BACtrack Mobile Pro review of a fuel cell tester that reports to your phone

The app keeps a history of every reading, offers a ZeroLine estimate of when your level may return to 0.00%, and integrates with Apple Health. Keep in mind that ZeroLine is an estimate, not a measurement of what your breath will read later. The user guide notes that the USB cable only charges the device and carries no data, so readings travel over Bluetooth alone. BACtrack does not state its app privacy terms on the product page or in the user guide, so read them in the app store listing before you pair.

BACtrack positions the Mobile for both personal and professional use, and the user guide calls it a professional alcohol screening device. It suits a person who already keeps a phone at hand and wants to track readings over time, a household that wants a fuel cell sensor without a bulky handheld, and a small business that wants a dated record of screening tests. The included carrying pouch and 3 mouthpieces make it easy to bring along, and mouthpiece packs of 10, 20 and 50 are sold separately when several people share it.

• No display means no reading without a working phone, Bluetooth and the app.
• The battery is sealed. When it ages, the maker gives no replacement path, and battery life per charge is not published.
• The stated tolerance applies at 0.050% BAC. The maker does not publish figures for other points in the range.
• No model specific FDA clearance number or DOT listing is published for this unit. BACtrack says in general terms that it was the first company to receive FDA 510(k) clearance to sell breathalyzers to consumers.
• A Mobile Pro Gen2 appears on some retailer listings outside the US, but BACtrack itself does not name a successor.

The user guide recommends calibration at least every 6 to 12 months, and more often if the device is used every day. Calibration is a send in service: BACtrack performs it at its facility in San Francisco, and the maker lists a paid recalibration for the Mobile with standard and expedited options. The guide also suggests blowing into the unit at least once a month so the fuel cell does not dry out, which matters if the tester sits in a drawer between occasions. For a broader view of service methods, see our guide on calibrating a breathalyzer.