Eleaf iStick Mix Starter Kit Review
Greetings, vaper. We’re back with another vape review. Today, we will be taking a look at the Eleaf iStick Mix Starter Kit. This looks like one of those nicer kits with epic cloud-chucking capabilities. For example, it comes with two 0.2ohm coils and boasts up to 160W of power. I can already hear myself choking on the vapor (in a pleasant way, of course).
This is a pricey kit so I will open up the box, take a look at every feature, and take it for a spin. I’ll provide you my thoughts, concerns, ruminations, useless comments, etc. Hopefully, this gives you an idea of what you’d get into if you decided to purchase this bad boy. In the essence of unbiased “reporting,” I will also present a list of comments from other experts in a pros and cons format.
This way, you’ll get to see at a glance if this is worth your while. First, let’s place the iStick Mix under the microscope and see how it fares under scrutiny:
Specs:
- Tank Dimensions: 78mm by 52mm by 27mm
- Max Wattage Output: 160W
- Resistance Range: 0.05-3.0ohms
- Coils: Eleaf ELLO POP Family
Features:
- 6.5mL e-Liquid Capacity
- Oversized Intuitive Firing Button
- Sleek OLED Display Screen
- Dual High-Amp 18650 Batteries (Not Included)
- Cutting-Edge Avatar Chipset
- Zinc-Alloy Chassis Construction
- Magnetic Battery Door
- Multiple Protections
- Type-C USB Connection
- Conveniently Centered 510 Connection
- Sub-Ohm Tank 28mm Diameter
- Pyrex Glass Reinforcement
- Superior Stainless Steel Construction
- Top Fill System
- 0.2ohm HW-N2 KA Coil – rated for 40-90W
- 0.2ohm HW-M2 KA Coil – rated for 40-90W
- Leak Proof Self Cleaning Technology (LPSC)
- Dual Slotted Bottom Adjustable Airflow Control Ring
- 810 Widebore Resin Drip Tip
Expert Opinions:
Mike Vapes
Pros
- Firmware upgradeable device
- Doesn’t feel like your typical lightweight and cheap Eleaf
- This kit feels high quality construction
- USB Type-C is fantastic
- Charging is 2.5 balanced charging
- Display and menu system are simple and user-friendly
- Single watt increments are possible with the buttons
- The resin panels show no signs of rattling
- Firing is instant and epic
- Great flavor and top fill
- Spare coil included is always a plus
Cons
- When you take out the sub-ohm tank, the mod will restart to 30W
- Resin on one side and different art on the other side
VapingwithTwisted420
Pros
- Wild designs – one side resin, the other a different design
- A replacement glass and replacement coil included
- 6.5mL e-liquid capacity is so good
- The “bodyguard” design of the ELLO is great
- Dual 18650 spring loaded inside a magnetic door that doesn’t rattle
- No button rattling either
- Settings are easily adjustable
- Cloud-chasing possible with this
- Coils give great flavor
Cons
- Old-school screen.
DJLsb Vapes
Pros
- Spare coil is a nice addition
- Spare glass is also great – although this one doesn’t have rubber lines
- ELLO tank is good
- Beautiful and fancy mod / resin panels
- Super convenient child-proof port
- No rattling from magnetic door or buttons show high-quality craftsmanship
- Massive vapor production
Cons
- Finish scratches and chips easily with time
Review & Final Thoughts:
Let’s unpack it. Hmm, I never liked the Eleaf branding on the manuals. It feels like I’m buying a plant or something. Moving on to the ELLO tank, wow, I must say it’s love at first sight. The black matte finish feels amazing at the touch and looks nice. The resin style drip tip fits the whole aesthetic of the ELLO well. A little detail by the ELLO I loved were the rubber lines on the glass, supposedly to protect it, and it feels sturdy indeed. I’m smacking it lightly and it appears shock absorbent enough to prevent cracks (unless you drop it from a four-story building).
The airflow control ring provides the typical features of twisting the knob and controlling the flow of air – pretty self-explanatory. With 6.5mL of e-liquid capacity, might as well plug the entire bottle in there and chuck all day. This is typical as well for some of these big boys.
The resin panels feel great and the swirly artwork pleases my eyeballs. The door is held by magnets and you can change the batteries pretty quickly. I placed a couple 18650 before I start puffing. All buttons are clicky. If you use a 25mm sub-ohm tank or higher, there will be overhang – just FYI. The display is the usual black and white screen with user-friendly navigation and quick setting adjustments.
Now, time to fill it up with juice. I have to lift up the compartment and top-fill it. It’s great. The vapor comes out great at low wattages and higher wattages. I am vaping Milky O’s by Milkman and the flavor is okay (that may just be the Milky O’s since it’s lackluster, and not Eleaf’s fault). The top-filling “lifting” mechanism is designed so it doesn’t slide open while in your pocket or backpack.
Before I give you my final thoughts on this, let’s dig into the pros and cons list above and summarize what’s up with this Eleaf before you commit some cheddar cheese on it. Sounds good?
Starting with the very few cons, the screen was described as outdated and too simplistic. Although at the same time it was touted as user-friendly and quite useful. Another complain was the mod’s tendency to go back to 30W after some usage. Meaning, if you vaped at 80W and left it for a few minutes, it would revert back to 30W on its own for no reason. I didn’t have that experience so it may have been a problem with that specific kit and reviewer (Mike Vapes).
Another complaint was the finish on one of the panels. Reviewer DJLsb Vapes describes how panels like that tend to chip and scratch easily. I can’t really vouch for or against that comment as I’ve only used this kit for five days. Almost a week and so far no scratches or chipping on my end.
Moving on to the pros, this kit offers upgradeable firmware and that’s a good thing. All reviewers made comments regarding the usual feel of Eleaf products. They described them as “cheap” looking. In this case, it wasn’t much the case, instead, the craftsmanship is glorious and touted as magnificent.
A compliment that stems from the complaint is the screen. As we discussed before, it looks outdated but in the end it remains user-friendly and offers the settings you’ve come to expect from mods like this. It doesn’t leave you longing for a feature. Other pros include: the resin panels show no signs of rattling, the fire button shoots quick and well, Eleaf adds a spare coil and glass.
To sum up, this is a must-have kit if you’re aching for a cloud-chucker. The flavor is great, the performance is epic, the craftsmanship is beautiful. I’d say I agree with all experts and I concur with the rating. Get it today!
