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Istick Power Nano by Eleaf
Istick Power Nano by Eleaf

Istick Power Nano by Eleaf

Commercial characteristics

  • Sponsor having loaned the product for the magazine: Happe Smoke
  • Price of the tested product: 48.90 Euros with a clearomiser Melo 3
  • Product category according to its selling price: Mid-range (from 41 to 80 euros)
  • Mod type: Voltage and variable power electronics with temperature control
  • Is the mod telescopic? No
  • Maximum power: 40 watts
  • Maximum voltage: Not applicable
  • Minimum value in Ohms resistance for a start: Less than 0.1

Reviewer comments on business characteristics

In the mini-box category very fashionable at the moment, Eleaf has so far shone by its absence. It was all the more unfortunate that, somewhere, it was this manufacturer who had designed the first small boxes. We remember, not without a certain nostalgia, the Istick 20W and especially the tiny Istick Mini 10W which had surprised more than one during their outings.

istick-mini 10w

With the advent of a heavy handful of boxes of very small size but higher powers, Eleaf had missed the first train but is making up for it today with this very aptly named Istick Power Nano.

Offered at a price of 48.90 €, accompanied by a Melo 3 clearomiser from the same brand which suits it rather well, it is a safe bet that the beautiful will soon be available on its own at a much lower price, around 35 / 36 €, which will give it increased competitiveness compared to the competition which is working hard at the moment. It is available in a nice panel of colors, provided you find them of course.

eleaf-istick-power nano-colors

But when your name is Eleaf, when you release almost one new material a week (I'm hardly exaggerating) and in addition you benefit from a flattering reputation for reliability coupled with floor prices, a- are we still afraid of facing any competition? 

Well, that's what we're going to see today.

Physical characteristics and felt quality

  • Width or Diameter of the product in mms: 23
  • Product Length or Height in mms: 55
  • Product weight in grams: 83.5
  • Material composing the product: 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? Yes
  • 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: 3
  • Type of user interface buttons: Mechanical plastic on contact rubber
  • Quality of the interface button (s): Good, not the button is very responsive
  • Number of parts in the product: 1
  • Number of threads: 1
  • Quality of the threads: Very 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: 3.7 / 5 3.7 5 out of stars

Reviewer's comments on physical characteristics and perceived quality

A mini-box must be pleasant to watch and, if possible, sexy enough. This was the case of the Mini Volt or, more recently, the Rusher. The Power Nano is not unpleasant to watch but it does not reach the aesthetic level of its competitors better balanced but, it is true, more expensive too. 

A mini-box must have a good size / autonomy ratio. By choosing a 1100mAh Ipower LiPo, the Power Nano makes an intermediate choice, below the 1500mAh of the Evic Basic, the 1300mAh of the Mini Volt or the 1400mAH of the Mini Target. Autonomy is therefore fatally affected but it is also the law of the genre in the category. We do not buy this type of box to be sure of vape two days without recharging. The integration of a LiPo battery with better autonomy requires a change of format, we were able to power with a Rusher which caps at 2300mAH but which is 1cm higher and 2mm wider. 

The construction is qualitative. An aluminum alloy body, rounded at both ends, has a very pleasant shape in the hand. The paint is not rubberized but it still has a great softness to the touch. The top-cap and bottom-cap, on the other hand, are made of hard plastic, probably for weight maintenance reasons. And, indeed, the little one does not weigh very heavy on the scales. 

The main facade houses a small but readable OLED screen. I find on the other hand, that the contrast could have been higher in order to see there well in the light of day. Above the screen, we have a round plastic switch, a little rattling in its housing, but very responsive to support. There are three control buttons: the [-], the [+] and a very small button located in between which allows you to change modes on the fly. This practice, common to the manufacturer, has proven itself in terms of ergonomics even if the size of the assembly makes the operation quite dangerous for those with big fingers. Obligation to use the nail of your choice to change mode, it is not the most practical but one gets used to it nevertheless.

