So, I purchased the new Mini iStick on a whim this week. I had a mild to moderate case of shiny-itis and this was the cheapest cure. May as well review it. I got the device in order to compare it to the older 10 watt iStick Mini and to see if Eleaf fixed some critical issues with it. I purchased this device with my own money, so no disclaimer is needed. And it's a purchase I'm glad to have made.
Prior to actually picking the device up, I thought this was just going to be a beefed up Mini iStick. More specifically, I thought this was going to be a variable voltage ONLY mod with a higher voltage output and wattage cutoff. It turns out that Eleaf changed tons of things about the device.
First, the box is much nicer than the one my older (all of four months old, now) iStick Mini 10w came in. I noticed the huge MyVapors logo on the box right off the bat. Makes sense a little bit, since Joyetech purchased Eleaf, but I'm not certain what the MyVapors computer assisted vaping has to do with this device... it doesn't support MyVapors at all, either on a PC or mobile device. Confusing, but no biggie. The box contains all of the standard goodies mods come with these days; the mod itself, a micro usb charging cable (no mains adapter, though... poo), a 510 to ego adapter for ego styled tanks, and the standard pamphlet/manual.
The device itself appears virtually identical to the older mini. The Eleaf logo has moved to the base of the unit, the MyVapors logo replaces the Eleaf logo that was on the side, and the Mini iStick logo now lists "20w" underneath. Otherwise, absolutely identical. The top and bottom of the mod are still chromed and are still fingerprint magnets... see the photos and excuse the beaten condition of my extensively used 10w mini. In all of the comparison pics, the 20w device is on the left.
The manual is what got me excited about this product. I always read product manuals prior to use, and it turns out this device supports both variable voltage AND variable wattage, just like the original iStick 20w. Very nice. Moreover, it swaps between the two by using the standard Eleaf three-click function. Three clicks of the fire button enters the mod into a select menu. Also just like the original iStick 20w. From this menu, you use the up and down arrows to select between variable voltage (3.0 to 5.5 volts in 0.1 volt increments, per the iStick 20w), variable wattage (8.0 to 20.0 watts in 0.5 watt increments, also like the iStick 20w), atomizer coil resistance on screen output, and battery life indication (read as a percentage). It's worth noting that having no tank installed results in a "No" reading for resistance. Install a coil rated below 1.0 ohms and the device reads "Lo" and the device will refuse to fire. Nice safety feature since the battery (likely an 18350) probably has too low of a rated amp limit to support sub ohm vaping. As far as I can tell, this device uses the same chipset that the original iStick 20w does... just reprogrammed for the different screen (the same exact screen that the 10w Mini iStick and the iJust D16 use).
So, how does it vape? This thing works like a champ. Battery life isn't stellar, but is more than enough for a tank pushing a mid 1 ohm range coil. Incidentally, the device has a max 5.5 volt output, so only coils with a resistance between 1.0 and 1.5 ohms can reach the full 20 watt output. 1.6 ohm or higher coils will vape lower, even if your device reads 20 watts. It cuts off on the fly. Similarly, coils with resistance below 1.5 ohms can't vape at the max 5.5 volts. You'll get the full 20 watts, but voltage will drop on the fly.
The Nautilus Mini vaped great on this at 17.5 watts with an 80% max VG juice. The GS Air MS ran at 19.0 watts with the same juice. My Subtank Nano with the new 1.5 ohm vertcal coils rocked the sure shot with the same juice... 20 watts, no problem. It even vaped 100% VG at the full 20 watts. Any of these three tanks is a GREAT match with this mod. With the Nano and the Nautilus Mini the whole kit measured about 115mm from base to top of the drip tip. With the GS Air MS, about 98 mm. Not bad at all. I've been using it with the GS Air MS for the mostpart, due to the diminutive stature of the kit with that tank, but any of these three tanks absolutely rock with this mod. All of them (and any 19mm tank, for that matter) will sit flush on both sides and will overhang the front of the mod by about 1 mm. No biggie.
Overall, I'm quite pleasantly surprised by this little beast. It's effectively an iStick 20 watt, gutted and crammed into a Mini iStick body. I even prefer the screen. The only two downfalls I found are the battery life (about 2/3 of a day with my moderate to heavy vaping) and the fact that the screen can't be put in to a stealth mode. The battery life isn't a big deal. At 1.5 ohms, tanks won't suck the battery dry like sub ohm vaping will. As it is, I consider myself a moderate to fairly heavy vaper and with any of the three tanks I listed, I get about 2/3 of a day out of it. The battery charges from DEAD to full in under 90 minutes, so it's no big deal... carry around a usb cable. The lack of a stealth mode IS kind of a bummer, though. This little screen is pretty damn bright in a dark room. Oh well, I can live with it. Does this replace my Subtank Nano and Ego One? No. My Subtank Nano and SX Mini M Class? Heck no. It really is a nice, small, stealthy vape for work and other situations that require discretion, though. My cloud chucking daily drivers just make too much of a scene, sometimes.
I personally think that Eleaf/Joyetech is going to eventually drop the original 20 watt iStick and the 10 watt Mini once back stock of these units has been depleted and production commitments are met, replacing both of them with this device. That would make sense, anyhow. I believe this was the original plan when the 10w Mini came about, but the chipset chosen didn't allow for all of the features and power they wanted.
