ILUMA i One vs i Standard vs i Prime: which to buy

At a glance

The quick verdict: buy the i One first unless you already know you are out all day, in which case buy the i Standard. Buy the i Prime for the build and the features, not for more sticks per charge, because it gives you the same number.

What is identical across all three

Heating method, temperature, and therefore taste. Every ILUMA i device uses the same induction system to heat a TEREA stick, so no model makes the tobacco taste better than another. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.

All three take the full TEREA range and none of them take HEETS.

How the i-series compares with the original ILUMA and the ILUMA Prime kit

The heating is the same on every ILUMA, so the taste does not change between generations. The i-series adds software: FlexPuff gives up to four extra puffs if you draw slowly, the i One starts heating as soon as a stick goes in, and the i Standard and i Prime add the touch screen, Pause Mode and FlexBattery. The original ILUMA is a two-piece holder and charger without those extras. The original ILUMA Prime kit is the Prime body in its own colour line, also without the touch screen and Pause Mode. The IQOS ILUMA guide covers every model.

Pick the i One if

Your day is home to office to home, and you are rarely out for more than a few hours at a stretch. It is the lightest, cheapest and simplest of the three, with nothing to pair and nothing separate to lose. Around 20 sticks per charge is plenty for a normal day, and it charges over USB-C in around 90 minutes.

Pick the i Standard if

You are out from morning until late. The holder refills from the pocket charger in a couple of minutes, so instead of rationing one battery you keep topping up. This is the difference between smoking at 8pm and not, and it is the reason most heavy users end up here rather than on the i One.

Pick the i Prime if

You want a better object. The i Prime has the same touch screen, Pause Mode and FlexBattery as the i Standard; what it adds is the aluminium body and premium finish. Pause Mode holds a part-smoked stick for up to eight minutes, which matters if your day is full of interruptions. FlexBattery trades daily runtime for longer battery life overall. The aluminium body is noticeably more solid in the hand.

What it does not give you is more sticks per charge. If your reason for upgrading is runtime, the Prime is not the answer.

The honest recommendation

Most people should buy the i One first. It is the cheapest way to find out whether IQOS suits you at all, and if it does, its limitation shows up quickly enough that you will know within a fortnight whether you need the i Standard. Buying the Prime as a first device is spending money on features you cannot yet judge.

ILUMA i against the original ILUMA, feature by feature

Prices are the lowest we currently stock for each model. The taste of the stick is the same on every column; what you pay for is the format and the features.

Sticks in a row, and per charge

The i One is one piece and gives up to 20 sticks in a row on a full charge. The i Standard and i Prime holders give up to three sticks in a row in Performance Mode, or two if you pause one of them, and the pocket charger refills the holder for roughly 20 uses per full charge. In Eco Mode the holder gives one stick per charge, in exchange for being gentler on the battery over its life.

Pause Mode in practice

Pause Mode is on the i Standard and i Prime. To pause, swipe down across the touch screen within the first three minutes or eight puffs of a stick; to resume, swipe up, and the holder reheats for about 20 seconds. A stick can stay paused for up to eight minutes, and a paused stick is limited to 14 puffs in total. If your sessions are often interrupted, this is the feature that justifies the step up from the i One.