Voopoo Vmate Max Pod Kit Review | Another Great Kit in the Vmate Range

by Peter lam August 27, 2024

Up for review is Voopoo’s latest offering… the Vmate Max pod kit. This is the first Vmate device we’ve had the opportunity to review and it compliments their other Vmate series of kits; the Vmate, Vmate Pro, Vmate E and Vmate Infinity.

Voopoo continue to dominate the vaping market and for good reason. Their range of vape devices is incredible and range from budget-friendly, super easy starter pod systems all the way to fully functional mods and tanks. There really is something for everyone with the assurance of knowing the performance always outweighs the price tag.

As always we will give a quick overview covering the main points and features of the Vmate Max and then jump into the main body of the review covering everything there is to know about it.

Overview of the Vmate Max
The Vmate Max is a Mouth-To-Lung (MTL) and Restricted-Direct-To-Lung (RDL) draw activated pod device with variable airflow control, “Power” mode that’s adjustable from 5W to 30W and “Shift” mode that switches between “Sport”, “Normal” and “Eco” options. If you own the Argus P2, the menus and display structure is very similar to that one.

Powered by an internal rechargeable 1200mAh capacity battery, the Vmate Max is charged via the Type-C USB charging port, specified as 5V/2.0A, on the bottom of the Vmate Max body. Charging is pretty quick taking approximately 30 minutes when using the supplied charging cable.

A 0.54 inch OLED single color display screen shows the wattage, remaining battery charge icon with percentage value, pod/coil resistance, puff counter, vape time reading, mode of operation (Smart, Super and Eco) and the safety prompts. Either side of the display are dual 256-color RGB light bars providing a visually stunning light effect. Don’t panic, these can be switched off if stealth vaping is your thing.

The Vmate Max device auto detects the pod resistance of the Vmate pods and sets the optimum wattage and the maximum selectable limit for the resistance of pod that’s fitted. Two different resistance Vmate pods are supplied with the kit; a 0.4 ohm and a 0.7 ohm and are refillable (top fill) with a 2ml/3ml e-liquid capacity. The Vmate Max is compatible with all the Vmate pods.

Its design and shape is an oval flattened tube style device measuring 103mm high (including the pod) by 29mm wide and 18.7mm deep with a weight of 79 grams (3ml version). It’s manufactured out of Zinc Alloy making it feel solid and very robust with a superior quality feel.

There are a total of 7 different colors available in the Vmate Max range and the color.

Voopoo Vmate Max Pod Kit Review

Features and Specifications
·Construction: Zinc Alloy and PCTG
·Dimensions: 103mm (H) Including Pod x 29mm (W) x 18.7 mm (D)
·Weight: 79 grams (Including Pod)
·Charging: Type-C USB 5V/2.0A
·Charging Time: 30 minutes
·Resistance Range: 0.4 ohms – 3.0 ohms
·Output Wattage: 5W-30W (pod dependant)
·Output Voltage: 3.2V – 4.2V
·Output Mode: Variable Wattage + Sport, Normal and Eco
·Battery Specification: Internal/Rechargeable 1200mAh Capacity
·Display: Dual 256-color RGB light bars + 0.54 inch OLED Screen
·E-Liquid Capacity: 2ml/3ml
·Filling Method: Top Fill
·Firing Method: Auto Draw Activation
·Coils: Non-replaceable
·Coil Material: Kanthal
·Drip Tip: Duckbill Style Mouthpiece
·Airflow: Adjustable Slider
·Pod Connection: Friction Snap-Fit Top Loaded
·Pod Type: Vmate 0.4 ohm and 0.7 ohm
·Compatibility: All Vmate Pods
·Vape Style: MTL + RDL
·Chipset: GENE AI
·Auto Sensing Optimum Power and Maximum Wattage Limit
·7 Different Colors
·7 Safety Protections

What’s in the Box?

·Voopoo Vmate Max Device
·Vmate Top Fill 0.4 ohm Pod (* 2ml or 3ml)
·Vmate Top Fill 0.7 ohm Pod – pre-installed (* 2ml or 3ml)
·Type-C USB Charging Cable
·User Manual
* Note: Depending on your region, the Vmate Max kit will include 2ml (TPD) or 3ml (standard) Vmate Pods.

