Andatech GT breathalyser – don’t blow it (review)

The Andatech GT breathalyser is a small keyring-sized breathalyser that gives you no excuse for DUI after a drink or three.

You know, the problem with having a drink or three is that you really don’t know the alcohol strength, serving size, how fast you metabolise alcohol or how it affects your judgement and driving skills. This clever and accurate device means you don’t need to know – just have the common sense to have a plan B.

A little education first

We are told that it only takes two standard drinks in the first hour and one per hour after that to reach the limit of .05 BAC (Blood Alcohol Content), let alone the fact that L and P-platers and professional drivers must have a zero BAC.

So, how much alcohol is in that drink?

• 375ml can low-strength beer (2.7% alcohol) = 0.8 standard drinks
• 375ml can mid-strength beer (3.5% alcohol) = 1 standard drink
• 375ml can full-strength beer (4.8% alcohol) = 1.4 standard drinks
• 100ml white wine (11.5% alcohol) = .9 standard drinks
• 100ml red wine (13.5% alcohol) = 1 standard drink
• 30ml shot spirits (40% alcohol) = 0.95 standard drinks
• 300-440ml can pre-mix spirits (approx. 5% alcohol) = 1.2-1.7 standard drinks
• 300-440ml can pre-mix spirits (approx. 7% alcohol) = 1.6-2.4 standard drinks

Cocktails, especially those with multiple shots of spirits, are deadly. A single vodka martini has 3 ounces of vodka (90ml), and 1 ounce of dry vermouth blows nearly three standard drinks.

Australian Tools to help work out how much you consume

There is a Blood Alcohol Concentration Calculator (works in any browser) that asks gender, weight, number of standard drinks and how long the drinking session is. For a typical male or female, five cans of beer or four glasses of wine over two hours puts you over the limit. It takes about 3-4/4-5 hours after you stop drinking to reduce BAC to zero.

There is a standard drinks calculator (works in any browser). A pint (570ml) of craft beer takes you over the limit – and we love heavy crafters.

 But who has the time or inclination to use your smartphone to check?

Andatech has an interesting read of sobering myths here.   

Australian Review: Andatech GT breathalyser

Website	Company Page Product Page Manual and Help
RRP 8/1/25	$289 plus freight if applicable 30-day return policy – restocking fee for change of mind                                                                   Calibration management plan option (see later)
Warranty	3-year and optional lifetime guarantee
From	Andatech 9 Trade Place Vermont VIC 3133 Australia +61388996900
Company	Since 2003, Andatech has been a leader in consumer and workplace drug and alcohol testing. It operates a NATA-accredited calibration laboratory and supplies Australian Standards AS3547-certified breathalysers.

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – an excuse to drink!

In my past life, I have reviewed several portable breathalysers, including some supplied by Andatech. Without fail, the Andatech ones were accurate and could be relied on to keep my alcohol consumption and driving in balance.

Joe and Jane Average don’t know much, if anything, about personal breathalysers – the closest they have come is to ‘Blow into the bag, please”. So here is a lesson.

There are several technologies (in order of effectiveness and cost – low to high)

• SC – Semiconductor Sensor
• SC Pro – Professional Grade Semiconductor Sensor for more reliable readings
• FxCell – Fuel Cell Sensor for fast, alcohol-specific BAC readings (likely this model)
• FxCell2 – More advanced fuel cell sensor for faster, more stable performance
• FxCell3 – Industrial grade fuel cell sensor built for long-lasting sensor stability and high volume testing

The Andatech GT breathalyser is a fuel cell model accurate to +/-.005% at .05% BAC. It has a four-digit readout, enabling greater accuracy over the usual two or three digits. For example, where the cheapies may just tell you if you are under or over .05BAC, this will give you 0.049, eliminating the rounding error.

It is eminently pocketable at H: 67.8mm, W: 51.5mm, D: 20.4mm x 65g (pus the keyring at 35g if required).

It runs on one AAA Alkaline battery. We don’t know how many ‘blows’ you get from that.

What is the calibration stuff?

