The variety of gadgets for drivers and how to choose them

To make life trouble-free in a big city full of traffic jams and traffic police checkpoints, it's enough to get hold of the 3 essentials for any car owner: a breathalyser, a sat-nav and a portable DVD player. They'll help you avoid trouble, cut down time spent on the road, and brighten up your downtime. The only tricky part is how to pick the right model without overpaying for unnecessary "space-age" features. So let's take a look at what's on offer for drivers on the market today.

To avoid getting lost among the huge range of breathalysers, remember that you need a small, fully self-contained model that doesn't need extra power from the car. That way you'll be able to use it wherever's convenient — say, to check a kid who's just come back from a disco. Decide for yourself why you're buying this device. If you just want to double-check yourself now and then, cheap models will do; but if you want to hold its readings up against a police breathalyser's on the road, you'll want a specialised unit, priced at 8,000-10,000 roubles. For checking other people you'll need a professional unit, costing around 50,000 roubles. Readings from a device like that can be printed out and will carry legal weight in court, should a case go to trial.

Prices vary much less when choosing a portable DVD player. It's precisely its portability that narrows the price range. Models with a large screen need a lot of power, which isn't very convenient. That's why the most popular models have a 7-8 inch screen. The deciding factor should be the principle: "Where will it be used?" If you only plan to use it on long car trips, an inexpensive model at 6,000-8,000 roubles will suit you. But if you plan to use it now and then at the country house, at home, or on holiday, then the requirements go up. You'll need a model with plenty of ports, so it can easily be hooked up to any power source. Sound quality also deserves special attention in that case — weak speakers designed for a car cabin won't cut it in a large room or outdoors. Prices for such models can run up to 12,000 roubles.

A sat-nav should also be chosen with your own purposes in mind. If all you need is a guide around your city and a few neighbouring towns, a model with basic map coverage will do. Such models start at 3,500 roubles. Beyond that, depending on the internal features and accessories, models can cost up to 12,000 roubles. Sat-navs like these are already full multifunction systems, able to play MP3s and play back audio and video files.

Don't chase a brand name alone — soberly weigh up your own needs. But buying gadgets at open-air markets isn't a good idea either — if something breaks, there'll be no one to turn to.