Voopoo’s V-series of kits, which includes units like the Doric E and Doric Galaxy, aims to put fuss-free MTL vaping into the hands of any vaper, new or experienced. We’re about to witness the release of the VMATE MAX, a follow-on from 2022’s VMATE E, and I’m going to take a close look this week to see whether Voopoo still deserves to retain the pod-kit crown.
We’ve also reviewed the following Voopoo vape kits:
MIST’s Verdict
Review Summary: The compact build and easy functionality, paired with a surprising number of user modes and customisation options make it a great choice for both new and seasoned vapers.
Review Disclosure: Voopoo supplied MIST with the VMATE Max. However, My opinions and thoughts on the device are impartial.
Video Review
Packaging and Labels
The packaging for the Voopoo VMATE MAX follows the same design as most other Voopoo releases this year: a white cardboard box covered by a cardboard sleeve.
The front of the sleeve features the company logo, product name, and a colour picture of the device. I assume the regular UK release will also feature a TPD-compliant health warning.
The left side of the sleeve lists the wattage maximum, airflow features, battery capacity, and indication systems over a QR code that leads to general information about Voopoo.
The right side of the sleeve features an authentication hologram and a QR code, which is covered by scratch-off material.
The back of the sleeve lists the contents and contact information for Voopoo, as well as some health warnings.
Sliding off the sleeve reveals the spare box, which contains a spare 0.4ohm top-fill cartridge, a user manual, and a type-C USB charging cable. Under the spare box, you’ll find the kit, already fitted with a 0.7ohm top-fill cartridge and held by a white plastic insert. A peel-off protective film is stuck to the front of the screen, which is very satisfying to remove.
Build Quality
Score: 4.5/5
If I had to sum up the VMATE MAX with one word, it would be ‘sleek.’ The vape has a really gorgeous design of smooth edges, with a brushed zinc-alloy frame that’s cool to the touch and enjoyably lightweight. Weighing in at only 79g, the VMATE MAX doesn’t come with a lanyard, but I’ve been using it on one anyway, as it’s featherweight enough for me not to notice it hanging off my neck.
Measuring 103mm x 29mm x 18.7mm, it fits snugly into the palm of my fairly small hand, with everything in comfortable reach, from the side-mounted firing-button to the airflow control slider on the back. There’s also something very satisfying about brushing your thumb over the little oval panel on the base of the cartridges.
The charging port is on the base of the kit, surrounded by a rubbery panel which is great for both preventing scuffs on surfaces and preventing the kit from making a loud bang when placed down a bit too hard.
The front of the vape is very eye-catching! Voopoo’s website doesn’t specify what the plastic-esque material is, so I’m assuming it’s the same PCTG used for the cartridges or perhaps polycarbonate instead.
Either way, what looks like a blank surface suddenly lights up with a detailed screen and a colourful border light display when you either hit the firing button or begin using the draw-activation technology.
The screen changes its display depending on the mode that you’re using, but it always shows the battery health, cartridge health, and your daily puff count.
The VMATE top-fill cartridges are also exceptional, with internal coils ensuring no messy changes are necessary. It also has a raised refill port on the side that allows you to add new e-liquid to the cartridge without having to remove it from the battery unit. I also really like the wider-than-usual mouthpiece and found it very comfortable to vape from.
The airflow control slider provides a surprising amount of openness, and while I did find that the auto-draw had some issues firing when it was opened all the way, using the firing button dealt with that issue quickly. So besides a slightly too weak airflow detection system, the VMATE MAX has a brilliant build design.
Performance
Score: 5/5
Now, this was the kit’s surprise win. From afar, the VMATE MAX seems like an uber-simple pod kit—just puff and go, right? Wrong, friend. Well, actually, yes, you can use it like that if you wish. But you’d be missing out on a remarkable slew of features and user modes.
Technically, the kit has four different modes of use. By default, the kit starts off in Shift mode, which in itself contains three sub-modes. NOR provides the optimal settings for your chosen cartridge, whereas SPT increases the power for more vapour without putting it into coil-burning territory. Then, ECO reduces the power used, which is great for when you know you aren’t going to be able to charge it any time soon.
You can switch between the three Shift modes with just three rapid taps on the firing button, but five taps take you to a menu with four options: Puff Clear, Exit, Power (to turn off the device), and POW.
POW takes it old-school, popping you into the familiar territory of direct wattage control, which you can cycle with just three button taps to a maximum output of 30W. Interestingly, a Smart feature is at play even in POW mode, with the battery switching to a higher or lower wattage when a new cartridge of differing ohmage is inserted, though you have the ability to simply override this suggestion with three taps.
For a pocket-size auto-draw pod kit, that’s a frankly astonishing level of customisation and alt-functionality, so full marks for performance!
Ease of Use
Score: 4/5
The VMATE MAX effectively has ‘starter’ and ‘intermediate’ modes in the form of the aforementioned Shift and POW functions. Totally new vapers will find the numberless interface of Shift mode very simple to understand, as the three sub-modes of SPT, NOR and ECO can be retranslated as High, Medium, and Low, respectively.
I will say that having menus that are navigated solely by way of a one-button interface can be a bit of a gamble sometimes. I lost count of the customers who’d come to me in retail vape shops asking how to ‘fix’ their vape when the truth was it just needed three rapid clicks.
So while I applaud the inclusion of Shift mode and reckon it will be a boon to new vapers, I think Voopoo could have stood to add another couple of buttons to the kit to avoid confusion. That’s the only reason for a docked point that I can find.
Battery Life
Score: 4.5/5
The VMATE MAX contains a 1200mAh battery, which is about what I expected from a device of its size. Over the course of a week, I found that battery to be powerful enough to keep me vaping at my desk all day long, though, to be honest, I wasn’t whacking the power up to its maximum very often.
I suspect that regularly using the kit at 30W would result in a necessitated lunchtime or mid-afternoon charge, but thanks to 2A-rated charge speeds, that isn’t going to be much of an issue as the device can go from depleted to around four-fifths charged in around a half hour.
The side LEDs that border the screen are a potential source of unnecessary power drain, but just two taps of the firing button switches them off entirely, so Voopoo have at least given you the option to limit superfluous battery usage.
Flavour Output
Score: 5/5
The taste is one of the really standout parts of the VMATE MAX, and it’s once again down to the high-quality build design of the coils that Voopoo have used. The VMATE MAX cartridges abide by Voopoo’s ‘icosm code’, which adds a layer of flavour protection in the form of a silver ion coating added to the coil surface. This has the effect of preventing bacterial buildup and keeping the e-liquid reservoir clean and pristine, free from flavour impurities.
Summary
I found the Voopoo VMATE MAX to be a joy to use! The compact build and easy functionality, paired with a surprising number of user modes and customisation options make it a great choice for both new and seasoned vapers. While it may not be ideal for those seeking massive clouds, few pod kits are, and MTL/RDL vapers will find the VMATE MAX to be a delight.
The MIST Favourite Feature:
- Shift Mode: I think it’s really neat that while manual wattage adjustment is an option, the default out-of-the-box mode puts a simple three-tiered user mode in your hands, and I feel that a total beginner would have no problems using it until they’re ready to give manual wattage a try.
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