Packaging of the Voopoo Vmate Max Pod Kit

The packaging has a slide out drawer with an outer removable sleeve. This outer sleeve depicts the main product description and once it’s removed the drawer box includes a separate lift to open top flap cardboard box. This box contains the second spare 0.4 ohm Vmate pod in a sealed polythene sachet, the Type-C USB charging cable, user manual and a friendly tips for pod use information card.

Underneath this lift out contents box is the Voopoo Vmate Max device with the 0.7 ohm Vmate pod pre-fitted and held securely in a plastic insert. The overall dimensions of the packaging box measure 125mm x 64.5mm x 45mm.

On the front of the box is a photo of the Vmate Max in the color of the included device together with the branding “Voopoo” and “Vmate Max”. To the left of the photo is a circular emblem that highlights “3X Upgrade; Longevity, Leak-proof and Flavor”. The reverse side of the box details the “Contents”, “Manufacturer’s Details”, “CE/Kite mark” logos and the relevant safety warnings.

The left side of the box highlights “icosm Code Flavor Interpretation”, “30W Max Output”, “Airflow Adjustment”, “Built-In 1200mAh”, “Interactive Screen and Lights” and Voopoo’s “QR Code”. The right side displays “Vmate Max”, “Authentication scratch here sticker” and the “Color Name” of the device.

Preparing to Use the Voopoo Vmate Max Kit

When you first unbox your Vmate Max device, it comes pre-fitted with the Vmate 0.7 ohm pod. Before you can use your device, take the pod out as it comes shipped with a thin film protector across the base of the 0.7 ohm pod.

Remove the thin film protector from the base plate coil connectors and refit the pod.

The Vmate Max also has a clear film sticker that protects the smoked black transparent three quarter length screen section during the packing process and transportation. Remove this as well as it does become untidy during use.

Unplug the black silicone rubber e-liquid bung on the side of the Vmate pod, fill with e-liquid, refit the rubber bung and wait for 10-15 minutes before you power up the Vmate Max.

5 quick clicks of the side mounted push button switch will turn the Vmate Max on. I would suggest switching the Vmate Max to “Power” mode and altering the wattage to its lowest value (5W) while taking a few draws to pull e-liquid through the pod to slowly bed the new pod/coil in. Increase the wattage in 1W increments, each time taking a few draws until you reach the wattage that gives you your ideal draw.

Don’t forget to fine tune your airflow setting to suit your style of vaping. Also, do note the rectangular button on the side of the Vmate max is NOT a fire button as it’s draw activated only.

Voopoo Vmate Max Pod Kit Design and Appearance

Vmate Max Battery/Body

The Voopoo Vmate Max is constructed out of Zinc Alloy and measures 81.5mm tall (excluding the pod), 29mm wide by 18.7mm deep and weThe Voopoo Vmate Max is constructed out of Zinc Alloy and measures 81.5mm tall (excluding the pod), 29mm wide by 18.7mm deep and weighs in at 72.5 grams. When the Vmate pod is attached, the overall height is 103mm and the combined weight is 79 grams (83 grams measured).

Despite only weighing around 80 grams, the minute you pick it up it feels very solid and very robust with a high end quality feel to it.

It’s a mid-sized MTL and RDL style draw activated device with variable airflow control capable of providing up to 30W of power. The wattage is adjustable in 1W steps from 5W – 30W when “Power” mode is selected but will also detect the resistance of the coil fitted in the Vmate pod being used and set the optimum wattage for that specific pod. In addition to this, the intelligent Gene AI chip will limit the maximum allowable wattage that can be set for each coil/pod to prevent excessive power being applied to the coil.

Powered by a 1200mAh capacity internal rechargeable battery, it’s recharged using the supplied charging cable via the Type-C USB charging port on the bottom of the Vmate Max, specified as 5V/2A. Charging times are pretty quick and it will fully charge in approximately 30 minutes (37 minutes measured) with the added benefit that a pass-through function allows you to vape while it’s being charged.

We received the Black Onyx color for the purpose of this review which has a matte black finish. On the front face of the Vmate Max is a ¾ length full width in-lay smoked black gloss panel that conceals the 0.54 inch OLED display and dual 256 color RGB light bars (more on this later). Towards the top of this panel is the branding “VOOPOO”.

