BACtrack Go keychain breathalyzer review and specs

The Go makes sense for someone who wants a light tester on a keyring for occasional use and accepts that the number is a ballpark. It fits a curious social drinker, a traveler who wants something tiny in a bag, or someone still deciding whether a personal tester is worth a bigger spend. The fold out mouthpiece is built in and the box includes 3 extra mouthpiece covers, so it is ready to share without hunting for parts.

It is a weak match for anyone who needs repeatable numbers, such as parents setting rules at home, small employers or people tracking their own levels closely. Those readers will be happier with a fuel cell unit from our fuel cell breathalyzer category.

• No stated tolerance. BACtrack uses phrases like accurate results for the price, but gives no plus or minus figure, so you cannot judge how close a reading is.
• Semiconductor sensors react to more than ethanol and shift with temperature and age, which our fuel cell vs semiconductor breathalyzer page explains in detail.
• The manual asks you to wait 20 minutes after eating, drinking or smoking, a minute between tests, and 3 to 5 minutes between tests when levels are high.
• The NFC feature connects to your phone so you can learn about your result and correct technique. The maker does not describe a test history for it and publishes no privacy notes for this feature.
• The manual calls the Go an alcohol screening device and says its results cannot be used in court.
• No model specific FDA or DOT statement is published by the maker for this unit.

BACtrack's manual says the Go should be recalibrated at least every six to twelve months, and as often as monthly when it is used every day. There is no user calibration. You send the unit to BACtrack, where a technician resets the sensor baseline and runs a diagnostic check, and the maker lists a paid service for the Go with standard and expedited options. On a budget unit, that recurring fee and the days without the device can weigh more than the purchase itself. Our guide to calibrating a breathalyzer covers what the service does and how to tell when a unit has drifted.

Day to day upkeep is simple. Keep the battery fresh, wipe or replace the mouthpiece cover between users, and avoid leaving the tester in a hot or freezing car, since it is rated for 50 to 104 F.