Oh, it doesn't have a spring loaded 510 pin, either... also a bummer... three downfalls. All of that aside, this thing is an AWESOME stealth vape... I am MOST impressed. Good stuff from Eleaf and Joytech lately... good times for the consumer.
Prior to actually picking the device up, I thought this was just going to be a beefed up Mini iStick. More specifically, I thought this was going to be a variable voltage ONLY mod with a higher voltage output and wattage cutoff. It turns out that Eleaf changed tons of things about the device.
First, the box is much nicer than the one my older (all of four months old, now) iStick Mini 10w came in. I noticed the huge MyVapors logo on the box right off the bat. Makes sense a little bit, since Joyetech purchased Eleaf, but I'm not certain what the MyVapors computer assisted vaping has to do with this device... it doesn't support MyVapors at all, either on a PC or mobile device. Confusing, but no biggie. The box contains all of the standard goodies mods come with these days; the mod itself, a micro usb charging cable (no mains adapter, though... poo), a 510 to ego adapter for ego styled tanks, and the standard pamphlet/manual.
The device itself appears virtually identical to the older mini. The Eleaf logo has moved to the base of the unit, the MyVapors logo replaces the Eleaf logo that was on the side, and the Mini iStick logo now lists "20w" underneath. Otherwise, absolutely identical. The top and bottom of the mod are still chromed and are still fingerprint magnets... see the photos and excuse the beaten condition of my extensively used 10w mini. In all of the comparison pics, the 20w device is on the left.
The manual is what got me excited about this product. I always read product manuals prior to use, and it turns out this device supports both variable voltage AND variable wattage, just like the original iStick 20w. Very nice. Moreover, it swaps between the two by using the standard Eleaf three-click function. Three clicks of the fire button enters the mod into a select menu. Also just like the original iStick 20w. From this menu, you use the up and down arrows to select between variable voltage (3.0 to 5.5 volts in 0.1 volt increments, per the iStick 20w), variable wattage (8.0 to 20.0 watts in 0.5 watt increments, also like the iStick 20w), atomizer coil resistance on screen output, and battery life indication (read as a percentage). It's worth noting that having no tank installed results in a "No" reading for resistance. Install a coil rated below 1.0 ohms and the device reads "Lo" and the device will refuse to fire. Nice safety feature since the battery (likely an 18350) probably has too low of a rated amp limit to support sub ohm vaping. As far as I can tell, this device uses the same chipset that the original iStick 20w does... just reprogrammed for the different screen (the same exact screen that the 10w Mini iStick and the iJust D16 use).
So, how does it vape? This thing works like a champ. Battery life isn't stellar, but is more than enough for a tank pushing a mid 1 ohm range coil. Incidentally, the device has a max 5.5 volt output, so only coils with a resistance between 1.0 and 1.5 ohms can reach the full 20 watt output. 1.6 ohm or higher coils will vape lower, even if your device reads 20 watts. It cuts off on the fly. Similarly, coils with resistance below 1.5 ohms can't vape at the max 5.5 volts. You'll get the full 20 watts, but voltage will drop on the fly.
The Nautilus Mini vaped great on this at 17.5 watts with an 80% max VG juice. The GS Air MS ran at 19.0 watts with the same juice. My Subtank Nano with the new 1.5 ohm vertcal coils rocked the sure shot with the same juice... 20 watts, no problem. It even vaped 100% VG at the full 20 watts. Any of these three tanks is a GREAT match with this mod. With the Nano and the Nautilus Mini the whole kit measured about 115mm from base to top of the drip tip. With the GS Air MS, about 98 mm. Not bad at all. I've been using it with the GS Air MS for the mostpart, due to the diminutive stature of the kit with that tank, but any of these three tanks absolutely rock with this mod. All of them (and any 19mm tank, for that matter) will sit flush on both sides and will overhang the front of the mod by about 1 mm. No biggie.
Overall, I'm quite pleasantly surprised by this little beast. It's effectively an iStick 20 watt, gutted and crammed into a Mini iStick body. I even prefer the screen. The only two downfalls I found are the battery life (about 2/3 of a day with my moderate to heavy vaping) and the fact that the screen can't be put in to a stealth mode. The battery life isn't a big deal. At 1.5 ohms, tanks won't suck the battery dry like sub ohm vaping will. As it is, I consider myself a moderate to fairly heavy vaper and with any of the three tanks I listed, I get about 2/3 of a day out of it. The battery charges from DEAD to full in under 90 minutes, so it's no big deal... carry around a usb cable. The lack of a stealth mode IS kind of a bummer, though. This little screen is pretty damn bright in a dark room. Oh well, I can live with it. Does this replace my Subtank Nano and Ego One? No. My Subtank Nano and SX Mini M Class? Heck no. It really is a nice, small, stealthy vape for work and other situations that require discretion, though. My cloud chucking daily drivers just make too much of a scene, sometimes.
I personally think that Eleaf/Joyetech is going to eventually drop the original 20 watt iStick and the 10 watt Mini once back stock of these units has been depleted and production commitments are met, replacing both of them with this device. That would make sense, anyhow. I believe this was the original plan when the 10w Mini came about, but the chipset chosen didn't allow for all of the features and power they wanted.
Oh, it doesn't have a spring loaded 510 pin, either... also a bummer... three downfalls. All of that aside, this thing is an AWESOME stealth vape... I am MOST impressed. Good stuff from Eleaf and Joytech lately... good times for the consumer.
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