When looking at the Vmate Max face on, the left side edge has a 10mm by 3.5mm rectangular control button that’s used to turn the Vmate Max on/off, access the menu/screen settings, turn the RGB light bars on/off, switch between the different modes of operation and alter the variable wattage levels. This is NOT a fire button as it’s draw activated only.

The back of the Vmate Max has the variable airflow control lever and will adjust between closed in the left position (MTL) with 1 very small hole still visible, to open in the right position (RDL) where you can select 1 slightly larger hole and a much larger elongated hole to tailor your draw. This lever is quite restrictive so it shouldn’t move on its own.

Below this airflow lever is the branding “VMATE MAX” in very discrete lettering and “Gene AI” in smaller lettering toward the bottom of the Vmate Max body.

On the flat bottom of the Vmate Max where the USB charging port is positioned it has a black silicone rubber insert across its base making it a non-slip surface. This also helps keep the Vmate Max stable when stood upright.

At the top of the Vmate Max is the 12mm deep recessed oval opening for the pod to be located which can be fitted either way around. Within the pod recess are two gold plated spring loaded coil contact pins, a circular black auto draw sensor in between the contact pins and a rectangular airflow intake chamber that leads through to the airflow slider lever.

There are NO magnets in the pod recess as the Vmate pod is secured using a push fit latch mechanism on the Vmate pod that fits and secures into the two “U” shaped cut-outs at the top of the Vmate Max casing.

Inside the pod recess are the “CE” logo and device identification; “VMATE MAX”, “1200mAh”, “4.44Wh” and “3.7V” printed below the “U” shaped cut-outs.

Moving onto the exciting stuff, as we mentioned earlier, the user interface on the Vmate Max consists of a 0.54 inch single color OLED display and dual ¾ length 256 color RGB light bars either side of the OLED display. Voopoo call this “Hidden Horizon Screen” although I’m not quite sure what they mean by this!

The 0.54 inch single color (white) OLED display screen shows the current battery status with a percentage value, the wattage value, pod resistance and a puff counter. When “Shift” mode is selected, it will highlight the mode you’re in; “NOR”, “ECO” or “SPT”. It also displays the various prompts and safety features.

If you’re panicking about the dual light bars, don’t worry, there is a menu option to turn them off if you want. Voopoo do like to include flashy lighting effects and to be honest these light bars do look very effective without being in your face. These lights do serve another purpose of changing color for the safety prompts.

The Vmate Max GENE AI chip set ensures the multitude of safety features are maintained, such as:

·Overtime protection (8 seconds)
·Low battery protection (3.2V)
·Short circuit protection (<0.3 ohms)
·Over temperature protection
·Overcharge protection
·Output over-current protection
·Max power protection (pod specific)

There are a total of 7 different colors available in the Vmate Max range, these include:

·Fancy Purple
·Onyx Black
·Dove Grey
·Glacier Silver
·Neon Blue
·Ruby Red
·Shiny Green

Vmate Pod

Two new Vmate pods; 0.4 ohm and 0.7 ohm are supplied with the Vmate Max pod kit. We received the non-TPD version which has a 3ml e-liquid capacity whereas the TPD version is 2ml. They are top-fill so the pods don’t have to be removed from the Vmate Max in order to fill. The earlier side-fill Vmate pods are compatible with this Vmate Max device and equally these new top-fill pods are compatible with the other Vmate devices.

These new Vmate top fill pods continue to use the iCOMS CODE technology which improves the overall performance of the pods. They are marketed as 3X upgrade providing rich and intense flavor, 30 days leak-proof and 90ml coil/pod longevity.

When first installing your Vmate pod, make sure you remove the thin plastic film from the base of the pod. The pods come shipped with this protector so they can’t be accidentally fired during transit, especially before e-liquid has been added.

To stop any confusion, these new Vmate pods are top-fill even though the fill port is on the side of the pod and concealed behind a black silicone rubber plug. This plug however is still visible when the pod is fitted. The earlier side-fill pods are not visible and have to be removed to fill.

Each of the pods are manufactured out of lightly tinted (smoked) PCTG material and are clear enough to see your e-liquid level through the pod. The mouthpiece forms part of the overall pod and is duckbill shaped with a 12mm oval opening tapering to a 4mm circular cut out leading down to the top of the coil.

