and sends anyone it flags to a mouthpiece unit.
3. Does the result need a record?
If a reading may lead to someone being stopped from working or driving, a printed slip with the date and time is a record nobody has to copy by hand. Several professional analysers print; some add Bluetooth or a fingerprint so the record also names the operator.
4. Where will it be used?
A wall-mount station suits a fixed entry point with power. A baton suits roadside and patrol work. A pocket unit suits a glovebox or a site office. Pick the form first and the model second.
5. What will it cost to run?
Add mouthpieces and calibration to the purchase price. A fuel cell unit costs more to buy but is recalibrated less often than a semiconductor one.
6. What reading unit do you need?
If readings go into an existing register or policy, choose a unit that displays the same measure, such as %BAC or mg/100mL, rather than converting by hand. Each product page lists the units it shows.
Where each type is used
The same questions lead different workplaces to different machines. These are the usual pairings.
- Transport and logistics — Drivers tested at the depot before a trip, usually on a printing fuel cell analyser so the slip goes with the trip sheet.
- Factories and plants — A wall-mount station at the shift gate, or a non-contact screener backed by a mouthpiece unit.
- Construction and mining — A rugged handheld in the site office for a pre-shift check before work at height or with heavy machinery.
- Police and checkpoints — A baton to screen the queue, and a printing unit in the vehicle for anyone it flags.
Running costs, calibration and warranty
Each person tested on a mouthpiece unit needs a fresh mouthpiece; replacements are ₹30 each. Every breath analyser needs periodic calibration to keep its reading true, and we calibrate in our own lab for ₹2,000 to ₹6,000 depending on the device. The calibration cycle for each model is on its product page.
Fuel cell models carry a 1-year warranty and semiconductor models 6 months, with after-sales support on WhatsApp. All prices on this site exclude tax.
Getting a fair reading
Wait at least 15 minutes after a drink, food, smoking, or a mouthwash or mouth spray before testing. Alcohol left in the mouth gives a reading higher than what is in the blood, and the wait lets it clear.
Ask for one long, steady breath rather than a short puff, use a fresh mouthpiece for every person, and keep the unit away from alcohol-based hand sanitiser, whose vapour can affect the sensor. If a reading is close to a limit that matters, wait and test again.
Questions
- What does an alcohol testing machine cost?
- Our range runs from ₹1,000 for a pocket tester to ₹50,000 for a professional analyser with a printer, excluding tax. The table on this page gives the price of every model, grouped by what it is for.
- Is a breathalyzer the same as an alcohol testing machine?
- Yes. Breathalyzer, breath analyser, alcohol tester and alcohol testing machine all describe an instrument that estimates blood alcohol from a breath sample. What differs between models is the sensor, whether it prints, and whether it is built for personal use or for testing other people.
- Which is better, a fuel cell or a semiconductor breath analyser?
- A fuel cell sensor responds to alcohol specifically and holds its calibration longer, so it is the choice when a reading will be recorded or acted on. A semiconductor sensor is smaller and costs less, and suits personal checks. Both need periodic calibration.
- Can a non-contact alcohol tester replace a mouthpiece tester?
- No. A non-contact unit screens: it shows whether alcohol is present without a mouthpiece, which makes checking many people fast. A mouthpiece unit takes the measured reading. Most sites use both, screening first and measuring anyone the screener flags.
- How often does an alcohol testing machine need calibration?
- It depends on the sensor and how much it is used; each product page lists its calibration cycle. We calibrate in our own lab for ₹2,000 to ₹6,000 depending on the device.
- What is the legal alcohol limit for driving in India?
- 30 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (0.03% BAC), under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Not sure which one?
Tell us who will be tested, roughly how many tests a day, and whether you need a printed record. We will suggest a model and quote, including bulk orders for companies and departments and delivery to your city.