The IQOS is produced by American global cigarette and tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI).
Recently launched and available to buy online in the UK and Europe (details below), their first contender to the electronic cigarette arena in the form of their ‘Heat Not Burn’ vaping device. They have also recently launched the IQOS mesh vape device.
What is IQOS?
Hailed as a smokeless “smoking” device, the IQOS uses tobacco filled cartridges, these look incredible like stumpy cigarettes, which are heated and not burnt like traditional cigarettes, to provide a smokeless (almost) experience.
Keep in mind these still contain tobacco and while we await research into ‘heat not burn’ to see what, if any, nasties are carried when not burnt in the traditional manner.
If you would rather get away from tobacco altogether then we would recommend going down the ecig + e-liquid route.
What’s In The Box
- IQOS Holder (The Device)
- IQOS Pocket Charger
- IQOS Cleaner
- IQOS AC Power Adaptor (UK Standard three-pin plug)
- USB Cable
- IQOS Cleaning Sticks (Packet of 10)
Build Quality & Design
Off the bat, the design and the materials used in the manufacture of the IQOS system are of a high-quality.
This is no surprise considering PMI’s extensive research and development into the ‘Heat Not Burn’ technology and the IQOS system for a period over some ten years before manufacturing and releasing the product.
The IQOS system comprises of three key components:-
- iQOS Holder / Device
- iQOS Pocket Charger
- IQOS Heets (Tobacco stick)
IQOS Holder
The ‘Holder’ or IQOS devices, looks very similar in appearance to a traditional pen-style e-cigarette.
However, unlike other e-cigarettes, the IQOS uses actual tobacco, in stick form, instead of nicotine based e-liquid.
Unlike traditional cigarettes which burn at around 600°C, the IQOS heats the tobacco to about 350°C, so it doesn’t produce smoke, ash or combustion.
The heat is produced by a small element or blade located in the top of the device.
This is where the tobacco sticks (Heets) are inserted prior to activating the device. Once a Heet is inserted, the IQOS can be activated by pressing and holding down the button on the device for approximately 5 seconds, at which time the GREEN LED will begin to blink.
Heating up of the element takes approximately 20 seconds for the device to reach optimum temperature.
- Blinking GREEN LED – Device Heating up (20 sec)
- Solid GREEN LED – Devices ready to smoke
- Solid ORANGE LED – Device/HEET about to end
The heating blade will remain active for approximately 6 minutes, which is roughly the same length of time it would take to smoke a traditional cigarette.
At about the 5 minute mark, the LED will change to Amber indicating that the device will be switching off shortly and that the Heet is almost finished.
A good little feature that mimics the longevity of a traditional cigarette very nicely.
One thing to note is that once the device is activated you can turn it off at any point you like but the Heet will need to be replaced and the device will require returning to the pocket charger for a recharge before it can be used again.
IQOS Pocket Charger
As its name suggests, the ‘Pocket Charger’ is very pocket-friendly indeed and is primarily used for carrying, charging and cleaning the IQOS device.
The unit is relatively simplistic, comprising of an enclosed battery and a docking station to house the IQOS device.
Down the side of the charger there are a number of buttons and LED indicators, let’s have a look at these individually.
Starting at the top
There is a small square button which appears to be stainless steel in construction, this is used to open the flip top section of the charger to gain access to the docking port for the IQOS device.
Below this there is the first of the LED’s indicators, this one highlights the status of the IQOD device while in the pocket charger.
- Blinking GREEN LED – IQOS Device charging
- Solid GREEN LED – IQOS Device fully charged
- Blinking ORANGE LED – Charging with poor connection to devices
- Blinking RED LED – Charging Malfunction
Below this we have four small individual LED’s which indicated the charge status of the Pocket Charger.
- Four LED’s indicates 100% charge
- Three indicates 75%
- Two equals 50% charge
- One indicates 25%. Simple 🙂
Next is the Heater Cleaning status LED. The heater in this case is the small blade type element inside the IQOS Device which requires periodic cleaning to remove any residue tobacco left behind from the HEETS.
The status of the LED is as follows:-
- Solid ORANGE LED – Automatic cleaning will commence shortly
- Blinking GREEN LED – Cleaning is in progress
- Blinking RED LED – Malfunction in Pocket Charger
- No LED – Device is in Standby or OFF mode
Below the Heater Cleaning status LED is the Heater Cleaning button, however the IQOS system has a clever built in automatic cleaning process which kicks in after every 20 HEETS have been used.