Its dimensions are 34.5mm tall by 28.5mm wide and 15.5mm deep and the weight of the pod is 9.5 grams.

To gain access to the fill port, the silicone rubber bung has an indented arrow on it which identifies the end to open and be lifted away to gain access to the filling port. As with most of these bungs, it does help if you have finger nails to get under the flap otherwise it is a bit tricky.

When the plug is opened, the other end of the silicone rubber flap will remain attached to the pod so it won’t get lost. It can be swiveled to the side to give easier access to the filling hole. This e-liquid fill port is a reasonable size measuring 4.5mm so it’s big enough to accept short stubby e-liquid tip bottles.

On the underside (base) of the pod are 2 very large circular gold plated coil plates and a central air intake channel. Either side of this channel are two circular indents that accommodate the auto draw sensor in the pod recess.

In the absence of any visible magnets on the pod and in the pod recess, the pod is secured using the two oval ribbed finger-print mouldings on the flat sides of the pod that locate in the “U” shaped cut-outs of the pod recess. Once the pod is placed in the pod recess, press the pod down and it will be held in place by these finger-print ribs.

When it’s fitted, the OLED display will illuminate and the dual 256 color light bars will briefly illuminate. After approximately 12 seconds the OLED display will dim to half brightness and after a further 18 seconds the OLED display will extinguish.

Removing the pod is carried out by grasping the oval mouldings and pulling away from the Vmate Max body/battery. It’s a reasonably secure fit but is quite easy to remove.

Branding on these pods has “Voopoo” on one side and the “CE” markings on the other side on the lower bottom section of the pod that’s obscured when it’s fitted.

The coil resistance “0.4 ohms or 0.7 ohms” is indented into the silicone rubber fill port bung above the directional arrow.

Voopoo Vmate Max Functionality
The Voopoo Vmate Max is a variable wattage 5W-30W pod device (Power mode only), adjustable in 1W increments and incorporates auto pod detection where it sets the optimum wattage and also limits the maximum selectable wattage for the pod type you’re using.

This pre-set optimum wattage can be adjusted above or below this value but the upper wattage limit for the pod cannot be exceeded. Once you reach the maximum wattage for the pod the display will indicate “Max Power”. The next press of the control button takes you to the minimum value (5W).

In addition to “Power” mode, the Vmate Max can select 3 different preset “Shift” modes; ECO, SPT and NOR. 5 clicks of the control button takes you into the menu when you can select “Power” or “Shift” mode.

There isn’t a fire button as it’s draw activated only. The rectangular control button on the side edge of the Vmate Max controls all the appropriate adjustments in terms of variable wattage, power on/off, menu selection and display settings.

The user interfaces on the Vmate Max is a 0.54inch OLED single color display screen with dual 256-color RGB LED lightbars either side of the display. Variable airflow control on the reverse side of the Vmate Max provides the air intake to enable MTL and RDL vaping styles.

Quick Start Guide
Control of the Vmate Max is done via a series of quick presses of the control button as follows:

·Control button pressed 5 times turns the device ON
·Control button pressed 5 times when ON enters the Menu screen
·Control button pressed 2 times turns the LED light ON/OFF
·Control button pressed 3 times in Power mode enters the variable wattage mode
·With wattage flashing, each press of control button increments in 1W steps
·Control button pressed 3 times in Shift mode switches between 3 pre-set options
·When on, control button pressed 5 times enters the Puff Clear, Shift Mode and Power Off menu

Main Display Screen

The Vmate Max shows the main operating settings on its 0.54 inch OLED display screen as follows:

·Battery level indicator with remaining percentage of charge (#%)
·Numerical Wattage level or 3 pre-set Shift modes (ECO, NOR or SPT)
·Pod/Coil resistance reading
·Puff counter
·Vape time reading

Note: The vape time numerical reading replaces the puff count reading while you draw on the pod and remains visible for a further 2 seconds before it switches back to the puff counter.

Menu Options

Pressing the control button 5 times quickly within 2 seconds will bring up the Menu options. A single press of the control button while in the menu mode will scroll through these options and a long press of the control button will activate the mode that is being displayed.

