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eLeaf iCare Beginners Mod – $14.95
Over the last week, I’ve been contemplating how to start this review. Do I try and compare it with an eGo Tube device or the smaller All-In-One Starter Kits? The eLeaf iCare Beginner’s Mod stands on its own when it comes to this small of a device. I know without a doubt this device will not appeal to a lot of experienced vapers! I’m evaluating the practicality and overall vaping experience for what it’s intended to do. The eLeaf iCare is so small! So tiny I can fit this in my fifth pocket in my jeans and almost into my wallet! You could fit this inside an Altoids tin and forget it was there! I would compare the size of the eLeaf iCare to a Tic-Tac container except a little wider. I’ve been using the Red version but also available in Black, Gold, Cyan, and White.
Do you ‘care’ to quit smoking cigarettes? Have you thought about diving into the infamous vaping industry to quit tobacco products but not sure if there’s something out there? Well I know (I’d like to believe anyway) eLeaf cares and brings you this Micro All-In-One Kit, the iCare Beginners Mod! This is by definition the Beginner’s Mod and for good reason. Open the package, charge the device with the included micro USB, fill the tank and just puff away when you have that craving or feel the need to! I’ve been using this device strictly as a backup to my all-day Box Mod’s just in case my battery runs low or I need to go somewhere where I can’t carry anything big and bulky. The eLeaf iCare is the epitome of a pocket device!
About the eLeaf iCare Beginner’s Mod
The eLeaf iCare Beginners Mod couldn’t be less complicated! There’s no fire button and has an automatic on/off feature that initiates when taking a puff. With me being a parent to three awesome kids, this is a potential hazard and is why I hide it when not in use. My 6 year old could easily see the iCare and potentially use it with no safety features and could result in a dangerous situation. I keep it high enough where he can’t get it and I take the top cap off so it can’t be used as intended in case he does manage to monkey up and grab it! Even though it’s a potential disaster for a parent, it’s also a blessing for the consumer that thinks every vaping device is dangerous! Granted, batteries can fail causing harm and/or damage; not having to worry about the iCare auto-firing in your purse or pocket is a huge relief and a safety feature in itself!
Charging the 650mAh built-in battery is easy as pie! Simply plug in the Micro USB cord into the slot on the bottom of the device and a red LED light will illuminate the entire bottom half. Once the red light diminishes, it’s charged and you’re ready to fill! When taking a puff, the bottom of the device and lower part of the eJuice viewing window lights up three different colors. Green indicates 100%~16%, Yellow 15%-6% and Red from 5% to completely dead. Though this LED lighting system works well in a low light environment, during the day I can never tell where my battery life is! Luckily, plugging the micro USB cord into a 1A charger will fully charge your device in less than an hour! I take extremely long pulls and my battery life, vapor production and flavor diminish pretty quickly! But for the size and the price, it’s average to say the least!
Eleaf iCare Beginner’s Mod Features:
- Dimensions: 75mm by 30mm by 14mm
- Plug-and-Play Ecosystem
- 1.8mL Juice Capacity
- Integrated 650mAh Rechargeable Battery
- Maximum Wattage Output: 15W
- Minimum Resistance: 1.0ohm
- Voltage-Based Output
- Draw-Activated Firing Mechanism
- Colorful LED Light Battery Indicator
- Top-Filled Method
- Eleaf IC Coil Technology
- 1.1ohm IC Coil – rated for 5-15W
- 1A MicroUSB Charging Port
- Note: Install and Prime Coil Before Use.
When I first noticed this wasn’t a cartridge or closed system device I was floored! Something this small that can hold 1.8ml of your chosen eJuice is a smart move from eLeaf! How the fill and coil system works is the mouth piece just pops off and underneath you see a chimney section with double O-rings that hold the mouthpiece on snug and a vent hole for the inside of the device. The mouthpiece or top cap is awkward when first using the iCare but gets more normalized after some time. I’ve never experienced any leaking at all and the whole system if very innovative for how small it truly is! Taking the mouthpiece and flipping it over, there’s a rectangle cutout and fits over the top of the chimney and is how you loosen the chimney tube and coil. Once you remove the tube from the tank, this is where you attach your coil.
Once the chimney section is removed, simply pour your juice right in! The iCare holds 1.8ml which is surprising for a device that’s smaller than most Atomizers! The eJuice viewing window covers the entire height of the device and has a black line indicating not to fill your eJuice past that point. I definitely recommend using higher nicotine strength eJuice for a stronger throat hit and the sensation of smoking for people trying to quit. I normally vape on a 3mg MAX VG juice but for this review I used a 12mg 50/50 PG/VG ratio and it worked out better than I expected!
The adjustable airflow system can be adjusted by spinning the small control ring located on the chimney. There are five 0.8mm adjustable airflow holes on the adjustable airflow ring. I keep mine fully open and can’t really tell much difference between one slot or all five open. Make sure to adjust the airflow ring before reinstalling your coil and air tube. Once tightened down, it’s very difficult to adjust the ring, let alone see the airflow at all. A small 3.8mm x 2mm cutout on the side of the chassis funnels the airflow in. There’s a small 1mm channel surrounding the airflow ring so if the holes end up on the wrong side, you’re still getting the right amount of airflow.
Simply screw on the newly designed single 1.1Ω IC (iCare) coil head (comes with two with the kit) to the air pipe and tighten the chimney down. The coil has four 0.8mm juice holes staggered around the coil and the overall diameter is a miniscule 6.5mm! Even though this device and coil are made for Mouth-To-Lung vaping, I actually Direct Lung hit this thing like crazy! The MTL is decent but I get a better DL hit which is quite shocking on this little guy! eLeaf states this device outputs 15W of power and has a resistance range from 1.0Ω-3.5Ω even though this is the only coil made small enough –at the moment- to work with this device.
This is obviously not a TFV8 Cloud Beast! Very subtle vapor production as expected. You will get some light popping after sitting idle for a little time. I can easily take 10-second pulls but if you try and chain vape or take long hits back to back, you will get a slight cotton taste. But battery life was decent for being so small and flavor is decent. I do like using a little higher nicotine eJuice with such a small device. The only real con I could find is its size. I have big hands and this thing is tiny but you have to keep in mind that it’s made that way and there’s nothing else really like it! This is a perfect right-hand-device to my bigger daily Box Mods! And be a responsible adult and don’t leave the iCare accessible where kids can grab it and harm themselves!
The eLeaf iCare Beginners Mod is the perfect transition product from smoking to vaping! You could hand any smoker this with a little bottle of eJuice and have them give it a try for under a $20 bill! This closely resembles smoking analogs as far as puffing and producing vapor rather than having to fire a button. This will appeal to the brand new, zero experienced consumer that just wants something different. And considering this whole kit costs around 3 packs of cigarettes, why not give it a shot! If they decline, slip it in their pack of smokes when they’re not looking! (Yes it will fit!)
Final Grade – A
“For what this device was designed to do, eLeaf knocked it out of the park! I never thought I would ever be vaping something this tiny and actually carry it with me everywhere! The eLeaf iCare Beginner’s Mod is the perfect quit smoking product or as a backup device. For $14.95 over at Element Vape, this is a no brainer in my eyes! The ultimate stealth vape!
Team Spinfuel
IN THE BOX:
- 1 Eleaf iCare System
- 2 1.1ohm IC Coil Heads
- 1 MicroUSB Cable
- Instructional Manual
