How much does a gas detector cost? Single-gas, 4-gas, pumped, PID, sensors, calibration gas and docks, with the prices on this site
On this site today a single-gas monitor runs from $174.25 (RKI Instruments’ AAA-powered 04 Series) to $1,253.75 (a GX-3R Pro single-gas unit with display and Bluetooth); a four-gas monitor from $501.50 (the GX-3R) to $1,768.00 (a five-gas GX-3R Pro with an infrared CO2 sensor); a pumped monitor from $646.00 (GX-Force) to $5,741.75 (a six-gas GX-6100 with PID and benzene); a replacement sensor from $130.00 to $1,365.00; a calibration kit from $280.00 to $700.00; and a docking station from $1,362.00 to $2,430.00. The table below gives every range with the number of configurations behind it, and the band reads the current price of each item from the store. What moves the price is the sensor count and kind (a PID or infrared sensor costs more than an electrochemical one), the pump, the battery (Li-ion with charger against alkaline) and the datalogging and Bluetooth features; the warranty on RKI’s portable line is three years including sensors, one year on ammonia, chlorine and PID sensors. What the price does not include is the calibration gas and the sensors the instrument will use over its life, which the owning-cost section below sets out.
RKI Instruments 72-RA-E GX-3R 4-Gas Monitor, LEL/O2/H2S/CO, No ChargerRKI GX-3R four-gas monitor: the low end of the four-gas range on this siteWhy there is no single answer. A gas detector is a sensor set in a housing, and the sensors are the price: an electrochemical cell for CO or H2S costs a fraction of a photoionization lamp or an infrared bench, so a six-gas pumped unit with a PID costs several times a four-gas diffusion unit from the same manufacturer. A pump adds a motor, a filter and a hose; a Li-ion pack with a charger costs more than alkaline cells; datalogging, Bluetooth and a dock add to the instrument and take from the labor. Home gas and carbon monoxide alarms are a different product, built to a different standard and not listed here; the instruments below are the workplace monitors a permit-space test or an exposure program uses. We sell nationwide and quote by the gases on your permit.
Gas detector prices on this site, by kind
| Kind | Price range today | What is behind the range |
|---|---|---|
| Single-gas monitor, AAA-powered (RKI 04 Series) | $174.25 to $442.00 | 9 configurations; HS-04 and CO-04 run 9,000 hours on two AAA cells by RKI’s page |
| Single-gas monitor, maintenance-free clip (other manufacturers) | $215.65 to $394.36 | sealed 2- or 3-year units, no calibration, replaced at end of life |
| Single-gas monitor with display and datalog (RKI GX-3R Pro, 1 gas) | $646.00 to $1,253.75 | 32 configurations by gas and battery |
| Four-gas monitor, diffusion (RKI GX-3R) | $501.50 to $1,398.25 | 9 configurations; the 3.52 oz four-gas unit |
| Four- and five-gas monitor, diffusion (RKI GX-3R Pro) | $709.75 to $1,768.00 | 94 configurations; the fifth channel and the infrared CO2 sensor are at the top of the range |
| Four-gas monitor, diffusion (other manufacturers in the band) | $636.11 to $6,829.56 | BW, MSA, Industrial Scientific and Draeger units listed on the single-gas vs multi-gas guide |
| Pumped (sample-draw) monitor, 1 to 4 gases (RKI GX-Force) | $646.00 to $1,326.00 | 73 configurations; the pump and hose add to the diffusion price |
| Pumped six-gas monitor with PID, benzene or percent-volume options (RKI GX-6100) | $1,428.00 to $5,741.75 | 333 configurations; the PID, benzene and infrared sensors set the price |
| PID (VOC) instruments | $2,545.75 to $5,741.75 | 150 GX-6100 configurations with a VOC or benzene channel |
| Replacement sensor (RKI) | $130.00 to $1,365.00 | 14 sensors; LEL, CO, H2S and O2 at the low end, H2S/CO combination, infrared CO2 and PID at the top |
| Replacement sensor (BW and MSA) | $152.95 to $930.05 | listed on the sensor life guide |
| Calibration kit: cylinder, regulator and case (RKI) | $280.00 to $700.00 | 13 kits by mix and cylinder size |
| Regulator alone (RKI) | $135.00 to $295.00 | 0.25 and 0.5 LPM fixed flow, and demand flow |
| Docking station (RKI SDM-3R and SDM-Force) | $1,362.00 to $2,430.00 | 9 stations; bump test, calibration, charging and records |
| Docking station (BW, MSA, Industrial Scientific) | $332.60 to $4,352.45 | listed on the docking station guide |
Source: Prices as listed on bayshoresafety.com on the day in the byline; the band below re-reads each item’s price from the store. Configurations counted are the visible listings of the RKI Instruments line.