You can of course override this by pressing and hold down the button for approximately 3 seconds to manually activate the cleaning cycle indicated by the blinking green LED.
Once the cleaning cycle is complete the charger will automatically recharge the IQOS device so you’re ready go again.
The last button on the Pocket Charger is the main Power Button to activate or turn the charger off.
Finally, at the base of the Charger we have our standard micro USB port for recharging the charger itself.
IQOS Heets
The IQOS HEETS are in essence shortened cigarettes comprising of a tobacco plug, hollow acetate tube, polymer-film filter, cellulose-acetate mouthpiece filter, and outer and mouth-end papers.
The heated tobacco HEETS are made by blending tobaccos from several types and origins.
The tobaccos are ground into a mixture and then reconstituted back into a tobacco sheet to manufacture the HEETS.
There are a number of additional elements added to the tobacco during the process which you can study in more detail on the Philip Morris website.
HEETS are currently available in three different blends:-
- HEETS Amber – Rich Tobacco blend
- HEETS Yellow – Smooth Tobacco blend
- HEETS Turquoise – Smooth Menthol blend
To use the HEETS, you simply take one from your preferred blend and push it down, tobacco end first, into the top opening of the IQOS Holder.
There is a little bit of resistance here as the heating element/blade cuts into the tobacco but gently continue to push down until the end of the HEET touches the base of the element housing.
And now you’re ready to rock & roll on your IQOS.
How Does The IQOS Perform?
I spent a considerable length of time using the IQOS as it’s something that I personally have never come across before, it’s completely different to my preference in an alternative to traditional cigarettes.
The kit as a whole was very simple & easy to set up and use!
There’s no airflow or wattage to adjust, in fact the only changeable item on the kit is the HEETS.
If your looking to blow clouds with this device you’re going to be disappointed, as there is virtually no smoke given off by the HEETS. So cloud comps are out 🙂
The bottom line, I was suitably impressed with the IQOS kit as an alternative to traditional cigarettes.
What I Liked
As a ‘Complete Package’ I have to say that I was very impressed with the IQOS system. It was incredibly simple and intuitive to setup and use.
It’s the closest thing I have found to the experience of actually smoking a cigarette.
I can definitely see that the IQOS system has a place in the smoking cessation market-place but this, I feel, will be mainly with those looking to give up smoking traditional cigarettes and move to something that *could be* ‘Healthier’ and possibly less in terms of cost.
I doubt very much that this will appeal to established Vapers as it’s too much like going back to the old analogues which they fought so hard to kick into touch.
What I Disliked
I only have one issue with the IQOS system, and it’s subjective based purely on my own personal tastes!
At present (in the UK) the HEETS are only available in three different blends, Rich, Smooth or Menthol.
While I admit I did enjoy the Menthol blend I did find the other two a little bit too strong for my delicate taste buds!
So I feel that the current range of HEETS are a little bit limiting. Hopefully PMI have other blends in the pipeline.
Where is the IQOS and Heets Available
IQOS is currently available in Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, and in some Duty Free shops. PMI plan to make IQOS available in key cities in over 30 countries by the end of 2017.
-
- Buy IQOS in the UK via the link at the end of this post
- Buy IQOS In Germany
- Buy IQOS In Spain Here
Final Review Verdict
As an alternative to cigarettes this ‘Heat Not Burn’ device is worth adding to a ‘maybe’ product list. If you have struggled with e cigarettes and e-liquid then it may be worth checking out.
Will I personally be ditching my e cig and e-juice for the IQOS? Not a chance!
Pros
- Works straight out of the box
- Pocket Charger provides great battery life
- Compact & pocket friendly
Cons
- Pocket Charger only seem to work with supplied power plug
- Limited to 3 varities of Heets flavours (Subjective)
- Still contains tobacco
Where Can You Buy IQOS?
The Iqos is currently available in the IQOS store in London and other major cities around the world. You can also buy IQOS online in the UK and Europe through the link below
The reason you are getting the Buzz from these HEETS is because of the added chemicals. They add ammonium as a catalyst to the nicotine, It’s called freebasing. It’ extremely profitable as it gives you a 10x high for the same amount of Nic. This increases the addictive factor. I would not recommend this device at all as you really have no idea what other chemicals and stuff are laced in with the sheet.
