Published on May 22nd, 2015 | by AJ

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Eleaf iStick 20w Mini Mod Review

If you’re a vaper who appreciates the power a box mod can provide but never really fell in love with the size and bulk that comes with the form factor.

Then the Eleaf iStick 20w Box Mod might be exactly the equipment you’re looking for.

With its compact profile, 20 watts of vaping power and brightly lit OLED screen the Eleaf iStick effectively splits the difference between pen-type vapes and box mods.

Today’s Eleaf iStick review will determine if the ambitious device is truly the best of both worlds.

What’s New- Eleaf iStick 20w Box Mod

The iStick 20w mod is an all-new offering in the category, bringing the internal power of a box mod together with the easy portability of a pen vape or other smaller form factor.

For years, the complaint about the more portable vapes has been a woeful lack of juice, and the Eleaf iStick endeavors to solve the problem once and for all with a heavy-duty 2200 mAh internal battery that even allows use while charging. 

iStick 20w Mod Battery

The internal battery of the Eleaf iStick is permanently installed, which is actually a good thing for maintenance-averse vapers.

2200mAh means plenty of power for an all day charge, and the Micro USB charge port that delivers power to the battery also supports use with a wall charging input for even faster juicing.

Basically, you’ll have to try and kill the battery on this thing.

Variable Voltage/Wattage

As the name suggests, the Eleaf iStick 20w can generate up to 20 watts of power from a base of 2 watts, and also allows the voltage level to be adjusted anywhere from 3.0 to 5.5V.

The control setup of the variable power is fairly clever.

It takes the selected power level up or down by 0.1 when the button is pressed and held once.

How does it make it easier to get between the wildly divergent power levels habitual experimenters like us are known to play around with?

By 0.2 if the button is pressed again quickly, and by 0.5 if the button is pressed 3 times in quick succession.

Eleaf iStick 20w Threading

The Eleaf iStick has a 510 connection for compatibility with the majority of standard aftermarket tanks.

Clearomizers and other accessories as well as an included eGo adapter for compatibility with all your skirted (eGo threaded) tanks.

It’s nice to know that pretty much anything in the vape shop will play nicely with your new mod, and the iStick 20w is one of the growing number of devices that offer that level of flexibility.

Safety

The Eleaf iStick 20w Box Mod includes a number of advanced safety features that let users enjoy their vaping with confidence.

This includes short circuit protection and a 10-second automatic firing shutoff along with low voltage protection to help preserve the life of the internal battery.

Best Clearomizer

Kanger Protank

If you’re just looking to get started with a basic tank or are the kind of person who keeps a rotation of at least 31 flavors and need to keep an army of vessels at the ready, the Kanger Protank is the ideal clearomizer to collect en masse.

It’s compatible, durable, relatively inexpensive and delivers a surprising amount of flavor for what is seen as a basic unit, so it’s an excellent no-frills option.

You will need to take advantage of the 510-eGo adapter to use this tank.

Aspire Nautilus

If you’re looking for something a bit more advanced, we’re sure by now you’ve heard about the Aspire Nautilus?

Nearly indestructible Pyrex body, stainless steel hardware, adjustable airflow and a huge capacity.

We took an extended look at the Nautilus here, so check it out if you’re looking for a top-flight tank to go with your new Eleaf iStick.

More Facts On The Mini 20w

Build quality on the iStick is good, with solid-feeling buttons that employ a tactile click complimenting an overall solid feel.

The brushed aluminum style finish with chrome accents is an attractive design choice for the iStick, and the unit comes in 4 colors as well as having a range of skins available.

Flavor, throat hit and vapor warmth were all good, and with the range of adjustable settings, we’re sure we could have made them all even better after messing around with it for a few weeks.

Battery life is outstanding, particularly in such a compact device, and the unit survived our all-day test with plenty of power to spare.

USB charging is a convenient solution that ensures we’re never without a compatible charger in this modern cord filled world of ours, although we wouldn’t have minded having one included with the vape itself.

Minor Drawbacks

Our minor complaints about the Eleaf iStick 20w Box Mod begin with the 510 connection point, which is not spring loaded or adjustable like with many similar models, but we were able to use all the tanks we had lying around with it, so it isn’t really an issue…yet.

The connection point itself could also be a bit more toward the center of the device, as wider accessories will hang slightly off the edge of the device, but we’re nitpicking now, don’t you think?

One thing we weren’t sure how to feel about is the puff length counter that displays on the side of the unit as you inhale, timing the length of firing in seconds.

It’s not a particularly useful or annoying feature, it’s just there so we mentioned it.

Eleaf iStick Overview

When we opened the box containing the iStick 20w mod the first thing we noticed is how small the unit is.

It’s one thing to read the specs, but an entirely different prospect to see the actual device. The size difference between this and other comparable units is striking. 

When you spend all day looking at vapes that, despite their differences in model and manufacturer, couldn’t be picked out of a lineup.

Nevertheless, it’s important to note that the compact size of the Eleaf iStick does lend itself to a comfortable fit in the palm of the hand.

Overall, the Eleaf iStick is a largely successful unit as well as a possible peek at a whole new category of vaping equipment.

Its compact form factor combined with an abundance of power make for a unit with plenty to offer a seasoned vape enthusiast, and its ease of use even makes it a great choice for a beginner.

The year of the mini mod is upon us. If you’ve always been curious about box mods but could do without the bulk or just need a capable new vape, you can’t really go wrong with the Eleaf iStick 20w Box Mod.