The Top-cap accommodates the 510 connection, the positive part of which is mounted on a hard but efficient spring. No screwing problem, the most capricious atos fit well. On the other hand, despite the presence of notches on the connector suggesting the possibility of placing an atomizer there taking its air by the 510, I doubt the effectiveness of the system, noting that the atos are very flush with the top-cap.

eleaf-istick-power nano-top

The bottom-cap accommodates the micro USB charging socket. As we know, this is not the best place for this feature because, if your atomizer is leaking, it would be better to remove it to charge the Nano horizontally.

eleaf-istick-power nano-bottom

The finish is very correct, the assemblies are neat, Eleaf knows his lesson by heart on this chapter and offers a box well in the genetics of his large family. If only for that, one is entitled to imagine that the Power Nano will have the same positive impact in terms of reliability in use.

Functional features

  • Type of chipset used: Owner
  • Connection type: 510, Ego - via adapter
  • Adjustable positive stud? Yes, through a spring.
  • Lock system ? Electronic
  • Quality of the locking system: Good, the function does what it is for
  • Features offered by the mod: Switching to mechanical mode, Display of the charge of the batteries, 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, Temperature control of the atomizer coils, Support the update of its firmware, Clear diagnostic messages
  • Compatibility accus: LiPo
  • 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 mm of compatibility with an atomizer: 23
  • Accuracy of the output power at full charge of the battery: Good, there is a tiny difference between the requested power and the real power
  • Accuracy of the output voltage at full charge of the battery: Good, there is a tiny difference between the requested voltage and the actual voltage

Vapelier's note regarding functional characteristics: 4.3 / 5 4.3 5 out of stars

Reviewer's comments on functional features

We are at Eleaf and therefore not very far from Joyetech. As much to say to you that the box made its races in house stocks to offer us a panel of functionalities that none of its direct competitors is able to offer.

First, the kid can work in seven different modes. Just that. 

First of all, the eternal variable power mode, from tenth of a watt to tenth of a watt, covering a scale between 1 and 40W. With this mode, the box collects resistances between 0.1 and 3.5Ω.

We then have three temperature control modes already implemented in the chipset for Ni200, titanium and SS316L. Running through a range between 100 and 315 ° C, the levels are incrementable by 5 ° in Celsius and 10 in Fahrenheit. 

Then we have a TCR mode which will allow you to implement your personal resistive (Nichrome, NiFe, lady's string…) with three easy-to-recall memorization possibilities. 

It remains to tell you about the By-Pass mode which gives you the opportunity to vogue in semi-mechanics, namely that you only take advantage of the residual voltage of your battery, without any regulation but still taking advantage of the protections included in the mod.

And, last on the list, a Smart mode (for intelligent in French) which allows, in variable power mode only, to automatically adjust and memorize the desired power and resistance matches of your atomizer. There are some who do not follow at the back of the class, I explain.

Put an ato in 0.5Ω on your mod, adjust the power (using a scale which goes from Lo to Hi) to half, vaporize. Take another atomizer mounted in 1Ω on your mod, adjust the power to 3/4. If you put back your first ato, the power will automatically lock to half, as you had set. And if you put your second ato back, it will calibrate itself at 3/4. Useful when juggling two or three atos a day and above all, fully automatic. Smart mode can memorize 10 power / resistance pairs. It should be noted that the vape rendering is in all respects identical to that which is obtained in variable power mode.

eleaf-istick-power nano-face

To change the mode, keep the famous lowercase button pressed and wait for the desired mode. Then, one usually uses buttons [+] and [-] for the settings.

To set the power to a temperature control mode, all you have to do is press the “mode” button (yes, yes, the very small one) and the [+] button at the same time and you will see the power scrolling. The handling is very easy but the small size of the buttons and the little space make it difficult to see the screen.

