Cool Fire IV: An interesting box, not so popular but that offers 100 W and a robust 3300 mAh battery
When released in July 2015, I received in test the Cool Fire 4 by Innokin and welcomed this good-looking box with a pretty nice usability.
In its second version, Innokin had corrected an autonomy issue by changing the battery. Today, Innokin updates its Cool Fire IV that delivers a comfortable 100 W with its still awesome 3300 mAh battery.
The box keeps a non-replacable battery, like the iStick, but its robustness is, in my opinion, much higher. The comparison with the iStick by Eleaf continues with an achieved rationalization of the menus that increases usability for all vapers, including novices.
This Cool Fire IV TC 100 proposes, like the Cortex, a temperature control function. The kit also embarks a very good home-made atomizer, the iSub V, equipped with the excellent coils by Innokin.
Innokin then responds to market very fast and strongly because this new “TC 100” is not only a more powerful device but also embarks its brand new chipset, Aethon. The box is protected against dry puff phenomenons and a fastest reaction time, down to 0.2 s, homogenizes heating of the coil. All the features advertised on paper finally provide a good vaping with the 0.5 Ω coil and the iSub V.
The Cool Fire TC 100 is a high performance battery-box on paper but also in use. The usability is similar to its predecessors, a little bit thicker, its weight is still constrained.
One remains in the universe of disposable batteries. No need of a particular charger because the Cool Fire IV TC 100 offer a micro USB connector which is smartly located on the side of the box and far away from the clearomizer to avoid any regrettable encounter with the juice.
Compared to its predecessors, the new Cool Fire IV TC 100 broadens its commercial target by offering up to 100 W. A box that can be exploited at lower power by beginners thanks to simplified settings with a straightforward access to power adjustment.
Cozy usability for a safe and modern vaping experience, if you like
In preamble, the packaging of the specimen I received is in net progress. Innokin proposes here a starter kit ready-to-use with the excellent iSub version V and the proprietary coils that, in my opinion, are very successful. A pretty little gift box.
The finish is faultless for such price range, and materials are still of good quality. Innokin proposes products with a very good value for money. Only the design is a bit cheap compared to rivals: iStick by Eleaf or other Joyetech’s. Innokin, where has your little madness from the 2012/2013 gone?
Handling is very good. The bump that corresponds to the 3300 mAh battery allows the mod to find its place, naturally, in the palm of your hand. The Fire comes logically under your finger, on its flat side, and remains the same as in the previous versions: usable, soft and quiet.
Power or temperature setting controls are on the edge, below the screen and are noiseless in operation. Good. Positive aspects also concern the screen and its display of fully readable characters.
The ON/OFF disappeared, regrettably. It was so useful on the previous model.
The Cool Fire IV TC 100 is finally very efficient and powerful. It has everything to satisfy the pickiest people but efforts could have been made to make it more sexy.
Technical features
The main technical features are:
- 1 rectangular Fire in metal and 2 setting controls on the edge
- Variable Wattage: 25 to 100 W by increments of 0.5 W
- Temperature Control Mode: Ni (0.1 – 0.2 Ω), Ti (0.1 – 0.5 Ω), Stainless Steel 316L (0.2 – 1.0 Ω)
- Charge: 5V/2A Fast Charging
- Temperature : 150 – 315 °C
- Native safety control (chipset)
- Resistance: minimum 0.1 Ω
- Compatibility: 510
- USB Cable
- Weight: 220 g with iSub V
- Length: 85 mm and 138 mm with iSub
- Thickness: 24 mm and 20 mm on the flat
- Automatic measurement of the resistance
- Protection against short-cuts
- Autonomy indicator with colored LED on the Fire
- Battery 3300 mAh
- Security for long puffs (max 15 secondes)
- Fonction Passthrough
- Recall Fonction for temperature and wattage
- 3-value display, Ω, V and/or W
- OLED screen
- Counter
- Right- or left-handed mode
- User manual
iSub V tank’s features:
- Top filling
- 3.0 ml, Pyrex
- 100% stainless steel
- Airflow: adjustable
- Spare Drip-Tip (plastic)
- No Spill Coil Swap System
Innokin’s manufacturing quality, simplified temp control, a well-detailed calibration procedure and a smart system to prevent agglutination when filling
Raising its power to 100 W, Innokin allows using most of the atomizer present on the market with this box, even the most extreme.
The dual user manual is clear and straightforward, it clearly demonstrates the brand’s intention to touch anyone, including those who are who have never used temperature control, a mode that limits the occurence of dry puffs. The user manual is then very accessible for rapid start as well as for details in more advanced procedures.
The USB connector is still on the edge and not at the bottom, like many others, what allows leaving the Cool Fire IV TC 100 on a bench while charging. I never noticed any excessive heating due to the charge with this USB.
In power mode, the settings are also very simple. If you keep pushing the + or – control, you get access to the settings. To browse the different modes, you just have to push + and Fire, then you can switch between NI, TI or SS (Stainless Steel).
Finally simple, efficient and intuitive
You also can easily switch from right- to left-handed by a long press on the + or – and this will revert the display. The box draws your attention each time you remove the atomizer and asks you if it is the same or not. If it is different, then you can choose the corresponding resistance.
Finally, the coating is in aluminium but it has become more shiny since the last version. It is also more slippy, that’s the reason why I prefer the old finish. The finish is perfect in two bright colors, red or blue. Then you have the sensation of a good quality product that, in my opinion, is durable on the medium term.
Note also the very good manufacturing quality of the screw thread and of the connections that remain on spring.
A thickness of 24 mm allows you to switch between any type of clearomizer without too heavily weighing on the overall design. It is, in any way, perfectly balanced with the iSub ApexV provided by Innokin but it also combines very well with Nautilus, Delta II or Squape X, for example.
iSub V is launching a very good system that prevents any leakage into the coil chamber, a way to avoid the agglutination that is seldom observed with top filling tanks.
This smart system blocks the air supply in the coil chamber when filling. This bell added to the central column unlocks automatically when screwing the top to the tank.
Cool Fire IV TC 100 by Innokin keeps a good autonomy and initiates a simple and justified calibration procedure for use with temp control mode
3300 mAh, 8 hours for about 7 to 8 ml with the 0.53 Ω coil provided, the iSub V is greedy. With a coil adapted to temp control, I am setting power between 70 and 100 W, so decreases the autonomy but in a reasonable range of 5 to 6 hours.
The User manual points out that the mode must follow the type of metal the coil is made of. It insists on the calibration that must be done at ambient temperature and on the fact that the resistor must in no case be powered before this step.
Innokin has all the cards in hand to make you dream, they only need a more funky designer and a slight effort for miniaturization of its boxes.
In summary
The “+”:
- Autonomy with 3300 mAh
- New chipset Aethon, performant for a precise vaping
- Dual user manual, didactic and informative
- Value for money
- Power: 100 W
- Reasonable size and weight
- Good finish of the thread
- USB Fast Charge (2A), on the edge
- Simplified settings for a quick start and for the calibration procedure
- Connecion in 510 on spring
- Right- left-handed mode
The “-“:
- Classic Design
- Screen brightness not adjustable
- Diode on the Fire useless
- Battery not exchangeable
- Charger not included
- 3 ml give a short autonomy
- hazardous policy for product renewal
Conclusions
Rating 3.9/5. Twice a year, Innokin releases products more and more achieved but with a design in quasi steady-state, too classic and not sexy compared to rivals. It remains that Cool Fire IV TC 100 is a vaping machine equipped with a very accessible temp control mode, even for the most reluctant people. It can be held as an achievement but the competition is strong.
