Eleaf iStick 50W Sub Ohm Review

I’m a big fan of both the iStick 20W and the Mini iStick, both do a great job and I’ve found myself using both devices repeatedly over the last few months.

The main reason being is due to the small form factor (+ battery capacity + power) making iSticks easy and ideal for vaping when out and about.So onto this review and I am taking a look at the Eleaf iStick 50W which (along with the 30W) is the latest addition to the current iStick e cig lineup.

This electronic cigarette was purchased, by myself, for the purposes of this review.

In the box / Presentation

The Eleaf iStick 50W comes in a tidy cardboard presentation box and includes the following.

• 1 X 50W iStick (4400 mAh)
  
• 1 X EGO Adapter
• Manual
  
• USB Charging Cable
  

Battery/Body/Build

If you have used or seen the 20W iStick then you will be familiar with the shape and look of the 50W version. The only difference is, obviously, that the 50W version is a chunkier, weightier device.

With a huge 4400 mAh battery this is to be expected. Having said that, the size is still compact and the added weight actually makes it feel like a much more robust bit of kit.

The curves make the iStick fit the palm of the hand perfectly making it a comfortable device to hold.

The power button sits on the same place with the watt/volt selector buttons now sit on the front face of the body with the OLED screen just below. I went for the blue which I think looks great, it is also available in black, silver and pink.

The button locations are all good and the annoying rattle from previous models seems to have been rectified. The only thing that hits me as not so great initially is the screen size and brightness.

I will say though I’ve just been using the MVP 3 for the last week and the display on that big fella is superb. With that in mind maybe I’m being too fussy but still, with a bigger device the screen could have been larger.

iStick 50W OLED screen functions

The display is the same as the 20W with battery capacity indicator, atomiser resistance, volt/watt output and of course your voltage/wattage setting. The functions themselves are also similar apart from one main improvement.

Pressing the two arrow selector buttons together for a couple of seconds will lock the screen without shutting down the device. This just ensures you don’t accidentally change your settings as right handers will have the arrows sat palm inwards when vaping.The 5 button on/off is still there as well.

Changing from volts to watts, or vice versa, is done by simply pressing the power button three times. From here you can use the arrow buttons to select up or down to choose your preferred setting. Due to the variable voltage and wattage settings being larger – 2V-10V and 5W-50W output range – the iStick does allow you to run through the settings pretty quick by simply keeping one of the arrow buttons pressed.

The watts can move in 0.5W increments and the volts in 0.1 increments. The automatic scrolling through the numbers from the 20W has been done away with which wasn’t something I saw as being particularly useful.

So overall usability is super simple.

There are of course additional features.

iStick 50W Features

• 510 Thread (comes supplied with EGO adapter)
• 2V-10V
• 5W – 50W
  
• Fire down to 0.2 Ohm
• Temperature Alarm – If device goes over 70’C output will shut off and display will show ‘Temp Protection’
• Vape whilst charging. Micro USB position is good for this on the underside of the device, not the bottom.
• Ability to flip display screen Performance

Overall

A great design that is comfortable in the hand is something I have come to expect from the iStick range and the 50W although a touch larger and heavier fits the mould. The functions are easy to use and the button rattle from previous models is no longer present, the only thing I would have liked to see is maybe a larger OLED screen.

How Does The Eleaf iStick 50W Perform?

The 50W iStick can fire from 0.2 Ohms, I tried a number of tanks/clearomisers on the 50W iStick. First off I tried all the Kanger Subtanks to see what looked the best. I decided to stick with the Subtank Mini which at 22mm fits perfectly. With a 0.5 Ohm coil it also performed a treat with the e-liquid I was using.

For my personal tastes the sweet spot was actually around 22W and after 25W the juice I used became too harsh. Of course depending on the e-liquid flavour/type you use and the type of vape you like these settings will be different.

The Aspire Atlantis 2 tank also looks great on the 50W and with the 0.5 Ohm coil also performs well. The box mod handle them all easily.

For the way I vape 50W is overkill. At the moment 20W is fine for my needs although it has to be said the battery size does come in handy.

That brings us to the length of time the battery lasts…. Well, at a huge 4400mAh I was getting 4 days easily as a moderate vaper switching between 10W to 22W. Even chain vapers should get a respectable run from this battery.

Overall

The Eleaf iStick 50W handled the Kanger and Aspire Sub Ohm tanks I tried no problem, the 22mm tanks fit perfectly. Add to this the huge 4400 mAh battery life that saw me into 4 days then I have no complaints at all.

Final Review Verdict

Another great addition to the iStick range for certain vapers. The 50W maximum setting it has to be said is wasted on my current personal vaping habits and will likely be unnecessary for a large percentage of vapers out there. Around the 20-30W mark is plenty for me but this does give me room to grow if need.

Having said that, the huge battery life makes this worth considering even if you don’t vape at the higher wattage and use sub ohm coil heads. The likes of the Aspire Nautilus work just fine with this and if you don’t mind the slight step up in size from the 20/30W iStick then you could get an extra day or two vaping time.

Here are the good and not so good that I found:

Pros

• Battery life is superb at 4400 mAh.
  
• Still a fairly compact device despite the capacity.
• Build quality is decent.
• Very comfortable in the palm
• Functions are simple to use.
• Lock function without the need to turn device off.
• Handles Kanger Subtank and Aspire Atlantis with ease
  
• 510 & EGO compatible, the latter by way of adapter.
• OLED display is clear.
  

Cons

• Not suitable for vapers that want to drop south of 0.4 oHms.
  
• Would be nice to see a bigger and brighter OLED display.
• Silver top plate is a fingerprint magnet.