When the latest IQOS ILUMA i model appeared on the Japanese market last year, we didn't hesitate and ordered an import at a hefty price, starting our tests. On the pre-Christmas market, we were then able to order the luxury version ILUMA i PRIME. Now spring is here, along with the remaining two models. Read the review of the IQOS ILUMA i One in another article, and now let's take a look at the best-selling middle model, the ILUMA i.
Check out all the colors of the IQOS ILUMA i in our video
IQOS ILUMA i Innovations
The inconspicuous "i" in the name stands for innovation, and there are plenty of them. They are not very noticeable on the charger; you can only tell it apart by the five new colors, but you will notice the difference immediately after removing the holder. If you are not familiar with the model, first read last year's review of the IQOS ILUMA, as many features and the method of operation remain the same; only the holder has changed.
Holder with Display
The holder has undergone a major innovation; the button and status LEDs are gone, both replaced by a small black oval touchscreen. After inserting the stick, heating starts automatically, a signal runs around the edge of the display, and once the LEDs form a complete circle, the stick is ready.
We recorded the display in a separate video on our Youtube channel.
As the puffing time decreases, the LEDs gradually disappear, and 30 seconds before the end, they start blinking.
Although it may look that way, the two lines in the middle are not the eyes of your IQOS; they indicate the charge level and two sticks. If there is only one line, you have just one attempt left. When the holder is idle, a light touch on the display or shaking the holder will show how many sticks' worth of charge remains.
Two Brightness Levels
The display has adjustable backlighting. Tap it quickly five times to dim the brightness, and tap again to increase it. This can be useful at night, as the display is quite bright.
Pause Mode
Another new feature related to the touchscreen is the pause mode for heating. If you smoothly swipe your finger upward on the display during heating, the holder will vibrate, the central LEDs will light up, and heating will be interrupted. Swiping your finger down on the display reactivates it. This only works during the first 3 minutes of heating.
A handy function that allows you to delay heating for up to 8 minutes, for example during a break at work, when you need to take a phone call or jump on a tram.
Nothing is Perfect
We encounter convenient touch controls more and more often on ATMs, in cars, and even on stoves. And everywhere, they have their drawbacks. With the IQOS, what bothers me most is that the display cannot be felt in the dark like the previous rubber button, and in sunlight, it is still a display, so it is not ideally visible. Also, I sometimes accidentally activate the heating pause while moving my finger over the holder.
Secret tip: If you activate the pause accidentally, it is faster to slightly pull out the stick and reinsert it.
FlexPuff + 4 Puffs
The ILUMA i now controls the intensity of your puff. If you draw gently, it automatically extends the usage time by up to four puffs. Since I draw like a steam locomotive, I couldn't test this feature myself, so I would be happy if you could write about how it works in practice, perhaps in our Facebook group. In the app on the IQOS.com website, you can also set two heating levels:
- Performance: Up to three consecutive sticks without pausing or two sticks with pausing.
- Eco: One use of a stick without the possibility of interrupting the heating.
Buy IQOS ILUMA i
The new ILUMA i is available for purchase. The previous version without a display is also still being sold, which is slightly cheaper, so you have a choice.