·Puff Clear (clears the puff counter)
·Shift Mode (selects 3 pre-set power modes)
·Power Mode (normal wattage mode)
·Off (turns the Vmate Max off)
·Exit (exits menu mode)

Shift Mode

When Shift Mode is selected the main OLED display screen will switch from showing the numerical wattage value to one of the 3 preset levels:

·NOR (optimum power level)
·SPT (high power level)
·ECO (conserves battery power and e-liquid consumption)

When you’re in the Shift Mode, to switch between these 3 modes, press the control button 3 times quickly within 2 seconds and it will select the next preset power mode. As you switch between the different modes, the OLED display screen will highlight which mode you’re in.

Power Mode

Power mode is the normal variable wattage mode and is selected and adjusted using the control button. With Power mode selected (screen shows the numerical wattage value) press the control button 3 times in quick succession.

While the numerical wattage value is flashing, each press of the control button will increase the wattage value in 1W steps until it reaches the maximum limit for the pod you’re using. Holding the control button down will scroll through the wattage levels quicker.

·0.4 ohm Pod: 30W Max Best between 18W – 30W
·0.7 ohm Pod 25W Max Best between 15W – 25W

Prompts and Safety Indications
Unfortunately there is no information in the user manual or on Voopoo’s website relating to the Vmate Max’s prompts and safety indications. We’ve tried to cover as many different scenarios as we could as shown below:

Note: When full charge is reached the display reads 100% with 0% remaining and the LED lightbars will be static. If the charging cable is left in for a further 10 minutes, the LED lightbars and OLED display will extinguish.

OLED Screen and Dual 256-color LED Light Bar Timeout
During use, after you’ve drawn on the mouthpiece to vape or pressed the control button, the OLED display screen will remain illuminated at full brightness for 13 seconds then dim for a further 17 seconds and then extinguish. The LED light bar will illuminate and cycle for 3 seconds and then extinguish.

Airflow

The Voopoo Vmate Max pod kit incorporates an adjustable airflow control slider on the back of the casing, positioned just below the “U” shaped cut-out towards the top of the Vmate Max.

When the airflow control slider is in the right hand position the airflow is open with 1 large and 1 small air intake holes which provides an airy MTL/RDL draw. Moving the airflow control slider to the left, the airflow will be closed off showing an even smaller single air intake hole which provides a tight restrictive MTL draw. You can position the lever anywhere between min and max to tweak your preferred vaping style.

Voopoo Vmate Max Performance

Two Vmate pods are supplied with the Vmate Max kit; a 0.4 ohm Kanthal mesh top fill pod and a 0.7 ohm Kanthal mesh top fill pod. They do have integrated coils so are non-replaceable. I’ve used these pods for the last few weeks while reviewing the Vmate Max and both are still performing really well.

Voopoo state the longevity of these pods are good for approximately 90ml of e-liquid passed through the pod before you can notice any drop-off in performance. I’ve cycled around 140ml through the 0.4 ohm and 80ml through the 0.7 ohm pod and I’ve not noticed any change in flavor or vapor yet.

As always, when filling the pod for the first time, do leave it to stand for 10-15 minutes before you use it to allow the e-liquid to fully saturate the wicking material. I also prefer when using a new pod to set the wattage to its lowest setting and taking a few draws to pull e-liquid through the coil. Gradually increment the wattage, each time taking a few draw until you reach your sweet spot.

Throughout the time I’ve been using these pods there has been no signs of any leaks or condensation on the coil contact pins. I’ve used a combination of 70VG/30PG and 50VG/50PG ratio e-liquids through the pods with no problems of dry hits or leaking.

Vmate 0.7 Ohm Pod (pre-installed)

Voopoo specify the recommended wattage range for this pod is between 15W-25W. The auto pod detection (power mode) sets the optimum wattage to 18W. The operating wattage of the Vmate Max when using the 0.7 ohm pod is from 5W to 25W.

After initially bedding in the coil/pod, I set the wattage to its minimum value of 5W. The draw was weak until I reached 8W when the flavor and vapor started to come through after a 2-3 second draw. Increasing the wattage to 10W improved the draw with increased flavor and vapor.

Taking the wattage to 12W was about right for me. A 2 second RDL draw with the airflow switch open brought out the flavor of my e-liquid very well with plenty of vapor. I found completely closing the airflow (small hole showing) restricted the draw, reduced the flavor and was giving a warmer vape.

