A Square Review of the Innokin iTaste VV (version 2)

It’s sleek, it’s variable voltage and it’s… square.  The Innokin iTaste is the latest foray into variable voltage by a major e-cigarette manufacturer. Unlike the wildly popular Joye eGo Twist, Innokin’s offering packs in a number of unique features.  The question is whether these features are must-haves or strange novelties. We’ll find out as we dive into the Innokin iTaste Review.

You can get one of these for yourself at Vapor Alley.

What’s in the Innokin iTaste vv’s Box

Innokin offers the iTaste vv in two different starter kits.  A standard kit and a clearomizer kit.  Both kits are basically the same, so I’ll just highlight the differences. In your presentation-style box you will get:

• 1 iTaste battery
• 1 Atomizer cover with pen-style clip
• 1 Retractable USB charging cable
• AC to USB Adapter
• Printed, illustrated instruction manual

The standard iTaste kit includes:

• 1 Magnetic atomizer body
• 4 Replaceable atomizer heads
• 5 Tank cartridges

Opting for the cartomizer kit gets you:

• 1 iTaste to 510 magnetic adapter
• 5 Tidy10 bottom coil clearomizers

I received a kit that included both options directly from Innokin.  I also received the complete set of adapters (there are four to cover most popular e-cigarette thread styles).  However, this review is going to be long enough with all the features the iTaste brings to the game, so I am opting to write this review for the standard kit.  I will likely release a separate review in the future to cover Innokin’s new Tidy10 cartomizers that come with the second kit.

Design

The Innokin iTaste vv is a pretty unique device.  Innokin went out of its way to produce a device that is pretty much unlike anything else on the market.  That sort of makes it difficult to even figure out where to begin.

Let’s start with the basics.

In some ways, the iTaste vv is similar to Innokin’s other products like the Lea and Leo Pro.  The iTaste includes an atomizer cover with a pen clip just like the others.  It also offers a 3-click on/off feature, tank atomizer and USB pass-through charging like its brethren.

That’s about where the similarities stop.  The most notable deviation from the rest of the Innokin lineup is the device’s unique square shape.

For many, the squareness of the design is a mere novelty.  But, I find that shape to be an excellent feature.  You see, many of my other e-cigarettes have a habit of rolling off my rickety table.  This ain’t gonna happen with the iTaste.

The bottom of the iTaste also shows how it deviates from its fixed-voltage cousins.  Rather than featuring a mini-USB connector for charging, the device uses a tiny round outlet for the charging cable.  I’m not sure why the change, perhaps to better fit the electronics while keeping the size compact.  The result is that other Innokin charging cables (or standard mini-USB cables) aren’t going to work with this e-cigarette.

Immediately above the bottom plate are the two buttons that control the electronics. Above the buttons is the device’s LED screen, which features a unique silver shade, giving the electronic cigarette’s display the illusion of being a mirror.

The only other adornment besides the iTaste logo is the devices illuminated button (also square).  Like the other Innokin e-cigarettes, the button’s light changes color from green to yellow to red depending on the amount of remaining battery life.

The top of the battery sort of reduces size in three steps to meet up with the atomizer.  Inside the battery’s atomizer connector (yes, also square) are the magnets to hold the atomizer.  There will be more on this unique feature and others in the next section of this Innokin iTaste vv review.

Like all batteries from this company, it has a very solid feeling. Innokin has always done well in the fit and finish department. The device is available in three color choices: black, white and “chameleon.”  The latter being a sort of iridescent finish that seems to change colors depending on the light hitting it.

iTaste vv Features

Since I teased you with it a minute ago, let’s start with the atomizer connection and go through the list one-by one.

Magnetic Atomizer Connection

Beyond the square shape, the connector has to be the hallmark of the uniqueness of this ecig.  This connector is purely proprietary.  Rather than a threaded connection, the atomizer simply slides on the battery.

Powerful magnets hold everything in place.  This feature is sort of a mixed bag.  On the plus side, it’s absolutely brilliant.  The feature works amazingly well and makes it simple to change out accessories.

The bad news is of course that it’s a proprietary connection.  No standard cartomizer is going to fit without an adapter.  Fortunately the company offers four different adapters to allow cartomizers using 510 and 808 standards (and a couple less popular ones) to work with the iTaste.

But, to be honest, the adapters which are small metal blocks with the proper thread on one end look a little kludgy on the iTaste. The adapter raises the height of the connector as well-meaning that the iTaste’s pen cap won’t work with a number of cartomizers.

Modular Atomizer

Naturally, the atomizer lacks threads.  The bottom of the atomizer does have a male connector, similar to a 510, but it just slides into the battery.  The atomizer also happens to be a modular setup.

Much like the eGo-C, this atomizer comes in two parts, a body and individual atomizer “heads” that fit into the body and can be replaced when they go bad.  Oddly enough, you’ll find threading here.  The head has threads on it and it screws into a hole on the bottom of the iTaste’s atomizer body.

