iStick Pico 75W TC Starter Kit Intro
The iStick Pico, just like its name, is preferable, innovative, compact and outstanding (PICO). Powered by single interchangeable 18650 cell, it provides you with 75W maximum output and switchable VW/Bypass/TC-Ni/TC-Ti/TC-SS/TRC modes, With top e-liquid filling design, hidden airflow control and detachable structure, the new MELO 3 Mini is the best match for the iStick Pico.
iStick Pico 75W TC Starter Kit Intro Specs and Features
Kit Content
- One iStick Pico 75W TC
- One Melo 3 Mini Sub-Ohm Tank
- One 0.3 ohm Kanthal Coil
- One 0.5 ohm Kanthal Coil
- Micro USB Charging Cable
- Colored Tank Seals
- User Manual (multi-language)
Specifications
Melo Mini 3 Specifications
Notable Remarks
Price
Thoughts
Despite their differences in heft and bulk, I’d wager a guess that the two mods employ the same internal chip. The display screens are identical, as are the button-press sequences to adjust the various functions of wattage, temperature limit, and three customizable TCR values (Temperature Coefficient Resistance, called M1, M2, and M3 on both chips). Even reversing the display screen from left to right is accomplished the same way, by turning off the mod, then holding down the + and – buttons simultaneously. The chip has upgradeable firmware via the micro USB port, and a USB cable is included.
The idea of using one chip for many devices (with the only difference being the firmware’s programmed wattage output) makes sense, since Eleaf, Beyond Vape, and Wismec are all sub-companies within the JoyeTech conglomerate family. I guess that makes the Centurion and Pico relatives, like Big Cousin and Little Cousin.
To fit everything into a tiny package, Jay Bo had to use a top-mounted battery cap that functions as an extender, allowing the case to be shorter than the 18650. Also, the + and – buttons are located on the bottom of the mod, since there’s no room for them next to the display and firing button. Are these compromises? Sure, but they’re necessary to achieve the goal of a full-featured 75-watt TC mod in a tiny case that’s effectively a stealth unit.
Melo 3 Mini Sub-Ohm Tank
Temp Control — One Chip, Many Mods
Performance
Using the 0.3 ohm head, the Melo 3 Mini yielded a completely satisfying vape, with full flavor and good vapor production, at 65 watts. The Pico cranked out that amount of power easily, without so much as breaking a sweat. Chain-vaping at 65 watts, the Melo tanks gets warm to the touch, but not hot, and the Pico mod remains cool as a cucumber.
As with the Centurion, the display on the Pico is only average size, and the smaller numbers are tiny, but the white-on-black LCD screen is bright and clear.
All the expected protections are built into the chip: 10-second cut-off, low resistance, atomizer short, reverse battery, and overheating shutdown. The lower limit of one watt output implies that the chip can buck as well as boost.
Battery life with the a single 18650 (not included) is about what one would expect. Depending on the wattage used, vape time between tank refills and battery swaps could be fairly short, especially so if you vape near the higher end of the Pico’s 75-watt power output. That’s not really a con, however, since the whole point of the Pico Starter Kit is to squeeze as much performance as possible from a tiny package.
Likes
- amazingly small stealth vaping setup
- great performance in a tiny package from both mod and tank
- easy to use
- ample power (75W)
- accurate temp control with numerous options
Dislikes
- some compromises in design were necessary
- (extended battery cap, + and – buttons on the bottom)
- 2ml eliquid capacity in the Melo 3 Mini means frequent refills
Verdict
Enthusiastically Recommended for all vapers, from beginners to experts.
Bill Herbst
Bill Herbst
My name is Bill. I’ve been a dedicated vaper for five and a half years, having ended a 35-year addiction to tobacco cold-turkey on my first day of vaping. I live on the Oregon coast, in the tiny town of Florence, one huge sand dune away from the Pacific Ocean.
