Eleaf iStick Pico review, the Pico and Pico Plus against published tests
Search for the Eleaf iStick Pico and the first page is mostly shop listings and user guides, each repeating the same figures, 75 W, one 18650 battery and room for a 25 mm tank. None says what those figures mean once the mod is in your hand, or what separates the 2016 Pico from the Pico Plus. This mod has not been through our own protocol, so this report sets the maker’s spec sheet against three published reviews, crediting every finding to its source.
The Eleaf iStick Pico in short, a compact mod that reviewers rate as reliable
The Eleaf iStick Pico is a single 18650 box mod with a removable battery, adjustable from 1 to 75 W, with several temperature control modes. Launched in 2016, it has been through many versions, including the 2021 Pico Plus, which keeps the same shape and adds a USB-C port with 2 A charging.
The three reviews agree on the essentials. The size is rated very compact, the controls simple and the chipset reliable. Their reservations concern design details, such as the adjustment buttons on the base and the battery cap that sticks out of the top.
What the listings leave out is tank diameter. Sold as taking 25 mm atomisers, the Pico Plus does not always accept them, and two of the reviews settle on 24 mm as the comfortable limit.
What the maker states for the iStick Pico and the Pico Plus
Both models share the same idea, a mod barely taller than its battery. Their spec sheets still differ on charging, accepted tank diameter and one protection feature, as this table shows.
| Maker’s figure | iStick Pico (2016) | iStick Pico Plus (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 45 x 23 x 70.5 mm | 47 x 25 x 70.6 mm |
| Battery | 1 x 18650, not included | 1 x 18650, not included |
| Power | 1 to 75 W | 1 to 75 W |
| Charging | Micro USB, then USB-C on the newer batch | USB-C, 5 V and 2 A |
| Stated tank diameter | not stated | up to 25 mm |
| Cut-off when the coil runs dry | not stated | yes, Dry-Proof feature |
The original Pico, 75 W from a single battery
The official sheet for the first Pico lists variable wattage, bypass and temperature control for nickel, titanium and stainless steel, plus three TCR memories labelled M1 to M3. Resistance runs from 0.1 to 3.5 Ω in wattage mode and from 0.05 to 1.5 Ω in temperature control, adjustable from 100 to 315 °C.
Eleaf also states something many shop listings omit, a battery rated for a continuous discharge current above 25 A. Two batches of the mod also exist, according to the maker. The original charges through Micro USB and accepts firmware updates, while the newer one moves to USB-C with fast charging but no longer takes firmware upgrades.
The Pico Plus, USB-C and Dry-Proof protection
The Pico Plus keeps the screw-on top cap and the swappable 18650 battery. It gains a USB-C port charging at 2 A and a wider 510 platform, rated for tanks up to 25 mm.
Its Dry-Proof feature stops firing and shows “DRY-PROOF” when the mod detects a lack of e-liquid. The maker links it to its AST coils, and the user guide reproduced by a retailer adds that it only works with the EC-A coils supplied in the kit.
What published reviews found on the Eleaf iStick Pico
Three detailed reviews were used for this report on the Eleaf iStick Pico, one on the original Pico and two on the Pico Plus. They describe hands-on use, not laboratory readings.
Vaping360 and the original Pico, in 2016
Published on 3 May 2016 and written by Bill Herbst, this review covers the kit pairing the mod with the 2 ml Melo 3 Mini tank. It rates the temperature control as accurate enough for nearly every user, without matching the finesse of high-end chipsets.
The reviewer lists the built-in protections, a 10-second firing cut-off, low resistance, short circuit, reversed battery and overheating. Among the drawbacks, it counts the compromises forced by the size, namely the protruding cap, which acts as an extender so that an 18650 longer than the case fits, and the adjustment buttons on the base. The rating given is 4 out of 5.
