ILUMA i ONE in Pune: Unboxing and Your First Ten Minutes

The parcel has arrived at your flat in Baner or your office in Kharadi, and you'd like to try the thing. This is a walkthrough of the first ten minutes with a new ILUMA i ONE, in order, for adult smokers who have never used one. Have a pack of TEREA ready before you start.

Minute 0: open the box

Open the box on a table, not on your lap. Take everything out and check it against the contents list printed on the packaging or the leaflet inside. Keep the box for now; it's the easiest place to store the paperwork.

Then look at the device itself:

• One piece. There's no separate holder and no charger case. Everything is in this one body, 122.4 × 30.6 × 16.3 mm and 73.9 g.
• The pill-shaped button. This is how you turn it on.
• Four lights in a row on the side. They're white only.
• The sliding cap at one end, covering the opening where the stick goes.
• The USB-C port, for charging.

Minute 1: check the battery

Hold the button for 4 seconds.

• If the four lights fade on, the device has some charge. You can try your first stick now and charge it fully afterwards.
• If nothing happens, the battery needs charging first. Plug it in.

Minute 2: plug it in

Connect a USB-C cable to the port and a reputable wall adapter or a laptop. A full charge from empty takes about 90 minutes and gives about 20 sessions.

If the battery was flat, this is where your first ten minutes becomes your first ninety. That's fine; read the rest of this guide while you wait, and come back to minute 3 when it's charged. If it had some charge, you can carry on.

Charge it on a hard surface, out of the sun.

Minute 3: get to know a TEREA stick

Take one stick out of the pack and look at it.

• It's white, with a coloured band printed "TEREA" at the mouth end.
• There's a line on the filter. That line shows how far the stick goes in.
• Inside is a sealed metal heating element. You can't see it, but it's why only TEREA works in this device.

Close the pack.

Minute 4: open the cap

Slide the cap toward the light end. The opening is now uncovered. There's no blade inside, which is why you'll never need to clean it.

Minute 5: insert the stick

Push the stick straight in until the line on the filter meets the top of the device. Don't twist it and don't force it past the line. Only the coloured band should show above the device.

You'll feel one vibration. Heating starts by itself; there's no button to press.

Minutes 5 to 6: wait for the preheat

For about 20 seconds, the lights fill from bottom to top, the filling one pulsing. Don't puff yet.

Then a second vibration and four steady lights. It's ready.

Minutes 6 to 12: your first session

Puff at your normal pace. A session lasts up to 6 minutes or 14 puffs, whichever comes first, and FlexPuff can add up to 4 puffs.

What to expect:

• No smoke, an aerosol instead.
• No ash.
• A different taste from a cigarette. Heated tobacco doesn't have the burnt edge. Most people need a few days to adjust.

As the session runs down, the lights switch off from top to bottom. In the last 30 seconds or 2 puffs, it vibrates once and the bottom light pulses. That's your cue to finish.

Minute 12: finish up

1. Pull the stick straight out.
2. Slide the cap closed.
3. Put the used stick in a bin.

That's one full cycle. Next time it'll take you seconds to think through.

After the first ten minutes

• Charge it fully if you haven't already.
• Keep the cap closed whenever the device is in a pocket or bag.
• Stick with one blend for a few days before judging.
• Count your sticks. One stick is one session.

If something didn't work

• No vibration when you inserted the stick: check it's a TEREA stick, inserted to the line, with the cap fully open. HEETS don't work in ILUMA devices.
• Lights didn't come on: hold the button for a full 4 seconds; if still nothing, charge it.
• Taste was weak: wait for the second vibration before puffing, and make sure the pack is fresh.

If a problem persists, contact official IQOS support. For a fuller guide, see how to use the ILUMA i ONE, and for what each light means, the four lights explained.

Not got one yet?

The ILUMA i ONE is ₹4,990, or ₹5,290 in Electric Purple. For a first pack, TEREA Amber suits plain-tobacco smokers. Order on iqoser.in; checkout shows the delivery options for your pincode.

The ILUMA i ONE is for adults who already smoke. It isn't risk-free, and TEREA contains nicotine, which is addictive. Quitting altogether remains the best choice.

Questions

Do I need to charge the ILUMA i ONE before first use?

If holding the button for 4 seconds doesn't turn it on, yes. A full charge takes about 90 minutes over USB-C.

How far do I push the TEREA stick in?

Until the line on the filter meets the top of the device. Only the coloured band should show.

Do I press a button to start heating?

No. Heating starts automatically when you insert the stick, with one vibration.

How do I know when it's ready?

After about 20 seconds of preheat, you'll feel a second vibration and see four steady lights.