The guide applies to the IQOS ILUMA i and equally to the ILUMA i ONE and ILUMA i PRIME. We compared the differences between the three models in detail in the Review section.
Switching the ILUMA on
After unboxing the device has to be switched on first. Hold the button on the charger for about four seconds. The display or the indicator lights then show the charge level. If nothing lights up, charge the device first.
Charging
Before you head out, charge the ILUMA fully with the supplied USB-C adapter. A phone charger works too. A full charge takes a good two hours, and the very first time it can take a while before charging even starts. A short press of the button shows the battery level; on the holder two indicator lights should be on, one for each stick. More in our guide on charging it properly.
Your first stick
Charged? Then on to the first TEREA stick. If you are undecided: people switching from cigarettes usually get on best with a medium intensity such as TEREA Sienna or Amber, while menthol fans go for Turquoise.
Push the stick into the holder – heating starts automatically, the device vibrates briefly and the indicator pulses. The exception is the ILUMA i ONE, where you hold the button to activate it.
After about 15 seconds the device vibrates again: the stick is ready. You now have roughly six minutes or about 14 draws. Pull the stick out in between and heating stops automatically. Thirty seconds before the end the ILUMA vibrates once more – two draws left. Then remove the stick gently and bin it; it is designed for a single use.
What the i generation adds
- Pause during heating – you can interrupt a stick in progress and come back to it. Handy when the phone rings.
- Touchscreen on the ILUMA i and ILUMA i PRIME – charge level, pause and settings directly on the device.
- Improved charge management – the holder is ready again sooner.
Tips for the first days
- Draw more gently and for longer than on a cigarette. Pulling hard gives you vapour that is too hot, and you will cough.
- Drink enough water – the warm vapour dries out your lips and mouth.
- A stick cannot be restarted once it has finished, even if it still looks full.
- HEETS do not fit an ILUMA, and TEREA do not fit older IQOS models – here is why.
- Register the device on iqos.com for your market; it saves a lot of time if you ever need the warranty.