Chris 'majorvapes' SissonFor a lot of people the iStick was their first regulated device and it could be considered one of the original game changers in the vaping market. Fast forward several years and Eleaf is still manufacturing the iStick though it’s undergone numerous iterations and upgrades over the years. The latest to join the pantheon of iStick fame is the iStick Amnis 2. It’s an update to a previous release but looks nothing like it’s predecessor. I was a fan of the original iStick way back when so this new update was a very welcome addition. Here are my honest thoughts on the iStick Amnis 2 from Eleaf.
Package contents:
| 1 x | iStick Amnis 2 |
|---|---|
| 1 x | GTiO Tank |
| 1 x | GT M 0.6ohm Coil |
| 1 x | GT 1.2Ohm Coil |
| 1 x | USB Type-C Cable |
| 1 x | Lanyard |
| 2x | User manuals |
| 1 x | Warranty Card |
Listed features and specs:
| Size: | 36 x 19.5 x 120mm |
|---|---|
| Battery Capacity: | 1100mAh |
| E-liquid capacity: | 1.8ml or 3ml with bubble glass |
| Resistance range: | 0.3-3.0ohm |
| Wattage: | 23W max |
| Weight: | 124g |
Packaging and contents:
Like most of Eleafs gear the kit comes packed in a nice clean white cardboard box with an image of the kit on the front and plenty of information on the back. Their packaging always looks top notch and conveys a sense of quality that’s reflected in their products. In the kit you get the iStick Amnis 2, the GTiO Tank, a 3ml bubble glass tank, a GT M 0.6ohm coil(pre-installed), a GT 1.2ohm coil, a USB Type-C cable, a nice lanyard, two user manuals, a warranty card and a bag of accessories. In the bag of accessories you get a set of replacement O-rings, an alternate 510 MTL drip tip and a tank removing tool. It’s a well stocked kit with plenty of handy extras included.
The mod:
If you follow my reviews you’ll know I love keeping my gear compact so when I opened the box of the new iStick Amnis 2 I was very pleasantly surprised. The new iStick Amnis 2 is tiny, measuring 120mm tall, 36mm wide and 19.5mm thick it still manages to pack in an 1100mAh internal battery. It’s rectangular in shape but all of the edges and corners have been rounded down so it’s got an overall oval shape to it and it feels fantastic in the hand. On the front and back it’s got a carbon fiber looking inlay while the sides are wrapped in a sort of shiny chrome finish. It looks sharp but can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet. On the working face there’s just a simple squared off button that’s surrounded by a light up ring. That ring will indicate when it’s firing, charging as well as any status errors and uses the standard three colours to indicate remaining battery level with green for full, blue for mid range and red when nearly empty. Aside from the button there’s just a bit of Eleaf branding on the bottom of the face. On the side right of the face are a series of small LED indicators marked, Bypass, Low, Medium, High and Max with a small square button above them. These lights are to indicate the output setting which can be switched using the little square button with two clicks or a series of clicks to cycle through the options. They don’t actually specify the power output of the various levels but the device has a max output of 23W so whatever it’s putting out will be below that.
At the top of the device it’s got a decent looking stainless steel 510 connection with a gold plated spring loaded 510 center pin. So far everything threads on smoothly so no complaints there. It’s pretty much limited to 20mm diameter atomizers or you’re going to get a bit of overhang. After testing out the GTiO tank it came with I eventually switched it up for a Merlin Nano which matches perfectly with the Amnis 2. On the side opposite the settings button is a USB type-C port for charging which it can do at a rate of 5V/1.8A. Also on the same side is a lanyard hole so you can attach this thing to the included lanyard if you like to rock your vape around your neck. On the very bottom there’s the usual CE marks as well as some vent holes should anything go awry with the battery but it also includes all the usual built-in protections like over-charge, over-discharge, over-current, short circuit and a 10 second cutoff.
The tank:
The GTiO tank that comes with the kit matches perfectly with the size and design of the new iStick. It’s a 20mm diameter tank that stands about 53mm tall and holds 1.8ml of liquid or 3ml if you opt to use the included bubble glass. At the top it comes equipped with a straight barrel delrin 510 drip tip. The kit also includes a tapered delrin drip tip if you find the straight one a bit too straight. I enjoy the look and feel of the tapered tip so I switched it up right away. Just below the drip tip is the slide to open top fill. A little arrow on one side indicates where to push to open it but according to their site there is also a childproof version available which requires you push a little button on the side to unlock the top before sliding it open.
To access the coil you simply unscrew the base from the tank to reveal Eleafs new plug and play GT coils. A threaded piece with two little holes on either side keeps the glass tank locked to the upper tank portion and that odd shaped tank removal tool that came in the accessories bag is used to ‘unscrew’ it. It’s not something you’d need to do often and I actually appreciate that I can unscrew the tank and the glass stays in place. With a decent sized chimney you can swap coils without completely draining the tank. It’s also a bottom airflow tank and the airflow is controlled by a spinning airflow control ring around the base. It has a single cyclops style slot cut in to it which can be turned to reveal either a wide open slot or a series of four small holes. You can adjust either option to your liking and I personally have been using it with just a single hole open for the MTL coil and the full slot for the DL coil.
Coils and Performance:
Like most kits it comes with two different coils, one intended for mouth to lung and the other direct lung. The direct lung coil is a GT M 0.6ohm mesh coil rated from 10-25W and at full open it gives nice fluffy clouds with really solid flavour. Yes the device tops out at 23W but it still performs quite well without hitting the upper recommended range. I’ve primarily been rocking it with the power set to Medium as I felt it ran a bit too warm and the battery dropped a bit too quickly when using it on Max. Also with only 1.8 or 3ml of capacity the mesh coil tends to rip through it pretty quickly. I still think fans of DL and mesh coils will appreciate what it brings though.
The other coil in the kit is a GT 1.2ohm MTL which is rated from 7-14W. It’s the one you would most likely want to pair with some higher nic juice or salt based liquids. It pairs nicely with the restricted airflow and as I mentioned above I’ve been using it with just a single hole open. The draw is nice and tight and flavour again is quite solid. The clouds obviously are much more subdued but are appropriate for an MTL coil. Coil life for both of them will ultimately be determined by juices used and personal vaping habits but from my experience with them I’ve easily gotten well over a week, closer to two with either of them.
Overall:
Like so many others the iStick was also one of my first regulated devices so Eleaf does have a special place in my heart. That doesn’t however mean I’ll go easy on the review and will still call out anything I’m not happy with but with this new iStick Amnis 2 I have to say there really isn’t much at all to complain about. It’s a beautifully put together device that works very well with the included tank and any new vapers or even seasoned vapers looking for a nice compact, low power yet solid performing kit should be quite content with the new iStick Amnis 2.
