Eleaf iSolo Air Vape review Design and Build Quality in 2022

The Eleaf iSOLO-R doesn’t have the most original design. We’ve seen the tubular battery unit covered in stitched leather, with the bell-like refillable pod on top so many times in the last six months that it’s starting to get a bit old. Still, we’re not there just yet, so I will still count the look and feel of the device as a pro.

At the top of the iSOLO-R battery unit, we have the port where the included GTL pod goes. It features the usual connectors as well as a pair of magnets and two slightly raised metallic ridges that go into two corresponding grooves on the bottom of the pod. Once the pod is in place, you can simply rotate it to adjust the airflow ring right under it. It’s a clever system and one that actually works very well in real-world conditions.

You do need to rotate the pod until you hear the magnets lock in place whenever you attach it, so keep that in mind when assembling the iSOLO-R. Also know that the GTL coil-heads don’t go into the refillable pod all the way, so don’t try to push them too hard. That’s just how they are designed, it doesn’t make them more prone to leaking than other PnP-style coils.

The metallic button of the Eleaf iSOLO-R has an interesting slanted design, but tends to be a bit over-clicky at times. Maybe I’m just picky, but sometimes, especially when I depress the button, the clicking sound is a bit too loud. Anyway, it’s not a huge deal, this is just my OCD acting up.

The flat metallic bottom of the iSOLO-R acts as a stand, but it also features a small venting hole, in case the built-in battery malfunctions. It’s also where we have the USB Type-C charging port, although I do appreciate that it is placed on the outer edge of the base, which means you can set it up right while it is charging.

Performance-wise, the Eleaf iSOLO-R is not quite on the level of most other pod mods I’ve reviewed recently, because it lacks one very essential feature – power adjustment. This is an unregulated device, which means that it delivers the power that’s in the battery at any given time, and sometimes that’s just not enough.

In the beginning, I was using the iSOLO-R with the 0.4Ω mesh GTL coil-head, and it actually vaped really nicely on a full battery, but as the voltage went down, the vapor got noticeably cooler, and the device just seemed to be struggling to keep up. Switching to the 0.8Ω round-wire coil helped things in that regard, but adjustable power would have been a much better solution.

The Eleaf iSOLO-R isn’t the most advanced vaping device on the market, far from it. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because not everyone is looking for advanced settings and a feature-rich menu system. Some people are just looking for convenience, and that’s exactly what this device offers. That said, some sort of power adjustment options would have been nice, as the iSOLO-R seems to be struggling to get the best out of low resistance coil-heads.

The Eleaf iSolo Air uses GTL coils and they are a fantastic all rounder. You get a sub-ohm and a higher resistance coil in the kit, 0.8ohm and a 1.2ohm. I would say they are an MTL and RDL, so if you want massive open draws this isn’t for you.

It vapes really well, with great flavour and decent vapour. The airflow is built into the body of the mod and is one of the best airflow controls I have seen.

With a vape pod this size, there has to be a compromise and with the iSolo Air it is battery size.

Yes it is still good for something this small, but it is 1500mAh. I know that for some vapers this will not get through a day. I would get a day of vaping before I needed to recharge, but thats not everyone.

What I will say though is that it has USB-C charging, so the charge time will be quick.