I’ve smoked since 16, I’m 57 now. Stopped during pregnancies & started again, eventually, after all 4.
Started IQOS Heets November 15th last year & haven’t smoked normal cigarettes since.
Had issues twice, where the red light intermitently came on & Iqos didn’t work. Rang the helpline & was delivered a new one the following morning.
I find the turquoise menthol heets the nicest.
Nearly 6 months without smoking my usual cigarettes is a miracle for me. I prefer not to smell of smoke. So I’m not continually washing my hands & chewing gum. Wether they’re better for me health wise is yet to be discovered.
I do feel I need a spare kit tho, in case mine malfunctions during a holiday etc.
Overall I highly recommend.
I used the device for 3 months
Sometimes you get a good smoke from it sometimes not.
Many problems with the device, I ended up waisting at least 49% of the sticks due to the divide not heating sticks properly. Called customer service and told them but they was polite but unhelpful in replacing sticks, at £7 a packet it gets expensive
When they launched new divice The should of gave out free ones if these are better
They are a long way from perfecting this product it’s not great
Good afternoon. I was glad to find this article, and particularly the comments. I live in the US and have ordered an IQOS system. In searching through reviews, its been near impossible to find a review from someone who is going straight to the IQOS from traditional cigarettes. Every person I’ve read so far is already vaping, and in my opinion, being a little biased. Which is understandable. I’ll give Mr. Murphy credit here for giving the device a fair shake. It was pleasant to find some people here that went to the IQOS from smoking and see the good mentions of this system. I value their opinions over someone who has already switched to vaping.
It would be nice if we could get some of the folks that went from smoking cigarettes to come back and post on whether they still use the device, and their current thoughts of the system.
I have been a Vapes for 6 years lungs now much improved (I’m 67 ex firefighter) I have now discovered Iqos and the amber heats are good but the menthol turquoise are superb. I think that the natural progression is cigs – iqos – vaping- quit! I like the fact that the nicotine hit of iqos is virtually identical to a cig. I will never go back to cigs but the iqos gives me a near perfect taste and buzz satisfaction that eliquid never has. Love the whole concept – just feel that one doesn’t get the full deal from the heat – there appears to be so much of the tobacco not used – brilliant product nevertheless! I now vape and use iqos so am totally satisfied- quit? I am not intending to as I love the buzz!
It seems to be a mixed review on this product but I have cpod and can’t walk 10 steps before being unable to breath.
It is a bit expensive but I will try it and I’m hoping this works
The IQOS is a very unreliable device. I have had to have the holder replaced about 7 times now. What happens, even if you are very careful with cleaning and using the device like I am, is sometimes as quickly as after half a days usage when you place the holder back into the charger the top circular light turns red which means its malfunctioned and can’t be used at all. I have stopped using this device. It is totally unfit for market and I would never buy anything made by Philip Morris again. Thankfully their sales are down at the moment.
I work at a gasstation in DK, where the IQOS team came by, showing and telling us about this device that we were selling in the gasstation. I was tempted to try one after the meeting and bought my own IQOS on the spot.
I have been a smoker for many years, and I have tried to quit smoking many times. I really like smoking if I have to be honest, but my grandfather ended up dying from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and now my moms has is to.
I know the IQOS is not completely HEALTHY, but I’m hoping that it will help me – prefereably to quit smoking completely one day.
I am now on my third day with my IQOS device, and I’m really impressed. I have not felt the need at anytime to light up a normal cigarette, and I am already starting to smell and taste better.
During every single one of my “quit smoking”-periods I have never felt this motivated in getting rid of the normal cigarette – it was always half-hearted I now realise.
But with my IQOS, I now truly believe that I’m able to finally change my smoking rutine.
Does anyone know what the shelf life of a pack of sealed HEETS is?
cheers
They last similarly to traditional cigarettes
I love my Iqos!
I smoked 20 cigarettes a day or more for 15 years, my wheezing and coughing up mucus was getting worse and worse.
I have been using Iqos for 9 Months and have no wheezing or coughing. I’m not suggesting it’s perfectly healthy but I feel it’s much better for my lungs. I still would recommend not to start smoking in the first place.
I can’t stand vaping, Its like smoking perfume and it’s cold.
The biggest advantage I have found is that I can no longer bear the taste of regular cigarettes so there’s no temptation to revert back or have a sneaky one….I have tried, urgh!