Planet of the Vapes and the Pico Plus, in 2021
Published on 12 July 2021, this British review praises the compact size, the satin finish and the simple controls, and mainly criticises the mod for bringing nothing new over earlier Picos.
That reviewer notes wattage steps of 0.5 W with no wrap-around from the top value back to the bottom, and a screen darker than on the brand’s other mods, hard to read in bright sunlight. The final score is 8 out of 10.
Vaping Post and the Pico Plus, in 2021
Written by Guillaume Bailly and published on 24 June 2021, this French review of the full kit describes a 93 g mod, buttons with no play and a chipset that works as it should.
Its only complaint is cosmetic, a wide platform on which an atomiser narrower than 22 mm looks lost. The kit’s overall rating is 4.7 out of 5.
Real tank diameter on the Pico Plus, 25 mm stated, 24 mm advised
The maker rates the wider platform for tanks up to 25 mm. In practice, the British review fitted 24 mm atomisers without trouble, but saw some 25 mm tanks foul against the protruding battery cap.
The French review also settles on 24 mm as the limit. A 25 mm atomiser is therefore worth trying on the mod before relying on it, which none of the shop listings read for this report point out.
Temperature control and no preheat
Like the first Pico, the Pico Plus offers three TCR memories alongside its temperature control modes. The British review found its stainless steel 316L settings slightly out at first, then easy to correct.
The same review notes there is no preheat function. It concludes that low-resistance rebuildable atomisers are not the best match for this mod, while a mesh coil copes well.
Who the iStick Pico suits
The Eleaf iStick Pico is aimed at vapers who want a replaceable battery in a pocket-sized mod, paired with a 22 to 24 mm tank. In the UK, refillable tanks are capped at 2 ml, and nicotine e-liquid at 20 mg/ml in bottles of 10 ml at most.
It suits less well anyone after a colour screen, a preheat setting or a built-in battery. For a newer mod with a removable battery, the Innokin Z80 Nex has been through our full protocol, and the maker’s Pico X was sold with the Melo 4 tank.
FAQ
Five practical questions about the mod that the sections above do not cover.
How do you turn on an iStick Pico?
Five quick presses of the fire button switch the mod on or off, on both the original Pico and the Pico Plus. Three presses then open mode selection, which you scroll with the plus and minus buttons before confirming with the fire button.
How do you unlock an iStick Pico?
On both the original Pico and the Pico Plus, holding the plus and minus buttons together for two seconds, with the mod switched on, locks or unlocks the settings. On the original Pico, holding the fire button and the plus button for two seconds does something else, it locks the coil resistance in temperature control mode.
Can the screen be flipped?
Yes, on the original Pico. With the mod switched off, holding the plus and minus buttons together flips the display, which helps reading depending on the hand you use.
How do you change the coil on an iStick Pico?
The coil is not changed on the mod but on the tank screwed onto it. On a Melo tank, unscrew the base, swap the coil head, drip a few drops of e-liquid onto the cotton, then reassemble, fill and leave it for a quarter of an hour before the first puff.
What does Stealth mode do?
It keeps the screen off, firing included, to save battery. On the Pico Plus, it is switched on or off by pressing the fire button and the minus button together.
Eleaf iStick Pico, what the published reviews add up to
The published reviews describe a tiny, simple and reliable mod, with the Pico Plus updating little beyond charging and a few details. Its limits come from the format, with a protruding battery cap, buttons on the base and a platform comfortable up to 24 mm rather than 25.
Without a pass through our protocol, the Eleaf iStick Pico has no score here. A mod with a removable battery is also judged by the battery it is given, and that is often where the lifespan of vaping hardware is decided.
Related reading
- Innokin Z80 Nex review, the mod through our bench test
- Geekvape Aegis Solo 3, our bench readings
- Eleaf Melo 4 tank, what the published tests found
Editorial content for adult readers only. The devices discussed are used with e-liquids that may contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance, and nicotine vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. This report is independent, unpaid by any manufacturer and not a buying recommendation.