At 14W the draw intensifies and at the optimum set wattage of 18W the flavor shines through with dense clouds of vapor. Airflow fully open worked best for me with a RDL draw but even with the airflow halfway it gave good results. Shutting the airflow off muted things a little too much for me but does give a pretty tight MTL draw.

Taking the wattage to its maximum 25W gave the same great flavor with increased vapor and only required a short sharp draw to achieve a good throat hit and satisfying vape.

My ideal setting for this pod was around the 12W – 14W mark with the airflow fully open which gave a great RDL draw with very good flavor, vapor and throat hit.

I did try selecting the 3 different “Shift” modes of ECO, NOR and SPT and while each mode did appear to alter the power level it wasn’t that noticeable.

Argus 0.4 Ohm Pod

Voopoo specify the recommended wattage range for this pod is between 18W-30W. The auto pod detection (Power mode) sets the optimum wattage to 25W. The operating wattage of the Vmate Max when using the 0.4 ohm pod is from 5W to 30W.

With the wattage set to its minimum value of 5W there was very little happening in terms of flavor or vapor. Once I got to 8W the flavor and vapor started to come through but only after a long slow draw. Increasing the wattage in 1W increments improved the draw at each stage and I found at 12W I was getting a nice slow draw with plenty of flavor and vapor.

Taking the wattage to 14W was about right for me on this pod. The flavor was very good and produced dense vapor with the airflow fully open. Definitely a RDL and even a DTL draw. The minimum 18W setting gave a quick draw while the optimum set wattage of 25W was quite an intense draw.

Again as with the 0.7 ohm pod, shutting the airflow off tended to mute the flavor and vapor and increased the warmth of the draw. I found anywhere from half open to fully open gave me the best results.

I did take the wattage up to the maximum of 30W and yes it does produce a short powerful draw but in all honesty I much prefer a more sedately 2 second plus longer draw. At this wattage I do wonder how long the pod would last before the coil produces dry hits.

My ideal settings for this pod was between 14W to 16W with the airflow fully open which gave a great RDL draw with very good flavor, vapor and throat hit.

Shift Mode

Selecting the Shift mode and alternating between the 3 different power modes of ECO, NOR and SPT takes the guess work out of wattage adjustments as it uses a pre-set power level for each mode for the particular pod you’re using.

In the absence of any specified power levels for each of the 3 different power modes, we can only assume the following: ECO mode appears to use the lowest minimum recommended wattage, NOR uses the optimum auto set wattage and SPT uses the maximum recommended wattage.

Some users will find the Shift mode a really useful function but call me old-fashioned, I prefer with any pod/coil to start off at the lowest wattage setting and gradually increase the power level until I’m happy with the results.

Any Leaks?
Throughout my time using both the pods supplied with the Vmate Max kit there were no e-liquid leaks or seepage. However, if you’re not using the device, or any other device for that matter, for a day or two and the pod is still connected to the device, e-liquid seepage WILL occur.

This is not a criticism of the Vmate pods in any way, it’s just my experience when using any pod mod.

Airflow

The airflow slider adjustment worked effortlessly and it has a good resistive feel to the slider. Closing the airflow off (slider positioned left) produced a nice restrictive MTL vape while opening it up (slider positioned right) provided a less restrictive (airy) draw. There isn’t a great deal of movement on the slider (approx. 5mm) but enough to find your ideal draw.

Auto Draw
Auto draw worked faultlessly. With the airflow closed, even the slightest of draws fired the Vmate Max. Opening the airflow requires a slightly stronger draw as you’d expect but still activates the auto draw. Irrespective of the position of the airflow, the draw was smooth. When the airflow is opened, the draw does get noisier.

Performance Summary

Both the 0.7 ohm and 0.4 ohm pods were very impressive. Flavor and vapor, including the throat hit from them was really good. The longevity of these at present is unknown because of the short time we’ve been using them (4 weeks).

The draw was smooth and pretty quiet with no gurgling. The throat hit from 3-6mg freebase nicotine was very good and the airflow control on the Vmate Max is very effective.

I find with the majority of different pods/coils, the minimum wattage that the manufacturer specifies is always on the high side for me. The two Vmate pods are no exception and I was very comfortable vaping both these pods below the minimum recommended wattage.

