Commercial characteristics
- Sponsor who loaned the product for the magazine: Acquired on our own funds
- Price of the tested product: 39 Euros
- Product category according to its selling price: Entry level (from 1 to 40 euros)
- Mod type: Electronics with voltage and variable power
- Is the mod telescopic? No
- Maximum power: 20 watts
- Maximum voltage: 5.5
- Minimum value in Ohms resistance for a start: 1.0
Reviewer comments on business characteristics
This is the star product of the end of 2014. A mod / box that has all the characteristics of adults, in a mini size and for a low price. The Istick offers itself the luxury of accepting fairly low resistances (without crossing the sub-ohming wall, however), having an internal 2200mah battery and being rechargeable by USB cable, including by vaping.
What more could you ask for except that its ramage relates to its plumage?
Physical characteristics and felt quality
- Width or Diameter of the product in mms: 21
- Product Length or Height in mms: 75
- Product weight in grams: 90
- Material composing the product: Steel, Aluminum, PMMA
- Form Factor type: Box mini - type IStick
- Decorative style: Classic
- Quality of decoration: Good
- Is the coating of the mod sensitive to fingerprints? No
- All components of this mod seem well assembled? Can do better and I'll tell you why
- Fire button position: Lateral near the top cap
- Fire button type: Mechanical plastic on contact rubber
- Number of buttons making up the interface, including touch zones if they are present: 2
- Type of user interface buttons: Mechanical plastic on contact rubber
- Quality of the interface button (s): Medium, the button makes noise within its enclave
- Number of parts in the product: 1
- Number of threads: 1
- Quality of the threads: Good
- Overall, do you appreciate the quality of manufacture of this product with regard to its price? Yes
Rating of the vapelier as to feelings quality: 2.8 / 5 
Reviewer's comments on physical characteristics and perceived quality
The main advantage of this box is its size, which is very popular at the moment, as it was able to surprise with its compactness. It is an unstoppable argument for who needs a vape material that is easy to take on any trip. One can also be sensitive, even as an experienced vapoteur, to the cute aspect of the object, even if this opinion is largely subjective.
The second argument in favor of the Istick is its price which is very well located. We find it between 36 and 45 €, which is not dissuasive. This price, not content to seduce seasoned vapers, could also appeal to a number of novice vapers who could thus access the vape in a comfort still ignored in this segment a few months ago.
Unfortunately, any medal has its reverse, the finish of the product is not up to its laudable commercial ambitions. The buttons make noise, the switch sometimes has trouble firing and the adjustment is worthy of an Ego, correct but not brilliant. All this is obviously not catastrophic and given the price charged, we do not expect a miracle but we remain wary of the reliability over time of the Istick ...
Functional features
- Type of chipset used: Owner
- Connection type: 510, Ego - via adapter
- Adjustable positive stud? No, a flush mounting can only be guaranteed through an adjustment of the positive pad of the atomizer if this allows it.
- Lock system ? Electronic
- Quality of the locking system: Good, the function does what it is for
- Features offered by the mod: Display of the battery charge, Display of the resistance value, Protection against short circuits from the atomizer, Display of the current vape voltage, Display of the power of the current vape , Display of the vape time of each puff, Fixed protection against overheating of the atomizer coils, Light operating indicators
- Accu Compatibility: Proprietary Accus
- Does the mod support stacking? No
- Number of batteries supported: The batteries are proprietary / Not applicable
- Does the mod retain its configuration without batteries? Not applicable
- Does the mod offer a recharge feature? Charging function possible via Micro-USB
- Is the recharge function pass-through? Yes
- Does the mode offer a Power Bank function? No power bank function offered by the mod
- Does the mode offer other functions? No other function offered by the mod
- Presence of air flow regulation? Yes
- Maximum diameter in mms of compatibility with an atomizer: 21
- Accuracy of the output power at full charge of the battery: Average, because there is a noticeable difference depending on the value of the resistance of the atomizer
- Accuracy of the output voltage at full charge of the battery: Average, because there is a noticeable difference depending on the value of the resistance of the atomizer
Vapelier's note regarding functional characteristics: 3.3 / 5 
Reviewer's comments on functional features
Equipped with the full functionality that we are entitled to expect today, especially in terms of security, the Istick clearly displays the necessary information on a clearly readable OLED screen. The proprietary chipset promises a smooth vape, which seems to be the case in test but has some operating anomalies, not crippling but very obvious all the same.