What moves the price
What it costs to own: the gas, the sensors and the labor
- Calibration gas: a cylinder is consumed by bump tests. RKI’s kits (cylinder, regulator and case) run $280.00 to $700.00 on this site and a cylinder alone less; at 0.5 liters per minute a 34 L cylinder gives about 68 minutes of gas, roughly 60 one-minute bump tests, and a reactive mix (H2S, chlorine, ammonia) has a shelf life of 6 months to 2 years in RKI’s table, so it is bought in the size that will be used before it expires.
- Bump testing: OSHA’s bulletin and the ISEA statement call for a bump test before each day’s use; by hand that is a few minutes per instrument per day plus the record, and a dock does it when the instrument is set down. RKI’s manuals calibrate only when the bump test fails, and its FAQ allows a 3 to 6 month calibration cycle for instruments bump tested daily.
- Sensors: RKI warrants its standard sensors 3 years and lists the oxygen sensor at 3 to 5 years; a replacement runs $130.00 to $1,365.00 on this site. A maintenance-free clip has no sensor cost and no calibration cost, and is replaced whole at 2 or 3 years.
- Docking stations: $1,362.00 to $2,430.00 for RKI’s SDM-3R and SDM-Force; a dock pays off when the fleet is large enough, or the records matter enough, that hand bump testing is being skipped. One PC can run up to ten SDM stations by RKI’s statement.
- Calibration certificate: RKI offers one with a new instrument (part 90-CALCERT) listing the pre-shipment readings and the traceability of the gas.
- Repairs and service: RKI describes a service and repair form and technician support; we service and calibrate portable gas instruments and quote the work by model.
What the price buys in the two lines
The run time, sampling and warranty each manufacturer prints are the figures to set beside the price on each row.
Run time, sampling and ingress ratings as Honeywell BW and MSA state them
| Model | Gases (as configured) | Sampling | Battery and run time | Ingress | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honeywell BW Clip (2-year and 3-year) | One of H2S, CO, O2, SO2 | Diffusion | Non-replaceable lithium; 2 or 3 years of continuous operation from activation | IP66/67 | 2 or 3 years from activation |
| Honeywell BW Clip4 | LEL, O2, H2S, CO | Diffusion | Two years of continuous runtime, no charging | IP68 | Full two years including sensors and battery |
| Honeywell BW Solo | One gas (H2S, CO, O2, SO2, NH3, Cl2, ClO2, HCN, NO2, PH3, CO2, O3 and others) | Diffusion | Typical battery 12 months (6 months for 1-Series O2, 2 months for 1S CO2) | IP66/68 | 3 years 1-Series, 2 years 4-Series |
| Honeywell BW MicroClip XL / X3 | Up to LEL, O2, H2S, CO | Diffusion | Lithium polymer; 18 hours, recharges in less than 6 hours (XT: 10 hours) | IP68 | 2 years XL, 3 years X3 |
| Honeywell BW MAX XT II | Up to LEL, O2, H2S, CO | Pump (sample draw) | Lithium polymer; 13 hours at 20 °C, 8 hours at −20 °C; 6-hour charge | IP66/67 | 2 years including all sensors |
| MSA ALTAIR 4XR | Up to LEL, O2, H2S, CO (SO2, NO2 and H2S-LC as configured) | Diffusion (ALTAIR pump probe optional) | Rechargeable Li-polymer; 20-hour run time, under 4-hour charge | IP68 | 4 years instrument and sensors |
| MSA ALTAIR 5X | Up to six, with PID or IR CO2 as configured | Pump (integral) | Rechargeable; at least 20 hours at room temperature as the product page states | As listed on the page | As listed on the page |
| MSA ALTAIR 2X | One or two toxics (H2S, CO, SO2, NO2, NH3, Cl2, pairs) | Diffusion | Non-rechargeable 3.6 V lithium | As listed on the page | 3 years chassis and electronics; Cl2 and NH3 sensors 2 years |
| MSA ALTAIR io 4 | LEL, O2, H2S, CO | Diffusion | 2 Ah rechargeable; 17 hours typical (LTE-M), 4.5-hour charge | IP68 | Under warranty with subscription |
Source: Honeywell BW Clip, Clip4, Solo and MicroClip data sheets and the MaxXT II user manual; MSA ALTAIR 4XR bulletin (0816-102-MC), ALTAIR 2X bulletin, ALTAIR io 4 specification sheet and the ALTAIR 5X product page. Fetched Nov 10 2026.