Voopoo Vmate Max Battery Performance

The Voopoo Vmate Max is powered by a rechargeable 1200mAh capacity internal battery which is a good decent size for a pod mod of this size. Charging time takes approximately 30 minutes (37 mins when we charged it) to fully charge via the on board Type-C USB port with the supplied cable when using a power source of 2A.

On average I was achieving approximately 1.5 days vaping with a recorded puff count (approx. 531 – 684) on a single charge while using the 0.7 ohm pod set to 12W. This length of time was pretty impressive, more than I would have expected. Vape times will vary depending on the resistance of the pod you’re using, the wattage that’s been set and your vaping style i.e. duration and frequency of your draw.

Switching the Vmate pod to the 0.4 ohm pod reduced the vape time to just over a day on a full charge with the wattage set to 14W. Increasing the wattage or using the “Shift” modes (ECO, NOR, SPT) will drain the battery quicker.

The Vmate Max indicates the status of the remaining battery charge on the battery icon at the top of the 0.54 inch OLED display screen. This battery icon shows the battery percentage remaining value within the white colored icon but note the white battery icon doesn’t diminish, it’s only the numerical percentage value that slowly reduces from 100% to 0%.

Drawing on the mouthpiece or pressing the control button will illuminate the OLED display so you can check the remaining battery power.

When the battery reaches its low voltage cut-off point, the LED light bars will flash red 5 times, the OLED battery percentage will show 0% and the display screen will show the prompt “Low Voltage”. At this point you will no longer be able to vape and will need to charge the device.

The intensity of the draw remains constant throughout the discharge cycle of the battery and doesn’t diminish as the battery drains.

We’ve covered the charging process and what to expect in How do I Charge the Vmate Max section. Fortunately the Vmate Max, even though it charges pretty quick, does have pass-through so you are able to vape while it’s being charged but this will increase the charging time.

How do I Fill the Vmate Pod?
These new Voopoo Vmate pods are a top fill design despite the fill port being positioned on the side of the pod. In essence it’s called a top fill because the pod doesn’t have to be removed from the Vmate Max in order to fill with e-liquid. It’s purely down to user preference whether you remove the pod or not.

The fill port is located on one side edge of the pod casing and is concealed behind a black silicon rubber flap. A small arrow, just below the pod resistance is indented on the rubber flap highlighting which end of the rubber stopper lifts away to gain access to the fill port.

This silicone rubber flap is attached to the pod by a small rubber pin so there’s no chance of it getting lost. It can be swiveled to the side when you’re filling to give a little more free room. Because the fill port opening is pretty wide (4.5mm), it’ll accept those larger e-liquid/shortfill bottle tips.

Pull open the flap and insert your e-liquid bottle tip into the opening. Tilt the pod on its side to aid filling and to get the maximum amount of e-liquid into the pod. Once filled, reinsert the silicon rubber flap making sure the fill port is securely reseated.

If you’ve removed the pod to fill, when it’s reinserted, the Vmate Max OLED display screen will illuminate and the LED lights will illuminate for 1 second and then extinguish.

Quick Tip: If you are filling the pod for the first time, once filled, leave to stand for approx. 10-15 minutes before you start to vape. This will help saturate the wick fully in e-liquid and help prolong the life of the coil/pod. I would also bed the new pod in first by setting the power level to its lowest value (5W) and taking a few draws. Gradually increase the wattage in 1W increments taking a few more draws till you reach your desired power setting.

When and How do I Change the Vmate Pod?
Both the included Vmate pods have fixed non replaceable coils. When the coil starts to degrade after a few weeks/months of use the pod will need to be discarded and a new pod fitted. Voopoo state these new pods have an increased minimum lifespan of 90ml of e-liquid passing through them. In my experience, the earlier pods and these new pods exceed this lifespan.

An indication of the coil degrading will show by either a loss of flavor and/or a lack of vapor. Continuing beyond this loss of flavor/vapor will finally result in a nasty burnt taste. Equally the coil could fail going open or short circuit. Either way, when this happens discard the pod and fit a new one.

Pull the pod away from the Vmate Max battery/body. Unfortunately if you still have e-liquid in the pod, this will have to be discarded as well as it will have been tainted by the burnt out coil.

