I have been smoking traditional cigarettes for over 10 years, and the only jump to the side that I allowed myself during that time were two days of using the e-cigarette, which unfortunately did not hit me at all. From the moment of the premiere of the first generation IQOS, I was closely watching this device, but I treated it more as a curiosity than as a sensible alternative to ordinary cigarettes. After two weeks of using IQOS 3, however, I have to revise my views.
About the very concept of IQOS Paweł Kozierkiewicz in his test I think he exhausted the topic, so I will focus on the differences and on the test I did on myself. Compared to the previous generation of this device, its design has been completely changed, making it not only easier to use, but also less susceptible to damage. It is thanks to the new ProtectPlus ™ system, which ensures durability and durability of the device. Instead of the flap release button, we have a side wall finished with a shiny material, which, when pushed slightly in a contoured place, reveals the heater inside. It stays there firmly thanks to the magnets that grab it, but it is also very easy to remove it and does not require the use of force, as some IQOS 2.4 owners have complained about.
In addition, there is only one button on the housing, pressing which shows the battery charge status and the USB-C connector for charging. Owners of new Android smartphones and Nintendo Switch consoles will surely be pleased with this change, because one charger will add power to all their gadgets. The 10-watt cube in the box is a nice addition, especially looking at the fact that Apple still adds 5-watt chargers to its latest iPhones that support fast charging.
After removing the heater and inserting the Heets insert into it, press the only button on it for a second to start the heating process. The device informs us about it with a gentle vibration, and vibrates again when the heater is ready for operation. When we come to the end of the “cigarette”, another vibration tells us that we have 30 seconds or two puffs left until the IQOS goes out. After finishing smoking, remove the insert, and hide the heater itself so that it charges.
If you are interested in the possibility of smoking “pet by pet”, unfortunately I have to disappoint you – the heater needs four minutes in the charger to work again. The solution to this is supposedly the IQOS 3 Multi, but I haven’t had a chance to test it. I also never allowed the IQOS to fully discharge, but I must mention that after 30 Heetsach burned out, the device turned on 2 of 4 LEDs, so we can safely assume that you can have two or three days of smoking on a single charge.
It is also worth mentioning the quality of the entire device and its appearance. This is not an e-cigarette larger than the largest smartphones, full of trinkets, lights, displays and strange pictures. IQOS 3 is phenomenal, it looks elegant, and in addition it has been covered with a special matte paint, so it does not fingerprint excessively and you can hold it all in your hand. But all these are only technical aspects, and every person who smokes ordinary pipes to whom I showed IQOS asked me one thing – does it replace your pets? You don’t feel like smoking after that?
Hence, I decided to test IQOS for two weeks to see how I would deal with it. I am not a madman and I did not throw all my cigarettes out of the house, because somewhere in the back of my head I had that it would not be burned to the bank, I would give this toy to someone and I would go back to regular smoking. Because you need to know that apart from the fact that I’m probably addicted to nicotine, I just like to smoke. I like to light it up with a gasoline Zippo, I like to stand with my friends and chat with a cigarette, shaking it every now and then, and finally pet it in the ashtray.
I knew IQOS wouldn’t give me a lot of these things, but it was supposed to be a nicotine shot and a puff, right? Well, the first day was the hardest, because while the blue Heetsy were giving me all the nicotine and puffing I needed, I missed it all around me. The second day was easier, because my subconscious was starting to register that it was ok and that it was worth giving it a chance. In addition, I started reading on the web about various studies saying that IQOS lowers 80-90% less tar in me, and a friend sent me a link to an article about a special IQOS smoking room at Chopin Airport, where it does not smell like old rags and you can sit comfortably.
However, I still smoked traditional cigarettes, but the number of pipes smoked a day decreased and more and more Heets were disappearing from the pack. The moment of the rehearsal was a party with friends, where, however, you went out for a pipe and talked a lot, and IQOS did not work there. In addition, I began to appreciate its advantages: fingers do not stink, you can smoke in the bathroom in the apartment as if it is frost outside, and the car does not get dirty with ash.
How did my test end? From one pack of traditional cigarettes a day, I went down to one in four or five days. I complete the rest with IQOS and it seems to me that it is a great success not only for me, but also for the device itself and the idea behind it. Because I never really wanted to quit or cut down on smoking, but it turned out that I reach for an “electrician” more often than a regular pipe. If someone came to me with a proposal to throw pipes for IQOS, I would probably laugh at him, and here it happened the same and I do not regret it at all. I already persuaded two friends to sign up for a free, 7-day test.
Marcin Dąbkowski