I had a rep come to my house who gave a demonstration and was very honest about the product.
The main things I like are:
The Heet tip is warm so very close to a traditional cigarette.
No ash, no fire hazard, far less smell especially on clothes and hair.
You have to go through a process of putting the heets in, warming it & waiting for recharge which prevents vaping constantly.
The customer service is exemplary including replacements under the 1 year guarantee – which brings me to the downsides :
The heets are expensive.
The product is a little fragile, especially the heating blade.
Still, I am absolutely delighted to have found this product & if the Heets became cheaper, it would be the icing on the cake!
The roll inside the filter made from Polylactic acid melts during smoking. I just cut a few filters after using them. All of them where affected. Any study on inhaling bioplastic?
I’ve been following all comments since I heard about iqos. I was really hoping it would be a solution to my addiction. I cannot stand the taste or smell of vap cigs. Has anyone a good report on the iqos????
I enjoy using my IQOS.
Only one thing I dislike about it!
The 6 mim battery life is false. So I have no choice but to puff and puff until the light turns red and dies.
But I refuse to smoke a cigarette.
So that’s a plus for me. Hopefully in the future IQOS devices will be made with a longer battery life. Other than that I’m completely satisfied with the nicotine it delivers. 😊
I have Iqos since 5 months now. And I face a technical problem tha ALL of you wil face: The battery of the Heater cig !! Battery life is usually for 700 to 1200 Charging cycles. If you smoke 10 Heets/d this is 10×30=300 charging cycles/month. therefore after 3 months the battery of your Heater is nearly end of life… Now after 5 months the heater heats around 4 minutes (-15/+20 seconds depending on the puff behavior). Threfore I strongly beleive that after 8 months the Heater will be completely dead.
who to fix my iqos holder after i dropped it in water?
Thank you for your support.
Hi Wassim
Sorry to hear this! Have you tried contacting the store you bought it from or iQOS Care / customer services as they will be able to discuss and maybe resolve your problem.
Mike
Just started with IQOS. Had to replace the holder a few times due to faulty items. This was done efficiently and free of charge. It seems the smoking quality varies from holder to holder. My conclusion is it is truly a great idea and it could be a great smoke, but they’ve skimped on cash in the manufacturing process. Shame. Nevertheless this technology will most likely prove the best way forward for many.
Hi Mark
Glad to hear you got the problem resolved quickly and that you are enjoying your iQOS!
Keep us posted about how you are getting along with it!
Mike
Hi mike, my Mum bought hers from Switzerland and uses it there but now she’s here on a break, her iqos cigarette won’t charge at all. Any advice ?
Thanks
Hi Linda
Not sure what the issue might be! It could be a number of things!
Firstly, if you mum is using a travel adapter then it might be worth trying a different one in case the adapter is faulty.
As far as I’m aware electrical voltage in Switzerland is the same as the UK so there shouldn’t be any need for a power converter!
My only other suggestion is to give customer care & after sales service a call and see if they can help! The UK number is 08004320000.
Regards
Mike
The device doesn’t work well at all. You might get lucky and the holder will last a few months but you may get unlucky and the holder only last one day. If when you put it back into the charger the top circular light is red, the holder has malfunctioned and there is nothing you can do about it. I have given up with IQOS now, its unfit for market.
Many thanks for your informative review which I found whilst looking for an answer to the top light on my charger flashing orange and the unit not charging. Turns out there may be a problem with the closing catch on it, it’s working again now after a bit of jiggling but if it persists I will contact Iqos customer services.
I’ve been using my Iqos for 8 weeks now and haven’t had a cigarette at all. Vaping didn’t work for me at all as a quitting method but the similarity to real cigarettes with Heets obviously has.
I smoke IQOS for two months now, me and my wife (she has her own device) are very satisfied, i like the taste yellow best. My wife likes to see that the taste Vanilla or Caramel should be added.
It is a very simple device, the only considering i have is that the Heet should be more tighten in the device.
I also can’t wait for PM to sell the TEEPS in the shops.
Hi Twan
Great to hear that both you and your wife are enjoying the IQOS!
I definitely agree with you on additional flavours, maybe a vanilla tobacco would be a good one!!
HEETS are available either through the PM IQOS Store or through their website and I believe PM offer some good deals when you purchase cartons of HEETS instead of several boxes.