To be perfectly honest, I find it easier to replace the atomizer heads on the Innokin version than on Joye’s.  It’s just much easier to unscrew these atomizer heads from the body.

A nice touch with these heads is that they are engraved not only with the resistance of the head, but also the recommended voltage range.

Atomizer Tanks

Other than the square shape, there’s nothing terribly unusual about the tanks that go on the atomizers.  Like Innokin’s other tanks, they are a little low on the capacity side (housing a little under 1ml of e-liquid).

Filling the tank is easy enough, either stick a needle through the small hole in the top designed for the atomizer’s spike and fill.  Alternately, you can just remove the cap (which is a soft silicone) and fill directly from your e-liquid bottle.

A note about that cap.  When new, there’s a thin membrane that seals the hole where the atomizer spike goes through.  I found that it’s pretty tough and the atomizer has a hard time piercing it on first use.  Opening it up first with a paper clip or needle will prevent any unpleasant surprises should the spike fail to pierce the seal.

Variable Voltage

The main attraction here is the voltage adjustment.  The Innokin iTaste can range from 3.0 to 5.0v in .1v increments. To adjust the voltage hold one of the two buttons down for a couple of seconds.  The puff counter will display for a second and then the set voltage will be shown.

Use the two buttons to adjust the voltage up or down accordingly.

Puff Counter

The first number mentioned above is the display of how many times you’ve hit the button.  I’m not really sure if this is a feature that too many people can’t live without.  If you’re curious I suppose it’s interesting to see.

The puff counter will reset each time you turn the device off by clicking the power button 3 times in a row.

Voltage Recommendations

This is another unique feature, and one I’m not quite sure about.  Basically, the e-cigarette measures the resistance of the attached atomizer or cartomizer and then recommends a voltage based on the resistance.

To access the feature, press both buttons at the same time.  Two numbers appear. The first is the minimum suggestion while the second is the recommended max.

As I mentioned in the title, this is the 2nd version of the iTaste.  I don’t know if the first ever actually hit stores since the second came out so quickly.  The difference between the two is in this detection technology.

The original version of the device sort of assumed you were dumb. If you set the maximum voltage above what the device thought it should be, it would lower the voltage for you.  It wouldn’t bother telling you, it would say it was set to the higher voltage, but it would fire at the lower setting.

Apparently enough distributors howled at Innokin over a feature that was more of a bug and they relented.  The 2nd revision of the iTaste now stays at whatever voltage you set it.  Most vendors have this version, but it wouldn’t hurt to make sure you have that one if you’re going to buy one.

Personally, I would have rather they simply displayed the resistance, like the ProVari and then let me figure out what voltage I wanted.

Performance

Since this is fast becoming the longest review I’ve ever written, I’ll just briefly cover performance.  Obviously, performance will vary if you slap on the adapter and use different 510 cartomizers.  I’ll be sticking with the stock iTaste atomizer system for this one.

The stock atomizer that shipped with my iTaste is rated at 2.5 ohm.  I tested it between 3.7 and 5v.  While it performed miserably at 5v, quickly giving over to burnt hits, I found it worked pretty well knocking half a volt off that setting.

4.5 volts seemed to be the happy spot for this atomizer.  The vapor quantity was acceptable, while the vapor was warm, but nowhere near hot as is often the case with tank atomizer systems.

I discovered a little trick to improve the vapor quality on the tanks.  There is a small insert in the whistle tip (the end that goes in your mouth) which has a small hole through which the vapor travels.

When removing that cap with a paper clip to get rid of some condensation that had built up, I forgot to replace the cap.  I noticed a marked increase in vapor production without that cap in place.

There is still a seal in the tank to prevent any liquid from leaking.  I say just toss out that little cap.  Now the Innokin iTaste is a pretty solid vapor machine.

I get a hint that even flavor improved with this slight modification.  Innokin should consider a redesign of their tanks since that little piece took the iTaste from a moderate performer to a very good performer.

Too Long; Didn’t Read

The Innokin iTaste vv (version 2) tries to turn what we know about e-cigarettes on its ear.  The device features a unique square design, variable voltage and an innovative magnetic connector.  I feel that it works best in its original, proprietary configuration, but the addition of adapters means it will work with most standard cartomizers.  If you haven’t made the variable voltage plunge yet and want something that is both very solid and just a little offbeat, the Innokin iTaste vv might be just what you’re looking for.  You can purchase one of these for yourself at Vapor Alley.

Pros:

• Solid construction
• Useful features like battery indicator lights
• Novel features like puff counter and voltage recommendation
• Easy swap magnetic connector
• Good performance

Cons:

• Third-party cartomizers look funky on square device
• Adapter required to use third-party accessories
• Pen cap won’t fit with adapter in place
• USB cable is proprietary

Details:

Product Name: Innokin iTaste VV (version 2)
Available from: Vapor Alley
Price: $79.95
Voltage range: 3.0-5.0
Battery Capacity: 800 mAh
Threading: Proprietary, magnetic (adapters available)