Since its 2014 release of the iStick mini, E-Leaf has been a mainstay of the e-cigarette world. Its series of iStick products has become synonymous with quality, entry level devices among vaping enthusiasts.
Very often recommended to novice e-cigarette users or those looking to upgrade from their pen-style devices, the E-Leaf iStick 30W is one of the simplest, price efficient, yet extraordinarily versatile devices on the market today.
Whether you’re an experienced e-cigarette enthusiast looking for a supplementary mod, someone who’s looking to upgrade from their cig-a-like or pen-style e-cigarettes, or a complete beginner – the iStick 30W is a serious contender for one of the best suited devices.
Let’s take a look at everything this product has to offer.
PACKAGING & DESIGN
The iStick 30W comes packaged in a clean, plain-white box that you simply slide open once the outer plastic has been removed. Nestled inside, the mod comes with a eGO threading connector, USB cable, wall adapter, and manual.
The first thing you’ll notice is the anodised paint job – while simple, it looks clean and accentuates the contours of the device.
While it is a relatively inexpensive mod, the iStick 30W feels solid and “expensive” when held. The contours of where the mod meets your palm and the curvature of your fingers are rounded and ergonomic, fitting the hand like it was designed to be held.
The box-type design may be an industry standard, but this mod sits in the hand much more snugly and comfortably than your average mod.
The top of the mod where the connection lies has been designed to sit flush with atomizers 22-23mm in diameter – this covers almost all of the most popular atomizers out there, ensuring a device that looks and feels like one piece.
KIT CONTENTS
- Eleaf iStick 30W Battery Mod
- 1x Micro USB charger lead
- 1x Ego tank thread adapter
- 1x EU 2 pin wall plug charger
- Packaged inside an Eleaf box
- User manual
- 3 Laser Markers on the device
- Scratch Security Code
SPECS
- Adjustable Variable Wattage power: 5-30watts
- Adjustable Variable Voltage power: 2-8volts
- 2200mAh battery
- 2.5 hrs to full charge with wall plug
- Polished Stainless steel hardware
- OLED Screen
- Spring loaded pin connector
- 510 connector thread with eGo adapter
FUNCTIONALITY
The iStick 30W offers everything you need to start vaping in style. It has a voltage output of between 2.0 and 8.0, and wattage control of 5.0-30.0W. It has variable voltage and wattage controls, allowing precise control over your settings preferences.
The iStick 30W was designed to sustain sub-ohm vaping as low as 0.4 ohms, allowing compatibility with sub-ohm tanks and RBA builds. If a coil or build is deemed too low or unsafe, the device simply won’t fire.
The stainless steel 510 threading comes with a spring connector, ensuring an adaptable connection between your atomizer and mod. This means that your connector will never get “stuck down” by an atomizer, as can happen with connectors that don’t have this feature.
The firing button has a 10 second protection so you don’t burn out your coil or battery by leaving it in your pocket. The buttons are smooth, with little to almost no play.
I’ve vaped many pricier mods that have an unsatisfactory firing experience due to gradual button wiggling, which can be extremely frustrating. I’ve never had this issue with this iStick.
DISPLAY
The OLED display on this device is the industry standard. It displays the ohm/voltage readout and battery life when at rest, as well as the battery life. It’s extremely responsive to voltage/wattage changes and the readout is clear, even in direct sunlight.
When firing, the display shows a counter until the 15 second firing protection kicks in, upon which it flashes intermittently and locks out the device from further use.
BATTERY DETAILS
The built-in 2200mAH battery is a decent size and vapes for 5-6 hours continuously at 25W / 0.5 ohms before needing to be charged. With a wall charge you should get to max capacity in 2.5 hours.
If you’re like me and often forget to charge your mods, fear not! The device can be used while charging, so you’ll never be chained to your desk wishing you could have a vape.
DISLIKES
While the iStick 30W is heavy in pros, it’s certainly not a perfect device – I don’t think anything on the market comes close to that right now. Here are some tradeoffs you make with this mod:
- The wattage control ends at 30W. While I personally never exceed 25W, some enthusiasts may find this to be shallow.
- The paintjob is easily chipped – carrying the mod around in your pocket with some coins or keys will quickly diminish its appearance.
- It’s small – while a pro for some who don’t like a lot of heft, it can look ‘inadequate’ next to some of the larger mods.
LIKES
There’s so many advantages to this device I can’t even begin to name them all. Here are the main advantages I see to owning this mod.
- It’s easily accessible for most budgets and does just about everything a higher range, pricier mod might do. It simply works out of the box, coming at about 50% charge. All you need to do is plug in an atomizer.
- The ergonomic form factor is simply unmatched by most devices on the market today. There’s no messing around here – E-Leaf got it right with the iStick 30W. It fits perfectly in the hand, the button placement is superb, there’s no button wiggle, and most atomizers sit flush with the device.
- The safety features are solid, making it a great beginner device. There’s almost no way to ‘blow yourself up’ using this device, unlike the iStick 50W (there’s been many reports of the iStick 50W auto firing and catching on fire).
- It’s incredibly durable – I’m extraordinarily clumsy and have a tendency to drop things. It’s stood the test of time for over a year of dropping, bumping, and mistreatment.
SHOULD YOU GET THE ISTICK 30W?
I’ve never once regretted purchasing my E-Leaf iStick 30W. There’s a lot of different choices on the e-cigarette market, but there’s some that stand out above the rest. That extraordinary contender for me has been the iStick 30W.
Despite having purchased larger, higher output mods, I find myself going back to my iStick 30W quite often as a daily carry vape.
It slips into my slim-fit jeans easily, has outstanding battery life, and coupled with a Nautilus Mini (my recommendation of tank for this mod), is everything I need to get through the day.
I highly recommend this mod for all new or novice vapers looking to upgrade from their cig-a-like or pen vapes. This isn’t a pretender, it’s the real deal – a solid box mod that satisfies almost all the needs of everyday vaping.
I also think experienced vapers looking for a smaller box mod as a daily carry will be extremely satisfied if they give this one a shot.