Vaporesso Gen Max Review

Vaporesso is one of the few major vape manufacturers who have always kept the dual-battery mod flag flying. So, when Vaporesso asked us to review the Gen Max, I was beyond excited to put it to the test! With that out of the way, here’s MIST full Vaporesso Gen Max review.

Review Disclosure: All the Vaporesso kits we’ve reviewed so far (including the Gen Max) were supplied by Vaporesso. However, you can rest assured that the brand’s generosity did not influence or affect our review. 

Video Review

Packaging and Labels 

The Gen Max kit’s packaging comes in a cardboard box covered in a green and black cardboard sleeve. The front of the sleeve shows a picture, and name of the kit, and the company logo. On the other side, you have the kit features. The three different themes for the display screen (General / Football / UFO) are on the other side. For the back, you have the contents list as well as Vaporesso’s contact information.

Removing the sleeve, there’s another thin sleeve, which holds the user manual, under which we find the mod and tank, with a spare coil to the side next to the USB-C cable. All these elements are held firmly in place by the plastic frame inside the box.

Build Quality

Score: 4.5/5

The build quality of the Gen Max is superb, and it is a really lovely package of design! I only shaved off half a point because I miss the days of IP67/IP68 vape mods.

Mod 

The Gen Max has a very unique feel in the hand. It has similar dimensions to other dual-battery Vaporesso mods, such as the Gen 200, though it lacks the rubbery coating of that older kit. The Gen Max is mostly constructed from zinc alloy, which is widely praised for being very lightweight while retaining durability.

There’s a really satisfying brushed effect to the mod, particularly on the faces where there’s a tight pattern of concentric circles going out from around the screen or logo, depending on which side you’re looking at.

The battery bay door slips off easily enough, though the magnets are strong enough to hold it firmly in place when you’re on the move. Inside, there’s a helpful ribbon in place to make removing the batteries easier.

I REALLY like the firing button on the Gen Max! It’s very raised and pronounced, clicking in satisfyingly. The button, which is circled with notches, can also be turned in place as a dial to navigate menus, change power, etc. Beneath the button/dial, there’s also a lock switch to prevent you from firing the device or changing any settings unintentionally in your pocket.

The display screen is circular and full-colour, displaying all relevant information at a moment’s notice.

Tank

The included iTank T is phenomenal! The airflow ports have been raised very high to eliminate leaks, and the new sliding top-fill refill mechanism is excellent; I’ve never seen a vape tank lid slide this far open before! You’ve also got total compatibility with all GTi Coils, so there are plenty of resistance options to choose from.

The sample kit I’ve been sent has bubble glass on it, but I assume the UK version will abide by the 2ml TPD restrictions.

Performance

Score: 5/5

I found the Gen Max Kit to work like a dream. Admittedly, it throws you into the deep end a little (we’ll touch on that in the Ease of Use section!). But if you understand modern vape terms there’s a big toy box to play with!

• The default mode of the kit when first turning it on is F[t] Mode, which uses the onboard AXON chip to subtly increase the coil’s temperature and produce the richest flavour possible. 
• Pulse Mode instead sends little short jolts of power into the coil instead of a steady stream, thereby extending the coil’s lifespan.

• Then there’s Eco Mode, which is growing more popular every day! This reduces the amount of power used by the mod, resulting in a slightly diminished effect but also greater battery longevity.
• Lastly, a bit of an odd and old-fashioned one, VV Mode displays the power output as volts rather than watts. It’s unique and provides a less accurate measurement of power stress, but some prefer it so the option is there!

There are also menu functions to explore, such as an optional Smart Mode which can be used across all the aforementioned user modes to prevent coil burns, along with usual features such as puff count reset, LED control, etc.

Lastly, there’s an option to select from three different ‘themes’ that play on screen when inhaling. It’s a bit superfluous, but it’s always nice to customise your vaping experience.

Ease of Use

Score: 3/5

Sadly, I have to knock a few points off here. The Gen Max is a solid and serious bit of hardware, and for that reason I probably wouldn’t recommend it to a beginner. Even if big clouds were what they wanted, I’d probably suggest a Vaporesso LUXE XR Max as it’s far more approachable.

The Gen Max isn’t especially user-friendly. The user modes (F[t], Pulse, VV, Eco) aren’t going to make sense to someone who’s just given up smoking or disposables, and while it can certainly be fun to explore a new piece of technology, most people buying a vape to relieve nicotine cravings aren’t going to want to have to teach themselves electrical engineering to use it.

But steps have been taken to try and make it easier to use; the optional Smart mode can be set for any of the user modes and does a good job of ensuring you don’t burn your coils. It’s not on by default however, and a new vaper might not even find or understand the mode in the menu.

Battery Life

Score: 5/5

Two 18650 batteries can go a long way! Admittedly, if you’re keeping the device near it’s maximum output potential of 220W, you’re likely to run the batteries down a bit quicker. However, options like mod light control and Eco Mode are great for drawing out the charge a bit longer.

The greatest advantage of vapes with removable batteries is being able to swap depleted cells out for charged ones instantly!

Flavour Output

Score: 5/5

The flavour coming off of the GTi Coils has been immensely tasty, improved as they are with Vaproesso’s COREX 2.0 technology to improve the wick and mesh quality. There’s no impurity put upon the e-liquid by any aspect of the coil.

Add to this F[t] mode, which increases the flavour produced by the coil with subtle increases in temperature, and the Gen Max provides a far more flavoursome experience than most sub-ohm vape kits. 

Summary

The Vaporesso Gen Max Kit is a stunning piece of hardware that you can use to produce some vast and remarkably flavoursome clouds. It’s not a great choice for beginners due to some menu and mode complexities, but experienced cloud fans will adore this new Vaporesso kit.

The MIST Favourite Feature: 

• Eco Mode: I will never stop being a champion for Eco Mode! It’s such a great feature, and if you’re in a tight spot with low charge and nowhere to plug in soon, it’s a life-saving mode to keep your mod going.