Imperial Tobacco Japan, which develops tobacco brands such as “West”, “Davidoff” and “Zidane”, has launched a heated tobacco “PULZE” (Pulze) nationwide from October 2019. The price of the device itself is 4,980 yen (including tax), and the exclusive stick is 20 yen and 460 yen (including tax).
This PULZE has attracted attention as the fourth heated cigarette following the “IQOS”, “glo” and “Ploom” developed in Japan. This time I borrowed the actual machine, so I will send you a review.
▲ Luxury looks and texture. The rigidity is solid and it feels good.
PULZE is a type of device similar to iQOS or Plumes, which heats a special stick and smokes. One can smoke for about 4 minutes. Like “IQOS 3 MULTI” and “glo”, it supports continuous smoking, and you can smoke up to 20 cigarettes continuously when fully charged. The heating temperature can be switched between standard (345 degrees) and eco mode (315 degrees).
It measures 127 x 24 x 14 mm and weighs 55g. Since the battery and the heating unit are integrated, you can smoke with only PULZE and a special stick.
▲ The charging terminal is USB Type-C.
▲ IQOS 3 DUO, PULZE, Ploom TECH +, Ploom TECH, Ploom S from the left. Compared to the size, it looks thick and long.
As for the smoking method, first, insert the special stick, press the power button once, and then press and hold to start heating. When the heating starts, the vibration vibrates, and when the button is released, the heating becomes standard (345 degrees). Also, if you keep pressing it for a long time, it will be in eco mode (315 degrees).
You will be notified by vibration when the heating is completed. The operation of this power button was a bit hazy compared to devices such as iQOS, and it took a little time to get used to it.
▲ Special sticks are available in three types: mint, menthol, and regular.
This time, I tried three kinds of sticks, menthol, mint, and regular, in two kinds of heating modes.
First, the difference between standard mode and eco mode. The “glo pro”, which also has two heating modes, has a completely different response, but the PULZE has almost no change in response. From this point, the operation of the power button is only complicated, so I thought that it was not necessary to install two heating modes.
As a smoking experience of PULZE itself, the feeling of sucking and kicking is inferior compared to IQOS.
I felt that the taste of menthol and mint was too light. It is stable after smoking for a while, but I was also worried about the fact that the vibration vibrated and it became possible to start smoking and the taste was very thin when I included it in my mouth.
On the other hand, the smell that remains after smoking is rather thin, so I think you will be able to fully enjoy the benefits of switching to heated tobacco here.
…, but I was dissatisfied with it, but in fact I changed my impression a bit about regular.
This regular was released on January 7, 2020, a little later than the launch. And “triple flow filter technology” which stick which has not been developed so far is adopted.
The presence of these three holes increases the amount of steam generated, realizing a deep and strong suck. It seems to be a heavy taste compared to regular sticks of regular heated tobacco. And by adjusting the taste of steam and tobacco, the taste has also improved.
When actually included in the mouth, even with the same way of sucking, the taste of curyur and tobacco spreads through the mouth from these three holes, and the satisfaction is enough.
This was an unprecedented heated tobacco experience. The heating temperature does not change, but with a little stick, the satisfaction of “sucking” is improved.
If this effect is so great, we would like to see menthol and mint sticks with “triple flow filter technology”.
Overall, PULZE has the impression that the perfection of the device and the smoking experience are still developing, but it is a heated cigarette that can be expected to grow enough, including sticks.
