iStick by E-Leaf tiny box mod

Here’s one I certainly didn’t expect – the iStick by E-Leaf (iSmoka). As you’ll see in this review, this little device is perfect for travel – its absolutely tiny! The battery life is exceptional and I think the iStick represents a whole new generation of simplicity and affordability.

Note – there are 3 versions of the iStick. The one I own is the 20 Watt and its the one I’m using in this review. If you’re not sure which one is right for you, I’ve added a section describing the differences.

» Get the 30 Watt Version for $34.99
» Get the 20 Watt Version for $34.99
» Get the iStick Mini (10 watt) for 24.99

Which version is right for me?

When I first wrote this review, the 20 watt version was all that was available. I’ve used it for a month now and I really love this little mod. I’ve travelled extensively to 3 cities in the past month and this little device has not let me down yet. For travel – this is probably my favorite mod. I really like it that much.

So now there are 3 versions of this device. Which one is right for you? There are limitations on each version and you need to know what they are. Basically its as follows:

iStick 30 watt
30 watts | 8.0 volts max power
2200 mah battery
minimum atomizer resistance: .4 ohm

iStick 20 watt
20 watts | 5.5 volts max power
2200 mah battery
minimum atomizer resistance: 1.0 ohm

iStick Mini (10 watt)
10 watts | 5.0 volts max power
1050 mah battery
minimum atomizer resistance: 1.0 ohm

If you note the above specs you’ll see there are some conditions as to what will perform doing what. If you want to sub-ohm you’re only choice is the 30 watt model. This will work just fine with the Aspire Atlantis and other tanks on the market that are around the .5 ohm mark.

The battery life is 2200 mah, so its very good, but at full power will obviously burn through faster than lower settings.

Remember these mods are regulated devices so you don’t HAVE to sub-ohm on them to get big clouds and flavor. In fact for devices like these, I prefer to have my coils come out to over 1 ohm anyway because you can power all the way up to 30 watts.

My recommendation is this. If you must have power – get the 30 watt. Its going to allow a degree of sub-ohm performance and its going to be on par with DNA30 type devices. That’s not a lot by today’s standards, but you can still get performance out of this. You’ll obviously get the most versatility with this version, though the 20 watt will give you longer battery life. Also remember this mod is tiny so most things you’ll put on it will look really weird and huge.

If you’re a replaceable part type vaper – by that I mean you use Kanger tanks, Aspire tanks, etc. I think the 20 Watt version will give you the most performance. The sweet spot for me is full power with an Aspire Nautilus Mini tank (1.8 ohm coil). This is the version I bought and its perfect for my needs!

If you don’t really need the power or you’re still using EGO style tanks, OR you just want to be a vaping James Bond – then go for the mini. Its size is really cool, just know its 10 watts only and half the battery life of the other 2 versions.

Now lets get on with the review. This is based on the 20 watt version I purchased.

This little mod is absolutely perfect for on the go vaping. Its smaller than the iTaste MVP and cheaper as well. I’ve been taking mine everywhere for situations where I need a tank and an easy mod to vape. Its the perfect travel companion.

The iStick comes in 4 colors: black, fuchsia, stainless steel and blue. The mod is absolutely tiny coming in at 75mm tall. It features a standard 510 connection (and comes with an ego adapter). The battery rates at a nice 2200 mah so depending on how much you vape and how much power you run you’ll get excellent battery life. I get easily 2 days on this device before needing to recharge. There’s no included charger, but it takes a standard mini usb connection so you can easily power this with a computer or better yet a wall charger that accepts USB.

The iStick has 3 buttons – a fire button and two up and down buttons for adjusting the power. The standard 5 clicks turn on and off the device. The iStick is both variable voltage and variable wattage. Pressing the power button 3 times changes the mode. This couldn’t be easier to use. I also love the display – clear and easy to read.

There are also the usual safety precautions built in to the device. It features a 10 second cutoff (lets you vape but keeps it from firing too long if accidentally going off in your pocket). There’s also low battery protection, low voltage protection and atomizer short protection.

iStick Pros and Cons

As you can see I’ve listed a ton of pro’s already as there is much to like about this little mod. Its less “boxy” than most box mods – just slightly thicker than a 18450 mech mod. Its very comfortable in the hand and fits in really any pocket. I paired mine up with an Aspire Nautilus Mini and its just perfect for all day, hassle free vaping. For me it was a no-brainer to buy and I use it regularly when I can’t use dripping RDA’s or mech mods. This is the perfect travel mod.

As for cons – I’ve only found 2 and they are picky. First – this mod is really small. You can put any tank you like on this device, but most are going to hang over the edge. As you can see in the photos, I’m using a Nautilus Mini and it fits well, but hangs about 1mm slightly over the edge. If you want it to be flush you’ll need to use smaller tanks.

The only other con is that I would love for it to accept sub-ohm builds. It does not. This is not a deal breaker because it does go up to 20 watts and the performance feels very accurate to me. I like to vape a 1.9 ohm coil at 16 watts on the Nautilus and it feels and tastes the exact same as 16 watts on my IPV3. You could put a dripper on here, but it can’t be with a sub ohm build. Again – I don’t mind, but I can’t just pop on an RDA that’s on my mech mod.

I can’t think of a better mod for traveling with. This is small, it works perfectly and blows away all of the other box mods in this category (iTaste MVP, etc). The price is right so use the extra cash and pick up a Nautilus or 2 and you’ll be a very happy vaper!

» Get the 30 Watt Version for $34.99
» Get the 20 Watt Version for $34.99
» Get the iStick Mini (10 watt) for 24.99