When fitting a new pod, follow the procedure for How do I Fill the Pod. As you insert the pod into the Vmate Max body, the OLED display and LED light bars will briefly illuminate to identify the pod has made electrical contact with the Vmate Max contact pins.

How do I Charge the Voopoo Vmate Max?

The Vmate Max has an internal 1200mAh capacity battery therefore charging is carried out using the USB to Type-C charging cable (supplied in the kit). Simply connect the cable into the Type-C port on the bottom of the Vmate Max body and the other end into a suitable USB power source. The specified charging circuit of the Vmate Max is 5V/2.0A and will fully charge the Vmate Max in approximately 30 minutes.

I’m really pleased to see the Vmate Max charging display follows what we saw when reviewing the Argus P2. It remains illuminated throughout the entire charging cycle with a percentage of charge and time remaining value. I stated in that review that it was one of the BEST charging displays I’d seen in a long time and the Vmate Max is just as good.

When the Vmate Max is placed on charge, the OLED display screen illuminates and the LED light bars will cycle in the color green. After approximately 3 seconds, the OLED display screen switches to a charging screen and the green LED lights continue to cycle.

The OLED charging display shows a scrolling 5 bar battery icon with a real time numerical percentage value of the charge. Underneath the icon is a numerical time of charge remaining value in minutes. As the percentage of charge increases the time remaining reduces. The LED light bars continue to cycle as the Vmate Max is being charged.

Full charge is achieved when all 5 bars on the battery icon are static with a 100% value, the time remaining is 0 minutes and the green LED lights remain static. Our measured charging time of the Vmate Max was 37 minutes. The OLED and LED light bars will remain illuminated for a further 10-15 minutes if the charging cable remains connected but will then extinguish.

The Vmate Max has pass-through so you can vape while it’s being charged but this will increase the overall charge time.

While the Voopoo Vmate Max was being charged the case did remain cool to the touch. Despite this, I strongly advise to always charge this, and any other device for that matter, on a non-flammable surface.

As with any vape device, NEVER leave it unattended whilst charging and don’t charge it overnight.

Voopoo Vmate Max Pod Kit Price
The Voopoo Vmate Max pod kit has only recently been released and many retailers currently have this in stock already. The average price I’ve seen the Vmate Max kit selling for is around £25/$30. Considering the kit comes with 2 different Vmate pods, coupled with the functionality and performance, it’s well worth the low price tag.

Voopoo Vmate Max Pod Kit Verdict

Pros
·Very good build quality
·Very good design
·Compact and Robust
·Type-C USB fast charge port (30 mins)
·Top fill pods
·Variable airflow
·5W-30W adjustable wattage + Auto sensing + Max wattage limitation
·OLED display + 256 color dual LED light bars
·Shift modes: Sport/Norm/Eco
·Amazing charging display screen
·Very good overall performance
·Really good vapor and flavor
·Pod/coil life is good
·Tight – Airy MTL/RDL draw
·Auto draw very responsive
·Pass-through vaping

Cons
·Remaining battery percentage not easy to see
·Display could be a little bigger

Voopoo Vmate Max Pod Kit Summary

The Vmate Max pod kit is a great addition to the ever growing range of devices that Voopoo has to offer. It’s easy to use without being overly complicated and has 3 pre-set “Shift” power levels (ECO, NOR and SPT) if you don’t want to worry about variable wattage.

Equally you can select “Power” mode and it switches to variable wattage ranging from 5W – 30W. Auto pod detect selects the optimum wattage for each Vmate pod type and limits the maximum wattage that can be applied to the coil/pod making it perfect for the inexperienced vaper. This can be overridden for full wattage control if you wish.

Features such as the adjustable airflow, fast charge, auto draw, great battery life from the 1200mAh capacity battery, a 0.54 inch OLED display with 256 color RGB dual light bars, top fill pods with very good flavor and vapor and a great charging display make this a great device for any level of vaper.

Two Vmate pods (0.4 ohm and 0.7 ohm) are included in the kit so you can experiment and pick which best suits your vaping style. The Vmate Max is robust with a high quality feel and comes in a choice of 7 different colors with a very affordable price tag.

Hope you enjoyed this review on the Voopoo Vmate Max pod kit and found it useful.