Mike
I bought one today. I love it! it looks really cool and its simple to use. Bought it in the morning and ended up using the menthol HEETS the whole day. It’s great. thoush I feel like I am smoking more than usual… have you had the same problem?
Hi Alessandro,
Pleased to hear you’re enjoying the IQOS!!
In answer to your question, yes I experienced the same when I first started using the device! But this did become less and less over a period of time until I was back to my more normal nicotine intake routine 😊
Not sure if this was a psychological thing or just the novelty of using the new device!
Let us know how you get on once you have been using the IQOS for awhile, it would be interesting to hear your thoughts.
Mike
We got one today. A heets was inserted, button pressed, green light lit, and first puff taken. But the heets paper got stuck to my lips – as can happen when smoking normal cigarettes – and the tobacco inside the heets tube got pulled out and remained stuck inside the holder. The green light, which is supposed to go out after a few seconds, remained stuck on and soon the stuck tabacco started burning, filling the house with a foul stench. After a few minutes the holder was discharged, burning ceased, and in one puff a whole cigarette consumed.
Using paper which can stick to your lips is really stupid. The green light remaining stuck on is poor quality manufacturing. The design is wrong too. Say you stick in a new IQOS cigarette into the holder, take a couple of puffs and want to leave the rest for later. Where do you put the holder with the cigarette sticking out? Into the pocket holder? You can’t with a cigarette in. In your pocket or bag? You’ll probably end up with a broken cigarette. This is a serious design flaw.
Worse of all, the IQOS is a con. It is marketed as safer than smoking but the product that is being heated is tobacco, and the smoke produced is cigarette smoke. There is no independently verified evidence that IQOS is safer than fags. Even the terminology used is deliberately designed to mislead. They call the tobacco product heets. Let’s call a spade a spade; processed tobacco in a roll of white paper is called a cigarette. No amount of marketing bull by Phillip Morris will change that.
Finally heets are the same price as normal fags, maybe a few pennies chaper per pack of 20.
I just don’t see how IQOS helps you quit smoking, and I don’t see the point of this product except to fill the coffers of Phillip Morris.
If I sound angry it’s because I am. Vaping is under attack by the new TPD, nicotine e-liquids are being villified and restricted yet you can buy an IQOS with tobacco tubes included on Amazon. What???!!!!!
Hi John,
Sorry to hear you are having some issues with your recently purchased IQOS device. I’d like to clarify a couple of points about the device and it’s operation!
The IQOS tries to resemble the practice of smoking a traditional cigarette as close as possible but without actually burning the tobacco inside of the HEETS. Once the HEET is inserted into the device and it is turned on the IQOS unit will remain ON for a period of about 5-6 minutes. You can override this if you wish but the device will turn itself OFF after about 6 minutes and will require recharging before the next use. You can of course remove the HEET during the heating process but they should be disposed of and not be re-used.
When removing the used HEETS from the IQOS device it is sometimes possible for the tobacco to separate from the paper sleeve and remain within the device. If this happens, the IQOS kit contains a cleaning device to help remove the residue tobacco.
The IQOS System is marketed by Philip Morris as a Healthier alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes! This is achieved by heating the tobacco inside the HEETS to about 350°C, regular cigarettes burn the tobacco at around 600°C. So the IQOS produces very little smoke, if any, or combustion and in-turn does not produce hazardous smoke or tar.
With regards to the health benefits of the IQOS system, clinical research in Japan has found that smokers who switched to IQOS reduced their exposure to harmful chemicals to levels that approached those of smokers who quit smoking. Users also showed improvements in measured health indicators specific to smoking-related diseases, such as lung and heart disease. In all cases, the health indicators improved in the same direction as seen in smokers who quit. Further testing through a longer-term study is currently underway.
With regards to the cost of the HEETS, try contacting Philip Morris and enquire about their HEET subscription service which you may find cheaper than buying individual packs.
I hope that this has helped you in some way and I wish you all the best with your new IQOS system
Mike
I bought one of these devices form the amateurish website. Then bought the “heets” my view is its totally pointless and useless. There are so many problems and drawbacks to it. It is nothing like smoking. there is little or no sensation or taste (its like sucking air through a straw). if you draw too long it gets too hot. once it starts (with solid green light) you are against the clock to use it as it is on a set time, which is crazy). The heet can get stuck to the lips and get pulled out very easily leaving the tobacco inside. Its an ill thought out and pretty useless device. A waste of money. avoid.