Indeed, the mod behaves perfectly well as soon as the resistance of the atomizer is between 1Ω and 1.4Ω. In this resistance range, the mod seems to send the power displayed on the screen. Beyond this limit, the behavior becomes more erratic and the mod sends too much compared to the displayed power. For example, mounted on an Iclear 30S with a resistance to 2.1Ω, it sends for 9W displayed almost as much power as another mod in smooth vape at 12W.
So it seems that the chipset does not regulate the same depending on the resistance of your atomizer. This is not a major concern in use as soon as we know it, but it is sufficiently obvious to take it into account.
The autonomy is good and the promised 2200mah really seems to be there.
Evaluation of the packaging
- Presence of a box accompanying the product: Yes
- Would you say that the packaging is up to the price of the product? Yes
- Presence of a user manual? Yes
- Is the manual understandable for a non-English speaker? No
- Does the manual explain ALL features? Yes
Vapelier's note on packaging: 4 / 5 
Reviewer's comments on conditioning
The packaging is complete and very well presented in this tariff sector. I found the user manual to be fairly complete and explicit even if I still think that manufacturers should know that we vape in France since they sell us their devices…. A translation would therefore be welcome for vapers who do not master the language of Shakespeare.
But do not sulk our pleasure, the packaging is largely up to the competition.
Appreciations in use
- Transport facilities with the test atomizer: Ok for an inside jacket pocket (no deformations)
- Disassembly and cleaning facilities: Super simple, even blind in the dark!
- Easy to change batteries: Not applicable, the battery is only rechargeable
- Did the mod heat up? No
- Has there been any erratic behavior after a day of use? Yes
- Description of situations in which the product has experienced erratic behavior
In use, we see that the mediocre finish of the buttons presents a real problem. In particular at the level of the switch, frequently used and therefore more sensitive to early wear. After a few days of use, we realize some hiccups in the firing. Nothing fundamentally serious but worrying enough to have doubts about daily use a few months after purchase.
Vapelier's rating in terms of ease of use: 4/5
Reviewer's comments on the use of the product
The Istick is practical. The mod sends well, seems stable in rendering over the length of the load and its compactness and weight make it a treat to use. It is therefore all the more unfortunate that Eleaf did not pay enough attention to the finish of the interface buttons. Clicking and missfire are on the program and this is unfortunate because the rest does not pose any problem in operation.
Recommendations for use
- Type of batteries used during the tests: The batteries are owners on this mod
- Number of batteries used during the tests: The batteries are proprietary / Not applicable
- With what type of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? A low resistance fiber less than or equal to 1.5 ohms
- With which model of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? A good clearomizer or a reconstructable one, with a resistance around 1.2Ω and a diameter of less than 21mm will be the ideal companion for the Istick.
- Description of the test configuration used: Istick + various atomizers: Iclear 30s, Kayfun Lite, igo-L
- Description of the ideal configuration with this product: Any evaporation system with a resistance between 1 and 1.4Ω to better overcome product defects.
was the product liked by the reviewer: Bof, it's not the craze
Overall average of the Vapelier for this product: 3.2 / 5 
Link to a video review or blog maintained by the reviewer author of the review
The mood ticket of the reviewer
A true precursor in terms of its quality / price / size ratio, the Istick hardly fails to create a revolution in our steam engines. Best seller of this end of the year, it is already experiencing a family expansion with the release of a 1050mah mini Istick, half its size. This rapid reproduction tells me that the sales of the Istick have lived up to the manufacturer's expectations, which is good for him.
What is less good, however, and for us this time, is that the finish is not up to the event. If we can override a chipset calculation problem by adapting its power, it is less obvious to find a reason for the problems linked to the switch malfunctions which, logically, should not improve over time. .
The competition is already sharpening its weapons for the response and new mini-boxes are emerging from their burrows every day. If the Istick keeps one step ahead thanks to its anticipation, I cannot advise you enough to take a good look at the other proposals before making your purchase.
But, given its very low price and its ease of implementation, we cannot claim that the Istick is a bad deal. The quality of the vape is very correct and the defects mentioned are not really serious. But, due to the fact that the battery is proprietary and the poor finish of the interface buttons, we already know that it is not an object that we will keep for life.
(c) Copyright Le Vapelier SAS 2014 - Only full reproduction of this article is authorized - Any modification of any kind is totally prohibited and infringes the rights of this copyright.