To fill the memories of the TCR mode, it is necessary to put the box on OFF by clicking classically 5 times on the switch. Once it's done, press the switch and the [+] button simultaneously and you access the TCR menu, easy to fill with the coefficients that you will have previously found on the web depending on the resistive you want to use.

You will forgive me for ignoring the list of protections enjoyed by the Power Nano, it is as long as Paris Hilton's wedding list. Know that you are ready for everything from the slightest short circuit to bird flu.

In summary, it is therefore easy to see that, compared to the competition, this is where Eleaf has put the package. The electronics adapt widely to any type of vape and no deadlock has been made, neither in the depth of mode adjustment, nor in safety.

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 4 5 out of stars

Reviewer's comments on conditioning

Packaging is often a strong point of the manufacturer. There is traditionally a rectangular cardboard box in white tones, over-sized in relation to the content (pity for the trees!). It contains the Power Nano, a charging cable and a manual in English.

The user manual is very comprehensive but it will require you to speak the language of Blair quite fluently. I am also quite astonished by this choice which is not in the habits and customs of the manufacturer. As it is quite possible that I am in possession of a demo batch, I put here the link that will allow you, if you are in the same case, to download the multi-lingual version: HERE

eleaf-istick-power nano-pack

Appreciations in use

  • Transport facilities with the test atomizer: Ok for an inside jacket pocket (no deformations)
  • Disassembly and cleaning facilities: Easy, even standing on the street, with a simple Kleenex
  • 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? No
  • Description of situations in which the product has experienced erratic behavior

Vapelier's rating in terms of ease of use: 5/5 5 5 out of stars

Reviewer's comments on the use of the product

Less autonomous than most, less powerful than others, less sexy than some… but what could make the Power Nano shake up this category which is gradually starting to fill up?

Well, it's simple. If we except the fact that this miniature alone has all the functions of the others together, there is one evidence that jumps to the taste buds when vaping: the quality of the chipset. Almost no latency, a direct and punchy signal, an exemplary smoothing. It is in the rendering that Eleaf's box scores precious points. Quick to handle any type of atomizer, it is at ease in all circumstances, from reasonable clearo to the most insane dripper. With only one limit: its modest power of 40W which, if it will be largely sufficient for 80% of the types of vape, will prove insufficient to move a double-clapton in 0.25Ω. But who would think of asking that from such a box?

On the other hand, make no mistake about it, it will know how to stir a sub-ohm assembly and give you your steam cash as long as you don't ask the impossible of it.

For the rest, it is without comment. Regularity, signal stability at any power, no “holes”, no feeling of asthma, that's happiness.

eleaf-istick-power nano-size

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? Dripper, Classic fiber, Sub-ohm assembly, Genesis-type rebuildable
  • With which model of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? An ato 22mm in diameter but low in height with a resistance between 0.5 and 1.2Ω
  • Description of the test configuration used: Origen V2Mk2, Narda, OBS Engine, Mini Goblin V2
  • Description of the ideal configuration with this product: A low capacity RTA type Mini Goblin in 0.5 / 0.8Ω

was the product liked by the reviewer: Yes

Overall average of the Vapelier for this product: 4.5 / 5 4.5 5 out of stars

Link to a video review or blog maintained by the reviewer author of the review

 

The mood ticket of the reviewer

Eleaf is flooding the market with ever more sophisticated products while maintaining the in-house rhetoric of “cheaper is better”. Here, if we compare with the other contenders for the throne, it is not really cheaper. On the other hand, despite some compromises on the autonomy and the plastic of the object, it offers more for the same price.

Its “Joyetech” -type rendering, very constant and direct, inevitably seduces and is still teaching in this price range. The choice remains simple: will I vape “hype” or vape “comfort”. If you go for the second solution, then the Power Nano could be your promise.

(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.

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About the Author

59 years old, 32 years of cigarettes, 12 years of vaping and happier than ever! I live in Gironde, I have four children of whom I am gaga and I like roast chicken, Pessac-Léognan, good e-liquids and I am a vape geek who takes responsibility!