Questions people ask
How much does a gas detector cost?
On this site today, $174.25 to $1,253.75 for a single-gas monitor, $501.50 to $1,768.00 for a four- or five-gas diffusion monitor, and $646.00 to $5,741.75 for a pumped monitor up to six gases with PID; the table on this page gives each range and the band shows each item’s current price.
What is the price of a gas detector?
It depends on the sensors fitted, the pump and the battery; the table on this page lists every kind we carry with its price range today and the number of configurations behind it.
How much do H2S monitors cost?
A single-gas H2S monitor from $174.25 (RKI’s HS-04) on this site; a GX-3R Pro single-gas H2S unit with display and Bluetooth more; and the four-gas monitors with H2S from $501.50. The H2S detection guide on this site lists them.
How much is a four gas monitor?
$501.50 to $1,768.00 for RKI’s diffusion units (GX-3R and GX-3R Pro) and $646.00 to $1,326.00 for the pumped GX-Force on this site; the other manufacturers’ four-gas units in the band run $636.11 to $6,829.56.
What is the price of a multi gas detector?
From $501.50 for a four-gas GX-3R to $5,741.75 for a six-gas GX-6100 with PID and benzene on this site; the five-gas GX-3R Pro configurations sit between.
How much does a photoionization detector cost?
$2,545.75 to $5,741.75 on this site for the GX-6100 configurations with a VOC or benzene channel; the replacement PID sensor is at the top of the sensor range.
How much is a gas sensor?
$130.00 to $1,365.00 for RKI’s replacement sensors on this site, LEL, CO, H2S and O2 at the low end and the H2S/CO combination, infrared CO2 and PID sensors at the top; BW and MSA sensors in the band run $152.95 to $930.05.
How much does it cost to calibrate a gas monitor?
In house, the gas: a calibration kit runs $280.00 to $700.00 on this site and gives about 60 one-minute bump tests per 34 L cylinder; a docking station ($1,362.00 to $2,430.00) spreads it over a fleet. We also calibrate portable instruments as a service, quoted by model.
Can you buy a gas detector for your home?
The instruments on this page are workplace monitors; home gas and carbon monoxide alarms are a different product built to a different standard and are not listed here. We sell the workplace instruments nationwide.
Can you buy a gas leak detector?
Yes: a single-gas LEL monitor or a four-gas monitor reads combustible gas in percent LEL, and RKI’s GX-Force reads leaks in ppm in its Leak Check mode. They are in the band with their prices.
Which is cheaper over time, a clip or a serviceable monitor?
A maintenance-free clip costs least to buy and nothing to maintain but is discarded at 2 or 3 years; a serviceable monitor costs more, takes calibration gas and sensors, and lasts as long as it is serviced. The owning-cost section on this page lists what each takes.
What is the price of the MSA ALTAIR 5X?
It is configured to order (which sensors, with or without PID or IR), so the price is per part number; the ALTAIR 5X rows in the band carry the current price for each configuration we stock.
What does a Honeywell BW MAX XT II cost?
By configuration (four-gas with the yellow or black case, with or without a confined space kit, and the single-gas and three-gas versions); the current price is on each row in the band.
Related guides
Single-gas vs multi-gas detectorsWhich the job needsWhat is a gas monitor?Detector, monitor or meter, and what triggers oneHow to detect H2S gasMonitors, sensors, tubes, and how to calibrate an H2S meterWhat is calibration gas?Choosing the cylinderGas detector docking stationsWhat they doGas detector sensor lifeWhen to replace sensorsWho owns BW Technologies, Honeywell Analytics and MSA?What each company makes, in its own wordsThe ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.