Keyto Breath Sensor

For those considering the ketogenic diet, Keyto Breath Sensor is a device designed to give you instant feedback on the amount of acetone in your breath so you can monitor whether your body is in ketosis.

This handheld device pairs with an app to help you make dietary decisions that keep you in ketosis and potentially losing weight.

The key to following the ketogenic diet is keeping your body in ketosis for as long as possible to maximize fat burning.

Traditional ways to check whether you are in ketosis include blood tests and pee strips. Keyto promises a more convenient solution with their ketone breath analyzer.

How Do You Use Keyto?

When you commit to Keyto, you will receive a lightweight device (the company claims it weighs less than an ounce) that looks and acts similarly to a breathalyzer.

The Keyto runs on one AAA battery that the brand states will last for more than 600 breath tests. Each purchase also comes with four interchangeable mouthpieces and a carrying case.

Keyto works by measuring the levels of acetone in your breath to give you a sense of how much fat you are burning. Acetone levels increase when a ketogenic diet is done right, which we’ll cover in the next section.

Says company founders Weiss and Wu, “Every Keyto has a proprietary nanosensor that detects acetone, a biomarker for fat metabolism, on the breath of users. The more acetone on one’s breath, the more fat they are using for fuel.”

The reported numbers range from one to ten, and the higher the number you score, the further into ketosis your system is.

Below is the Keyto range for ketosis as the company defines it:

• Level 1 – Not in ketosis
• Level 2 – Starting Ketosis
• Level 3-5 – Increased fat burning potential
• Level 6 – High fat burning potential
• Levels 7-9 – Extreme fat burning potential
• Level 10 – Deepest level of ketosis

In this way, you can track whether you are in ketosis in real time and finetune your diet as necessary to maintain progress.

To use the device, you need to breathe into it as long and powerfully as you can, similar to how you would use a breathalyzer.

It will then sync with the Keyto app to display a score from one to ten, with higher scores meaning you are deeper in ketosis. Your overall goal is to keep your Keyto number as high as possible for as long as possible. This ensures that you stay in a prime fat-burning state.

The company suggests taking the test 1-3 times per day when you first start using it, preferably first thing in the morning so that you form a habit and can monitor your baseline over time. For the most accurate results, it’s important to breathe out for a similar length and intensity at every testing time.

The Keyto app is available for both Android and iOS devices, and it integrates with the Keyto device to give you real-time feedback on your ketone levels. The app also provides meal plan suggestions and a food guide to help you make keto-approved choices at the grocery store and while eating out.

We found that these guides provided a comprehensive overview of the ketogenic diet, and like that it offers a search feature for more easily finding specific foods.

We also appreciated that the app provides ordering guides for a variety of chain restaurants, including Starbucks, Taco Bell, Panera Bread, and others. In some cases (as with Pizza Hut) the app suggests avoiding the restaurant altogether.

The Keyto app is set up to allow you to track your acetone levels over time so that you can monitor how long your body has been in ketosis and see how that correlates with your weight loss journey.

It’s also possible to join groups through the app to gain support and share your progress with other Keyto users.

Keyto vs. Blood Tests and Ketosis Strips

Keyto isn’t the only device that lets you monitor your ketone levels, but the company claims it is the most convenient. Today, most people rely on blood tests through finger pricks and urine strips to see whether they are in ketosis. Should you consider these methods instead?

While your preferred testing method is a personal choice, one thing to keep in mind is that these methods tend to be single-use, meaning that you will need to buy urine strips regularly to keep testing your levels.

Likewise, some people might appreciate how much less invasive it feels to blow into a tube than it is to measure their bodily fluids.

Another factor is that urine testing is considered to be less accurate than blood or breath and that the accuracy goes down the longer you are on the diet because your body adapts to the change and excretes fewer ketones.

While HVMN shared that blood tests are the preferred way to measure ketones today, breath testing is relatively new to the market, and they state that more research is needed to determine how it compares in accuracy.

The Cost

The Keyto device is sold exclusively through the company website. You can purchase the device for $99, which gives you lifetime access to reading and feedback on your ketone levels without additional app support.

It’s also possible to upgrade your membership to Keyto Premium for $8 per month. This gives you access to exclusive ketogenic recipes, restaurant guides, the “Keyto Code” (an indicator of which foods are keto-friendly) priority support from the company, and other perks.

Those who become Keyto Premium subscribers at launch time will receive a free shipment of the brand’s KeytoBox, a curated collection of keto-friendly food and snacks that retail for over $80 in total.

If you wish to contact the company directly for more information about their pricing and return policy, you can do so at hello@getkeyto.com.

The Bottom Line

The product founders shared with us that they want Keyto to be an all-encompassing system, meaning that someone who doesn’t know anything about the ketogenic diet could buy the device, download the app, and get started right away.

Keyto delivers on this goal, as the product’s app offers a comprehensive overview of how to follow the eating strategy and it includes shopping lists, meal planning suggestions, and even fast food eating guides.

The negative reviews were based primarily on the app being buggy while in the early stages of development, so it’s reasonable to expect that these issues will improve over time.

If you’re looking for a convenient way to track your time in ketosis, it’s hard to argue against breathing into a tube when the other alternatives are testing urine or blood. Likewise, you might save money over time by not buying single-use testers.