Any breathalyser will eventually lose calibration accuracy. Andatech recommends after 1000 tests or every six months – whichever comes first.

Its plans include two calibrations per year, and you can buy one, three, or five-year plans for $99/267/420.

Do you need this? Andatech says it maintains the Australian Standard. But I still have an AlcoSense (another brand/model from Andatech) in my car glovebox from 2018 that returns the same readings as this.

Australian Standard ensures quality and reliable results

There is a conundrum. There are dozens of  AS 3547:2019 approved breathalysers and several hundred non-approved ‘cheapies’ online. You can read Andatech’s certifications here, and the Andatech GT breathalyser is in the certification process.

Breathalysers (personal or workplace) don’t need to be certified. However, certified breathalysers are much more reliable. There is no definitive list, but you can check the company name here.

Note that the old .05% BAC is superseded; the new standard is 0.050g/210L of breath. Most of the cheapies don’t meet new standards.

Tests – Pass+

Here is the problem. Put one standard drink in a glass, and you can literally inhale it (I wonder if that is where the word ‘snifter’ came from). Most wine glasses are 300+ml, and we tend to fill them.

Female – Two x double (60ml) 40% gin and tonic in a long glass, no ice, e.g., four standard drinks

• 1730 – 0.000 BAC
• 1800 – 60ml gin and mixer – .200 (four times the limit)
• 1815 – 15 minutes later and not affected by Alcohol in the mouth – 0.085
• 1845 – 60ml gin and mixer – .350
• 1900 – 15 minutes later – .095
• 2000 – no alcohol since 1845 – .075
• 2100 – .060
• 2200 – .045
• 2400 – .025

Male – Red Wine 14% ABV and eight standard 100ml drinks (4 x 200ml drinks tested)

• 1730hrs – 0.000% BAC
• 1800 – Red 1 – .145 (nearly three times the limit)
• 1815 – 15 minutes later and not affected by alcohol in the mouth – 0.045 (just under the limit)
• 1830 – Red 2 – .173 (3.5 times the limit)
• 1845 – 15 minutes later – .055 (over the legal limit)
• 1900 – Red 3 – .131 (3.5 times the limit)
• 1915 – 15 minutes later – .065 (over the legal limit)
• 1945 – Red 4 (bottle empty) – .319 (6 times the limit)
• 2000 – 15 minutes later – .085 (over the legal limit)
• 2030 – no alcohol since 1945 – .080
• 2100 – .062
• 2200 – .047
• 2400 – .032

Will you use it?

There are a few things you need to understand about portable personal breathalysers.

I called five friends I had given review breathalysers over the years. I asked:

• When you got the unit, how often did you use it in the first year? Answers ranged from three to weekly (some friends like Friday drinks).
• Have you continued to use the unit, and if not, why not? None continued to use the unit after the initial curiosity/novelty had worn off. Many, like me, put it in the car glovebox and forgot about it.
• Has the unit influenced you not to drive? The answer is unanimous yes! The unit helped them set limits, and once these became ‘muscle memory,’ the need for the unit diminished.
• With what you know, would you buy a personal breathalyser? All are well-off and like a drink. The unanimous response was that they would dust off the units and start using them again.
• When asked about calibration, the response is that consumers don’t like complexity, so if it is working, then all is good.

There is no point in buying one unless you commit to using it.

CyberShack’s view: Andatech GT breathalyser is a tool that, if used wisely and appropriately, will eliminate DUI

There have been times in all drinkers’ lives that they were over the limit and lucky to avoid RBT, loss of licence and loss of face. P-Platers et al. especially need these as they have a 0.000 limit.

The Andatech GT breathalyser helps you make an informed decision.

Andatech GT breathalyser ratings

• Features: 85 – Four-digit readout, compact, accurate, leather keychain.
• Value: 85 – Comparable Australian standard units are all about the same price
• Performance: 90 – accurate and fast
• Ease of Use: 90 – pocketable and discrete. 3-year warranty
• Design: 85 – nice design and looks well-made

Brought to you by CyberShack.com.au